Priority vs Leveling Delay

[Roger Becker]

Good Morning All,
I've been pouring over this issue for days and haven't come to any
logical reason for why it's happening. I am hoping someone here may have had
the same issue or knows if I've just made a simple error.
Heres the situation - I have 5 test cells lets call them T1 thru T5 and
when in use two workers man each test. For any given test, the resource
column shows T1, Test[2]. I have 6 workers to man test cells, so of the 5 I
can run 3 at any given time. Here is my issue later in the year when I reach
my highest possible test load project is producing leveling delays for the
test resource I don't understand.
For instance only 4 of the test resource are being used ie two tests
are being conducted, however there are other tests available to be started in
other test cells, but project won't start them. The test cells are available.
It seems that project does not recgonize that there are 6 test resouces
available.
I have noticed this is more prevalent as the jobs become lower in
priority, however there is not a large difference in priority between the
jobs in question. Are there different priority groups I may not be aware of?
I know I'm grasping at straws, but I've checked all the calendars, working
hours, links, constraints and still I have available work, available manpower
& available cells but I have leveling delays.
Can anyone shed some light on this and help me keep my sanity?
Thank you!
Roger

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Either this is a bug (what version of Project are you running? If not 2007,
what level of Service Pack is installed?) or there is a setting I don't see
from here.
The best I can offer you is to look at the file if you send it to
jandemesATprom-ade.be

 

[Steve House]

Resource leveling isn't the same thing as resource optimizing. It works to
resolve OVER allocations but won't touch UNDER allocations. Project assumes
that if you chose to assign a resource such that it is used at less than
full capacity you had some reason to do that that it isn't aware of and it
won't second guess you.

 

[Roger Becker]

Jan, Trevor, Steve,
Thanks for your input. Maybe this problem relates to my asumption of how
project works. The way I am scheduling in my mind would always "optimize" the
resouces.
I alway assign two men and one test cell to every test. I then use
remaining work to drive the start and finish date, which in my mind then
changes the duration and resource utilization of each test. Thus leaving time
available to work each day. Being I have multiple tests & Cells available at
one time I always assumed the test resource would be 100% utilized. Am I
misunderstanding the fundamental way project looks at work?
As an experiment I am breaking each test up into three parts - Set up -
Test - Tear down. To see if this helps to more level load the test resouce.

Resource leveling isn't the same thing as resource optimizing. It works to
resolve OVER allocations but won't touch UNDER allocations. Project assumes
that if you chose to assign a resource such that it is used at less than
full capacity you had some reason to do that that it isn't aware of and it
won't second guess you.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Good Morning All,
I've been pouring over this issue for days and haven't come to any
logical reason for why it's happening. I am hoping someone here may have
had
the same issue or knows if I've just made a simple error.
Heres the situation - I have 5 test cells lets call them T1 thru T5 and
when in use two workers man each test. For any given test, the resource
column shows T1, Test[2]. I have 6 workers to man test cells, so of the 5
I
can run 3 at any given time. Here is my issue later in the year when I
reach
my highest possible test load project is producing leveling delays for the
test resource I don't understand.
For instance only 4 of the test resource are being used ie two tests
are being conducted, however there are other tests available to be started
in
other test cells, but project won't start them. The test cells are
available.
It seems that project does not recgonize that there are 6 test resouces
available.
I have noticed this is more prevalent as the jobs become lower in
priority, however there is not a large difference in priority between the
jobs in question. Are there different priority groups I may not be aware
of?
I know I'm grasping at straws, but I've checked all the calendars, working
hours, links, constraints and still I have available work, available
manpower
& available cells but I have leveling delays.
Can anyone shed some light on this and help me keep my sanity?
Thank you!
Roger

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Roger,

First, this is as far as I can understand quite a different story/question
from your first one which was about Resource Leveling (and i maintain your
observations there were inaccurate or you run a buggy version).

Again, in this one you make some very, very curious statements:

I then use

remaining work to drive the start and finish date, which in my mind then
changes the duration and resource utilization of each test.

Changing Work changes EITHER duration OR Units but not the two. And just to
be clear, this is NOT what Project calls Leveling.

Being I have multiple tests & Cells available at

one time I always assumed the test resource would be 100% utilized

It will REMAIN 100% used on the task if the task has Fixed Units type

Am I

misunderstanding the fundamental way project looks at work?

I'm afraid so.

level load the test resouce

If you do not assign the resource at 100% for starters Leveling won't help
you. Leveling DOES NOT change assignment units.

Hope this helps,

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project MVP
http://users.online.be/prom-ade

Jan, Trevor, Steve,
Thanks for your input. Maybe this problem relates to my asumption of how
project works. The way I am scheduling in my mind would always "optimize"
the
resouces.
I alway assign two men and one test cell to every test. I then use
remaining work to drive the start and finish date, which in my mind then
changes the duration and resource utilization of each test. Thus leaving
time
available to work each day. Being I have multiple tests & Cells available
at
one time I always assumed the test resource would be 100% utilized. Am I
misunderstanding the fundamental way project looks at work?
As an experiment I am breaking each test up into three parts - Set up -
Test - Tear down. To see if this helps to more level load the test
resouce.

Resource leveling isn't the same thing as resource optimizing. It works
to
resolve OVER allocations but won't touch UNDER allocations. Project
assumes
that if you chose to assign a resource such that it is used at less than
full capacity you had some reason to do that that it isn't aware of and
it
won't second guess you.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Good Morning All,
I've been pouring over this issue for days and haven't come to any
logical reason for why it's happening. I am hoping someone here may
have
had
the same issue or knows if I've just made a simple error.
Heres the situation - I have 5 test cells lets call them T1 thru T5
and
when in use two workers man each test. For any given test, the resource
column shows T1, Test[2]. I have 6 workers to man test cells, so of the
5
I
can run 3 at any given time. Here is my issue later in the year when I
reach
my highest possible test load project is producing leveling delays for
the
test resource I don't understand.
For instance only 4 of the test resource are being used ie two
tests
are being conducted, however there are other tests available to be
started
in
other test cells, but project won't start them. The test cells are
available.
It seems that project does not recgonize that there are 6 test resouces
available.
I have noticed this is more prevalent as the jobs become lower in
priority, however there is not a large difference in priority between
the
jobs in question. Are there different priority groups I may not be
aware
of?
I know I'm grasping at straws, but I've checked all the calendars,
working
hours, links, constraints and still I have available work, available
manpower
& available cells but I have leveling delays.
Can anyone shed some light on this and help me keep my sanity?
Thank you!
Roger