Resources across projects

[Katherine]

I have a number of projects that share resources.
I set up my resources and at this time I can set up the Max Units for a
resource on a particular project. (This way Joe works on Proj1 70% and Proj2
30% and I just enter the work time and the duration gets calculated correctly.
I specify the tasks, assign resources, units of work, etc. All fine.
THEN later, I decide that my resources need to be juggled. I want to
experiment or change permanently from now going forward and have Joe on
project 1 50% of the time so I can put him on some other project that extra
20% of the time.
I can change Joe's max units, but it seems to only affect New tasks, not
existing ones. I want my existing schedule (all work not completed) to be
updated by this decrease in Joe's availability

 

[JulieS]

Hi Katherine,

Unfortunately, changing a resource's maximum units does not change the
resource unit assignments -- you will still need to re-assign the resources
to get the lower (or higher) maximum units. I would save the project file
(perhaps under another name) before making the change. Then, to make the
re-assignments easier:

1) Tools> Options, view tab. Uncheck Show Summary Tasks.
2) Filter the project using the Using Resource In Date Range filter and
select the
resource whose tasks you wish to see in the particular date range.
(As an alternative you could create a custom filter based upon the Using
Resource.... filter adding an AND condition for [% Complete] less than 100%)

3) Select all tasks in the filtered view.
4) Click the assign resources button in the Standard toolbar.
5) Click the resource you wish to replace in the Assign Resources dialog
box.
6) Click the Remove button.
7) Select the same resource name.
8) Click the assign button to re-assign the resource with the new maximum
units.

You will need to repeat this for each resource in turn.

9) Tools>Options, view tab. Check Show Summary Tasks to return to the
display of summary tasks.

You may also want to explore using a resource pool to be able to see all of
Joe's tasks across all projects. (See help on resource pools)

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.



Julie

If each project file has its own resources (for Example Joe is a resource in
Project 1 and Project 2) just cha

 

[Katherine]

Thank you VERY much

Hi Katherine,

Unfortunately, changing a resource's maximum units does not change the
resource unit assignments -- you will still need to re-assign the resources
to get the lower (or higher) maximum units. I would save the project file
(perhaps under another name) before making the change. Then, to make the
re-assignments easier:

1) Tools> Options, view tab. Uncheck Show Summary Tasks.
2) Filter the project using the Using Resource In Date Range filter and
select the
resource whose tasks you wish to see in the particular date range.
(As an alternative you could create a custom filter based upon the Using
Resource.... filter adding an AND condition for [% Complete] less than 100%)

3) Select all tasks in the filtered view.
4) Click the assign resources button in the Standard toolbar.
5) Click the resource you wish to replace in the Assign Resources dialog
box.
6) Click the Remove button.
7) Select the same resource name.
8) Click the assign button to re-assign the resource with the new maximum
units.

You will need to repeat this for each resource in turn.

9) Tools>Options, view tab. Check Show Summary Tasks to return to the
display of summary tasks.

You may also want to explore using a resource pool to be able to see all of
Joe's tasks across all projects. (See help on resource pools)

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.



Julie

If each project file has its own resources (for Example Joe is a resource in
Project 1 and Project 2) just cha

I have a number of projects that share resources.
I set up my resources and at this time I can set up the Max Units for a
resource on a particular project. (This way Joe works on Proj1 70% and
Proj2
30% and I just enter the work time and the duration gets calculated
correctly.
I specify the tasks, assign resources, units of work, etc. All fine.
THEN later, I decide that my resources need to be juggled. I want to
experiment or change permanently from now going forward and have Joe on
project 1 50% of the time so I can put him on some other project that
extra
20% of the time.
I can change Joe's max units, but it seems to only affect New tasks, not
existing ones. I want my existing schedule (all work not completed) to be
updated by this decrease in Joe's availability

 

[JulieS]

You are most welcome Katherine. Glad to have helped and thanks for the
feedback.

Julie

 

[Katherine]

Here is an add-on to the previous question.
So now I can change max units and get a new schedule generated from that info.
Part 2: I'd like to have multiple project files share the same resources
(set up a resource pool, which I understand). I'd like to set up my project
where Joe works on proj 1 50% of the time and project 2 50% of the time. I
can anticipate that in the future, I'll need to alter this and make Joe 50%
on proj 1, 30% on proj 2 and 20% on new proj 3.
With a resource pool, the max units are only in one place. It would be nice
if I could say per project and use the trick from the previous question to
riplle the changes as they occur.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Katherine,

You are correct, when using a resource pool file, the maximum units are
defined in the pool, not per project. You can take the suggestion I made
earlier, with filters and manually input the new rate per project as you
replace the resource. Unfortunately, it will need to be repeated for each
project with the new allocation.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie