Multi-project part time resource leveling

[Shalem]

Hello everyone, and thanks in advance for trying to help me achieving
the following, in Server 2007 SP1 environment:

Let us say we have PROJECT1 and PROJECT2, managed by PM1 and PM2,
accordingly.
Only one RESOURCE is working, 70% of his time to PROJECT1 and 30% to
PROJECT2.

Can I make this senario work:
PM1 opens PROJECT1, building team from enterprise (RESOURCE only will
work on this project).
PM1 open resource sheet, and changing MAX UNITS for RESOURCE to 70%
understanding that theses changes will reset when the plan is reopen,
because this is an enterprise resource.
PM1 then assigning RESOURCE to all of the tasks, and obviously the
resource is allocated to more than 70%, because some taksk occure at
the same time (in PROJECT1 itself), so PM1 wants to do "resource
leveling" so that the tool will automaticly delay or split tasks in
PROJECT1 so RESOURCE will not work more than 70% in PROJECT1,
regardless of the situation in PROJECT2. PM1 also wants that in the
resource sheet view, RESOURCE will appear in red if and only if
RESOURCE is allocated above 70% in PROJECT1.

PM2 wants excactly the same, and if they both level RESOURCE to 70%
and 30%, so in total the resource will not be overallocated.

Can I make this happen? how? will deselecting the "Load summery
resource assignment" checkbox when openning the project do the job?

Thanks again
Shalem.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Shalem --

Microsoft Project 2007 cannot do what you want with leveling, since the
software cannot change the Units values on task assignments. The only thing
it can do is delay tasks or assignments and split tasks or assignments. In
your scenario, I would recommend that PM1 temporarily set the Max. Units
value for the resource in his/her project to 70% and then assign the
resource to tasks at no more than 70% Units. If he/she does not enter a
Units value manually, in either the Assign Resources dialog or the Task
Entry view, the software will automatically set the Units value to the value
entered in the Max. Units field, which in this case is 70%. PM2 should
temporarily set the Max. units for the resource in his/her project to 30%
and then assign the resource at no more than 30% Units on any task. Hope
this helps.

 

[Shalem]

Shalem --

Microsoft Project 2007 cannot do what you want with leveling, since the
software cannot change the Units values on task assignments.  The only thing
it can do is delay tasks or assignments and split tasks or assignments.  In
your scenario, I would recommend that PM1 temporarily set the Max. Units
value for the resource in his/her project to 70% and then assign the
resource to tasks at no more than 70% Units.  If he/she does not enter a
Units value manually, in either the Assign Resources dialog or the Task
Entry view, the software will automatically set the Units value to the value
entered in the Max. Units field, which in this case is 70%.  PM2 should
temporarily set the Max. units for the resource in his/her project to 30%
and then assign the resource at no more than 30% Units on any task.  Hope
this helps.













- Show quoted text -

Hi Dale, and thanks for the answer.
Regarding the solution you offered, after temporarily setting
max.units to 70%, will the "resource leveling" tool treat the resource
as over-allocated if he or she are assigned to more than 70% units
(due to, for example, few tasks that are schedule for the same date)?
And will that resource be coloured red in the resource sheet view in
the same session (because on the next session max units will reset
anyway...)?
Thanks.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Shalem --

Microsoft Project 2007 uses the Max. Units value for two purposes:

1. To determine if a resource is overallocated. If you specify the Max.
Units value as 70% and then you assign a resource at 100% Units on a task,
the software marks the resource as overallocated with red text.

2. When you assign a resource to a task and do not specify a Units value,
the software enters the Max. Units value as the Units value.

Hope this helps.

Shalem --

Microsoft Project 2007 cannot do what you want with leveling, since the
software cannot change the Units values on task assignments. The only
thing
it can do is delay tasks or assignments and split tasks or assignments. In
your scenario, I would recommend that PM1 temporarily set the Max. Units
value for the resource in his/her project to 70% and then assign the
resource to tasks at no more than 70% Units. If he/she does not enter a
Units value manually, in either the Assign Resources dialog or the Task
Entry view, the software will automatically set the Units value to the
value
entered in the Max. Units field, which in this case is 70%. PM2 should
temporarily set the Max. units for the resource in his/her project to 30%
and then assign the resource at no more than 30% Units on any task. Hope
this helps.













- Show quoted text -

Hi Dale, and thanks for the answer.
Regarding the solution you offered, after temporarily setting
max.units to 70%, will the "resource leveling" tool treat the resource
as over-allocated if he or she are assigned to more than 70% units
(due to, for example, few tasks that are schedule for the same date)?
And will that resource be coloured red in the resource sheet view in
the same session (because on the next session max units will reset
anyway...)?
Thanks.