How to Resolve Overallocations in Microsoft Project

Edited 2 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Microsoft Project is a powerful project management software that is used extensively by project managers to plan, monitor, and control projects. One of the frequent challenges faced by users of Microsoft Project is resource overallocation. Overallocation occurs when a resource is assigned to perform more work than is considered possible during a specified period of time. This can lead to project delays, cost overruns, and decreased quality of work. Thus, resolving overallocation is crucial to the success of any project. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss various strategies and tools within Microsoft Project that help resolve resource overallocation.

Understanding resource overallocation

Before delving deeper into the solutions, it's important to understand what overallocation means in the context of Microsoft Project. Overallocation occurs when a resource is scheduled to work on multiple tasks at once, which exceeds the available work hours scheduled for that resource. For example, if a resource is scheduled to work 8 hours per day but is assigned tasks totaling 10 hours on the same day, the resource is overallocated.

Visual indicators of overall allocation

Microsoft Project provides visual indicators to identify overallocation. When resources are overallocated, their name appears in red in the Resource Sheet view. Additionally, in Gantt Chart view, a red icon representing a person displays next to the task name. These visual cues make it easy to quickly identify overallocated resources.

Strategies to resolve overallocation

There are several strategies for managing and resolving resource overallocation in Microsoft Project. The purpose of these strategies is to ensure that resources are used efficiently without compromising the project's timeline or budget.

1. Adjust work assignments

The simplest way to manage overallocation is to adjust task assignments. By redistributing tasks to other available resources, you can reduce the burden on overallocated resources. Here's how this can be done:

1. Open your project in Microsoft Project.
2. Go to the Resource Usage view.
3. Locate the overallocated resource. The tasks that cause overallocation will be highlighted in red.
4. Select a task and assign it to another resource who has availability.
5. Review the schedule to ensure that the changes resolve the overall allocation issue.

Adjusting task allocation helps balance the workload among team members, and ensures that no single resource is overburdened with workload.

2. Resource level

Microsoft Project includes an automated feature called resource leveling, which can help resolve overallocation by delaying tasks, splitting tasks, or assigning tasks to different dates. Here's how you can use this feature:

1. Click the Resources tab on the ribbon.
2. Select the Leveling option under the Levels section.
3. In the Resource Leveling dialog box, choose the leveling option that best suits your project's needs. Options include leveling only within available slack, leveling on a day-to-day basis, and more.
4. Click Level All to allow Microsoft Project to automatically adjust the schedule to resolve overallocation.

Resource leveling is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of resolving overallocation without any human intervention.

3. Modify task constraints

Modifying task constraints can also help resolve overallocation. Tasks within Microsoft Project can be constrained by specific dates or dependencies. By adjusting these constraints, you may be able to free up resources and address overallocation issues.

You may consider the following actions:

• Reschedule tasks: Move tasks to a later date where resources are available.
• Change dependency links: Modify task dependencies to provide more flexibility in the schedule.
• Change the constraint type: Consider changing the constraint type such as “as soon as possible” or “as late as possible” to provide more flexibility.

4. Increase processing power

Another way to solve overallocation is to increase the capacity of existing resources. Here are some ways to achieve this:

• Extend work hours: If possible, extend work hours for a short period of time to allow for additional tasks to be completed.
• Add resources: Bring in additional resources (human or equipment) to help with the workload.
• Modify resource calendar: Check and modify resource calendar to ensure availability is in line with project requirements.

Increasing resource capacity must be done carefully to avoid exhaustion and ensure stability in the project team.

5. Prioritize tasks

Prioritizing tasks can help manage resource workload efficiently. By focusing on high-priority tasks, you can ensure that essential project activities are completed first, reducing the impact of overlocation.

Steps to prioritize tasks:

1. Identify critical tasks that directly impact key project outcomes.
2. Assign high priority to these important tasks within Microsoft Project.
3. Review low priority tasks for possible rescheduling or resource reallocation.

Prioritizing tasks allows you to focus resources on areas that impact the success of the project.

Using Microsoft Project's features effectively

Microsoft Project is equipped with several features that help manage and resolve overallocation. Understanding and using these features effectively can significantly enhance your project's resource management capabilities.

Using the Team Planner view

The Team Planner view provides a visual representation of your resources and assignments, making it easy to identify and resolve overallocations. Here's how you can use it:

1. Go to the View tab on the ribbon.
2. Select Team Planner from the Resource Views group.
3. In the Team Planner view, you'll see resources on the left and tasks on the right. Overlays are highlighted for quick identification.
4. Drag and drop tasks to different time slots to resolve overallocation.

The Team Planner view provides a high-level overview, allowing for easy rearrangement of assignments and effective resolution of overallocations.

Using the Resource Graph view

The resource graph view can provide a graphical representation of resource usage over time. This can help analyze the impact of overallocations and make informed decisions to address them.

1. Go to the View tab on the ribbon.
2. Click Resource Graph in the Resource Views group.
3. Select the resource you want to examine in detail.
4. Observe the graph to identify the overall allocation period.

The resource graph view helps visualize resource demand and allows you to take corrective action.

Best practices to prevent overallocation

Resolving overallocations is important, but preventing them from occurring in the first place is the most effective strategy. Adopting best practices in planning and resource management can help reduce the likelihood of experiencing overallocation issues.

1. Detailed planning

Spend enough time in the planning phase to ensure that task durations, dependencies, and resource assignments are precisely defined. This reduces the chance of misallocations and scheduling conflicts.

2. Regular monitoring

Regularly monitor your project's progress and resource workload. Use Microsoft Project's tracking features to ensure that resource assignments remain feasible and adjust immediately if necessary.

3. Maintain clear communication

Ensure constant communication with your project team. Understanding the availability and commitments of team members outside of the project can help prevent overburdening a particular resource.

4. Use resource pools

In larger organizations, using a resource pool can be beneficial. The resource pool centralizes all resources, allowing project managers to allocate resources to different projects without conflict and over-allocation.

Conclusion

Resolving overallocation in Microsoft Project involves using a combination of strategies and features. By adjusting task assignments, using resource leveling, modifying task constraints, and using visuals such as the Team Planner and Resource Graph, you can effectively manage resource workloads. Additionally, adopting best practices in planning and monitoring will prevent overallocation from occurring. Mastering these techniques in Microsoft Project ensures that your projects run smoothly, with resources used efficiently and effectively.

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