Leveling results in a disorderly plan

[Kennet Brogaard]

Hi,

(MS Project Online 2016)

I have a plan primarily containing documents. Lets say 200 documents all build up like this example.
Document A: (Summary task)
– Write
– Review
– Review
– Review
– Update
– Approval
– Approval
– Approval

All the tasks within the summary task is linked together and the last approval task is predecessor for the first task (Write) in the next summary task.

When leveling the plan I cant keep the task within each summary task together. They will, sometimes, be splitted up by weeks or month resulting in a disorderly plan.

So I wish to control certain summary tasks, so all tasks within a the summary task “stick together” when leveling. Can that be done in a simple way?

Thanks, Kennet

[Larry Christofaro]

Hi Kennet. There are two ways to sequence tasks when using resource leveling. The first is using predecessors. Predecessors are used as normal when an actual dependency is required (not a resource dependency). Project uses a non-human sequencing priority to prioritize the rest, which is rarely correct. The example I use is that you want high risk tasks completed first, which isn’t a hard dependency. To accomplish this, I always setup resource leveling to use Leveling order to Priority, Standard; and then set Priority for each task. Some tips: (1) group priorities by section (900’s for planning, 800’s for requirements, etc.) (2) tasks can have the same priority, but I tend to keep them to a minimum. Then keep leveling, tweaking, leveling, tweaking, until the schedule looks right. Hope that helps…

[Kennet Brogaard]

Hi Larry,

Thanks for answering.

I still cant solve my problem – I hope you will give it another shot.

when leveling the schedule I sometimes end up with a few summary tasks that have a duration of several month, though the expected duration is more likely to be a week or two.

Is it possible to send you a screen dump or a Project file? Its not that easy for me to explain the problem without pictures.

BR Kennet

[Larry Christofaro]

Sure, feel free to send me the project file to the email associated with my profile (just select my pic)

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