1. Chris Rimple Project Expert Team
Resource Leveling
Chris Rimple
Project Expert Team
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2. Introduction
Slides, with questions and screenshots, available on website
Time is limited; questions may be deferred until end of presentation
Questions may also be submitted from the MPUG-Phoenix website
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3. Agenda Leveling Defined Benefits of Leveling Leveling Settings
Priority Defined
Demonstration
Resources
Questions
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4. What Is Leveling?
Resource Leveling is the process of balancing resource utilization to prevent over-allocation and to maximize efficiency
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5. What Does That Mean?
Resource Leveling prevents two tasks from being assigned to the same person at the same time
Resource Leveling ensures that all people are assigned tasks to maximum capacity wherever possible
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6. Benefits of Leveling Prevents resource over-allocation
Assists in maximizing resource utilization
More flexible than using predecessors
Allows MS Project to automatically adjust to changing priorities, durations, and resource availability
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7. Calculation Types Automatic (Default) Manual
Performs leveling for any change in priority, duration, resources, or other properties
Sometimes difficult to find leveling results in large projects
Can be slow with large or linked projects
Manual
User initiates leveling when desired
Usually easier to identify and revert changes that result from leveling
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8. Leveling Order ID Only Standard Priority, Standard
Tasks with the lowest ID numbers are performed first
Standard
Tasks are performed based on predecessors, slack, fixed start dates, and constraints
Priority, Standard
Tasks are performed based on priority first, then remaining Standard factors
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9. Leveling Preferences Level within available slack
Select to “keep your project as short as possible”; doesn’t always work
Leveling can adjust assignments
Select to adjust tasks for each resource separately
Leveling can create splits in work
Select to allow tasks to be split
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10. Understanding Priority
Priority is 0 – 1000 in increments of 1; default priority is 500
Priority of 1000 means “Do Not Level”
Summary task priority is ignored
Priority has no relationship to ID; tasks can be listed in any order
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11. Demonstration Over-allocated resources Leveling by ID Only order
Show resource utilization
Leveling by ID Only order
Clear and show leveling
Leveling by Standard order
Leveling by Priority order
Adjust priorities and level again
Tracking Gantt
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12. Resources MS Project online help MS Project website
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See a Project Expert Team member or your question
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13. Questions?
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