Options dialog - Assign tab

You use the Assign tab of the Options dialog to specify a number of options that affect the way in which resources and cost centres are assigned to tasks.

Explanation of the fields on the dialog

Field	Description
Assign resource folders as demand allocations	Select this check box if you want resource folders to be assigned as demand allocations, or clear the check box if you want resource folders to be assigned as scheduled allocations, ie if you do not want to use demand resourcing. Demand and scheduled resources
Snap assignment duration using bar chart snapping time unit	Select this check box to make the start and end of allocations snap to the bar chart snapping time unit as they are moved or resized, or clear the check box to enable allocations to be moved or resized without snapping to the bar chart snapping time unit. Bar chart snapping
Remove demand allocations when fully satisfied	Select this check box to delete demand allocations once they have been completely satisfied, or clear the check box to specify that they should remain in the project once satisfied. Satisfying demand allocations
Only assign to remainder	Select this check box to specify that it should not be possible to assign resources and cost centres to 100% complete tasks and to completed sections of part-progressed tasks by dragging and dropping, or clear the check box to specify that it should be possible to assign resources and cost centres to completed tasks and sections by dragging and dropping. This check box also determines what happens when you assign resources and cost centres to the incomplete sections of part-progressed tasks. Working with progressed tasks and allocations
Calculate new assignment duration from resource calendar	Select this check box to calculate the duration of new resource allocations using the resource's calendar, or clear the check box to calculate the duration of new resource allocations using the task's calendar. Specifying which calendar to use to calculate the duration of new allocations
Assignment mode	Specify the way in which you want effort on allocations to be affected when an allocation is added to or removed from a task. Select Own Effort to leave the effort on allocations unaffected, or select Share Effort to redistribute the effort amongst allocations. Specifying how allocation effort is distributed
Allow demand allocations to be satisfied with any skill	Select this check box to enable demand allocations to be satisfied with scheduled allocations of resources with any skill - ie with allocations of resources that belong in any resource folder, not just the one specified by the demand allocation - or clear the check box to specify that demand allocations can only be satisfied with a scheduled allocation of a resource with the correct skill - ie with an allocation of a resource that belongs to the resource folder specified by the demand allocation. For example, if you have two resource folders - 'Carpenters' and 'Electricians' - select this check box to allow a 'Carpenter' demand allocation to be satisfied with a scheduled allocation of a resource from either folder, or clear the check box to specify that the demand allocation can only be satisfied with a scheduled allocation of a resource from the 'Carpenters' folder. Allowing demand allocations to be satisfied with resources of any skill may suit you if you have structured your resources in such a way that demand allocations originate from one branch of the resource hierarchy, and the resources that satisfy these demand allocations are located in a completely different branch. If you allow demand allocations to be satisfied with resources of any skill, you can only satisfy demand allocations with resources from a different folder by dragging and dropping resources onto the demand allocation, or using the OLE interface: if you right-click the demand allocation and select Satisfy Demand from the menu that appears, only resources from the folder corresponding to the demand allocation are shown. Satisfying demand allocations
Retain cost rates on reassignment	Select this check box to specify that any cost rates that apply to an existing resource allocation should be retained when you reassign a different resource to the task, or clear the check box to specify that the cost rates that apply to the new resource should be applied to the reassigned allocation. Specifying which rates to use when reassigning allocations
Retain income rates on reassignment	Select this check box to specify that any income rates that apply to an existing resource allocation should be retained when you reassign a different resource to the task, or clear the check box to specify that the income rates that apply to the new resource should be applied to the reassigned allocation. Specifying which rates to use when reassigning allocations
Retain work rates on reassignment	Select this check box to specify that any work rates that apply to an existing resource allocation should be retained when you reassign a different resource to the task, or clear the check box to specify that the work rates that apply to the new resource should be applied to the reassigned allocation. Specifying which rates to use when reassigning allocations
Overallocation check	Specify whether you want Asta Powerproject to check a resource's availability when you create new resource allocations - and, if you select the Show overallocation when allocations change check box, when you change the details of a task's resource allocations: Select 'Never' to assign resources to tasks without checking their availability. Select 'Assignment only' if you want Asta Powerproject to check a resource's availability as you assign it to a task and display details in a popup. Select 'Show alternatives' if you want Asta Powerproject to check the availability of all resources in the same folder as the one you are assigning to a task, and display details of the resource you are assigning and the other resources you could otherwise assign in a popup. This only applies to permanent resources; if you select this option, consumable resources are dealt with as if you had selected 'Assignment only'. This option is useful if you structure your permanent resource hierarchy in such a way that similar resources are located in the same folder. Checking resource availability automatically
Show overallocation when allocations change	Select this check box to make the popup that appears if you select 'Assignment only' or 'Show alternatives' in the Overallocation check field appear in the following circumstances: When you create new resource allocations. When the start or finish date of a resource allocation is changed. When a resource's calendar is changed. When a resource's quantity or allocation amount is changed. When a resource's nonlinear type or resource curve is changed. When a resource is reassigned to an allocation. Clear the check box to make the popup appear only when you create new resource allocations. Checking resource availability automatically
Show availability in resource assignment menus	Select this check box to show the availability of permanent resources in the right-click Assign, Reassign and Specialise menus that you can use to assign permanent resources to tasks. If you select this check box, the availability of each individual permanent resource for the duration of the relevant task is displayed, in percentage terms, to the right of the resource name on the assignment menus. This can help you to identify which resources are available to work on tasks, given their current start and finish dates. Checking resource availability automatically
Use project percentage likelihood	If you choose to check the availability of resources as you assign them to tasks, select this check box to take the percentage likelihood of projects into account when calculating the resources' peak and percentage allocation for display in the popup that appears, or clear the check box to calculate the peak and percentage allocation as if all projects had a 100% likelihood of going ahead. Recording the percentage likelihood of projects
Check assigned skill only	If you choose to check the availability of resources as you assign them to tasks, select this check box to take into account only permanent resource allocations that have been made under the same skill when checking the availability of permanent resources, or clear the check box to take all allocations of permanent resources into account, regardless of the skill under which they have been made. This check box affects the availability checking that you can turn on using the Overallocation check and Show availability in resource assignment menus fields. Selecting this check box prevents Asta Powerproject from warning that multi-skilled permanent resources are over-allocated, when the resource's other allocations have been made under a different skill to the one that you are attempting to make. Checking resource availability automatically

