How to Estimate Microsoft Project Completion Dates with Different Resource Levels
Question details
The user wants to know how to estimate and optimize project completion dates by adjusting the number of assigned workers.
- Product
- Microsoft Project
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Planning a project schedule and determining the optimal resource allocation to minimize the overall completion timeline.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Project calculates changes to task duration and finish dates based on resource assignments and leveling, but it requires manual input to compare different resource scenarios and does not automatically determine the optimal allocation.
Before adjusting your resource levels, ensure that all project tasks, dependencies, baseline effort estimates, and resource skills are accurately configured in your schedule.
Create Manual What-If Scenarios for Resource Assignments
Manually assign different resource levels to individual tasks to observe the impact on the task duration and overall project finish date.
Resources must be assigned to individual tasks rather than applied globally as a single number to the entire project. When you assign additional resources to a task, Microsoft Project can reduce its duration depending on the task type (e.g., Fixed Work) and scheduling settings.
Keep in mind the law of diminishing returns. Adding a second developer might reduce the deadline significantly, but adding a third may only yield minor improvements due to coordination overhead and task dependencies.
Open your Microsoft Project file, switch to the Gantt Chart view, and double-click the specific task you want to adjust to open the Task Information dialog box.
Navigate to the Resources tab. Adjust the number of assigned workers for that task (for example, change the assignment from one developer to two) and click OK.
Check the new task duration and observe the updated project finish date. Document this result.
Repeat the process by adding or removing resources (e.g., trying three or four workers) and compare the resulting project finish dates to find the optimal balance.
Use Resource Leveling to Manage Overallocations
Apply resource leveling to resolve scheduling conflicts when resources are assigned to work beyond their available capacity.
Manage Project Timelines Easily with WPS Office
While Microsoft Project is a specialized tool for complex resource leveling, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative for everyday project management. You can easily track tasks, resources, and deadlines using pre-built Gantt chart templates in WPS Spreadsheet.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and complete the installation on your device.
- 2. Open the Template Library: Launch WPS Office, open the WPS Spreadsheet application, and navigate to the Homepage.
- 3. Find a Project Template: Search for 'Gantt Chart' or 'Project Schedule' in the template search bar and select a layout that fits your project needs.
- 4. Track Your Resources: Input your project tasks, assign team members, and visually track completion dates directly within the spreadsheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't adding more resources proportionally decrease task duration in Microsoft Project?
This happens due to diminishing returns, task dependencies, and task types. Adding more workers increases coordination overhead. Furthermore, if a task is set to 'Fixed Duration', adding resources will not change the time required to complete it.
Can Microsoft Project automatically find the optimal number of workers for my project?
No, Microsoft Project does not feature an automatic optimization engine for resource levels. You must manually create what-if scenarios by adjusting resource assignments on individual tasks and observing the resulting project completion dates.
What exactly does resource leveling do?
Resource leveling automatically resolves resource overallocations by delaying certain tasks or splitting them so that no resource is double-booked. While it creates a realistic workload, it often sequences parallel tasks, which can push back your project completion date.
