Do you level resources in Primavera P6? Unless you specify otherwise, Primavera P6’s default setting will allow leveling to delay the project finish date.
Schedules come with deadlines; it’s one of the challenges of managing a project. So, you really do not want to delay your project more then you have to. It makes sense then that you do not want to level your resources in a way that would delay the project finish date.
How then should you handle resource over allocations? First, level resources within total float. This may delay some activities, but not the end date of the project. Second, negotiate to gain more resources for your critical activities. If getting more resources is not possible, then many try to renegotiate the required level of effort with your current resources. Yes, leveling the workload may require resource management, but the first effort of the scheduler or project manager should be to level resources within total float.
This article demonstrates how to level resources within activity total float in Primavera P6 Professional.
We have in Figure 1 our demonstration schedule.
Figure 1
This P6 schedule models the planning stages of a project. The project manager is assigned to ‘write statement of work’, ‘write environmental projection plan’, and ‘write safety plan’. ‘Acquire permits’ has no assigned resources. As the usage profile shows the project manager is over allocated, so we want to level the schedule workload.
Proceed and select tools | level resources, Figure 2.
Figure 2
In the level resources dialog toggle ‘level all resources’ and click level, Figure 3.
Figure 3
The Primavera P6 schedule now is completely leveled, Figure 4.
Figure 4
There are no longer any resource over allocations. Note, however, that the end date of the project delayed from January 10th to January 17th. This is not what we want. The project end date should not be delayed.
To level the workload and keep the project end date fixed select ‘level resources only within activity total float’ in the level resources dialog, Figure 5.
Figure 5
Now when your schedule is leveled the project end date remains fixed, Figure 6.
Figure 6
Also, note that the ‘write safety plan’ activity shifts right and fits nicely within the available total float to minimize our resource over allocation. Our leveling effort reduced the over allocation, but the project manager is still over allocated, as per, Figure 6.
The project manager must negotiate for more resources or renegotiate the required effort of the project manager. But the leveling feature in Primavera P6 Professional has leveled the workload as much as possible prior to these negotiations, and without delaying the project
Summary
The leveling feature in Primavera P6 Professional supports adjusting activities to reduce or, if possible, eliminate resource over allocations. It is rather simple to eliminate resource over allocations by extending or delaying the end date of the project.
But most projects won’t allow schedule delays. If this is your situation then level resources only within activity total float. With this option Primavera P6 attempts to level the workload in a way that does not delay the project end date. So, before attempting to acquire more resources, utilize the level feature in Primavera P6. These leveling features may reduce, if not eliminate, workload over allocations.
A more thorough introduction to Primavera P6 Professional leveling feature is at the following blog Primavera P6 Professional Resource Leveling Fundamentals.