Set task duration and resource work

[Brewman]

What is the easiest way to do this:

I have a group of tasks that I want to take 3 days. I have two resources
that I want to assign to those tasks. Now the actual task work won't take 3
complete days, I just want to block out that many days for the entire group.
So the resources may spend a couple hours on this task group, then have work
time left to assign to another task group, etc.
The only way I found to do this (and it may be the only way) is to set the
task duration to 0 days and go into the Resource Usage chart and put x-number
of hours on the task group for each resource. I have to divide up the number
of work hours between resources and spread them out across the 3 days. Is
there another way to do this?

 

[John]

What is the easiest way to do this:

I have a group of tasks that I want to take 3 days. I have two resources
that I want to assign to those tasks. Now the actual task work won't take 3
complete days, I just want to block out that many days for the entire group.
So the resources may spend a couple hours on this task group, then have work
time left to assign to another task group, etc.
The only way I found to do this (and it may be the only way) is to set the
task duration to 0 days and go into the Resource Usage chart and put x-number
of hours on the task group for each resource. I have to divide up the number
of work hours between resources and spread them out across the 3 days. Is
there another way to do this?

Brewman,
It isn't real clear exactly what you mean when you say you want the
group of tasks to take 3 days. Is that 3 days per task or 3 days for the
whole group, which may mean each task is 0.5 days but the tasks are
linked sequentially to total 3 days.

Nonetheless, the normal way to set this up is to make the tasks fixed
duration, non-effort driven. Set the duration to be 3 days and enter the
total work hours for all resources in the Work field. When you assign
the resources, Project will automatically calculate the assignment level
and divide the hours equally between both resources.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Brewman]

Yes, the way you described it worked well. I think part of my problem was I
assigned resources and time to the group of tasks instead of the individual
tasks. Once I assigned the work to the individual task then assigned the
resources it allocated everything correctly.

Thanks.

 

[John]

Yes, the way you described it worked well. I think part of my problem was I
assigned resources and time to the group of tasks instead of the individual
tasks. Once I assigned the work to the individual task then assigned the
resources it allocated everything correctly.

Thanks.

Brewman,
You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.
John