Work and Duration

[tommcbrny]

Hi,

I have a new project plan with tasks that have work specified in hours. I
have resources working on the project with varying Max Units (some 50%
assigned to project, some 75%, some 100%).

In previous projects I've created, assigning a resource with Max Units of
50% to an 8-hour work task resulted in a 2 day duration, which is the desired
result.

In my new project, for some reason, there is no change to the duration when
I assign a resource with less than 100% Max Units as I expect. A four hour
work task, for instance, remains at 1/2d duration even though I assign a 50%
Max Unit resource. An overallocation of the resource results, and the
levelling does not (cannot) resolve the overallocation.

What would cause this?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[JulieS]

Hi Tom,

Is your task type set to Fixed Duration? That certainly could explain
what you are seeing as well as the inability to resolve the
overallocation using resource leveing.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[tommcbrny]

Hi Julie,

All tasks were actually set to Fixed Units, which is the default in the MS
Project that I'm using.

I switched them all to Fixed Work, and that seems to have solved the problem
for my current project file.

Still though, if I open a brand new project, enter tasks, enter work, add a
resource at 50%, then assign the resource to those tasks, the duration
expands even with these tasks set to the default Fixed Units.

I'm still not sure what's going on in my current plan to make it behave
differently, but I managed to work around it with the Fixed Work setting on
tasks for now.

Thanks for the help!

Tom

 

[JulieS]

Hi Tom,

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.

The scenario you describe in your third paragraph (duration changing
when you assign a resource to a task where work has been entered) is
normal and is certainly the way that Project behaves. Why in that your
current project file it is different is beyond me. I'm glad the change
to Fixed work seems to have set it right - but that isn't how Project
*should* be working.

It is possible that your current project may be corrupt. Try the fixes
suggested by FAQ 43 "File Bloat? - Might be Corruption" at:

http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm


I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Steve House]

When you initially assign a resource Project does not adjust the duration
based on the % assignment level. Let's say you have a 5 day duration task.
If you assign Joe at 100%, it assumes that you already had in mind "using
Joe at 100%" when you came up with the 5 days in the first place. OTOH, if
you assign Bill at 50%, it makes the same assumption, that you knew it was
going to be "5 days with Bill at 50%" when you typed the "5 days" to begin
with. In that first resource assignment it never edits the manually entered
duration.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Steve,

Sorry to jmp in, but when you first enter a value for Work, then assign the
resource, duration DOES get recalculated in versions beyond 2000.
Greetings,

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

When you initially assign a resource Project does not adjust the duration
based on the % assignment level. Let's say you have a 5 day duration task.
If you assign Joe at 100%, it assumes that you already had in mind "using
Joe at 100%" when you came up with the 5 days in the first place. OTOH, if
you assign Bill at 50%, it makes the same assumption, that you knew it was
going to be "5 days with Bill at 50%" when you typed the "5 days" to begin
with. In that first resource assignment it never edits the manually entered
duration.

--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Hi,

I have a new project plan with tasks that have work specified in hours. I
have resources working on the project with varying Max Units (some 50%
assigned to project, some 75%, some 100%).

In previous projects I've created, assigning a resource with Max Units of
50% to an 8-hour work task resulted in a 2 day duration, which is the
desired
result.

In my new project, for some reason, there is no change to the duration
when
I assign a resource with less than 100% Max Units as I expect. A four
hour
work task, for instance, remains at 1/2d duration even though I assign a
50%
Max Unit resource. An overallocation of the resource results, and the
levelling does not (cannot) resolve the overallocation.

What would cause this?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Steve House]

Yes, of course. I interpreted the poster to mean as when he said a task was
a 4 hour task, he had entered 4 hours in the duration in the duration field
and then assigned the resource at 50% expecting it to change to 8 hours. I
may have been mistaken that he was doing that. He said the "4 hour task
remained at 1/2 day duration" and the only way it would have been showing
1/2 day in the first place is if the duration had been explictly entered.
If in fact he had entered BOTH duration at 1/2 day AND work at 4 hours, then
assigning a resource at 50% would in fact drive the duration to 1 day as you
said but I felt it was most likely that he had simply entered 4 hours in the
duration field thinking that it would also set the work field to the same
value in the process (which it does not). As we know, the value of the work
field is indeterminate until either a: Project calculates it by multiplying
the duration estimate by the assignment percentage(s) during the initial
resource assignment; or b: the user explicitly enters a value into it in
lieu of or in addition to his entries in the duration field.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Hi Steve,

Sorry to jmp in, but when you first enter a value for Work, then assign
the
resource, duration DOES get recalculated in versions beyond 2000.
Greetings,

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

When you initially assign a resource Project does not adjust the duration
based on the % assignment level. Let's say you have a 5 day duration task.
If you assign Joe at 100%, it assumes that you already had in mind "using
Joe at 100%" when you came up with the 5 days in the first place. OTOH, if
you assign Bill at 50%, it makes the same assumption, that you knew it
was
going to be "5 days with Bill at 50%" when you typed the "5 days" to
begin
with. In that first resource assignment it never edits the manually entered
duration.

--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Hi,

I have a new project plan with tasks that have work specified in hours. I
have resources working on the project with varying Max Units (some 50%
assigned to project, some 75%, some 100%).

In previous projects I've created, assigning a resource with Max Units of
50% to an 8-hour work task resulted in a 2 day duration, which is the
desired
result.

In my new project, for some reason, there is no change to the duration
when
I assign a resource with less than 100% Max Units as I expect. A four
hour
work task, for instance, remains at 1/2d duration even though I assign
a
50%
Max Unit resource. An overallocation of the resource results, and the
levelling does not (cannot) resolve the overallocation.

What would cause this?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi ksmorris ,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Simply, no, although I suppose you could try to use it as a material
resouce. Much better to estimate how long each will take in the manhours
that Project uses. If they're all different, it might be better to create a
task for each one. Incidentally, have a look at the % Work Completed field
which is there to measure what you appear to want.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials