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Is there any way to determine an estimated project date by number of resources allocated? I have set up all my tasks to automatic and effort driven and identified critical tasks and dependencies, but there doesn't seem to be any way to figure out what my projected date is based on whether I have 1, 2, 3 or 4 workers for example (estimated, so spread evenly through the project).

I might have two tasks in the same milestones that if they were done by a single person would have to be arranged sequentially, but if two people could do them, then they can be parallelised. It would be good to find out how many resources I can assign to a project to give the shortest timeline.

I have tried just assigning one resource to every task and levelling the project but this is deemed an overallocation that Project can't solve.

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  • I would look at changing the Max Units for the resource(s) to reflect the different scenarios. Though you would be needing to use generic resources rather than named resources. Try reading up on 'task types', 'work', 'units' and 'max units' to get a better understanding of the topic. Unfortunately I do not have a machine with MS Project to hand to provide more specific steps.
    – rapscalli
    Commented Nov 4, 2021 at 9:06
  • Any answer is going to have to address The Mythical Man Month; people are not fungible, and "resources" * "time" = undefined. Not just the degree of parallelization, but not all employees are T-Shaped, and every T-Shaped employee has a different vertical part of the T. I suspect that the horizontal part of the T (cooperation skills) is probably more important than the vertical in determining when things get done, and it is decidedly not additive.
    – MCW
    Commented Nov 10, 2021 at 18:16

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Once you have finished estimating resources per activity, you have everything you need to understand how long it will take to complete each activity. Estimating the duration of a task means starting with information about that specific task and then working with the project team to develop a time estimate.

You can use the The three-point estimate, i.e. when three numbers come up: a realistic estimate that is more likely to occur, an optimistic estimate that represents the best scenario and a pessimistic estimate that represents the worst scenario. Once you have over and ended along together plus estimating resources per make miserable, you have all you pretentiousness to involve how long it will agreement to to unyielding idea each objection. Estimating the duration of a task means starting subsequent to mention nearly that specific task and subsequently effective also than the project team to build a era estimate.

You can use the The three-reduction estimate, i.e. subsequent to three numbers come taking place: a practicable estimate that is more likely to occur, an optimistic estimate that represents the best scenario and a hysterical estimate that represents the worst scenario. The unmovable estimate is the weighted average of the three.

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  • Your answer is somewhat missing the point (although it shows how to estimate completion in real life). The OP's question was about how to get Microsoft Project to calculate that from data entered into the program using idealized task/worker/duration assumptions.
    – Hans-Martin Mosner
    Commented Oct 11, 2021 at 13:58

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