MS Project Tutorial 4 How to apply Resources & Costs to a schedule

In this tutorial I go over how to add resources and cost to a schedule. We create a resource sheet and apply resources to a number of activities. This video also reviews switching from different views including the cost view for the project and the cost view for resources. Please subscribe to my KZbin channel to stay up to date with new postings

[@dod1578]

I feel like your motivation for doing this videos is not the money but to impart knowledge to some of us. Thank you Sir.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Daniel, trying to scale what others have taught me. Keep learning with enthusiasm

[@dod1578]

@@TomStephensontraining Thanks!

[@etoe9405]

Sir I'm in love with your tutorials Please keep on doing such type of good work as there is much to learn.

[@Smoke_C]

These videos deserve more likes. Common now.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks so much, very appreciated!!!

[@shortmotivator8238]

Absolutely amazing !!! Thank you so much Tom !!! Your explanation along with the hands-on navigation literally has embedded what I learnt in my memory. Looking forward to learn more from you.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks so much for your kind words, glad to help!

[@azamlala6170]

Hello Tom Stephenson, I have no words how to thank you for providing this plat form to all of us. You are explaining all so amazingly that after watching yours every tutorial, my passion to learn this software goes higher and higher. Hats off to you sir- thanks

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks so much for the kind words, I appreciate that so much.

[@yajjalahareesh1467]

Many of my doubts have been clarified with this video. A big Thanks to Mr. Tom.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Great glad to clarify and help Yajjala

[@stevecooper3010]

Toms tutorial is the absolute best tutorial. Thanks Tom I appreciate your help

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks so much Steve, all the best!

[@CazKing43]

It's my first time using MS Project and the Resource Sheet was sooo confusing to me. I've been searching for videos that go into detail and explain clearly and yours was the only one I found! Thank you so much!!

[@TomStephensontraining]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks Caz!

[@faisalgulzar5239]

This is what I was looking for. Best video for resource allocation/assignment. Thank you so much Sir.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Faisal very appreciated!

[@emitterfollower]

Tom thanks for your dedication in producing this series. These videos are so useful for broadening and deepening knowledge on MS Project, and importantly your delivery is easy to listen to and absorb. Nice conversational style, not too fast or slow, and sticking to the thread for each video. Well done :-)

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks so much I’m glad they helped you. Sorry for the late response

[@VoltOZ95]

I am very keen on pursuing a career in project management. Thank you Mr. Stephenson for teaching me the fundamentals of MS Project.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Keep learning and build the continuous improvement habit and you will do fantastic things in your career!

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks for the kind words

[@arokiasudar4007]

Super Explanation sir. Thank you.

[@mark81440]

Excellent and easy way for people who want to learn more quickly and efficiently. Many thanks from Korea^^

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks for the Kind words. I hope the construction industry is going good in Korea.

[@raymondmullings7767]

Thanks for this Tom. I'm a first year student who was struggling with this topic and you have made it easier for me to comprehend. Keep them videos coming.

[@TomStephensontraining]

great glad they help!

[@calvinsullivan9100]

pro tip : watch series on flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching loads of movies recently.

[@kaikyle2234]

@Calvin Sullivan Definitely, been using flixzone} for since december myself :)

[@jaxxonernesto773]

@Calvin Sullivan Definitely, I've been watching on flixzone} for since november myself :)

[@FeelinMe11]

Thank you Tom, this has been very informative!

[@TomStephensontraining]

My pleasure! Glad the videos were helpful

[@07XTX]

Hi Tom, these are really excellent presentations, I am learning so much - I would say the best on You Tube. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, please keep it up!

[@TomStephensontraining]

Wow, thanks!

[@tianaroma3012]

100% agreed! Absolutely wonderful pacing through the subject and teaching persona!

[@nourakhaled5682]

Thank you so much for the effort and your great explanation it helped me so much with my new job. forever grateful

[@TomStephensontraining]

Excellent Noura, I’m happy my video’s help you in your career!

