Below, you will find general explanations and basic information on the calculation component of the PLANTA software, hereinafter referred to as scheduling, with which you can calculate project schedules.
On the subordinate pages you will also find further summarizations of some selected aspects of scheduling in table form.
Scheduling
In PLANTA, Scheduling means an automatic calculation of the schedules of the projects. In scheduling, all factors of the schedules like dates, duration, resource effort, and costs are calculated by a special algorithm while taking different planning schemes and settings into account. Scheduling can either be carried out per individual project (single project calculation) or for all projects at once (Replanning).
Single Project Calculation
In single project calculation, only one project is calculated (the one selected). This is reasonable if you want to obtain planning results quickly and keep the scheduling runtime at a minimum.
If the project to be calculated is a structured project (with subproject) or if the project has external (cross-project) links, then the projects concerned are included in the calculation.
If several single calculations of different projects are carried out by different users, the user who is first to calculate receives the available capacity of a resource, since the priorities among the projects are ignored in single calculation. To have them considered, you have to carry out a replanning. For this purpose, see the section below.
Single project calculation can be carried out in different modules via the Calculate schedule menu item, e.g. primarily in the Schedule module, or it automatically forms part of particular functions like, e.g., Create Status Report. For more information, see Calculation Matrix. In which modules scheduling can be carried out via the menu item can be set in the PLANTA customizer in the Other Module Parameters module by activating the Calculation of the schedule checkbox.
Single project calculation can be initiated by all users who have modification rights for the project in question and who have access to the corresponding modules.These are, in PLANTA standard, managers of the respective project, their deputies, or multi-project managers. For further information on rights, please clickhere.
Replanning
Replanning is a special calculation procedure which enables the simultaneous calculation of all active projects under consideration of priorities between projects. I.e. in projects which share the same resources, those with the highest priority are loaded first and those with lower priority receive the remaining capacity of the resources in question.
In replanning, the capacity loadings of the resource are created anew per period (day). For this reason, replanning should be carried out on a daily basis. Depending on the respective runtime, it should be carried out before all important resource adjustments or before taking a look at the utilization diagrams.
Replanning can either be carried out in the Replanning (calculation of all planning objects) module which has been designed especially for this purpose, or it can be run in an automated manner. If you have any questions on how to set up the automated procedure, please contact your PLANTA consultant.
Replanning can only be carried out by users who have access to the above-mentioned module and have multi-project manager rights.
Example for differing results from single project calculation and replanning
Project A with priority 2 and project B with priority 1 share resource x at the same time. If project A is calculated individually first and then project B is calculated individually as well, resource x is loaded in project A first. The free remaining capacity, if there is any, is provided by project B, and if it is not sufficient for allocating the planned hours to project B, overloads are created. In replanning, projects are loaded reversely, starting with project B, followed by project A, so that possible overloads are displayed in project A, not in project B.
Simultaneous Calculation by Multiple Users
Information
During schedule calculation, no other user can access the same resource capacities to plan them as well. This is automatically prevented by the program.
If any of the resources involved is used in an already running calculation of another project when the calculation is started, the following message will be displayed: One of your resources is currently being used in the calculation of another project. Please carry out the calculation again in a few seconds!
During replanning, no other calculation can in general be started (neither single project calculation nor another replanning). If you try to carry out a replanning or an individual project calculation in one session while already replanning in another session, the following message will be displayed: A replanning is being carried out at the moment. Please start your calculation at a later point in time.
and, if resources are already planned, calculated start and end dates of the assigned resources as well as their loading and capacity adjustment.
Background information for customizers
Data Tables Affected by Scheduling (Excerpt)
Important Scheduling Terms
Planning Horizon
Information
Planning horizon describes the period in which the resources are available for planning in projects. The planning horizon of a resource is defined via the Start period and End period parameters in the Resource Data Sheet module.
Periods are single days. Explanation: In order to be able to make assessments on the underload or overload of the resources, PLANTA must know the availability of resources. This availability is recorded on a daily basis. One day equates to one period.
Note
If a resource is planned beyond the end of his/her planning horizon (i.e. later than the date of its end period), the impact on scheduling results must be considered.
To the BLD load profile, the following applies:
If there is no availability for planned resources due to missing periods, scheduling assumes that the availability is unlimited (7 days week) . The resource is scheduled for 7 days per week.
Since the distribution of the remaining hours on the task are done linearly, this leads to different calculations of calc. end dates of the task and the resource assignment.
To the CAP load profile, the following applies:
the entire remaining load is planned on one day, i.e. the first day after the end period.
To all other load profiles, the following applies:
loading in accordance with the load profile definition
If you do not want the system to behave in this way, you can proceed as follows:
Alternative 1: Prolongation of the planning horizon of the resource in the Resource Data Sheet.
However, to prevent performance impairment, the planning horizon should not be longer than necessary. The planning horizon can be extended if necessary.
Alternative 2: Scheduling of the resource using the MAN load profile.
Loading
Information
Loading is the planning of a project in the existing capacity situation. The term 'loading' means that
a load record is created per resource assignment and day for the entire duration of the task.
the sum of all loads of a resource per day (utilization) is saved in the period record.
the Loaded project data field is set to activated.
Loading is automatically a component of scheduling. It cannot be called up separately.
The loading sequence of tasks within a project structure or within a project is based on:
Cross project links or project structures can cause individual tasks or all tasks of the project with higher priority to be loaded after a project with lower priority. Further information on the influence of cross-project links and structures on the rank, and hence on the loading sequence, can be found here.
The traceability of the loading sequence is ensured by the Sequence parameter. The value stored there is calculated taking all above mentioned factors into account.
