Prioritizing subprojects in master project

[Daniel Billingsley]

I have created a master project consisting of two imported projects all
linked to a shared resource pool. MS Project leveled the resource across
both projects such that there is somewhat random work going on from both of
them across the next few months. The "random" way it prioritized, project2
ends up completed in a couple weeks and project1 is completed in a month or
so.

That's fine for a first try and all else being equal, but now the decision
has been made that the first project has to have more priority so it meets
its deadline. What I really want to tell Project is that I want to complete
the projects more or less in order. I say "more or less" because I may jump
in and work on a task on project2 next week when it fits in, but the key is
I never want MS Project to level such that any project2 tasks gets scheduled
before ones from project1

I've tried using the Priority, but it really has zero effect.

I've tried putting a start-finish constraint between the two projects, but
it doesn't like that because some work from project2 is already done and it
would end up being before project2's start date.

This seems like such a basic way master projects would be used that I must
be missing something. I ultimately would like to have the next year's worth
of projects in there and be able to order them in terms of leveling
priority.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Did you try Project Priority (in the Project menu, project information),
preferably mking the difference sizable (not 500 and 501, that doesn't have
much of an effect)?
Then when you set the leveling option to priority, standard, I assure you it
does work.
HTH

 

[Daniel Billingsley]

Yes, I did try that, using 400 and 1000. I tried doing it at just the
project summary task level, and also on every single task in both projects.
Nothing happened.

Besides it not working, I think the "sizable" requirement is problematic if
that's Microsoft's answer. 501 should have higher priority than 500. How
am I supposed to know what the magic threshhold is for Project to *really*
prioritize one over the other and when it will just ignore the priorities?
With say 10 projects in a master project is it even possible to spread them
out enough? And then when you've completed the first 4 projects and added
another 4 at the end you'd quickly run out of sizable differences. There
has to be a better way, right?

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

First, with a step of 1, you would have room for 999 projets, so no worry
there.
Fact is that leveling makes a sort of weighted priority using things like
Priority field but also total slack, original start date, and even ID; When
leveling Priority, Standard, Priority gets the highest weight but not
absolute "priority".
And no, the exact formula is not available.

Now for your problem.
Be aware that 1000 means "do not level". Those tasks will not move.
But for that, leveling should give sensible results.
Is "Leveling can split tasks" on? Is "level only within available slack"
Off?
HTH

(If the files are not too big you can mail them to jandemes AT prom-ade DOT
be I'll have a look)