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Changing Resource Type

10 replies [Last post]
Matt Rudge
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Hi,

Have any of you come across the following error message when trying to change the type of resource?

"The resource type cannot be changed because this resource is currently assigned to one or more projects. The project plans and baselines would be invalidated"

If so does anyone know a way around it?

We currently have a number of projects imported from Suretrak where all our resources were set to Labour however in P3e it would probably be better for us to have cranes and tooling as non-labour.

Replies

Farid Orya
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This may help some user.

Open Project, create new resource with your desire resource type, select Resource Assignments from Project menu, click on activity in Resource Assignments then under tab click on General and under Resource of tab select your new resource, this will replace resource and automatically assigned units and cost to your new resource.

 

Thanks,

Farid

Zoltan Palffy
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next delete the old resources that you now longer want to use. 

Kannan CP
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Hi Brennan,

I applied your method to resolve the resource type changing (to change from labor to non labor type). However the budgeted value of the labor type still remainins there, eventhough the resource type has been changed from labor to non labor.

I tried to apply global change to make the labor value to zero, but unsuccessful.

Any solution to this?

Regards

Kannan

Zoltan Palffy
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you cant change resource TYPE so I suggest that you create the correct resource you want to use then filter for all of the activities that you want to change the resource to and highlight all of the activities and the right click and select assign and then select resources and select the new resource.

NOw export the old resources and the new resources to excel 

copy the values from the old resource to the new resouce in excel

next import the excel file 

next delete the old resources that you now longer want to use. 

Brennan Westworth
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I ran into this issue today and this post was the only one google turned up.

Updated method for release 16:

1. restore all baselines which use the resource you want to change

2. create an XER file containing the projects which use the resource you want to change

3. delete these projects from your database

4. change the resource type

5. import the XER created above selecting the option to keep existing resources

Brennan Westworth
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*double post*

Matt Rudge
User offline. Last seen 16 years 14 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
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Rodel,

Thanks for the reply.

The method you highlighted above pointed out the error I was making.

I was unaware about the delete flag, and was also unaware that I needed to delete the resource and reassign rather than just change the name within excel.

Thanks again for the help!

Matt
Rodel Marasigan
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Matt,

I believe you done it in a wrong way. Like what I said if you need assistance, let me know.

Anyway, below are the correct steps of export/ import method to change your resources type.

Exporting resources to excel:
1) Open the project that you wanted to change the resources type.
2) Click the resources icon on the left side of your monitor or select Enterprise-> Resources
3) Add new resources to be use for your nonlabor resources and select nonlabor on detail tab.
4) Assign this resource to one activities that you wanted to change the resources type
Note: If you are sure that the existing resources to be change are not assigned to other active projects then you can ignore step 2, 3 & 4.
5) Select File-> Export-> Spreadsheet - (XLS) and click Next
6) On Export Type tick Resource Assignments and click Next
7) Tick the Export tick box of the project you want to export and click Next
8) On Select Template click Add and rename your template for future use
9) If the resources that need to change have budget units & cost and have actuals include them on your data to import and activity name if necessary, otherwise accept the default.
10) Select Filter tab and click Add
11) Rename your Filter for future use
12) Select Resource ID Name that you wanted to change. If you assigned new resources as I mentioned on step 3 & 4, include that resources on your filter for your reference of format or data to copy on the rest of the resources you need to change and click OK then click Next.
13) On Select XLS File click and change the destination directory and filename so you can found it easily when modifying the data then click Next and Finish.
14) Open your exported excel file and you should have two tabs or sheets correspond to “TASKRSRC” and “USERDATA”
15) On the last column of sheet “TASKRSC” under “Delete This Row” headers enter letter D from first activity to the last activity.
Note: “D” is a delete flag to delete the existing data on your P3e project
16) Save as your excel file to a new name so you can import it back to P3e project
17) Assuming that you have not close your P3e program, activate P3e window and Select File-> Import-> Spreadsheet - (XLS) and click Next
18) Select the new excel file that you just modified and click Next
19) Tick Resource Assignments and click Next
20) Click Import To column and select the active project that required changes and click Next then Finish.
Note: That deletes all existing resources assigned to activities filtered to change
21) If you ignore the steps 2,3 & 4 and you are sure that the existing resources that need to change the resources type are not attached to other active project you can change the resources type from labor to nonlabor.
22) Open again the previous exported excel files and change the Resource ID column to new nonlabor resources.
Note: If you follow the steps 4 you may locate your new nonlabor resource and copy across to all the data needs to be replaced. If you ignore steps 2,3 & 4 and follow step 21 then you don’t need to change your Resource ID but you need to change the Resources Type column from Labor to Nonlabor although all those column having this (*) are not changeable data. Meaning what ever you have or setup on the system because it sits on different table on the PMDB database. If you have doubt just delete all column having (*) and save.

23) Follow steps 17 to 20 to import.

You should have new nonlabor resources assigned to your activities.

Let me know how you go to help you further.

Regards,
Rodel
Matt Rudge
User offline. Last seen 16 years 14 weeks ago. Offline
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Hi Rodel,

Have tried to change the resources by exporting to excel and importing back again and when I do P3e crashes!

Thanks,

Matt
Rodel Marasigan
User offline. Last seen 15 weeks 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 1699
Hi Matt,

The resource that you’re trying to change is currently assigned to your active project. You need to unlink it first before you can change from labor to non-labor. Another way to do this is to create a new resource and assigned it to your activities or task. If the resources are assigned to multiple activities, the fastest method is to export it to excel using resource assignment and import it again. If you need step by step method please let me know so I can assist you.

Regards,
Rodel