Interesting ? Resource Planning with Microsoft Project,Project Server and Project Online

Tens of thousands of organizations rely on the leading desktop scheduling solution – Microsoft Project – to plan, track and manage their projects. Many of those same organizations also attempt to track and manage resource utilization using the same tool. At first, using Microsoft project seems like the path of least resistance to building a repeatable and actionable resource planning framework. After all, it’s a tool you already own and it allows you to assign resources to tasks in a work breakdown structure, right? However – and unfortunately – it takes very little time for practitioners to recognize the pitfalls in this approach.

PROBLEMS WITH THIS APPROACH

The first problem is more philosophical than technical. Namely, Microsoft Project was designed as a task scheduling solution, which allowed for hierarchical work breakdown structures. Furthermore, the focus of its primary calculation is the critical path method – a task-centric algorithm designed to calculate start and finish dates for a network of activities and identify the immovable chain of activities in that structure. So, if you share resources with others and/or those resources are not managed by you, how does the Microsoft Project approach really relate to your enterprise resource planning framework? Who’s driving who? In reality, there is a fundamental disconnect between resource forecasting and the task planning done in Microsoft Project. This isn’t a bad thing, and some minor modifications can yield significant improvements. In fact, when practitioners recognize this and embrace this reality, planning becomes much more dynamic and pragmatic. The rigid framework of a critical path schedule just doesn’t couple with – and shouldn’t attempt to drive – the fluidity of resource management. This problem is compounded in matrixed organizations which typify many project-based organizations. Never forget that enterprise resource planning and forecasting – something we refer to as Resource Portfolio Management – is a resource dominant challenge. You can always plan more projects, but can you always plan more resources? It’s a very different and arguably more complex supply chain.

The second problem is – unlike the first problem – purely technical. Each Microsoft Project file is a unique object. It’s a unique file containing tasks, resources and assignments. Anything entered in a Microsoft Project file is only available to that Microsoft Project file. If I have a pool of 250 or 500 resources, I have to replicate those resources in each and every file (hold on, there are two ways around this, but they are both bad!). Additionally, any attributes created to associate with resources such as skills, locations, departments, titles, and so on, must also be replicated in every single individual Microsoft Project file. Some of you may be aware of some workarounds, but as you – should – know, both are pretty bad options. One option is to use a shared pool of resources. In this case, a unique Microsoft Project file becomes the repository for all resources to be used across your Microsoft Project files. To use this approach, the individual Microsoft Project files have to be connected to the pool, which typically means the files all have to remain on a single computer or accessible – shared – network drive. For customers who have migrated away from shared network drives or those who need to work offline or others who want to enforce security, this approach falls apart pretty quickly. For any serious enterprise, the shared file approach is a pretty miserable option that even in its best implementation only satisfies facilitation of sharing resources. It still doesn’t address forecasting or planning in any effective manner. Another approach is to implement Microsoft’s PPM solution – Microsoft Project Server – or move to Microsoft’s Project Online cloud-based PPM solution. Similar to the shared file option, Microsoft’s PPM solution resolves facilitation of sharing resources, but does not offer the tools and capabilities required to perform resource forecasting and capacity planning. Along the way, the licensing costs and consulting fees can be extensive. And, unless you have a PhD in data sciences, good luck with reporting on your data.

Lastly, performing enterprise resource planning and forecasting using Microsoft Project requires unrealistic overhead. If we start with a point made earlier, specifically that each Microsoft Project file is a unique object we know that our overhead first requires maintaining potentially hundreds of resource pools and associated attributes. Why? Well, remember, with each Microsoft Project file being a unique object, each Resource Sheet will be totally unique. So, adding new resources, changing attributes, editing existing resources will have to be performed from within all Microsoft Project files. Alternatively – or in addition to – data from your Microsoft Project files will have to be extracted and loaded to another more capable reporting or business intelligence platform. Let’s assume – like many – you intend to move the data to Excel. Upon export or upon import, the data will have to be not only audited but also cleansed. Of course, the process for extracting the data will also be challenging. Extracting resource data from Microsoft Project isn’t as simple or foolproof as some may think. When looking at resource data for forecasting and planning, we need to get access to time-sequenced allocation and base capacity data, right? Well, try to get that out of Microsoft Project – let alone hundreds of Microsoft Project files!

ENTERPRISE ENABLE MICROSOFT PROJECT

Because Microsoft Project is such a powerful planning solution, it’s natural for practitioners to reach for it when doing resource planning. In isolation, we know this is absolutely the wrong approach as it cannot deliver as an enterprise resource planning and forecasting solution. However, all is not lost. Microsoft Project paired with the right solution can deliver an enterprise resource planning and forecasting solution. The right solution is Tempus Resource with many case studies of successful use.

Tempus Resource is the preferred solution of organizations worldwide to standardize and manage the resource planning and forecasting process. Specifically designed for matrixed organizations, Tempus Resource naturally includes a centralized resource pool, integrated resource management reporting, and extensive what-if analysis features. Best of all, Tempus Resource allows you to quickly import your Microsoft Project files through a drag-and-drop interface. Tempus Resource does all of the work for you and can enterprise enable your Microsoft Project files in minutes. Request a demonstration or trial www.prosymmetry.com