[@lobsterfreeman1502]

Thank you, Tom. This is extremely helpful

[@TomStephensontraining]

Great! Glad it helped

[@sanjupujari3484]

Thanks sir ....for explaining things with such a ease.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Sanju, have a great day

[@mohi7381]

Hi Tom, these are really excellent presentations, I am learning so much - I would say the best on KZbin. please keep it up! and if it is possible for you, please start another playlist for primavera p6 because the way you teach is very practical and very helpful, or if you know the channel for primavera which you confirm, I'm very thankful to share it, anyway Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks, yes maybe at some point, Im a bit rusty on Primavera

[@sachinmalwadkar1484]

Superb explanation sir. Thanks

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thank’s, I’m glad it helped, there are many more on my channel

[@weyheyhi]

Thank you Tom. Hope you are well.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks, things are well

[@Mostafa20268]

Absoluteness amazing explanations.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Glad it was helpful Mostafa

[@abdelhakimhilmi8923]

Kudos dear Tom, God bless you

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks and same to you, all the best Abdelhakim

[@debasissahu3840]

Excellent way of explaining the things

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thank you, very appreciated

[@amberm.4804]

I love the recaps at the end

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Amber I’ll try to make sure I am consistent with recaps as it helps reinforce the learning

[@tazagutasha2978]

great instructor

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thank you Taza!

[@rexencatz9075]

Thank you sir .. This helps a lot..

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks very appreciated

[@monitoring_evaluation]

Excellent presentation

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks

[@YatishPriyadarshi]

Found the tutorial very useful.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Great happy to hear it helped Yatish

[@ga6710]

THANKS FOR YOUR WONDERFULL LECTURE

[@TomStephensontraining]

Great thank you for the kind words

[@yinusashaibu8402]

Thanks for the presentation

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Yinusa, glad it helped

[@ish-exploring-the-unexplored]

Thank you for your knowledge. A new subscriber for you is here now. Could you please do a full video of a realistic project, for example- highway construction or multiple storey residential/commercial building construction please. From planning plase to project execution phase and comparing them in MS project.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Ill put that on my list Ishwar

[@victormorales2422]

Are you able to view projected costs for a specified time period? For example I would like to see how much I will be spending each month for the next year. I am looking at this as a commercial developer and have several projects going on at once. I want to track all of my projects at a high level on one schedule. Thank you for the video. It helped me get my schedule set up.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Yes Victor check my Ms Project playlists there is one on cashflow. If you have loaded the costs then click reports and click cash flow then click the image at right a list will appear click edit select months and you should see outflows per month and cumulative cash outflows

[@vgm370]

Hi Tom, I just notice @32:27 of your video under fixed cost accrual column all are mark "Prorated", while @12:04 part of your video you already set that up to each desired accrue. Is MS project does not automatically change that value when you are in Cost view or you have to do/change it again manually?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Vincente I must of had a problem and cut a little section. You have to manually change them to what suits you by default they are prorated.

[@ig7061]

Thanks !!

[@TomStephensontraining]

You're welcome!

[@Adam-ui3ot]

Superb.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks again Adam!

[@miururupasinghe6456]

Super explaination

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Miuru, glad it helped

[@sheikhasaduzzaman9960]

Amazing

[@TomStephensontraining]

Thanks Sheik, happy to help!

[@cathycervenka]

LOVE your tutorials - but I am wondering why you don't use the Line 0 "Project Summary Task" at the top of the task list like most other tutorials I see on KZbin. Any reason why? I would like to know if/when to put a Line 0 title. Thank you!

[@TomStephensontraining]

Great im glad you like the videos, im adding more all the time. No reason re the project summary really other then when I work with students it’s easier just to focus on setting up the Wbs from scratch. The zero line is great no issues but for new users one more thing to remember. Hope that helps

[@nessim.liamani]

Hi Tom, Do you have a video combining both budgeting (at the beginning) and costing (throughout the project), just to tell us what's the benefit of having the two things in the same time through reports and tracking (actual vs budgeting). Thanks Nessim

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Nessim, Not yet but will look into in the future. Thanks for watching

[@nessim.liamani]

@@TomStephensontraining thanks. Can't wait to see that. Your way of explaining the tool through practical exemple is wonderful.

