PSS Learning Services Module 2.

Contents

Lesson 4: Entering Assignments 71

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 Module 2.4 71

Lesson 4: Entering Assignments

Overview
In this lesson we will discuss two items related to assignments: assignment
contours and leveling.

What You Will Learn

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
 Describe how a contour will change based on varying criteria
 Troubleshoot scheduling issues related to custom contours
 Describe the differences in leveling between Microsoft® Project 2000 and
Microsoft Project 98
 Describe troubleshooting steps to resolve unexpected results when leveling
Note

Module 2.4 73

Assignments
Assignments and assignment contours have not changed in
Microsoft Project 2000. However, these areas can be confusing, so it is
important to gain a firm understanding of them. Before we look at assignment
contours, let’s take a look at assignments and break them down into some
simple parts that we can use to discuss assignment contours.

Parts of an Assignment
An assignment consists of two levels: the assignment level and the assignment
timephased level. Within each level exist fields that display essentially the same
information. For example, there is a work field in both levels. The way the
fields of each level are calculated, however, is different.
At the assignment level, we have three fields that we are concerned with for
this discussion: Duration, Units, and Work. As we know from
Microsoft Project 98, these three fields are interdependent and a change in one
can affect the others. At the assignment level, we can summarize the interaction
of these three fields via the following equation:
D  U W
Where D is duration, U is units, and W is work.

For the purposes of our discussion, when we refer to the assignment level, we
are not referring specifically to assignment fields. The assignment level is
referring to that area that is not timephased. In other words, it incorporates task,
resource, and assignment fields.

At the assignment timephased level, we have timephased information that

essentially displays the information displayed at the assignment level in more
detail. Contours, by definition, exist at the assignment timephased level.
However, to preserve predefined contours, changes can only be made at the
assignment level. When changes are made at the assignment timephased level, a
contour instantly changes to an edited contour. Edited contours are discussed
later on in this lesson.
To understand how changes at the assignment level affect contours, we must
first understand the changes that happen at this level. We shall then look at how
Microsoft Project recalculates the assignment timephased level based on this
data.
Assignment Contours

As we mentioned before, assignment contours have not changed in

Microsoft Project 2000. Fundamentally they behave the same way in
Microsoft Project 2000 as they did in Microsoft Project 98. However, because
they can play an important role in how a project is scheduled and because they
can be confusing, we will review some of the basics of assignment contours.

What is an Assignment Contour?

An assignment contour is the timephased distribution of resource units on an
assignment. (Note: In most cases, assignment contours refer to the distribution
of work. However, in order to better understand how Microsoft Project
calculates the work distribution in a contour, we will define it as the distribution
of units.) There are two main categories of contours in Project: predefined
contours and edited contours.

Predefined Contours
Understanding predefined contours and their behaviors will help us in
understanding edited contours, so let’s take a look at them first. Like
Microsoft Project 98, Microsoft Project 2000 ships with eight predefined
contours. Each contour takes an assignment and divides it into ten segments. In
each segment, work is calculated using the units predefined per that contour’s
definition. Below are the eight predefined contours and a table showing how
each distributes units in each of the ten segments.

Note
Note that each table shows the percentage of the units a resource is assigned for
a particular timephased segment in relationship to the units a resource is
assigned to a task as a whole.
So for example, if a resource were assigned to a task at 50%, it would be shown
as being assigned at 5% for the first segment of an assignment with a Back
Loaded contour applied. (See table for Back Loaded Contours.)
 Module 2.4 75

The eight predefined contours and their contour definition tables are:

