OT - Any users of M$ Project out there....

[pammy]

...I have a prob that I'm hoping one of you may have an answer to.

I am compiling a new project plan, Gantt chart type, and want to show periods of peak annual leave. I don't want it as non working time and I don't want to have to go down identifying individuals for specific tasks and their personal A/L yet - we're not at that stage. But I would like to be able to glance at the plan without having to look up at the dates to see if I have peak leave week/weeks and see where my pinch points are.

I need to be able to look at tasks and activities and know if they are falling at a time when I am short staffed.

Is it possible. No-one here seems to know if it is .

TIA

 

[NormanB]

Pammy

I have never used Project, but I did look at the software a few moon ago (1997) but I will venture advice!

If you are unwilling to detail the leave period to non working time but want to establish the 'what-if' effect of not having the person power resource availavble during that period could you not set the nominal leave period as a critical task and assign all the person resources to it and then latch it onto a task you figure will be complete by that time.

Just a guess - hopefully an expert MS project user will pop in now

NormanB

 

[smartbrabus]

Probably not the way its supposed to be done, but I just assign one task per resource (@100%) for each upcoming A/L period. Then you can easily see on the gantt how the tasks that contain actual work(!) will be affected...

HTH

 

[SteveW124]

MS Project

Hullo Pammy

We are heavy users of Project within my organisation:- for work scheduling and people organising. In fact we have a person on our platform who is a real whizz with it.

I can't contact him untill I go back to work offshore on Thursday, by which time you may have your answer, but if not, PM me then, and I'll ask him if he can help out with a suggestion or two.

good luck

Steve

 

[NormanB]

Come on then Pammy how did you tackle this then?

NormanB

 

[pammy]

Sorry guys - got sidetracked on this one. Haven't sussed it yet so will PM Steve to see what he comes up with. I've had lots of IT probs at work. The fact that my PC is still sitting in it's original state on my desk rather than sinking to the bottom of the River Aire following rapid ejection via my window is a miracle!!!

If the prob's are sorted and I can access the Internet at work on Monday I'll have a try at some of the ideas and let you know.

Cheers fella's nice to know you're there

 

[SteveW124]

Ms Project Help

Sorry guys - got sidetracked on this one. Haven't sussed it yet so will PM Steve to see what he comes up with. I've had lots of IT probs at work. The fact that my PC is still sitting in it's original state on my desk rather than sinking to the bottom of the River Aire following rapid ejection via my window is a miracle!!!

If the prob's are sorted and I can access the Internet at work on Monday I'll have a try at some of the ideas and let you know.

Cheers fella's nice to know you're there

Hullo Pammy

I "think" I have Pm'd you with some help on this! let me know if I havent been successfull

Steve

 

[pammy]

Hullo Pammy

I "think" I have Pm'd you with some help on this! let me know if I havent been successfull

Steve

Cheers Steve - your PM was successful - I'll drop your guy a line toorrow Thanks very much for your help.

I'll post the solution when I get one and have checked it works in case anyone else needs this option.

 

[pammy]

The solution...

With many thanks to Steve - I have the solution. As you might expect, it is a workaround, but as long as the plan isn't too long, then it is do-able. Rolling it up doesn't work as the box you draw is a fixed size

First step, open your plan

Open up the Drawing toolbar and click and drag to cover the period you want to shade. Right click on the shape to open up the properties box and select the fill colour you want and also the pattern, if any, also select the "Line" style you want, if any for the outline of the box. Click OK.

Right click on the shape again and select "order" then "Send to back", that'll put the shaded area behind your tasks and notes etc. Hey presto

Fairly straightforward and in line with other M$ packages really, but can't help thinking that M$ should realise this is something that you should be able to set with specific dates rather than using the users drawing skills

A HUGE thanks to Steve and his pals for helping out with this one - I now have a source for help in the future

This is a great board