resource levelling and resource pool issues

[stormcloudgathering]

we have a number of individual project plans, all with their own discrete resources.
What we want to do is to have a situation where we can see overallocation of the resources.
I guess there are a number of different ways to achieve this - a resource pool being the obvious one.
I have set up such a pool and chosen to use its resources rather than the project's own
However - we have a problem when we try to level the resources for the sub projects...

The main plan has dates in it which cannot, indeed must not, be changed, and we want to level the resources in the sub plan such that the already agreed dates in the main plan do not move. Even if this means that the sub plan's dates are pushed way into the future!
We cannot find a way to "lock" the dates on the main plan - does anyone know of a way to achieve this?

If we are doing this wholly the wrong way, do let us know!
We'll take any suggestions on board - it's getting desperate!
Many thanks
lynne

 

[PDQBach]

Can't remember where I read this but ...

Speaker asks his audience: Has anyone here used levelling on MS Project?

Half of the audience raise their hands.

Speaker asks his audience: Has anyone here used levelling a _second_ time on MS Project?

Nobody raises a hand.

'Nuff said.

Like so many people, you didn't tell us what version of MS Project you are using. In P2002 you could try Tools | Level Resources and check "Level only within available slack."

Report back on your results.

 

[stormcloudgathering]

mea culpa!
project 2002
will try your suggestion and come back to you!
thanks
lynne

 

[stormcloudgathering]

OK..so what happened was this
leveling within available slack sorted out the date thing. I.E We leveled the resources in the sub project and the dates in the main project stayed as they were. Hurray!

However...the resources remained overallocated, and no amount of leveling within the available slack would sort that bit out.
There were no end dates on the sub project set in stone, so why didn't Project 2002 just push the sub project dates way out into the future to resolve the overallocation?
Is it that there just comes a point where Project can do no more?
Again
Many thanks
lynne

 

[PDQBach]

Excellent progress -- you've confirmed that the "Level only within available slack" works as expected.

You've probably also noticed that leveling is done by delaying the start of a task.

Implicit in this is the concept that levelling changes resources, not tasks -- the tasks are changed but only because the resource has been levelled.

So ... next step:

1. View | Resource sheet

2. Select a few overallocated resources by holding the ctrl key and clicking on each resource

3. Tools | Level Resources | Level Now and you'll be asked if you want to level the entire project or just selected resources. Choose selected resources and click on ok

4. Report back! (Why? Because I have at least one more comment to offer.)

 

[stormcloudgathering]

ok...
did exactly as prescribed and got a message cannot resolve overallocation of Joe Bloggs on Wednesday 19/11/03....
Any suggestions?
Many thanks again for your help!
lynne

 

[PDQBach]

You have now gone as far as you can using the automated tools. Any remaining overallocations will have to be resolved manually.

1. On the resource sheet, insert the column "Can Level". This should be "yes".

2. Recurring tasks can be a headache.
2a. Resources may show as "over allocated" even though their tasks last less than one day. Recurring tasks default to an 8:00 start time. Scheduling someone on two recurring tasks on the same date will show that person starting each recurring task at 8:00 and cause an immediate overallocation. You'll need to change/re-enter recurring tasks if this is causing an overallocation.
2b. Recurring tasks default to "do not level".

3. Leveling doesn't always level. Assume a 40-hour work week. Assign someone a task and create that person's assignment so that the resource is working 10-hour days for 3 days. That is less than the 40-hour week and the person will not be leveled and will continue to appear to be overallocated.

4. Finally, you may actually get improved leveling by moving tasks up/down so that they appear in a different sequence. Project starts with task1 then task2 then task3 (assuming you have not given them priorities).

You have now completed the full Leveling course.

(fwiw, I manually level.)

 

[stormcloudgathering]

OK, so now we have implemented Project Server and Project Pro 2002.
I have all my projects on the server and want to sort out my resource overallocation problems for the existing projects. For any in the future we will endeavour to allocate optimally.

I would like to see which resources are overallocated for which projects and for which tasks, even if the conflict occurs cross project.
Does anyone know if this is possible, and if so, how it is done!
Many thanks
lynne

 

[jlhinds]

This question is to "PDQBach"
Thanks for that Leveling lesson!

I am also running into the same over allocation error message. Have you found any books that might help? I could really use some more literature that delves deeper into resolving these over allocations.

Also would you mind explaining item 4 in more detail regarding how "Project starts with task1 then task2 then task3 (assuming you have not given them priorities)." I.E. How does project view Multiple Sub projects inserted into one Master Project Schedule - Sharing a resource Pool.
Is it best to assign Priorities to each project?

Thanks,

 

[PDQBach]

No books, sorry (hmmm, maybe I should write one). The books I've looked at simply walk you through on a click-by-click basis showing you how to do it in a vanilla fashion without explaining the implications. Others may have suggestions for books.

As for sub-projects ... Project takes the highest priority sub-project and levels it (based on the criteria you are using). Then it takes the next highest priority sub-project. One of the things you can do is change task priority. Project looks at task priority in the sub-project it is levelling and does not consider the task priority in relation to all other tasks using that resource in other sub-projects.

In other words, assume:

Subproject 1 has a priority of 700 and the tasks in it have priority 200 through 400.

Subproject 2 has a priority of 500 and the tasks in it have a priority of 600-800.

And, finally, let's assume the resource we are interested in is a cement mixer.

Project will first level subproject 1 and, while doing so, will ignore the tasks and task priorities of subproject 2. Then it will level subproject 2 and, while doing so, will ignore the tasks and task priorities of subproject 1.

In other words, the cement mixer will be assigned to tasks in subproject 1 and any remaining availability will be given to subproject 2.

As for assigning priorities to sub-projects: Hmmm. It is probably worthwhile only if the subprojects are stored in the master project in a sequence that is significantly different from the corporate priorities. In other words, your master project probably has the three or four most important sub-projects at the top and, without using priorities, these will be levelled first.

(But, as I've said elsewhere, I hardly ever use automated levelling. I prefer to manage resources using corporate policies regarding use of overtime, outsourcing, etc. Overallocation is not always bad. Sometimes it is necessary and sometimes it merely reflects the fact that you are using estimates and estimates aren't always accurate.)

 

[jlhinds]

So what approach do you recommend for viewing which resources are overallocated for which projects and for which tasks, even if the conflict occurs cross project?
(as asked earier by Stormcloudgathering)