MSP: "The resource is assigned outside the original dates for task"

Products

• Clarity PPM On Premise
• Clarity PPM SaaS

Issue/Introduction

Why is the following error / warning message generated when opening a project from Clarity to Microsoft Project (MSP)? This seems to always generate on the last Fixed Duration task of the project, but if you delete that task, it errors on a different task ID.

The resource is assigned outside the original dates for task <ID> <Task Name>. The duration of this fixed-duration task will change to accommodate the resource assignment.

Environment

Release: All
Component: Microsoft Project (MSP) Interface / Integration

Cause

This is by design if the resource is over allocated for the duration of the task, as even fixed duration tasks duration will increase when exported to MSP to accommodate for the over allocation. But unlike other task types that will just adjust the task duration without warning, you will be warned by MSP with Fixed Duration tasks that the duration is increasing. The error is only generated for one task (the last task in the WBS with the issue), so if the issue is corrected for that task (or the task is deleted), it will error on the next task that has the issue from the bottom order of the WBS. 

One factor can be due to low allocation assigned to the resource where they are then unable to complete the assignment in the expected time frame. Example: If they are allocated at 9%, versus 100%, it will take longer to complete. See: MSP: Task Start/Finish dates are pushed out when resources are allocated at a low amount.

From the screenshot below, you can see an example where the user is allocated at 9% Units for the task, thus only allowing them to work .72 hours a day on the task. 

Resolution

This message can be ignored. To avoid dates changing:

Ensure that the resource is able to complete the work in the assigned time frame. In particular, check the allocation assigned to the resource being exported from Clarity to MSP. The allocation assigned to the resource for the date the project is exported is the unit amount used in calculating how much time it will take for the resource to complete the assignment, so make sure that the allocation is not too low (if not mapping MSP Assignments Units to the Clarity Assignment 'Max % Load'). See the example in the screenshot above. Keeping resources allocated at 100% in Clarity for the duration of the project can help keep task dates from changing though other factors such as dependencies and constraints can also impact dates. 

Note: If you are mapping MSP Assignments Units to the Clarity Clarity Assignment 'Max % Load', check the max % load of each assignment in Clarity (Units for the task assignments in MSP).

For more detailed information on how to avoid dates being changed due to allocation see MSP: Task Start/Finish dates are pushed out when resources are allocated at a low amount.

Additional Information

• See MSP Integration - Known Issues