How do I...

... specify whether to check resource availability automatically when assigning resources to tasks?

Select 'Never' in the Overallocation check field to assign resources to tasks without checking their availability; select 'Assignment only' to check a resource's availability as you assign it to a task and display details in a popup; select 'Show alternatives' to check the availability of all resources in the same folder as the one you are assigning to a task, and display details in a popup.

Select the Show overallocation when allocations change check box to make the popup that appears if you select 'Assignment only' or 'Show alternatives' in the Overallocation check field also appear when you change the details of a task's resource allocations.

Select the Show availability in resource assignment menus check box to show the availability of permanent resources in the right-click Assign, Reassign and Specialise menus that you can use to assign permanent resources to tasks.

You can apply percentage likelihoods to projects in order to indicate the probability of each project actually going ahead. If you have applied percentage likelihoods to projects and you have chosen to check the availability of resources as you assign them to tasks, select the Use project percentage likelihood check box to take the percentage likelihood of projects into account when calculating the resources' peak and percentage allocation for display in the popup that appears, or clear the check box to calculate the peak and percentage allocation as if all projects had a 100% likelihood of going ahead.

If you take the percentage likelihood of projects into account, the peak allocation and percentage allocation of resources are adjusted accordingly in the popup that appears when you assign resources to tasks. For example, if a project is 50% likely to go ahead and you assign a currently-unassigned resource to a task within that project, the resource's peak and percentage allocation will be shown as 50% rather than 100%. This also affects the peak and percentage allocation display of any alternative resources that are displayed.

Select the Check assigned skill only check box to take into account only permanent resource allocations that have been made under the same skill when checking the availability of permanent resources, or clear the check box to take all allocations of permanent resources into account, regardless of the skill under which they have been made.

This check box affects the availability checking that you can turn on using the Overallocation check and Show availability in resource assignment menus fields.

Selecting this check box prevents Asta Powerproject from warning that multi-skilled permanent resources are over-allocated, when the resource's other allocations have been made under a different skill to the one that you are attempting to make.