Resource Leveling with
Microsoft Project
PMI Baltimore Chapter
Aberdeen, MD
December 8, 2011
Resource Leveling with
Microsoft Project
Resource leveling with Microsoft Project can be
confusing and intimidating, often unexpectedly shifting
dates and extending a schedule, sometimes by
years. By understanding the principles and options
Microsoft Project provides to level resources and predict
a schedule, resource leveling is helpful toward realistic
and accurate schedules, efficient and reasonable
resource allocations, and in some cases even
accelerating schedules. Live examples will show how to
determine the number of resources needed, resolve
resource over-allocations, and predict finish dates.
Microsoft Project
Dynamic Scheduling Tool
Predicts completion of the project and its
activities
– Based on identified tasks, durations,
dependencies, resources available
Resource Leveling helps predict schedule
based on resources assigned and their
availability
Project Scheduling Concepts
 Task
– The work to be done
– WBS level should be to an assignment or deliverable
 Summary Task
– Roll-up summarization for a set of tasks (subtasks)
– WBS hierarchy
 Dependency (Link)
– Predecessor and Successor relationships between tasks
 Critical Path
– Longest sequential path of activities essential to complete the project
– Determines earliest completion date
 Slack or Float Time
– The amount of time an activity may be delayed without affecting the
project finish date
– Tasks with Zero Slack are Critical Path
 Constraint
– Limitation based on a required start or finish date
– Overrides scheduling engine
 Task Start Dates
– By default, tasks are scheduled from the Project Start Date
Project Scheduling Concepts
 Resource
– People and equipment to do the work
 Resource Pool
– Pool of resources available to the project
– Use real names; a name spelled two different ways
is two resources available to work
 Assignment
– Resource assigned to a task
– Choose resources from pool, rather than typing the
name
– Try to avoid multiple resources on the same task
– No Resources on Summary task (unless intending to
spread to subtasks; do not place the same resource
on summary and subtask)
Project Scheduling Concepts
 Overallocation
– Resource assigned more work than available time
– Max Units: Total time resource could work on the
project (set in the Resource Pool)
– Assignment Units: Total time resource will work on
a specific task
– Calendars – Project and Resource Work and NonWorkdays, limiting resource’s availability
 Resource Leveling
– Resolves resource over- or under-allocations by
delaying or accelerating tasks; to fix peaks and
valleys
– Review manually for sanity check
Project Scheduling Concepts
 MS Project Data Perspectives
– Current or Projected, Baseline, Actual
 Start & Finish Dates, Duration, Work, Cost
 Duration Formula
– Duration = Work / Resources
 Task Type
– Fixed Duration, Work, or Units (Resources)
– Effort or Resource Driven; only affects adding or removing
resources after initial assignment
– 2007 Default Fixed Units, Effort Driven
– 2010 Default Fixed Units, Not Effort Driven
– Guideline:
 Fixed Units if responsible for resources – workload, assignments,
predicting completion
 Fixed Duration if delegating to another team or vendor that is
responsible to merely deliver within a timebox; note Duration can
still change based on Actual and Remaining Work or Duration
Common Mistakes with MS Project
Common Mistakes with MS Project
Benefits from Resource Leveling
Balanced resources, reducing overallocations
or overtime
Validates schedule
Predicts based on information entered
Determine dates or resources needed
Valuable as a “Sanity Check”: predicts dates
based on durations, links, and resources
assigned
MS Project Resource Leveling
2007 – Tools, Resource Leveling
2010 – Resource Tab, Level Group
Can Level by Entire Project, Selected Tasks,
or Resource, and within Date Ranges
Level frequently, rather than waiting until
the entire schedule is done
Develop WBS modularly, by phase or
section
MS Project Resource Leveling
Honors Links and Constraints
Looks for available slack and resources
Schedules Longest Duration tasks first
Then in ID order
Options allow control over leveling algorithm
Priority field can be used to override and
schedule tasks first
Microsoft Project 2007
Resource Leveling
Microsoft Project 2007
Resource Leveling
MS Project Resource Leveling
Demonstration
Renovation Project
 Update 20 Rooms with New Televisions and Cabinets
 External vendor procures, builds units, and ships to
site
 Customer pays Vendor for units separately; we
manage resources and labor cost
– Customer wants installation done by 3/1, under
$100,000, with $10,000 bonus to finish 5 days early
 If Shipments are late, we are not penalized
 Resource Leveling will help us determine:
–
–
–
–
How long will it take with our current staff?
How many resources are needed to finish in early?
How much it cost?
When will we finish while executing
MS Project Resource Leveling
Questions?
Bill Gundrum
bgundrum@veasolutions.com
www.cvprojects.com
Online PPM solution with Microsoft Project Reader