Several project management offices (PMOs) have asked for our help when they needed to manage resources effectively on both the project level and the portfolio level. To better manage resources, organizations need to look at their resource requirements in a defined order: 1) strategically, 2) tactically and 3) operationally. By homing in on these elements,…

In part 2 of this series, we follow a step-by-step process for creating a resource pool in Microsoft Project. Use this tutorial to create a new resource pool, and then attach that pool to a set of projects. An archive of the files shown in this tutorial can be downloaded here, so you can splash…

Microsoft Project Essentials Tutorial:  How To Use Microsoft Project Guide Section 2: Commonly Used Practices: Applicable to versions of Microsoft Project 2007 and 2003 Specific Tool Training: Applicable to version Microsoft Project 2007 Target Audience: New Project Managers or People New To Microsoft Project Software In this section of the Microsoft Project Essentials Tutorial, we…

Struggling with over-allocations in your schedule Here is a quick way of resolving them by dragging an assignment from one resource to another resource that is available. This approach works in all versions of Microsoft Project.    

Please log in above or start a free trial to view this video   Project Management Institute (PMI)® Professional Development Units (PDUs): This Webinar is eligible for 1.5 PMI® PDU in the Technical Category of the Talent Triangle. Event Description:  Learn how to get the most out of a powerful software tool. Dale Howard, Microsoft…

Carol from Madison, WI asks: Is there a view where I can see the summary tasks as well as the detail tasks for over-allocated resources? I’d also like to see the resource usage for the resources at the same time. Answer: I understand your desire to see this information. When schedulers reuse the same task…

Nancy from Bartlett, IL asks: I’m managing many resources in my project schedule. When I use the Resource Usage view, the resources aren’t in an order that’s simple to use. Is there any way to re-order the resources in the view so accessing the information is easier? Answer: You have a lot of choices in…

If you overload resources, your project finish date may look good, but it’s probably bogus. Assigning 20-hour work days doesn’t mean your team members will stay up that long and work that hard. The secret to success is to balance workloads so resources are busy, but not burning out. This month, you learn how to…