Load and Utilization
Information
When the project is loaded, load records are created per task and day for the resources planned in the project. The planned effort is then allocated to these load records according to the load profile used. These load values are saved in the Load data table and can be viewed in the Schedule module as well as in the time recording modules.
The sum of all loads of a resource per day is its Utilization. It is saved in the Period data table. The utilization of a resource can either be consulted in the Availability module (numeric values) or in different utilization modules (e.g. Utilization) (in graphical form).
Unloading
Information
By unloading, a project can be excluded from the current capacity situation.
Details
Unloading is the opposite of loading. The resources that have been loaded will be approved again.
When unloading,
the load records generated by an RS run will be deleted (load records which have been entered manually are retained).
the utilization data stored in period records will be reduced respectively.
calculated dates will be emptied at all project levels.
Unloading automatically forms part of scheduling. However, if a project is to be excluded from the schedule calculation, it can also be selected separately via the Edit → Unload schedule menu item.
Example
A project is in the offer phase and is loaded in for trial purposes to show the additional loads on the resources involved. As long as the project is not an actual order, it should be taken out of the capacity scheduling.
Procedure
Unload the project via the Edit → Unload schedule menu item.
Remove the planned effort of the resources in order for the project not to be loaded again.
Further cases for the use of unloading
When you create a template project, a capacity planning is carried out in the creation phase and the project is calculated in order to check whether the project plan is correct. After the creation of the creation phase, the project must be unloaded and the Status must be set to Template.
Projects the status of which is set to = "inactive" or "archive", must be calculated finally and unloaded subsequently.
Planning Strategies
Information
In PLANTA project, three planning strategies are to be distinguished:
Planning with adherence to schedule:
Loading is carried out in accordance with the specified dates. Tasks are not moved or extended. If overloads should incur due to the missing capacity, they will be displayed. No capacity adjustment takes place. No float is used.
Planning with adherence to total float:
In case of capacity shortage, a task can be moved within the project float. If enough available capacity is found, loading is carried out. If not, loading will be carried out at its latest dates (Latest start/Latest end). The project end date (Requested end or Latest end) will not be overrun due to capacity shortage.
Planning with adher. to capacity:
Capacity shortage will cause tasks to be extended until sufficient free capacity is available. The Requested project end date is not taken into consideration. For further information, see the Capacity Adjustment chapter.
Schedule calculation uses the earliest and latest dates as key dates for capacity adjustment. However, capacity adjustment recalculates durations and dates, which may then be shortened or extended.
Schedule calculation attempts to load the resource within the available duration of the Remaining duration (required duration + float) task only up to the Max. load/day value. If this proves to be impossible, the remaining effort will be loaded uniformly throughout the available interval, even if this causes the resources to be overloaded in these periods.
Details
The remaining capacity is relevant for capacity adjustment, i.e. the daily availability of the resource which has not yet been planned. This is calculated as:
The remaining capacity is the available capacity the use of which has not yet been planned.
Show examples...
Example for the calculation of the remaining capacity
On 11/18/XX, a team resource has an available capacity of 21.60h.
The utilization (i.e. the sum of loads in all projects on that day) is 14.67h.
If the resource load limit set in the resource data sheet for is 120%, this gives a remaining capacity for this day of:: 21.60 x 1.2, 14.67 = 11.25h
Details of how to use the CAP load profile
The Max. load/day value is a desired threshold for schedule calculation. It can be exceeded if necessary, e.g. if duration or requested dates are preset for the respective task.
If no Max. load/day has been set, the entire available capacity left is available for planning.
The mere exceedance of the Max. load/day limit does not yet present an overload, as overload is only determined on the basis of the available capacity of a resource. The resource only has overload when the availability is overrun.
Schedule calculation works with the Max. load/day parameter as follows (provided that there are no further restrictions on the resource assignment, like e.g. requested dates):
The required duration of the resource assignment used during scheduling is calculated from remaining effort / Max. load/day.
This duration is the initial value for capacity adjustment.
Show examples...
Examples
Initial situation: No duration is specified on the task.
Result: In the calculation of the schedule the available duration of 4d is calculated from: Remaining effort / Max. load/day. The resource is loaded within this duration.
Initial situation: Now the duration on the task is preset. It is a duration which is shorter than that calculated from Remaining effort / Max. load/day. I.e. The preset on the task is now more restrictive than the calculation on the task resource.
Result: The effort of 20 hours must be allocated across three days. Therefore it is necessary that the max. duration per day be overrun. A maximum of 5h per day is allocated first and subsequently the remaining 5h are allocated evenly across the three days. However, no overload occurs since the available capacity of the resource per day of 7.2h has not yet been overrun.
Initial situation: Now an even shorter duration is preset on the task (2d).
Result: The effort of 20 hours must be allocated across two days. Therefore it is necessary that the max. duration per day be overrun. A maximum of 5h per day is allocated first and subsequently the remaining 10h are allocated evenly across the two days. Here an overload occurs since the available capacity of the resource per day of 7.2h has now been overrun.
Initial situation: With 5d, a duration which is higher than the duration of 4d as calculated from Remaining effort / Max. load/day.
Result: The effort of 20h is allocated within the calculated resource duration (4d). The preset on the task (5d) is retained.
Tasks with Actual start or Actual end If you want the rest of a task that already has an Actual start to be adjusted after all, it must be splitted. This is done by activating the Splitting parameter.
When the Planning early parameter is deactivated, Adherent to capacity planning is treated in scheduling like Adherent to total float.
Reason: If this was not the case, planning would start at the end of the planning horizon since this is the latest date in scheduling.