1. Flat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

2. Back Loaded
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 10% 15% 25% 50% 50% 75% 75% 100% 100% 100%

3. Front Loaded
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 100% 100% 100% 75% 75% 50% 50% 25% 15% 10%

4. Double Peak
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 25% 50% 100% 50% 25% 25% 50% 100% 50% 25%

5. Early Peak
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 25% 50% 100% 100% 75% 50% 50% 25% 15% 10%

6. Late Peak
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 10% 15% 25% 50% 50% 75% 100% 100% 50% 25%

7. Bell
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 10% 20% 40% 80% 100% 100% 80% 40% 20% 10%

8. Turtle
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Units 25% 50% 75% 100% 100% 100% 100% 75% 50% 25%
How Assignment Contours Work
Assignment contours work in the following manner:
 First, Microsoft Project takes the duration of a task and divides the
assignment into 10 equal contour segments. This is done on a minute-by-
minute level.
 Next, Microsoft Project applies Units to each contour segment per the
contour’s definition as shown in the tables above. Remember, the contour
definition tables show the percentage of the units a resource is assigned for a
particular timephased segment in relationship to the units a resource is
assigned to a task as a whole.
 The work for each contour segment is then calculated based on units and
duration for the segment.
 Finally, the above figures are calculated for display in the timephased
segment that is specified.
Making Changes At the Assignment Level

Module 2.4 77

What Happens When Changes Occur

Understanding the definition of a contour and its basic functionality is
important, but seeing how it really works when changes occur in a project is
where we really begin to understand assignment contours. And to understand
this, it’s important to remember the two levels of an assignment: the assignment
level and the assignment timephased level. Because predefined contours, by
definition, cannot be edited at the timephased level, we shall only look at the
assignment level.

At the assignment level, making a change to duration, units, or work will cause
a change in one of the other two variables, depending on the task type. This is
accordance with the following equation:
D  U W
Where D is duration, U is units, and W is work.
The changes that can occur when a variable is changed are reflected in the three
tables below. Each table represents a task type as denoted in the upper left hand
corner. The leftmost column shows the variable that is changed by the user.
Each subsequent column shows status of the variable upon making the change.
A changed variable is denoted by the Greek symbol delta (∆) that is generally
used in mathematics as the symbol to denote change. When delta (∆) is
followed by the variable’s first letter, it denotes the variable that has been
changed by the user. When delta appears alone, it means that Microsoft Project
has calculated that variable’s value based on the change by the user and the task
type.
Fixed Duration Duration Units Work
Task
∆D ∆D No Change ∆
∆U No Change ∆U ∆
∆W No Change ∆ ∆W

Fixed Units Task Duration Units Work

∆D ∆D No Change ∆
∆U ∆ ∆U No Change
∆W ∆ No Change ∆W

Fixed Work Task Duration Units Work

∆D ∆D ∆ No Change
∆U ∆ ∆U No Change
∆W ∆ No Change ∆W
Calculated Changes At the Assignment Timephased Level

At the assignment timephased level, there are three possible scenarios. These
are reflected in the table below.
When this situation occurs… …Microsoft Project does the
following for contours.
Duration and Units have both 1. The 10 Contour Segments are re-
changed at the Assignment Level (∆D calculated.
& ∆U)
2. Units are applied to each contour
segment per the contour definition.
3. Work for each segment is
recalculated.

Duration and Work have both 1. The 10 Contour Segments are re-
changed at the Assignment Level (∆D calculated.
& ∆W)
2. Units are applied to each contour
segment per the contour definition.
3. Work for each segment is
recalculated.

Units and Work have both changed at 1. Units are applied to each contour
the Assignment Level (∆U & ∆W) segment per the contour definition.
2. Work for each segment is
recalculated.
 Module 2.4 79

Other Possible Changes at the Assignment Level

Changing one of the three variables (duration, units, work) is not the only thing
that can affect a predefined contour.

Assigning Additional Resources to a Task

Assigning additional resources to a task can also affect a current assignment
contour.

