Multiple Projects (again) in OmniPlan 2.1 Sneaky Peek
 

Has anyone tried the multiple project support in [URL="http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/omniplan_2.1_a_great_beta_update"]the latest Sneaky Peek[/URL]?

I posted a comment there, but I thought that here might be a better place. Sorry for double posting!

In the [URL="http://www.omnigroup.com/images/blog_images/omniplan-multiproject.png"]figure[/URL] (in the blog post), there is one resource, Andrew, and two projects, Testing and Test2. Andrew is allocated 100% to both projects but he is levelled so that he never actually goes above 100% at any time. That is very very good! Now, it shows him working serially on each project. That is, Andrew works exclusively on Test2 until the project is finished, then he works exclusively on Testing until that too is finished. This is *not* so good.

What we (my managers) need to be able to do is allocate Andrew’s time to each project (not each task) and have those projects proceed in parallel. For example, we might want to allocate 20% of Andrew’s time on Test2 and 80% to Testing, and then have those projects proceed in parallel. We also need UI indicators to tell us if Andrew’s total time, over all projects adds up to 100% or not. Perhaps and inspector panel allowing us to assign and view a resource’s allocation to all projects?

Does anyone here know if such functionality is present (or planned)?

OmniPlan is scheduling the work just as it has been instructed. If you have assigned your resources at 100%, they work only on one task at a time, full effort, until the task is done. If you put them at 50%, you would see them working pairs of tasks simultaneously.

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/screenshot20120207at706.png/][IMG]http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/117/screenshot20120207at706.png[/IMG][/URL]

So does it make sense to have lets say 4 omniplan files but in each allocate the resource at 25 each. Correct?

[QUOTE=dwayneneckles;124186]So does it make sense to have lets say 4 omniplan files but in each allocate the resource at 25 each. Correct?[/QUOTE]

That's the way I work (project management is my day job).

Each project has its own file, because, in my work, each project is a self-contained exercise. It's not impossible or forbidden to use one file for multiple projects, but one-to-one makes it easier for me to share the project plans where I need to. It also fits the way I think