Resource Overallocation/Fixed Work Query

There are many different solutions to the over-allocation, all of which are feasible, so how can MSP know which one you prefer?

You cannot expect MSP to make all of the decisions and assumptions that the human can make, and gets paid to make.

I am well aware of the range of possible/feasible solutions, the reason for my query is to see if anyone creative has found a simple way of addressing this situation that I may be missing, surely the point of forums such as these??

Neil,
as Trevor said MSP (any release up to 2010) will not answer your question just because the answer is yours; however, you could write a macro to share the resource availability between the multiple tasks being parallel; is it really necessary, or is it a better solution to make the resource allocation fit their availability manually? answering this strategic question is yours also
Alexandre

Hi Neil,
MS Project cannot do this and you will get different assumptions why.
If you need this and other advanced resource management functions look at Spider Project.
Best Regards,
Vladimir

Also at the Resource Leveling dialog box: Level only within available slack (Prevents the finish date of your project from being delayed.) Make sure it is unchecked, otherwise over allocation might occur if assigned other 33% to a fourth activity.

Rafael,
do you mean that it is possible to automatically re-assign the resources one third on each of the three tasks and have the task duration expand by applying resource leveling when the planner has assigned the resource full time on shorter tasks?
I don’t think it is possible to achieve that result with MSP, either ’98 or 2010
Alexandre

http://rapidshare.com/files/357880202/Units__.mpp

Just change the resource unit % and the duration will change. Then after resource leveling resource overallocation will be solved as requested.

Percentages will not be reassigned automatically, this you must decide. Would it make sense a 1% assigment if the software wishes to do so?

Rafael,
as I understand Neil’s question, he would like MSP computing all by itself that the resource should assigned 33.33% on each of the 3 tasks; or 25% if there were 4 tasks, ...
what you suggest will only work if Neil assigns his resources 33.33% on each task from the beginning; in that case, there is no need to level resources, as the planner has not assigned the resources more than they are available
Alexandre

Why not a hundred tasks at 1%?

Only Neil’s can answer. I understood he just wanted to set the activity to automatically change durations as he changed percent assigment, in this way he would be able to try several scenarios when changing % assigments, at times resource leveling might delay an activity at times might not.

He still can assign another 33% of the resource to another activity. Resource leveling will tell you if delaying resource or not as demand might be shifted by logic.

Rafael

Rafael,
Neil wanted MS Project to adjust resource assignments automatically. It is too hard to find and correct the problems manually in the real projects.
You can try this in Spider Project:
Create 3 activities, assign the same resource, check variable resource workload check box in the assignment dialog, set resource workload 50% and minimal resource workload 33% (to avoid 1% workload that you mentioned) for all assignments.
Set resource productivities as 1 unit/per hour, select activity types Productivity.
In the levelling options uncheck Minimize parallel activities and look at the result.
Then compare with the schedule created with Minimize parallel activities box checked.
Best Regards,
Vladimir

Vladimir,

Spider is another thing, Spider is my software of choice. If Neil want to do what you are saying then MS Project cannot do it. I missunderstood his question "by MS Project reducing the % allocation", is also about adjusting resource assignments automatically.

Any excuse to get better at Spider as well as MS Project is good. I will take a look at it in detail as I knew of this option in Spider Project but not in MS Project. It is also good to know what your software can do and what cannot do, comparison of functionalities is part of what makes this place great.

I will check it with a 100% initial workload and minimal 33% at some activities and minimal 50% at other activities to see what happens. I assume/expect the algorithm will be looking for allocations that will yield minimum project duration within these constraints.

Best regards,
Rafael

Many thanks for all your comments and responses, Alexandre is correct if there are 3 tasks the effort would be levelled equally between the tasks i.e. 3- 33%, 4 - 25%, 5 - 20% etc

I did not think this was possible as there are too many variables and potential solutions but I very much appreciate all of you taking the time to assist me with this

Many thanks

Neil

Neil,
it is possible but not with Microsoft Project.
Best Regards,
Vladimir