Help w/Availability in Portfolio Analyzer

[tartaglia]

Background:
~ (Using Project Server 2003 SP1)
~ Enterprise Resource "Bob" (non-generic), max units=100%,
Calendar=Standard
~ OLAP cube built successfully nightly
~ OLAP Date Range = start of earliest project - finish of latest
~ OLAP Range for Resource Availability = past 4 weeks - next 6 months

Scenario 1: PWA > Resources > View Availability ("Bob"), 12/4/05 -
12/10/05 = 40hrs

Scenario 2: PWA > Portfolio Analyzer > Filter Fields = Resources =
"Bob"; Data Fields = Availability; NO DATA IS DISPLAYED????

Can someone please explain why the Port. Analyzer (Scenario 2) does not
show any availability data for this resource?

If this is working as designed, how can I analyze the Enterprise
Resource Pool Availability? (there are approx 200 resource in my pool).


This seems like I am missing some critical understanding here. My
company needs to be able to see the "Availability" (a.k.a. capacity) of
the resources in the Pool.

Thanks!

 

[Chris Marriott]

Hi

If Bob has never been assigned to a task (that has been published to him) he
will not show up at all in the Portfolio Analyser

I hope this at least saves you some time finding the problem

Assign bob to any task ..
--
Regards


Chris Marriott - PMP MCSE MCDBA
UK - EPM Consultant & Trainer

 

[Tartaglia]

Chris,
Thanks for the quick response. Please clarify...when you say "has never
been assigned to a task"... do you mean never, ever assigned? or are you
saying that bob has not been assigned to a task in the resource availability
period covered by the OLAP cube settings?

Either way, the fact that Bob has not been assigned to a task is exactly why
he is available and exactly why we need to see his availability. What you
are describing seems very counter intuitive. Imagine, if you would, a new
resource joins the organization, they are entered into the pool, but there is
no way to see the increased capacity (availability) associated with the new
resource via the tool until the resource gets an assignment and their
availability is reduced.

By the way, after playing a little more with the Portfolio Analyzer, I find
that If I filter the same view described below for both "Bob" and "Local
Resource" I can see Bob's availability. Any idea on why this happens?

 

[Chris Marriott]

Hi

Never ever ever

I understand your frustration on this ... I asked exactly the same questions

I just wanted to save you time in finding this out


--
Regards


Chris Marriott - PMP MCSE MCDBA
UK - EPM Consultant & Trainer

 

[Chris Marriott]

Hi

I missed the end of your last message ... how are you filtering ...

Are you dropping "resource status" in the filter zone

I am unable to re-create what you have described
--
Regards


Chris Marriott - PMP MCSE MCDBA
UK - EPM Consultant & Trainer

 

[Tartaglia]

Chris,

So, since you sound as though you've been down this path. Do you have any
suggestions for how I can accomplish seeing the pool availability?

Would it work to assign everyone in the pool to a dummy project that only
has one task, the task having only 1 minute of work of all resources. Would
that fix my problem going forward? I could do this and no one would notice?
Could I even delete the project from the server after I make the assignments
(and the cube has run once)? Have you tried any of this?

 

[Tartaglia]

Chris,

Filter Fields: Dimension = Resources; select only "Bob" + "Local Resources"
Data Fields: Measure = Availability
Category Fields: Dimension = Time; select only December 2005

Bob has never, ever been assigned to a task. Without "Local Resources"
selected, I get no data.

Is there a way I could send a screenshot to you? It might be easier.

Thanks again.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Tartaglia:

I believe that this problem is related to a fix that is included in SP2,
which has been temporarily pulled. Put more than one resource in your view
until the SP is re-released.

 

[Tartaglia]

Gary,

Thanks, but putting more than one resource in the view (i.e. "Bob" + "Jane"
+ "Jim") still shows no data until I add the Resource named "Local Resources"
to the view, then, and only then, do I get to see some data regarding the
Availability measure. If you still feel that this will be resolved in SP2,
great, at least then I won't be worried that I or the users have done
something wrong in the use of the tool.

Thanks again.
--
Tartaglia
PM Consultant

Tartaglia:

I believe that this problem is related to a fix that is included in SP2,
which has been temporarily pulled. Put more than one resource in your view
until the SP is re-released.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Tartaglia:

I know for certain that the SP addresses issues with availability in the
cube. I can't say for certain that this particular behavior is part of that
fix, but I'm reasonably sure that it is.