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MS Project Resource - Is it just for people resources?

MS Project - Use of Resources

MS Project Resource - Is it just for people resources?

by  ponderworks  Posted    (Edited  )
A resource in MS project is NOT meant to be used just for personnel. You can set up a resource as the suite and set the amount of money involved for it's use by the hour, day, or whatever you need. Bear in mind that if the suite is used 24 hrs a day, you will want to change the calendar associated with the resource to reflect that.

Here is some information from the Ms Proj 2000 Help file:

What are resources and why should I use them in my project?
Resources are responsible for actually completing the tasks in the project. There are two types of resources: work resources and material resources.

Use resources when you want to indicate who or what is responsible for completing the tasks in your schedule. You can set up resources in your project and then assign them to tasks. The tasks are then scheduled according to resource work, assignment units, and resource calendars, providing for more accurate scheduling.

Specifically, use resources in your project when your goal is to:

* Track the amount of work done by the people and equipment, or the amount of material used, in completing tasks.
* Ensure high accountability for and understanding of the project. When responsibilities are clear, there is a decreased risk of tasks being overlooked.
* Be more accurate in scheduling how long tasks will take and when they are likely to be completed.
* Monitor resources with too little or too much work assigned.
* Account for resource time and costs.
-----------------------------

What are material resources?
Material resources are supplies, stock, or other consumable items used to complete tasks in the project. Examples of material resources include concrete, steel, pipe, wood, and glass. Material resources are different from work resources such as people and equipment, which use time rather than material to complete tasks.

When you set up a material resource, you establish that it is a material rather than work resource. You also define the material label, or unit of measurement, for the material. Label examples include cubic yards, tons, and boxes.

When you assign a material resource to a task, you specify the material consumption for the assignment, for example, 10 tons of steel for a specific assignment. You can also establish whether the material usage is based on time (variable material consumption) or not (fixed material consumption). Learn how to adjust material consumption rates on an assignment.

Material resources are different from work resources in a number of ways:

* The overtime rate and workgroup fields are disabled.
* Unit availability cannot be specified.
* Material resources are not leveled.
* Material resources don't use resource calendars.
* The cost per use works differently than for work resources.
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