Assignment contours will only be affected if a task has Effort Driven turned on.
Assigning additional resources to a non-effort driven task does not affect an existing
resource contour at all.
When new resources are assigned to an effort driven task, the first thing
Microsoft Project must do is distribute work on the task amongst the assigned
resources. To divide up the work amongst each resource (or to calculate each
assignment’s work), Microsoft Project does the following:
1. First, Microsoft Project calculates a temporary value for the newly assigned
resource’s assignment work by assuming it was assigned without the effort
driven option being turned on. It does this by using the following equation:

Dt
Wat 
Ua

Where Wat is the temporary assignment work, Dt is the task duration, and
Ua is the assignment units. [capitalization should be consistent with below
under #3]
2. Next, Microsoft Project calculates a temporary value for the total work on
the task by summing all temporary assignment work values. This gives a
value that we will call the temporary task work, or Wtt.
3. Microsoft Project then calculates a temporary value for the assigned units
for an assignment (or Uat) by using the following equation:

Wat
Uat 
Wtt

Where Uat is the temporary assignment units, Wat is the temporary

assignment work, and Wtt is the temporary task work.
4. Next, the effort driven assignment work is calculated using the following
equation:

Wa  Uat  Wt

Where Wa is the assignment work, Uat is the temporary assignment units,

and Wt is the original task work.
Once the assignment work is calculated, Microsoft Project then makes the
following calculations depending on the task type:

1. For a Fixed Duration Task, Microsoft Project recalculates the assignment

units using the following equation:

 Wa 
 
 Dt 
Ua 
Usa

Where Ua is the assignment units, Wa is the assignment work, Dt is the task

duration, and Usa is the assignment units scaled average.
2. For a Fixed Units or Fixed Work Task, Microsoft Project recalculates the
task duration using the following equation:

 Wa 
 
 Ua 
Dt 
Usa

Where Dt is the task duration, Wa is the assignment work, Ua is the

assignment units, and Usa is the assignment units scaled average.

Note
The Assignment Units Scaled Average (Usa) is the variable that takes
predefined contours into account. When assigning new resources to a task that
has an assigned resource with a predefined contour, this value maintains the
contoured assignment’s relevancy when calculating duration or assigned units.
This value is calculated by taking the average value of the units from each
predefined contour segment.
The Usa value for each predefined contour is noted in the following table:

Once the new values are calculated, Microsoft Project calculates the new
assignment contours as noted above, using the new values.

Changing Working Times

Changing working times may also appear to affect assignment contours.
However, when working times change, assignment contours remain essentially
unchanged when considered over working times. That is to say, when working
times are changed, the contour is simply moved around non-working times. For
example, if you had a two-day task with a flat contour, inserting a non-working
day (Day Two) between the two working days leaves the contour setting at
“flat.” It does not change to “contoured.”
 Module 2.4 81

You should note, however, that in a literal sense (and to many users), the
contour has changed. This is because units have gone from being distributed
over two days at 100%, to being distributed over three days in the following
manner:
Day One Day Two Day Three
100% 0% 100%

In actuality, there is no units’ value for day two in Microsoft Project. However,

it is important to understand how other users of Microsoft Project 2000 may
view contours. As noted before, many users define assignment contours as the
timephased distribution of work. If viewed from this viewpoint, the contour
appears to have changed. It is important to be able to understand both views in
order to explain Microsoft Project’s behavior to others.
 Edited Contours
So far we’ve taken a broad look at predefined resource contours and what
happens when we make changes at the assignment level. On many occasions,
however, we may want to make changes to an assignment at the assignment
timephased level. Doing so changes our contour from a predefined contour to
an edited contour. In other words, an edited contour is, by definition, a contour
that has been edited at the timephased level.

Predefined Contour Units Scaled Average (Usa) Value

Flat 100%
Back Loaded 60%
Front Loaded 60%
Double Peak 50%
Early Peak 50%
Late Peak 50%
Bell 50%
Turtle 70%

Making Changes at the Assignment Timephased Level

When we make a change at the assignment timephased level, we are actually
creating a new edited contour. Once a contour is an edited contour, it has
different behavior when responding to changes made at the assignment level.
To understand these changes, however, we must first understand how edited
contours differ structurally from predefined contours. (That is, we need to
understand how contour segments behave in edited contours.)
As discussed earlier, predefined contours are divided into ten equal contour
segments. Each contour segment has a predefined level of units that is applied
to that segment based on the contour definition table. Edited contours, however,
differ in that they are not divided into ten segments of equal duration. First, the
number of contour segments in an edited assignment contour depends on the
actual edits made. The duration of each contour segment depends on the
timescale in which the edit was made.
 Module 2.4 83

For example, suppose you had a 12-day task and you edited the assignment
contour as follows:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
20% 15% 20% 15% 20% 25% 40% 25% 40% 25% 15% 20%
1.6h 1.2h 1.6h 1.2h 1.6h 2h 3.2h 2h 3.2h 2h 1.2h 1.6h

Note
In the timescaled view, you cannot directly edit the units assigned to each
timephased segment; instead you would directly edit the work. However, to
better understand edited contour segments, we will look at the units assigned.

