Help me find simple project scheduling software that does automatic resource allocation and can shorten timelines based on resource availability
July 12, 2007 12:10 PM Subscribe
Help me find simple project scheduling software that does automatic resource allocation and can shorten timelines based on resource availability
My main goal in finding this software is to be able to forecast our labor over or under commitments for 1 to 3 months out so we know when to take on more work or to be careful about taking on too much.
We have two types of work for each job: installation, and programming work. Technicians can program and do installations, but installers can only install. Each job will have a certain number of hours for installation and hours for programming. I want to put in our start date and a "must finish by X" date. I want to do this for multiple jobs, around 20-40, that may be scheduled from today up to about 3 months out. I will typically assign a specific technician to each job, but any technician should be able to do the work. Then I want to hit a button that will calculate what the work load will be like and maybe automatically assign my people to jobs as they are available and point out to me when I am overloaded.
What is important, is that if I have 80 hours of device work on a job (10 man days), and 10 installers, it should be able to try and allocate those 10 installers to bring the duration down to 1 working day. But then, if I add another job that is due at the same time, it should re-allocate installers to that job so as to get them both completed on time, even if it means taking more working days for the first job to finish.
I think it should support dependencies, because the programming work typically can't start until the installation work is done.
I have played around with MS Project, Gantt Project, and various other software programs, but it does not seem that any of them get this quite right, unless I am doing something wrong. I have searched for quite some time now and I just can't seem to find the right product.
Thanks in advance.
My main goal in finding this software is to be able to forecast our labor over or under commitments for 1 to 3 months out so we know when to take on more work or to be careful about taking on too much.
We have two types of work for each job: installation, and programming work. Technicians can program and do installations, but installers can only install. Each job will have a certain number of hours for installation and hours for programming. I want to put in our start date and a "must finish by X" date. I want to do this for multiple jobs, around 20-40, that may be scheduled from today up to about 3 months out. I will typically assign a specific technician to each job, but any technician should be able to do the work. Then I want to hit a button that will calculate what the work load will be like and maybe automatically assign my people to jobs as they are available and point out to me when I am overloaded.
What is important, is that if I have 80 hours of device work on a job (10 man days), and 10 installers, it should be able to try and allocate those 10 installers to bring the duration down to 1 working day. But then, if I add another job that is due at the same time, it should re-allocate installers to that job so as to get them both completed on time, even if it means taking more working days for the first job to finish.
I think it should support dependencies, because the programming work typically can't start until the installation work is done.
I have played around with MS Project, Gantt Project, and various other software programs, but it does not seem that any of them get this quite right, unless I am doing something wrong. I have searched for quite some time now and I just can't seem to find the right product.
Thanks in advance.
SAS/OR should be able to do this. However, it might be expensive.
posted by lunchbox at 7:34 PM on July 12, 2007
posted by lunchbox at 7:34 PM on July 12, 2007
Ex-programmer here, and my hackles just rose a little bit. Do keep in the back of your mind that the bearing of a child requires nine months, regardless of the number of women assigned to the project.
posted by flabdablet at 8:31 PM on July 12, 2007
posted by flabdablet at 8:31 PM on July 12, 2007
I don't think this can be done simply. The system you describe is going to be complex and expensive.
posted by Area Control at 12:25 PM on July 13, 2007
posted by Area Control at 12:25 PM on July 13, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Monday at 6:39 PM on July 12, 2007