less than 8 hour day in red

[DJ Huff]

I have my resources set up as 100% max units and when I look at the Resource
Usage sheet, many days show red for various individuals when their total
hours for that day are quite a bit less than 8 hours. Working Time is set
for 8 hour days.

Why am I getting supposed overallocated resources for less than 8 hours/day
and less than 40 hours/week?

 

[JulieS]

Hello DJ,

Please see FAQ 34 at http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi DJ Huff,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

You could try leveling on a minute by minute or hour by hour basis. You
might like to see FAQ Item: 34 on overallocations.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

 

[DJ Huff]

Thank you both (Mike, Julie). I can see what is happening now. I do not
want to automatically resource level as that would mess up my dates, but I
can see that I have multiple tasks assigned in the same timeframe (8am, 9am)
that total more than 1 hour for a resource. I think I will just have to live
with it as to change it might be a bugar!

I may have screwed up by setting the project default to Fixed Duration, then
entering the resources. I think I want Fixed Units/Effort Driven and I have
set that as the default and changed all the tasks in mass, but not sure how
the tasks with resources already assigned will act. Much more playing to do!

One thing I have concluded...MSP was developed for the "perfectly" built
plan. If everything is not quite perfect, then the tool may do all kinds of
things you don't expect, even if you think you know what effects should
happen.

Isn't there some heuristic I read in one of the Project books that said once
the resources are initially assigned, they will not be affected by duration
changes or something? I know there is some illogical issue with resources
not being affected after initially entered...can you remember?

I think I am fairly well up on MSP and I am certainly learning more as I go,
but sure seems like there is so much to have to set in place that one can
never know it all. I am impressed with the knowledge ya'll display. Heck, I
am a little ol' White Belt at this point and need to get Orange then more,
but not sure I can get there with all the "features" of MSP I must know!
--
Regards,

DJ Huff, PhD, PMP, CISA, ITIL

Hello DJ,

Please see FAQ 34 at http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[JulieS]

You're welcome DJ. Glad to have helped and thanks for the feedback.
I have a few more comments inline below.

Thank you both (Mike, Julie). I can see what is happening now. I
do not
want to automatically resource level as that would mess up my
dates, but I
can see that I have multiple tasks assigned in the same timeframe
(8am, 9am)
that total more than 1 hour for a resource. I think I will just
have to live
with it as to change it might be a bugar!

[Julie] If it's as minor as an hour overlap, I'd be inclined to
just let it go. Look at the total demand for that day and only
adjust if it's significantly over the max. amount for the day.

I may have screwed up by setting the project default to Fixed
Duration, then
entering the resources. I think I want Fixed Units/Effort Driven
and I have
set that as the default and changed all the tasks in mass, but not
sure how
the tasks with resources already assigned will act. Much more
playing to do!

[Julie] Changing task type from one type to another will not change
anything until you change something else in the relationship between
duration, assignment units, and work. In a fixed duration task,
changing work causes Project to change assignment Units and changing
assignment units causes Project to recalculate work. If you set the
task type to fixed units -- changing work causes Project to change
duration and changing duration causes Project to change work.

One thing I have concluded...MSP was developed for the "perfectly"
built
plan. If everything is not quite perfect, then the tool may do
all kinds of
things you don't expect, even if you think you know what effects
should
happen.

Isn't there some heuristic I read in one of the Project books that
said once
the resources are initially assigned, they will not be affected by
duration
changes or something? I know there is some illogical issue with
resources
not being affected after initially entered...can you remember?

[Julie] That would be setting tasks as fixed units. With both fixed
duration and fixed work, assignment units can be altered by Project
in order to keep the calculation correct.

I think I am fairly well up on MSP and I am certainly learning
more as I go,
but sure seems like there is so much to have to set in place that
one can
never know it all. I am impressed with the knowledge ya'll
display.

[Julie] Gee, thanks I think you'll find all of the "regulars"
on this newsgroup have been using Project for quite a long time and
will all still freely admit we still learn new stuff on a regular
basis. Each new release also brings new features to learn, so it's
a never ending adventure !

Heck, I
am a little ol' White Belt at this point and need to get Orange
then more,
but not sure I can get there with all the "features" of MSP I must
know!