In this example, you have 12 contour segments of equal duration. However, if

you changed your minor timescale to weeks, you would end up with the
following:
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3
18% 31% 7%

At this point the assignment contour still consists of 12 segments of equal

duration. However, if we then make an edit to Week 2, our contour segments
change. The five segments that make up Week 2 become one segment with a
five-day duration, and we are left with a total of eight contour segments. In our
example, if we change Week 2 to 38%, we are left with the following contour
segments.
Contour
Segment
Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Units 20% 15% 20% 15% 20% 38% 15% 20%

Duration 1d 1d 1d 1d 1d 5d 1d 1d

Note that Contour Segment Number 6 has a five-day duration. If we

subsequently were to change our timescale back to days, we would see that
units are spread evenly over the segment. In other words, each day of the
second week would have 38%.

Important:
It is important to recognize that contour segments are independent from the
timescale units that we view timephased information with. When we change our
timescale units to days, we do not suddenly have additional assignment contour
segments. We are simply viewing existing segments differently. This will be
shown in more detail in the following example.

Now that we understand how edited contours deal with contour segments, let’s
take a look at what happens when we begin to make changes to assignments
with edited contours.
Making Changes at the Assignment Level
The most important difference between predefined contours and edited contours
is the way in which segments are handled when changes are made at the
assignment level. As we noted above, segments are not necessarily equal in
duration, nor are they consistent in number. (That is, there can be more or less
than 10 contour segments.)
When the duration of an assignment changed with a predefined contour applied,
Microsoft Project recalculated the duration of the 10 contour segments so that
there were consistently 10 segments of equal duration. Like predefined
contours, Microsoft Project only changes edited contour segments when
duration changes. However, unlike predefined contours, the way in which
contour segments change is dependent on what else is changing at the
assignment level.
If both duration and units change at the assignment level, contour segment
length will change, but proportionality will be maintained. This means that if
you have three contour segments of 8 hours in length, making a change at the
assignment level where both duration and units change will cause the contour
segment length to change, but all three contour segments will still be the same
length.
If both duration and work are changed at the assignment level, contour segment
length proportionality will not be maintained. Instead, Microsoft Project will
simply extend or truncate the right most contour segment as needed. All other
contour segments will maintain the same length.
The way that changes at the assignment level affect contour segments of edited
assignment contours in Microsoft Project 2000 is detailed in the following
table. There are three distinct scenarios for edited contours when making
changes at the assignment level. They are as follows:
Changes at the Reaction of Contour Segment Lengths
Assignment Level
D, U Segment lengths recalculated, proportionality
maintained.
D, W Last Segment Extended/Truncated
U, W Segment Length doesn’t change.

Note
To see which variables are changing under what circumstances, refer to the
table on page 74
 Module 2.4 85

Example
Let’s look at an example that shows some of the possible changes and
calculations. Suppose we had a Fixed Units task with a three-day duration and
that we edited the assignment contour as shown below.
Day One Day Two Day Three
38% 88% 50%
3.03h 7.03h 4h

If we increase the assignment units from 88% to 100%, we get a timephased

assignment information as shown in the following table:
Day One Day Two Day Three
50% 90% 36%
4.02h 7.17h 2.9h

