Resource Levelling

[Haitao]

When I try to set up a project subject to resource
constraints, MS Project can't resolve the resource
conflicts by using "resource levelling" under the "Too"
menu. Does this often happen in MS Project? What can I do
to let MS Project resolve resource conflict automatically.
Thanks!

 

[Ed Kilner]

What you can do is this:

Use a rigorous Work Breakbown Structure ( see my web site's Freebie page for
some Guidelines)
Turn Resource Leveling on to Automatic before assigning resources.
Use one resouce per task; watch what happens after each assignment; fix
problems as they occur.

If you have one carpenter, don't assign more than one to a given task; MSP
will object, correctly.

--
Ed Kilner, P.Eng., PMP

(e-mail address removed) (416) 822-4835

Project Solutions Unlimited www.psu.ca

 

[alex weitzer]

Project does the best job at resource leveling when you
allow it some room to move. Don't put in date constraints
where they aren't absolutely necessary, for example. That
said, if there is a schedule that meets all the
constraints you have specified, I believe project will
find it, although it likely won't be the best one. (For a
discussion of why, look up scheduling in dr. dobbs journal
or some such...) If you purposefully, or unfortunately
have an extremely complicated schedule, it may take
project a _Long_ time to find a schedule that fits. if
this is the case, Project may even give up; My advice in
this case is to split the project into a high-level
project and some more detailed projects and do the
resource leveling separately, or buy a more advanced
scheduling (as opposed to project-management) app.