Question about Task Duration, Work, Units relationship

[Dave]

I have 2 tasks, both set up the same :
- Duration = 500d
- Type = fixed Work
- % Cmplt=0
- Same start, same finish

I entered one resource (same resource for each)
- Work=100h

Only difference
Task 1 - Units=3% (as expected)
Task 2 - Units = 30% (not sure how this happened)

If I change Duration from 500d to 50d on both:
Task 1 - Units=25% (as expected)
Task 2 - Units = 31% (???)

What the heck is going on here??

Dave

 

[Rob Schneider]

I have 2 tasks, both set up the same :
- Duration = 500d
- Type = fixed Work
- % Cmplt=0
- Same start, same finish

I entered one resource (same resource for each)
- Work=100h

Only difference
Task 1 - Units=3% (as expected)
Task 2 - Units = 30% (not sure how this happened)

If I change Duration from 500d to 50d on both:
Task 1 - Units=25% (as expected)
Task 2 - Units = 31% (???)

What the heck is going on here??

Dave

Clearly Task number 2 is not setup exactly as number 1 as it's behaving
differently and unexpectedly. Double click on each task and look through
all details to ensure you have defined each task as you intended, and
look for differences. For example, is "effort driven" the same one each?

 

[Dave]

I have 2 tasks, both set up the same :
- Duration = 500d
- Type = fixed Work
- % Cmplt=0
- Same start, same finish

I entered one resource (same resource for each)
- Work=100h

Only difference
Task 1 - Units=3% (as expected)
Task 2 - Units = 30% (not sure how this happened)

If I change Duration from 500d to 50d on both:
Task 1 - Units=25% (as expected)
Task 2 - Units = 31% (???)

What the heck is going on here??

Dave

If you look through the way that the resources have been allocated
across time (in the Resource Usage view for example) you will probably
find that there is a period on Task 2 for which the resource is working
at a greater rate than you intended. The units is not the average usage
of a resource, but the maximum over the duration of the task.

 

[Dave]

If you look through the way that the resources have been allocated
across time (in the Resource Usage view for example) you will probably
find that there is a period on Task 2 for which the resource is working
at a greater rate than you intended. The units is not the average usage
of a resource, but the maximum over the duration of the task.

Thanks - you are correct. Somehow 1 task is way loaded up on work hours
near the start date, and then the work hours drop off for the remaining
duration of the task.

I am not sure how this happened. I just created a task and entered the
duration and work hours. I assumed that the work would be distributed
uniformely over the entire duration.

I have close to 1000 tasks in my project. Does this mean I have to check
the set up of each one, or is there some way to force all tasks to follow a
linear work distribution over the duration.

Dave2

 

[Dave]

Thanks - you are correct. Somehow 1 task is way loaded up on work hours
near the start date, and then the work hours drop off for the remaining
duration of the task.

I am not sure how this happened. I just created a task and entered the
duration and work hours. I assumed that the work would be distributed
uniformely over the entire duration.

I have close to 1000 tasks in my project. Does this mean I have to check
the set up of each one, or is there some way to force all tasks to follow a
linear work distribution over the duration.

Dave2

I found it - Its'a all about contour. So I go to Task Usage View and double
click on the resource and then set the Contour to Flat. Then I reset my
duration to what I had originally (Fixed Work Task) and this does what I
wanted - even distribution of Work over Duration.