How does resource allocation work?

[Dave H]

I'm having trouble with resource allocation. It seems to go off in the weeds
when entering resource information.

I have this information upon which to build a project: man-hours of work,
resource names, and resource calendars (5 resources, 3 different resource
calendars)

After building the task using the man-hours of work with a Fixed Unit task
type, I come back to add resources. Everything works fine the first time I
put in the resources. But the resource allocation seems to go off in the
weeds if I come back and make changes to resources with a resource using a
different calendar than the base calendar. It doesn't seem to distribute
the work among the resources correctly to get the task done in the least
duration.

Any ideas?

Dave H

 

[pratta]

Hi Dave H
I'd try , on a test file:
- removing resources
- change the Type to Fixed Duration, set to Default in Tools/ Options/
Schedule
- Insert a column for Work, next to the Duration column
- Ensure any existing tasks for which you want to add resources are also
Fixed Duration
- Set the duration of the task/s
- Then you can start to to add resource to tasks
You will notice:
- the work column (which is planned work) will now contain a value.
Increase or decrease work value as you see fit. Duration will not change; but
Resource Units will change. W= D X Units. You have set duration to Fixed and
you are the only one who can change it.
Only worry about resource calendars after you are happy with the network of
tasks as entered. All resource calendars do is to allow resources to work on
available days. I don't believe it is the cause of your problem.

Regards............Pratta

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #10 - Multiple Resource Assignments, at this
site: http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

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

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

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

In addition to the other comments - make absolutely certain that you do not
confuse hours of duration with man-hours of work. Work measure the amount
of effort required to get a certain output - you could say it measures
resource sweat. Duration, OTOH, measures the length of time in which that
work is performed.

If I have 8 man-hours of work to do, have one resource available to do it,
and he'll work at capacity on it, the task will take 8 hours of duration.
If he's talking to his buddy about the hockey strike and only works at half
capacity, it'll take 16 hours, 2 working days, to do. OTOH, if I have 8 guys
and can put them all on that one task working together as a team, they'll
get the 8 required man-hours wrapped up in 1 hour's work time on the clock.
OTOH if one of them does his hour's worth or work on Mon, a couple do theirs
on Tuesday and the rest do their hour of work each scattered about on Wed,
Thurs and Fri - it will take the team something like 5 days, 40 duration
hours, to get all the work done.