Project Duration vs Costs

[davies]

I'm new to MS Project and I've taken a few classes. I want my tasks to
complete w/in the duration that I gave them. Ex: Design: 9 Days with 2
resource at 100%. What it is doing is taking 1 res = 30/hr and 50/hr =
5760.00 for this task. Acutally what I want it to do is have this task be
completed within the 9 days. They will not be working on this task for 9
days * 8 hours/day. I know I'll have to put in how many hours it actually
took on the resource sheet. Any suggestions? I have an end date that we
have to hit. I dont want my resources leveled or split. The team has many
task to work on in the same time frame. Thanks any suggestions would be
helpful!

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

After reading this, I have more questions than answers.

1. Why do you worry about cost? If delay is your only priority forget about
cost altogether.
2. And this is the complete mistery, you don't want resources leveled but
your resources have many tasks to work on simultaneously: well if they have
the gift of bilocation, great, that's the solution.

I hope other people undertand your needs better; if not, I hope you can
rephrase..

Greetings,

 

[Darrell]

I am not sure your post is very clear. Are you saying that 1 resource is
receiving 30 hours and the other resource is receiving 50 hours for a total
of 80 hours on a 9 day task? In addition, that the cost is $5,760.00?

Let me just tell you what I do and maybe you can find what you need in it
somewhere. I begin by making sure I have properly configured the "Options"
for the project schedule, i.e. Date Format, Calendar, Calculations, Etc. I
set "Resource Leveling" to Manual. I set my default task type to "Fixed
Duration" and turn off "Effort Driven".

In the schedule spreadsheet I add the "Work" field next to the "Duration"
field and as I add tasks and resources I ask the resources for both the
duration (how long to get it done in our culture) and for the amount of work
involved (if they worked without interruption non-stop). I let the
application calculate the resource percentage. You must enter the resources
before entering the work estimate.

Therefore, if I entered this task I would enter a duration of 9 days and the
two resources names. Now I can enter the amount of work each estimates they
will have to perform. If they both said 10 hours that would be a total of 20
hours between them. Entering 20 hours of work will allocate each resource to
14% (1.12 hours) a day for 9 days. They now have 6.88 hours available for
other work. You can contour the work, or change the work allocation between
the two resources if you need too by using the Task Information dialog box.

Darrell

 

[davegb]

I'm new to MS Project and I've taken a few classes. I want my tasks to
complete w/in the duration that I gave them.

Don't we all! But there's a problem, it's called "Reality". Or to quote
Steinbeck, "the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray".

Ex: Design: 9 Days with 2

resource at 100%. What it is doing is taking 1 res = 30/hr and 50/hr =
5760.00 for this task. Acutally what I want it to do is have this task be
completed within the 9 days. They will not be working on this task for 9
days * 8 hours/day.

You contradict yourself. First you say they'll be working 100%, then
you say they won't. Which is it?

I know I'll have to put in how many hours it actually

took on the resource sheet. Any suggestions?

This one's pretty simple. Enter the Actual hours in the Actual Work
field after they've done the work.

I have an end date that we

have to hit. I dont want my resources leveled or split. The team has many
task to work on in the same time frame.

That may or may not actually work. My experience is that the more
unrealistic expectations you put on yourself and your people, the less
likely you are to succeed.

Thanks any suggestions would be

helpful!

I'd suggest you schedule your tasks as you are and track them as they
progress. I like to put in some schedule buffer prior to major
milestones and the end of the project because my experience is that no
matter how much I might wish things to get done when I planned them to
get done, some of them don't.

Hope this helps in your world.

 

[davies]

Hi,

After reading this, I have more questions than answers.

1. Why do you worry about cost? If delay is your only priority forget about
cost altogether.
2. And this is the complete mistery, you don't want resources leveled but
your resources have many tasks to work on simultaneously: well if they have
the gift of bilocation, great, that's the solution.

I hope other people undertand your needs better; if not, I hope you can
rephrase..

Greetings,

--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

Hi thanks for responding. The costs need to be tracked beacuse accouting number are off (that's what PM's say) So I need to be able to see what the differences are. If I use resource leveling will it change my end date? When I did it before it made my project end next year.

 

[davies]

Hi Darrell, Thanks so much for responding. I understand what you are
talking about. I can't figure out of to set the task type to "Fixed
Duration" and turn off "Effort Driven". I don't see it in the options and
help is NOT helping me.

 

[davies]

Hey Davegb, Yes your reply helps. I understant the issus and problems of
ending on time. I did add the buffer to the end of the project. This is my
1st project with the software. I'd like to say it is going smooth ~ NOT.
This is my learning time. thanks for your help!

 

[Darrell]

davies,

Try "Tools/Options/Schedule Tab"

Hi Darrell, Thanks so much for responding. I understand what you are
talking about. I can't figure out of to set the task type to "Fixed
Duration" and turn off "Effort Driven". I don't see it in the options and
help is NOT helping me.

 

[Rob Schneider]

That will change the default for all new entries, and for changing an
existing task, one way (there are others) is to double click on the
task, and pick the advanced field (from there self explanatory).

 

[tadk]

to Darrell,

Thank you for your tips, i copied and pasted them for my future use. I am
not sure but you might have saved me a ton of headache. Time to investigate
further.
Again a public thanks

Tad