At first glance, it may appear that Microsoft Project is randomly changing our

assigned units. In fact, however, it is being very consistent in how it maintains
our assignment contour. Because the task is a fixed units task and we are
changing units at the assignment level, duration must be recalculated. From our
table on page 84 we know that this will cause contour segment lengths to
change, but their proportionality to be retained.
This gives us a situation where our timescale units (days) overlap our contour
segments as shown in the following table:
Day One – 50% Day Two – 90% Day Three – 36%
Contour One –42.94% Contour Two – 100% Contour Three – 56.5%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Now let’s look at how Microsoft Project makes the exact calculations to come
up with the scenario shown in the above table. The first thing that
Microsoft Project does in this situation is calculate duration. To do this,
Microsoft Project first calculates the assigned units scaled average (Usa) for the
edited contour by using the following equation:

Usa 
Us
Ns

Where Usa is the units’ scaled average, ∑U is the sum of all of the segments’
units, and Ns is the number of segments.
Note

Contour segments units are [please review this] usually not the units for the
assignment during a period of time. In other words, Us does not usually
correspond to the % allocation values found in the time-phased portion of the
Task Usage view. Rather, Us values correspond to the values shown in the
definition tables for predefined contours. In equation form:

%A
Us 
Ua

Where Us is the units for the contour segment, %A is the % allocation for the
time period and Ua is the units for the assignment.

In our scenario, calculating the Usa value gives us the following:

42.94%  100%  56.5%

Usa  -OR- Usa  66.48%
3

Note
When segments are of unequal duration, Usa should be calculated as follows:

Usa 
 Usx  Dsx 
Da
Where x is the segment number, Usx is the Units of segment number x, Dsx is
the duration of segment number x,   Usx  Dsx  is the sum of all segments
units multiplied by their segment duration (that is,
Us1  Ds1  Us 2  Ds 2... ), and Da is the duration of the assignment.

Once Usa is calculated, Microsoft Project then recalculates the duration of the

assignment according to the following equation:

 Wa 
 
Ua 
Dt  
Usa

Where Dt is the task duration, Wa is the assigned work, Ua is the assigned

units, and Usa is the units’ scaled average.
Note

Module 2.4 87

In our example, this works out to the following:

 14.07 h 
 
 100%  -OR- Dt  21.16h -OR- Dt  2.64d
Dt 
66.48%

Because duration changes, Microsoft Project is forced to recalculate the

assignment contour segments while maintaining their proportionality. This it
does in two steps. First, it calculates a ratio for the change in duration. This is
done using the following equation:

Dt
R
Do

Where R is the ratio, Dt is the new task duration calculated above and Do is the
old task duration. In our scenario, R = 0.88.
Then Microsoft Project multiplies each contour segment’s duration by this ratio
to determine the new contour segment duration. In this scenario, all contour
segments are equal and end up being 7 hours in length.

When both duration and work change, contour segments are not recalculated.
Instead, the rightmost contour is extended or truncated. In such a scenario, if
duration is increased, the rightmost segment is extended. If duration is
decreased, the rightmost contours are truncated as needed.

Once segment durations are recalculated, Microsoft Project calculates a

multiplier by which to proportionately adjust our contour segment’s units. This
is done using the following equation:

Uan
M 
Ua

Where M is the multiplier, Uan is the new assigned units and Ua is the assigned
units. In our scenario, M = 1.13 or

100%
M 
88%

Next, Microsoft Project recalculates the assigned units for each contour

segment by multiplying the assigned units for each segment by the multiplier.
The results for our scenario are shown in the following table:

Contour One Contour Two Contour Three

42.94% 100% 56.5%
Table 1
Microsoft Project then calculates what is displayed to the user based on what
timescale is selected. In our example, we are showing days. Because our
contours are only 7 hours in duration, segment contours overlap timephased
contours. Microsoft Project averages the contour segment’s units as they
overlap the timephased segment and displays the value as the timephased
segment’s units. This is demonstrated in the following table:
Day One – 50% Day Two – 89% Day Three – 36%
Contour One –42.94% Contour Two – 100% Contour Three – 56.5%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Table 2

Making Changes at the Assignment Timephased Level

When changes are made at the assignment timephased level, the change only
affects the timescale segment in which that edit was made. Note however, that
the timescale segment may overlap contour segments. Take the following table
for example:
Day One – 50% Day Two – 89% Day Three – 36%
Contour One –42.94% Contour Two – 100% Contour Three – 56.5%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Table 3

