Ch 6 Assign Resources to a Task

Assign Resources Dialog Box

You can assign resources in different ways. The Assign Resources dialog box shown in Figure 6-1 works well in task-centric views such as the Gantt Chart shown in Figure 6-2, Task Sheet, or Task Usage views.

To see resource assignment and other details grouped by task

1. On the View tab, in the Task Views group, click Task Usage. The Task Usage view appears. 2. On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables and then click Summary. The Summary table appears, replacing the Entry table.

To manage effort-driven scheduling for a specific task or tasks

1. Select the task or tasks you want. 2. On the Task tab, in the Properties group, click Information. 3. On the Advanced tab of the Task Information dialog box, select or clear the Effort Driven check box.

To assign a cost resource to a task

1. In a task-centric view that includes a table, click the task to which you want to assign a cost resource. Examples include the Gantt Chart, Task Sheet, and Task Usage views. 2. On the Resource tab, in the Assignments group, click Assign Resources. The Assign Resources dialog box opens. You can drag it anywhere you want on the screen. 3. In the Assign Resources dialog box, click the Cost field for the cost resource you want to assign and then enter a cost value for that assignment.

To turn on effort-driven scheduling for all new tasks in a plan

1. On the File tab, click Options. 2. In the Project Options dialog box, click Schedule. 3. Under Scheduling Options for This Project, select the New Tasks Are Effort Driven check box.

To check the plan's costs per resource

1. On the View tab, in the Resource Views group, click Resource Sheet. 2. On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables and then click Cost. The Cost table appears, replacing the Entry table.

To see task assignment and other details grouped by resource

1. On the View tab, in the Resource Views group, click Resource Usage. The Resource Usage view appears. 2. On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables and then click Summary. The Summary table appears, replacing the Entry table.

To check the plan's costs per task

1. On the View tab, in the Task Views group, click Other Views and then click Task Sheet. 2. On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables and then click Cost. The Cost table appears, replacing the Entry table.

Resources Name Column

Column in a Gantt Chart view You select the check boxes of the resources you want to assign to the active task; to unassign a resource, clear the appropriate check box.

Project calculates work by using this formula:

Duration x Assignment Units = Work 40 hours task duration x 100% assignment units = 40 hours of work

Task Form View

In this type of split view, information about the item (a task, for example) that is selected in the upper pane appears in the lower pane. The Task Form displays one of several sets of information at a time, which are referred to as details.

Resource Usage View

The Resource Usage view groups the assigned tasks below each resource.

Assign cost resources to tasks

The costs that tasks can incur include these broad categories: ■ Work resource costs, such as a person's standard pay rate times the amount of work that a person performs on the task ■ Cost resource costs, which are fixed dollar amounts you enter when assigning the cost resources to a task

To change the schedule result when you remove a resource from a task

These steps apply as long as at least one resource remains assigned to the task. You can perform these steps in any task-centric view that includes a table. 1. Select a task that has multiple resources assigned. 2. In the Assign Resources dialog box, click the assigned resource you want and then click Remove. 3. Click the Actions button that appears just to the left of the task name, and then select the schedule result you want.

Additional resources to a task

To change the schedule result when you assign an additional resource to a task You can perform these steps in any task-centric view that includes a table. Examples include the Gantt Chart, Task Sheet, and Task Usage views. 1. Select a task that already has a resource or resources assigned. 2. In the Assign Resources dialog box, click the resource you want and then click Assign. 3. Click the Actions button that appears just to the left of the task name and select the schedule result you want. When you make changes to assignments in the Resource name column, you also see the Actions button. This happens only for automatically scheduled tasks.

To assign a work resource to a task

You can perform the following steps in most task-centric views that include a table. Examples include the Gantt Chart, Task Sheet, and Task Usage views. 1. Click the task to which you want to assign a resource. 2. On the Resource tab, in the Assignments group, click Assign Resources. The Assign Resources dialog box opens. You can drag it anywhere you want on the screen. 3. In the Resource Name column in the Assign Resources dialog box, click the resource or resources you want to assign and then click Assign. Or You can perform the following steps in any task-centric view with the Entry table displayed. 1. Click in the Resource Names column for a task, and then click the arrow that appears. A list of resource names appears. 2. In the list of resource names, select the check box for the resource or resources you want to assign to the selected task, and then press Enter

To view or edit assignment details in the Task Form view

You can perform these steps in the Task Sheet or Task Usage view, or in any Gantt chart view. 1. On the View tab, in the Split View group, select the Details check box. Project splits the window into two panes, with the Task Form view in the bottom pane. 2. Click anywhere in the Task Form view. With the focus on the Task Form, note that the label of the Format tab changes to Task Form Tools. Now the commands available on the Format tab apply to the Task Form. 3. On the Format tab, in the Details group, click Work. The Work details appear in the Task Form.

Effort driven scheduling

a task's initial work value remains constant, no matter how many additional resources are assigned This option, called effort-driven scheduling, works like this: ■ The work of a task remains constant as you assign or unassign resources. ■ As more resources are assigned to a task, its duration decreases. The total work remains the same and is distributed among the assigned resources. ■ Similarly, as resources are unassigned from a task, its duration increases. The total work remains the same and is distributed among the remaining assigned resources. By default, effort-driven scheduling is disabled for all tasks you create in Project.