Deltek Open Plan Help

Using the Help Search
Using the Help Search
  • Phrase:Returns all topics that contain the exact phrase in the search criteria. Use quotation marks around the phrase.
    Ex."system administration"
  • And:Returns all topics that contain all the words in the search criteria, in any combination. Insert a plus sign between all words in the search criteria.
    Ex.system + administration
  • Or:Returns all topics with any combination of words in the search criteria. This is the default.
    Ex.system administration
For more information:Searching Online Help

The Resource Scheduling Process

Although the procedures for performing resource scheduling in Open Plan are relatively straightforward, the use of resource scheduling information for planning purposes is usually an iterative process that must be repeated until acceptable results are obtained.

The following procedure may provide some guidelines about the steps you should follow when integrating resource scheduling information into the overall planning process.

Step # Details Related Topics
Step 1 Perform time analysis and evaluate the schedule. By default, Open Plan uses the total float calculated by time analysis in resource scheduling. In addition, since the dates calculated by time analysis do not consider resources, resource scheduling never produces earlier dates than time analysis. Therefore, there is little point in proceeding with resource scheduling if the dates produced by time analysis are later than those acceptable to your organization. Time Analysis
Step 2 If necessary, replan the project. It is important that you have a finish date that is acceptable before proceeding.
Step 3 Perform resource scheduling. There are two basic approaches to resource scheduling:
  • Time-limited resource scheduling asks the question, “When and where do I need extra resources in order to meet the dates?”
  • Resource-limited scheduling asks the question, “How much will the project be delayed because I do not have enough resources?”

Although you will certainly want to try both methods so that you can compare the results, your circumstances will dictate which method you should try first.

Time-limited and resource-limited scheduling
Step 4 To see the effect of resources on the project schedule, compare the scheduled dates calculated by resource scheduling to the early and late dates calculated by time analysis. In resource-limited scheduling, a large difference between an activity’s early start date and its earliest feasible date indicates that resource bottlenecks earlier in the project are producing delays in the schedule.
Step 5 To identify cases of resource over utilization, display a resource histogram view that compares resource requirements to availabilities. Resource Histogram View
Step 6 If you are not satisfied with either the scheduled dates or the levels of resource utilization, you can make adjustments to the resource usage in a number of ways:
  • You can identify over-utilized resources and substitute under-utilized resources for them.
  • You can permit Open Plan to split, stretch, or reprofile activities whose durations do not have to be uninterrupted.
  • You can select a different processing option and rerun resource scheduling. Processing options include resource smoothing, giving in-progress activities higher priority, and using different fields for establishing project priorities.
Split, stretch, and reprofile activities

Resource scheduling processing options

Step 7 Recalculate the schedule using time analysis (if you have made any changes to the project logic) and resource scheduling.
Step 8 Repeat the entire procedure as needed to develop a workable schedule.