Multiple calendars in project (Project 2000)

Topic

New Reply

We have different working week rules for different resources, for example “E1” works a 40 hr week, “I1” works 50 hrs (5 x 10 hr days), “I2” works 60 hrs (6 x 10 hr days). I create different calendars (by using Tools / Change Working Time) which I assign to the resources but when I assign an “I1” to a task it still only shows him working for 8 hrs.

How do I get the correct resource usage based on their different calendars? I’d like to get the correct labor $$ estimates based on these non-standard work weeks, but right now everything is calculated at an 8hr day rate.

Reply | Quote

Replies

To have the correct hours show when using various resource calendars that can be different from the task calendar, ensure that the task(s) is effort driven.

Try double clicking on a task that does not appear correct, go to the advanced tab, and click the checkbox for effort driven.

HTH

Reply | Quote

Hum… That didn’t seem to have any effect. The “Effort Driven” box was already checked. I also tried assigning the correct (i.e. 50hr week) calendar to the task on that advanced tab, but still no joy.

See attached sample for a single 1-day task with a resource assigned who is working on a 50hr week calendar.

Reply | Quote

It seems to me, after a lot of experimentation and digging, that there is only one way to define a “DAY” in project. The working day defined by the resource calendars have no effect on the time allocated to a task. So, if I define the default day in the project calendar to be 10hrs, 6 days a week, a resource such as a manager who only works 8hr days CANNOT have time assigned to a task in multiple of “days” since this will be the 10 hr “day” from the master calendar, not his 8hr day from his resource calendar. Now, if I assign him to a 3 “day” task by entering his time as 24hrs (3x8hrs) he appears to finish the task in 2.4 days (2.4x10hrs).

How do other project managers deal with this? There must be cases (in construction for example) where there are resources working with different length days. I would like to have correct allocation of “days” per resource since I’d like to assign pay rates to the resources and get a budgetary figure for the project when I set it up.

HELP!!

Reply | Quote

This might be a silly idea, but worth trying. Why don’t you assign the 50-hour resource to work a 6-day week? Six 8-hour days is pretty close to 50 hours, and, in reality, this person really does work an extra “day” if a “day” is an 8-hour block of time. Similarly, the 60-hour person could be shown to work 7 days. It’s off a bit, but might give you the right answer (schedule completion date), if you’re looking at a schedule which stretches out for several weeks or months.

For the cost, you’ll have to adjust slightly to make up for the 2 hours per week on one person and the 4 hours per person on the other person. You could do this by adding another person who works 3 days/month (you can do this by creating a special calendar for that person, showing he works 3 days in 4 weeks). Not elegant, but it might work.
-PaulaG

Reply | Quote

This might be a silly idea, but worth trying. Why don’t you assign the 50-hour resource to work a 6-day week? Six 8-hour days is pretty close to 50 hours, and, in reality, this person really does work an extra “day” if a “day” is an 8-hour block of time. Similarly, the 60-hour person could be shown to work 7 days. It’s off a bit, but might give you the right answer (schedule completion date), if you’re looking at a schedule which stretches out for several weeks or months.

For the cost, you’ll have to adjust slightly to make up for the 2 hours per week on one person and the 4 hours per person on the other person. You could do this by adding another person who works 3 days/month (you can do this by creating a special calendar for that person, showing he works 3 days in 4 weeks). Not elegant, but it might work.
-PaulaG

Reply | Quote

It seems to me, after a lot of experimentation and digging, that there is only one way to define a “DAY” in project. The working day defined by the resource calendars have no effect on the time allocated to a task. So, if I define the default day in the project calendar to be 10hrs, 6 days a week, a resource such as a manager who only works 8hr days CANNOT have time assigned to a task in multiple of “days” since this will be the 10 hr “day” from the master calendar, not his 8hr day from his resource calendar. Now, if I assign him to a 3 “day” task by entering his time as 24hrs (3x8hrs) he appears to finish the task in 2.4 days (2.4x10hrs).

How do other project managers deal with this? There must be cases (in construction for example) where there are resources working with different length days. I would like to have correct allocation of “days” per resource since I’d like to assign pay rates to the resources and get a budgetary figure for the project when I set it up.

HELP!!

Reply | Quote

Hum… That didn’t seem to have any effect. The “Effort Driven” box was already checked. I also tried assigning the correct (i.e. 50hr week) calendar to the task on that advanced tab, but still no joy.

See attached sample for a single 1-day task with a resource assigned who is working on a 50hr week calendar.

Reply | Quote

To have the correct hours show when using various resource calendars that can be different from the task calendar, ensure that the task(s) is effort driven.

Try double clicking on a task that does not appear correct, go to the advanced tab, and click the checkbox for effort driven.

HTH

Reply | Quote