[@fadifelfel2134]

i have a question and i hope you can help me, by the help of your videos I was able to build a schedule for the project I am managing and i am tracking the progress perfectly now. i am trying now to enter all the cost codes along with the assigned budget, now let us say I have a budget for a painting of 500000 but it is distributed between the whole 26 floors in between 1st coat, 2nd coat, and final paint tasks (say 60 or 70 tasks totaling 500000), how i can enter that amount equally distributed between those tasks to create the cash flow forecast? and after entering all cost the same way, what will be the best way to enter and update the actual cost noting that i will be receiving just a total invoice monthly from each trade summarizing all the progress of their scope. my intention is to create a planned against actual Cash flow and cost and i am not sure how to create this i would really appreciate your help on this many thank

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hmmm, is your resource down as work or cost? You likely want it to be prorated which is the default. Im not sure if you are a sub or the gc. it could be assigned to a summary task to spread it out. My preference though is to break it up and assign in chunks as it would be paid out. Eg. At the end of first floor paid x dollars

[@fadifelfel2134]

@@TomStephensontraining many thanks Tom fr the reply i will try to make my self clear. i am working on the construction management side so all what I am adding is cost ( contracts with trades for the different awarded packages) now what I am trying to do is to add those costs to the relative tasks in the schedule . for example, I want to add the forming package contract amount distributed equally between all forming tasks. and then be able to track the actual costs submitted through the monthly invoices against the baseline cost. so i am not what would be the best way to do this and if i would need to rebuild the schedule in a different way to be able to do this i am really very thankful for your help in advance

[@melanieklos3663]

Would you recommend individual employees assigned to subtasks if they're 100% dedicated to that task?

[@TomStephensontraining]

It depends, but yes if you want to track individuals and hold accountabilities than yes

[@TomStephensontraining]

I also meant to say if you are on a large project Melanie and you have 20 laborers doing work then no as it is not worth it. It is easier to as as a laborer in the resource sheet 2000percent capacity.

[@harishmendiratta]

Hi Tom, I had a query. If I intend to assign cost to an activity in different proportions in different durations( let's say in different quarters of an year), how would i assign it?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Break the activity up so yo can apply itcwhen it occurs or apply as prorated which you set in the resource sheet.

[@Esum11123]

thank you

[@TomStephensontraining]

Glad to help Uresha

[@vimalpeter5139]

Hi Tom, is it possible to assign sub con cost based on quantity; say rate for cabling is $5 per meter ?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Vimal Yes for sure i will try to do a tips video on it. Basically in the resource sheet assign material as the type, list per m in the material list and assign cost $5 per metre. Then assign the resource with the amount of units eg 1000 which would mean 1000 metres which would calculate 5000 dollars. When you update you can enter percent complete eg 20% would be 200 metres

[@etoe9405]

Sir Primavera P6 tutorials with same quality of tutoring are requested.

[@karunanandalelwala9710]

Hi Tom, I observed that you refer to the critical path as the LONGEST PATH available. I am bit confused with this word "Longest" as critical path indicates to the minimum time required to finish the project. Will it be more appropriate to describe it as the Minimum time required?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Karunananda, its the longest path through the network, that is why it is so important to have no open ends and have thought through all the logic and durations. Longest also relates to adding the durations through the cpm which will be the longest through the network. With that it will provide you a finish date when you have given it a start date. At that point it could be looked at as the min, predicted or longest path. Pmp would typically use longest path through the network. What is important is understanding how changes impact the cpm eg a critical task that takes longer will lengthen the schedule and so on.

[@karunanandalelwala9710]

@@TomStephensontraining Thank you Sir, for your explanation to clear my ambiguities.

