Project 2002: Removing resource recalculates project durations...

[Birmangirl]

....Prior to baselining, I have assigned a number of resources at 100% across
a number of tasks, maximum one resource per task. If I remove a resource from
a task, then durations are increased dramatically for no apparent reason and
undoing makes no difference. I can't see why this is happening - can anyone
explain?

TIA, Amanda

 

[JulieS]

Hi Amanda,

A couple of questions:

You mention you have assigned only one resource per task. What is the
definition of the resource's working time. How many hours per day does
their schedule allow them to work?

What is the working time as defined in the Project Calendar (the one
selected in Tools > Change working time).

Generally you see the behavior you describe when you remove one resource
from a task that is effort driven and either fixed work or fixed units.
But if you only have one resource per task, and remove that one
resource, I am guessing it is due to a difference in the resource's
calendar.

I hope this helps.

Julie

 

[Birmangirl]

Hi Julie

All resources are using the Standard Calendar with no modifications i.e. 40
hours per week, 8 hours per day.

Interestingly, I have tried an experiment whereby I uncheck "Effort Driven"
in the Task Information dialog box prior to assigning resources - this
doesn't seem to make any difference.

I teach Project and this example has me baffled! Any help gratefully accepted.

TIA
Amanda

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Effort driven does not come into play when ther eis only one resoruce per
task.
HTH

 

[JulieS]

Hi Amanda,

Well, that is a puzzler. As Jan said (and I tried but was not terribly
clear) Effort Driven only has impact on tasks if there is more than 1
resource assigned and you remove the resource.

If you like, zip the file and email to me. I'll take a look and see if
I can discern what is going on.

My email address is:

passport 6847 at maine dot rr dot com

[Remove the spaces and replace the at with an @ and the dots with . ]

Julie

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

That's because it takes much, much longer to do a task when no resources are
assigned to it than it does when someone is actually assigned to work on it!
<grin - sorry, I couldn't resist>

I'd suggest use "ChangeWorkingTime" to look and see what the Project
Calendar looks like - it appears whatever calendar is set as the Project
Calendar (which governs the scheduling of tasks with no resource) has fewer
hours defined as working hours than does the base calendar of the resource
which was removed. If the resource's calendar shows 40 hours per week and
the Project calendar shows 20, removing the resource from a 1 week long task
will cause it to go to two weeks. Note, the number in the Gantt chart task
table duration column won't change but the apparent duration based on the
length of the Gantt chart bar will double.