If you changed the units on day two to 50%, you would end up with the
following:
Day One – 50% Day Two – 50% Day Three – 36%
Contour One –42.94% C Contour Three – 50% Contour Four –
2 56.5%

1
0
0
%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Table 4

Note that you now have four assignment contours of varying length.
All edits to the timescale segment are spread evenly throughout the segment.
For example, if you assigned 50% units to a day and then changed the timescale
to hours, you would see 50% units for each hour as well.
Adding Additional Resources to a Task with an Edited Contour Assignment

Module 2.4 89

Other Possible Changes to Edited Contour Assignments

Adding a resource to a task with an edited contour assignment is not very
different from adding a resource to a task with a predefined contour. The only
difference that applies is the Usa value. For predefined contours, this is a fixed
value. However, for edited contours, this value is calculated based on the
following calculation:

Usa 
Us
Ns

Where Usa is the units’ scaled average, ∑Us is the sum of all of the segments’
units, and Ns is the number of segments.
When segments are of unequal duration, Usa should be calculated as follows:

Usa 
 Usx  Dsx 
Da
Where x is the segment number, Usx is the units of segment number x, Dsx is
the duration of segment number x,   Usx  Dsx  is the sum of all segments
units multiplied by their segment duration (THAT IS,
Us1  Ds1  Us 2  Ds 2... ), and Da is the duration of the assignment.
Leveling

Leveling in Microsoft Project 2000 behaves very similarly to leveling in

Microsoft Project 98. However, because of new feature enhancements, leveling
has changed somewhat. It now takes into account some of the new features that
have been added to Microsoft Project 2000. Before we take a look at which new
features are related to leveling, let’s review what Leveling does in
Microsoft Project.

Leveling in Microsoft Project
It is important to remember what Microsoft Project is doing when it is leveling.
Although the end objective is to schedule resource work as efficiently as
possible, we must remember that leveling does not change work or units on an
assignment or task. Instead, when leveling makes a change, it does so by adding
leveling delay or splitting work. These are the only ways in which leveling can
make changes to a project. As we look at the new features related to leveling,
this will become more obvious.

Microsoft Project 2000 Features Related to Leveling

There are only a few new features that are related to leveling. They are as
follows:

Leveling From Current Schedule

If you’ve used Microsoft Project 4.x, you’ll be familiar with this option, which
is a reintroduction of an old feature. Microsoft Project 2000 gives you the
option to clear leveling values before leveling. This option is checked by
default.
With this option off, any previous leveling delay remains and can only be added
to which means the result of a previous leveling will likely be unchanged and
only newly overallocated assignments and their tasks will be leveled. For
example, if a task currently has 3ed of leveling delay, with this option turned
off, during subsequent leveling passes, this value may increase, but will not
decrease.
When this option is not checked, the time it takes to level a large project can be
reduced and is especially useful when leveling calculations have been set to
automatic.
 Module 2.4 91

Figure 1 - Clear Leveling

Task Calendars
In Microsoft Project 98, when leveling delayed the start of an assignment, it
gave a delay value to the assignment. This value was then applied against the
resource calendar to get a new starting time for the assignment.
In Microsoft Project 2000, the calendar used by an assignment is not
necessarily the resource calendar. It may be the task calendar. When leveling,
Microsoft Project now looks at any applied task calendars and also checks to
see if the Ignore Resource Calendar setting is on.

Try This: Leveling with a Task Calendar

Create a Customer Scenario where Leveling with Task Calendars does not behave as
expected.
1. With a partner, create a project where task calendars are applied and
resources are assigned to tasks. Make sure some resources are overallocated.
2. Attempt to level your project.

Did your project level as most customers might expect? Why or why not?
Material Resources
Material Resources are normally not leveled by Microsoft Project. This is
because they have no way of measuring capacity (that is, max units) and thus
cannot tell when they are overallocated.
Leveling will affect material resource, however, when they are assigned with
other resources and those resources’ assignments are delayed. In this situation,
material resources use the task delay value to move their assignments.

