Re: Multiple resource units erroneously affect duration?

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

You're welcome, Dave :-)

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

dave sprinkle wrote:
Thanks for the reply, Mike. I understand the issue now. Project
assumes that each of my 2 resources will complete 50% of the total
work. The project's duration then becomes the length of time
required by the slowest (lowest utilized) resource to complete
his/her 50%. Awkward.

Thanks again.
"Mike Glen" wrote:

Hi Dave,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup :)

I think you'll get answers in my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #10 on multiple resource assignments,
at this site: http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site, :)
Thanks.)

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

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

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

dave sprinkle wrote:
I'm new to Project, so I'll concede this may be user error; however,
it appears that Project 2003 is incorrectly calculating task
duration when I change the units of one of my resources. An
example: 1 -- Make a new task. Type is 'Fixed Work'. Assign
'resource 1' with 100% utilization. Assign duration 100 hours.
2 -- Add 'resource 2' with 100% utilization. As you might expect,
Project recalculates duration to be 50 hours.
3 -- Reduce 'resource 2' utilization to 50%. In this case, Project
calculates duration to be 100 hours. Why? Our resource total is
now 150% of our nominal starting point, and yet Project is
calculating 100% of our nominal duration.
4 -- It gets worse. Reduce 'resource 2' utilization to 1%. In this
case, Project reports duration to be 5000 hours.

It seems Project is using the lowest utilization of the two
resources and applying that utilization to the entire effort.
Where is the bug -- in Project's calculation or in my understanding
of Project's algorithm?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Ways to analyze project to cut time
    ... You're welcome, Craig, and good luck! ... MS Project MVP ... Adding resources in a resource driven task to save time. ... In actuality duration doesn't get anything done, ...
    (microsoft.public.project)
  • Re: What should be put into a duration?
    ... the availability of the resources required to do the work. ... usually assign a resource at 100% - if Bob is assigned to wax widgets I'm ... So when I input the task I'm going to estimate its duration and let Project ... the training should be split out as individual tasks in their own ...
    (microsoft.public.project)
  • Re: Isnt there a "Machine" Resource Type???
    ... I may also have to go back and fix the duration ... The answer is there is only ONE CLASS used for allocated resources, ... Fixed units, fixed work, and fixed duration only applies to what happens ... SCHEDULE these d_mn tasks. ...
    (microsoft.public.project)
  • Re: Estimated dates
    ... Now your problem is figure out exactly HOW to achieve those objectives - what workflow organization and what sorts of resources and how many to assign where will be required in order for it to be possible for these tasks to take place where they must take place in order for your project to be successful. ... I have a set schedule that I need to stick to based on outside ... I can in fact think of tasks that could have a flexible duration - that could ... Than or a Finish No Earlier Than constraint date (bet you have a little ...
    (microsoft.public.project)
  • Re: Need opinion on Project test questions and calculations
    ... To start with, fixed duration is responsible for more warning messages and confused users than all other settings added together, especially if Calendars are edited to show non-working time. ... For time constrained projects the duration should be entered and resources needed calculated. ... the allocation % is the total available allocation based on the calendar week settings in Microsoft project. ...
    (microsoft.public.project)