Resource - "Max. Unit & Task Duration" Relationship

[nsl100]

Hello All,

Is there a way where I can get Project to push out the duration of a task, dependent on the 'Max. Unit' value for a given resource, when the resource is created on the Resource Sheet.

For example:

On the Resource Sheet (View->Resource Sheet) I create a resource called 'Neal', who has a 'Max. Units' value of 50%.

On the 'Gantt Chart' (View->Gantt Chart) I create a task called 'Task A' with a duration of 2 days. I assign 'Neal' to this task. (he task's duration remains at 2 days.)

I would like Project to increase the duration of the task to 4 days, as Neal is only available for 50% of the time.

I know I can change Neal's working day to be only 4hrs, or create Neal on the Resource Sheet with 100% Max Units then change his Units on the task in Gantt chart to 50% to achieve a change in task duration.

However I would like the 'Max. Units' setting on the resource sheet to be the only time I set Neal's Max Units and this push task duration out.

I appreciate that Project may not have been designed to work this way, however any help or advice would be appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Neal

 

[Prothios]

If you add 'Work' to the Gantt Chart view, you can see when you add a task that the default work is 0 hours, regardless of your duration.

In the case you stated above, 2 days duration x 50% units turns the Work to be 8 hours (16 hours x 50% = 8 hours). I'm not sure if it would be of help, but if you enter in the amount of work (instead of duration), and assign the resource, then it changes the duration accordingly.

Hope that helps!

 

[PDQBach]

W = U * D or U = W/D or D = W/U

Work = Units * Duration or (I'm too lazy to type it out; look at the equations above)

Set task Type to Fixed Work; change Units and Project calculates Duration or change Duration and Project calculates Units.
Set task Type to Fixed Units; change Work and Project calculates Duration or change Duration and project calculates Work.
Set task Type to Fixed Duration; change Work and Project calculates Units or change Units and Project calculates Work.

Remember that Max Units is a starting point. You can force a task to override that. Let's say the resource is 50%, the Work is 2 days and the Duration is 4 days. Set the task type to Fixed Work. If you change the Duration to 2 days then Project will set the Units to 100% because you haven't given it a choice.

So ... if the default task type (Tools | Options | Schedule-tab and look at the field Default Task Type) is set to "Fixed Units" then:

1. Create your resources and set the max units.
2. Create the task with estimated Work.
3. Assign the resource to the task.

This discussion, of course, omits the obvious topics of constraints, predecessor/successor links, project calendar and resource calendars, and previously entered actual values.

 

[nsl100]

Thanks chaps, problem solved. The addition of the 'Work' column was key.

Thanks Again

Neal