Try This: Leveling and Material Resources

Experiment with how leveling can affect material resources.

1. In a new project, create two three-day tasks that start on the same day.
2. Assign one working resource and one material resource to each task. Split
your screen and note the start and finish dates for each assignment.
3. Level your project.

Did any of your assignment dates change unexpectedly? Why or why not?
 Module 2.4 93

Priority Levels
Microsoft Project 2000 has increased the amount of priority levels from 10 to
1000. They work in exactly the same fashion as they did in
Microsoft Project 98. Microsoft Project 98 values map to the new
Microsoft Project 2000 values as shown in Table 5.
Microsoft Project 98 Value Microsoft Project 2000 Value
Do Not Level 1000
Highest 900
Very High 800
Higher 700
High 600
Medium 500
Low 400
Lower 300
Very Low 200
Lowest 100
Table 5

Note
When saving a project in the 98 format, you should note that the values map
somewhat differently than noted above. This is detailed in the following table.
Note in particular that priority values from 801-999 are mapped to Highest and
that only values of exactly 1000 are mapped to Do Not Level.
 Microsoft Project 2000 Value Microsoft Project 98Value

1000 Do Not Level

801-999
701-800 Very High
601-700 Higher
501-600 High
401-500 Medium
301-400 Low
201-300 Lower
101-200 Very Low
0-100 Lowest
Table 6

Priority values can now also be used to set the priority of project summary tasks
(also can be set in the Project Information dialog). Because of this, inserted
projects can now contain a priority level and this priority can be taken into
account when leveling multiple inserted projects.
 Module 2.4 95

Contoured Resource Availability

We’ve already discussed contoured resource availability, but let’s take a look at
its affect on leveling. We know that contoured resource availability does not
change work. Instead, it changes the percentage a resource is allocated. When
this percentage is over 100%, the resource is marked as overallocated.
Like manually editing a resource contour, contoured resource availability
spreads evenly throughout the segment in which it’s designated. In other words,
if you set a resource’s availability at 50% for a week, that availability is 50%
from the minute level on up through the week. If an assignment is made at
100%, leveling cannot schedule any work during that week and will move it to
another time where resource availability is 100% or greater.
For example, suppose we had a 10-day task and assigned a resource to it so that
the resource has 80 hours of work and is assigned at 100% every day of the
task. If we then contoured the resource’s availability so that the resource is only
available 50% of the time during the first 5 days of the task, the resource will
appear as overallocated. (Note: the resource is available 100% of the time for
all other periods.) If we then level the task, the resource will not be scheduled
to work during the week at which he is available 50% of the time. Instead his
work will begin in the second week.
This behavior may be different from what you might first expect. Since the
resource has four hours of available time each day during the first week, you
may assume that leveling should fill those hours first. It is at this point that we
must remember that leveling only adds delay or splits work. It cannot change
work or units. Thus, leveling cannot schedule four hours of work each day
during the first week. Instead it must move the assignment to an availability
contour that can accommodate the assigned units.
LevelingOptions AutoClearLeveling Priority

Leveling Related VBA

Because Leveling has changed very little since Microsoft Project 98, there have
been very few changes to the Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA)
Object model. Below are the changes that have been made.

New Leveling Related Methods

[application].LevelingOptions Automatic, DelayInSlack,

AutoClearLeveling, Order, LevelEntireProject, FromDate, ToDate,
PeriodBasis, LevelIndividualAssignments, LevelingCanSplit.
All the arguments are optional. If any argument is not specified, then the values
that are currently used in the dialog are assumed as the values for the
arguments.

New Leveling Related Properties

[application]. AutoClearLeveling[= value] as Boolean
Returns or sets the 'Clear old leveling values before performing leveling'
setting. The value argument has two settings: True or False
[project]. Priority[= value] as number
Returns or sets the project priority value. This is the same value as the Project
Summary Task (or Project Information dialog) priority setting.
[task]. Priority[= value] as number
Returns or sets the task priority value.
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