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Freeze resource units per time period

5 replies [Last post]
Wed, 2005-10-05 11:52
Jim Smith
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Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas

Hi folks,

I’m looking at the Auto cost rules on P3 v3.0.

I’m new to P3 and don’t really know what "Freeze resource units per time period" is about. I’m learning out of a book at the moment.

I understand that "when the box is checked the quantities and hours to complete go up as RD goes up and vice versa".

I also understand that "when the box is unchecked units per hour go up as RD goes down, while cost and quantity to complete remain unchanged".

I’ve looked at the resources and cost forms sections but can’t get the an intuitive answer as to what the above statements mean exactly by doing that. Can someone explain.

Regards,

Jim
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Replies

Fri, 2005-10-07 07:23
#1
Jim Smith
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Hi Alex,

I now see what you mean: I understand.

Ignore my previous post it’s rubbish.

Many Thanks,

Jim.
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Fri, 2005-10-07 06:45
#2
Jim Smith
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Hi Alex,

I don’t see how we get 8 engineer man days.

Regards,

Jim

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Thu, 2005-10-06 07:00
#3
Jim Smith
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Thanks Alex. I have a few questions:

1. I have re-worded your example ( see below ) to test my understanding. Does what I have written make sense. I don’t see how we go from 4 to 8 man days in (b) below ?
2. Does the "Freeze resource units per time period" check box get checked / unchecked only at the beginning of a project or can this happen at the statusing stage ? Are you indicating that this can happen at the statusing stage above after 8 days into this 10 day activity ?
3. Does checking the box in any way break the given formula ? ( I have the Harris book on P3 but not the software ( at this stage ) so have no way of setting up a test schedule ).
4. Is there a good no nonsense book that explains planning / cost theory implemented in P3 ?

Thanks again

Jim


"Freeze resource units per time period" applies to the following formula:

Remaining Budget = Remaining duration * (number of resource units/time period)
NF: 4 ( calculated )= 2 ( variable ) * 2 ( variable )
F : 8 ( ?? ) = 2 ( variable ) * 4 ( ?? )

In this formula you can select which variable is constant. Then you only need to update one variable and the system will calculate the second variable based on the constant and the input - rather than updating two variables each time an activity is progressed.

If "(number of resource units/time period)" becomes frozen then this variable becomes constant.
Here’s an example to explain "Freeze resource units per time period":

You have an activity which is 10 days in duration.
If you need a resource of 2 engineers per day for the whole period of this activity then you will need 20 engineer man days.
8 days into the activity ( 16 actual man days of resource have been used ) the job still requires 4

man days of work.

(a) If the number of resource units per time period is NOT frozen ( i.e., the box is not checked on the AutoCost form ) then the system will calculate that there are 4 remaining engineer man days and allocate these ( just as already budgeted ), i.e., an allocation of 2 engineers per day for the RD.

(b) If the number of resource units per time period is frozen ( i.e., the box is checked on the AutoCost form ) then during the remaining duration you will still have 2 engineers per day and your remaining budget is 8 engineer man days instead of 4.
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Wed, 2005-10-05 20:30
#4
Alex Wong
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Jim,

Freeze resource unit per time period -

example

you have a activity which is 10 day duration if you need 2 engineer per days for the whole period then you will need 20 engineer man days

After 8 day the activity started. you estimated it will still require remaining 4 days of works. And the actual man day used is 16 engineer man days.

If the resource unit per time period is "NOT" freezed
then because your remaining budgeted engineer man days is 4 (20-16) therefore the remaining 4 days the system will calculated and give the activity 1 engineer per days.

If the resource unit per time period is freezed then during your remaining duration you will still have 2 engineer per day that means you remaining budget is 8 engineer man days instead of 4.

the fomular is like this

Remaining Budget = Remaining duration * (resource unit/time period)

In this fomular you can select which variable is a constant
then you will only need to update one variable then the system will calculate the second variable base on the constant and the input. Rather than update all three variable each time to progress an activity.

HTH

Alex
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Wed, 2005-10-05 19:05
#5
Paul Silver
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Joined: 30 Sep 2004
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Jim,
I found that when I was learning P3 (rather Finest Hour as it was then) it was helpful to try these options on a small (5 to 10 activity) test schedule. Print out reports from the default settings first then make changes to incorporate the various options, progress the schedule and again print the results for comparison. It’s a bit time consuming, but you do learn what’s what.

Good Luck

Paul Silver
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