|
Assigning a work resource to a task enables you to track the
progress of the resource’s work on the task. If you enter resource pay
rates, Project also calculates resource and task costs for you.
The capacity of a resource to work is measured in units (a level
of effort measurement), and recorded in the Max.
Units field. Unless you specify otherwise, Project assigns
100 percent of the units for the resource to the task—that is, Project
assumes that all the resource’s work time can be allotted to the task.
If the resource has less than 100 percent maximum units, Project
assigns the resource’s Max. Units value.
In this exercise, you make some initial resource assignments to
tasks.
Set Up
Start Project if it’s not already running.
-
On the File tab, click
Save As.
Project displays the Save As dialog box. -
In the File name box,
type Simple Assignments, and
then click Save.
Before making any resource assignments, you’ll check the
project plan’s current duration and cost values for later
comparison. -
On the Project tab, in
the Properties group, click
Project Information, and then
click Statistics.
Note the current duration of 41 days and zero cost.
After you assign work and cost resources, you’ll check these
values again. -
Click Close.
Next you’ll make your first resource assignment. -
On the Resource tab, in
the Assignments group, click
Assign Resources.
The Assign Resources dialog box appears, in which you see
the resource names, plus additional
resources.
Except for assigned resources, which always appear at the
top of the list, resources are sorted alphabetically in the Assign
Resources dialog box.
Important
If you are using Project Professional rather than Project
Standard, the Assign Resources dialog box and some other dialog
boxes you see will contain additional options relating to
Project Server.
-
In the Task Name column,
click the name of task 2, Assign launch team
members. -
In the Resource Name
column in the Assign Resources
dialog box, click Carole Poland, and then
click Assign.
A cost value and check mark appears next to Carole’s name,
indicating that you have assigned her to the task. Carole’s name
also appears next to the task 2 Gantt bar. Because Carole has a
standard cost rate recorded, Project calculates the cost of the
assignment (Carole’s standard pay rate times her scheduled amount
of work on the task) and displays that value, $420, in the Cost
field of the Assign Resources dialog box. -
In the Task Name column,
click the name of task 3, Complete author
questionnaire. -
In the Resource Name
column in the Assign Resources
dialog box, click Toni Poe, and then click
Assign.
Tip
To remove or unassign a resource from a selected
task, in the Assign Resources dialog box, click the resource
name, and then click Remove.
Next, you’ll take a closer look at the details of task 3.
You’ll use a handy view called the Task Form. -
On the View tab, in the
Split View group, click
Details.
Project splits the window into two panes. In the upper pane
is the Gantt Chart view, and below it is the Task Form.
You may recognize that the Task
Form is similar to the Resource Form but shows different details.
In this type of split view, the details about the selected item in
the upper view (a task, in this case) appear in the lower view,
similar to the Resource Form. The Task Form displays one of
several details. Next you’ll change the displayed details. -
Click anywhere in the Task
Form and then, on the Format tab, in the Details group, click Work.
The Work details appear.
Now, in the Task Form, you can see the essential scheduling
values for this task: 1 week duration, 40 hours of work, and 100%
assignment units. Because the Task Form is a handy way to see a
task’s duration, units, and work values, you’ll leave it displayed
for now. -
Using the Assign
Resources dialog box, assign the following resources to
tasks. As you do so, note the Duration, Units, and
Work values in the Task Form.
When you are finished, your screen should look similar to
the following illustration.
Next, you will assign two resources to a single task. -
In the Task Name column,
click the name of task 8, Kickoff book launch
meeting. -
In the Assign Resources dialog box, select the names of
Sharon Salavaria and Toby
Nixon, and then click Assign.
Tip
To select nonadjacent resource names, select the first
name, hold down the Ctrl key, and then select additional
names.
Sharon and Toby are assigned to the task. You can also see
their names next to task 8’s Gantt bar.
Sharon has a 50% Max. Units value to account for her
half-time schedule. As a result, Project assigned her at 50%
units.
To conclude this exercise, you’ll use a different means of
assigning resources. -
In the Gantt Chart view, drag the vertical divider bar to
the right until the Resource Names column is visible. -
Click in the Resource
Names column for task 9, Plan author’s travel
itinerary, and then click the arrow that
appears.
The resource names appear.
-
In the list of resource names, click the check boxes for
Jane Dow and Zac
Woodall, and then press the Enter key.
Jane and Zac are assigned to task 9.
-
Click in the Resource
Names column for task 10, Channel Sales
prep, and then click the arrow that appears. In the
list of resource names that appears, check Zac
Woodall and then press the Enter key.
Zac is assigned to task 10.
Tip
In this exercise, you assigned resources using the Assign
Resources dialog box and the Resource Names column in the Gantt
Chart view. In addition, you can assign resources in the Task Form
and on the Resources tab of the Task Information dialog box, among
other places. As you use Project, you’ll likely develop your own
preference for the way you assign resources.
|
