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P3 - Resources distribution

8 replies [Last post]
Sat, 2004-09-25 02:56
Raj Maurya
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Hi guys,
Using P3 can someany one suggest me how to distribute the resource working on several activities in the same time & same project. If an activity has estimated for hours 135 and requires to completed in 30 days and resource available to work for that activity is 3 hours/day upto 15 days and then start working 5 hours on that activity for 10 days and finally full working day(8 hours) for rest 5 days. Is that my question is clear?
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Replies

Sat, 2004-10-23 01:41
#1
Raj Maurya
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Erik & Daya,
Thanks for your reply on this thread. I think Eriks suggestion is the only way to work with similar situation in P3 but I know we can do it in MS-P by contouring the resource and with manual editing of proposed hours.

Raj
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Thu, 2004-10-21 10:29
#2
Dayanidhi Dhandapany
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Dear Raj,

I’ve given the suggestion based on your question as follows:
Quote"If an activity has estimated for hours 135 and requires to completed in 30 days and resource available to work for that activity is 3 hours/day upto 15 days and then start working 5 hours on that activity for 10 days and finally full working day(8 hours) for rest 5 days."
UnQuote:

I assumed that all are finish to start, didn’t consider all activities/resources are working on same time.

Quote:Whether it is possible to set resource limits actvity wise? I mean for different activity where the same resource is working (may be same time) can we set different limits.
UnQuote:

I think in P3 v3.0, it is not possible to set resource limits activity wise. My solution will not be applicable if the same resource is working for different activities at the same time.

Regards

Daya
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Thu, 2004-10-21 10:16
#3
Erik Jonker
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You can also do it with Resource Lag/ Durations & Unit per Time Period.

You only need to allocate them to different cost accounts for P3 to accept the duplicate resources.

You can then draw a histogram for the resource to see if it is overallocated in the project.

If the activity is updated, you will just have to manually input the resource percent complete and quantity to complete, because it aplies the % complete to all instances of the resource.

If the activity is updated or delayed after starting, it does not decrease quantity to complete, thus your quantity at completion increases, creating a quantity variance.

Resource Limits wont work if the resource is working on more than one activity and will go out the window if the activity is rescheduled.

Resource curves should not be used in anything else except high level programs where you want to apply a resource curve. You should only use it if there is no chance that the actual duration will be more than the original duration (hardly ever happens in real life).

I will be posting a message regarding resource curves soon.
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Sun, 2004-09-26 06:16
#4
Dayanidhi Dhandapany
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Dear Raj,

If you are sure about the commencement of the activity and availability of the resource(dates) pattern 3hrs, 5hrs and 8hrs etc, these things can be set up easily in the resources limit in P3.

from Data->Resources->
you have to enter min and max as 3 hrs in the first row and mention the date upto which this resource will be available in the 3hrs pattern(i.e. to obtain 15days) in the "Through" field,
then in the second row enter 5hrs in min & max fields and in the through field enter the date (must be 10days later than the first-row value. which means from day 16th you will have 5hrs working pattern until day 25, accordingly enter your date),
follow the same for the third criteria too.

then enter the resource working hrs as 135 in the budgeted quantity area to get the unit/day field to display 4.5hrs/day(by default it will display like this based on 30days activity duration) against the corresponding resource for the activity. make sure to assign activity type as independant to display the required resources profile. then run the schedule/level the resources to display your resource profile requirement. if you are not sure about the dates for which change in resources availability(i mean on which date you will get increase in resource working-hrs) you have to follow Vladimir’s advice, splitting the activity itself into 3 sub-activities and enter the resource requirements in the units/day field or the total requirements in the budgeted hrs based on your requirements. i can’t foresee anyother alternatives at this moment.

Regards

Daya
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Sat, 2004-09-25 12:02
#5
Vladimir Liberzon
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Raj,
what about making 3 activities instead of one? I am sure that you described 3 activities. Usually if resource requirements changed it means that the work was changed too.
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Sat, 2004-09-25 08:28
#6
Raj Maurya
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Marc,
Your suggestion point no2 will not work in this case because when you restrict resource with its limit that will affect other activities where the same resource is working. In my case resource is full time available for project but restricted for perticular activity.
Point no 1 can work some how but in resource curve time distributed(in 10 section) in percentage not with the dates so that is not so simple to match the exact point. Is there any other method?
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Sat, 2004-09-25 05:20
#7
Marc Borburgh
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there are two ways to do this.

1) If that only goes for one specific activity you could use a resource curve. This will give you a distribution that comes close to what you want.

2) use resource calendars and resource availability
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Sun, 2004-09-26 08:48
#8
Raj Maurya
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Dear Daya,
Your suggesting to restrict the resource limit (like 3 hours & then 5 hours etc.) in that case resource will not be available for other activity of the same project plan. In this case resource is available to work full time but for the specific activity he will be working in different pattern because he will get input in phases to proceed his work and that input is suffient to do 3 hrs for some time then 5 hrs. etc and the activity is critical. Whether it is possible to set resource limits actvity wise? I mean for different activity where the same resource is working (may be same time) can we set different limits. If it is yes then only your suggestion will work I think so.
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