Been doing this for 30 years. Tip number one:

Manhour estimates from estimating systems, Work mangement systems e.g. SAP, Maximo, are increasing presented to planning unfactored. I.e. no allowance for non productive time like meal breaks, permit delays etc. So how do we factor them? There are three alternatives.

1) Factor the hours e.g. if the estimate says 50, type in 70 to the planning system.

Issue: the estimate and the plan become irreconcilable as factors vary from one worktype to the next.


2) Factor Resource availability e.g if you have 5 fitters, tell the planning system you have 4.

Issue: Manpower planning becomes inelegent

3) Factor the working day, e.g. if the fitters "work" for 10 hors per day, tell the planning system there are only 8 hours per day

Issue: The boss is confused if you present planniong information on intervals less than a day, as no work is scheduled between, say, 11:00 and 14:00


My choice is always method three. Calander control is usually easy (unless you are am MSP user) and mutiple calanders with a variety of working hours.

Sorry for delayed response - yes we do BUT the information you are asking for is very specific and I am not able to provide information. Also, it could be misleading as our gaggle of engineers are all london types who takes years to agree to anything.

We are lucky to have a detailed databse of project statistics here, and competant Team Leaders. Maybee that would be your first port of call? Talk to the Team Leaders and get their views owing to your projects complexity etc and then go on from there?