[@user-gv4jc4jq3j]

Tom, Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Is there anyway I could have your file to do simultaneously what you are doing?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Amir, Check my playlists for MS project the course and you should see in the description downloads for files to use for those videos which are more up to date. You find the playlist by clicking my photo and reviewing the channel. Happy New Year.

[@user-gv4jc4jq3j]

Thanks a lot@@TomStephensontraining

[@mdiconsultingvn2238]

When we will assign cost, is it possible to assign cost to summary task? Or we have to assign to subtasks? Please advise

[@TomStephensontraining]

You can assign cost to a summary task usually like the pm or site super so they don’t overlap with individual tasks.

[@yusufcans]

Thanks

[@TomStephensontraining]

You are welcome Yusuf

[@anthonykazadi4856]

Hi Tom, just want to know. Any case you have 300 labourers how will I add on resources? Are they gonna be cost or work in the resources sheet? Regards

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Anthony, likely labourers are going to be work if you wan to monitor by an hourly rate

[@anthonykazadi4856]

@@TomStephensontraining okay even if they are 300 then it's going to be 30000%?

[@TomStephensontraining]

@@anthonykazadi4856 That’s correct Anthony

[@anthonykazadi4856]

@@TomStephensontraining thank you very much

[@ashoknarayan1561]

Hi Tom, I have tried to replicate your schedule on Project and noticed that the project duration is 72 days while your schedule shows 83 days. I have checked the durations and the links but was unable to figure out what I was doing wrong. Any ideas ? Thanks. Ash

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Ashok Effort driven adjustment could have happened when you apply a work resource a second time. Check your percentages of work recource. In the next couple of week ill be uploading a video on resources where you can download the files from google drive to reference

[@sanketkalathiya1179]

hii tom thank you for this video...I couldnt find this file in the google drive link that you provided in the playlist "ms project-the course". would you please upload this file into that link so i can access it.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Sanket, That’s a tutorial video I don’t have those files. I have a similar video with the file that you can download from Ms Project the course found in the playlists

[@Farsath999]

Hi sir I want to become a Project Scheduler My qualification degree in conmerce I have great proficiency In Ms Project, and i have studied your videos. Can i become witn this qualifications Any further qualifications needed ? Please reply sir.

[@asifalitcps]

Hello sir I have a question. How can we allocate operational costs like electricity bills, gas, rental equipment, etc?

[@TomStephensontraining]

It gets a little complicated, if you want to track big pieces of rental equipment you may want to assign as acresource put it as work and assign an hourly rate. Otherwise you can group the costs as a fixed cost under the fixed cost column in the cost table. You could also create a hyperlink to an excel spreadsheet that itemizes the costs. Hope that helps some

[@IranVancouverShop]

Hi, what does(2FS-2 days) mean in the precedence column?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi it means that the activity has a finish to start relationship minus 2 days with activity number 2. So this activity must start 2 days before activity 2 finishes

[@IranVancouverShop]

@@TomStephensontraining, I appreciate it.

[@ig7061]

Could you please tell me how to reflect cost numbers on the tasks. I could not find how it can be done. work and material recourses reflected but not cost. what should I change in program? Thanks in advance

[@TomStephensontraining]

You could insert the cost column and see the cost there in any screen. You can also do it on the gantt chart hard to explain here though

[@Damage_CTRL]

Good day, i would like to ask if its possible to change the max units from percentage to whole number or number only? I hope you can help me sir tom

[@TomStephensontraining]

I don’t have my computer with me but if f you go to options under the file menuthere should be a spot to change it to units instead of percentage. Let me know if that helped. Just be careful what you change in options as it can mess with things, try it in a practice file.

[@user-pj1hn6rl7s]

Hello sir and appreciate your great effort, may I've any professional project file that contains same data so I can practice while I'm watching. thanks again

[@TomStephensontraining]

Certainly go to my MS Project the course playlist by clicking on my face and select it from the playlist then you will see a download link in the description of each video for the file to follow along with

[@ullashislam7602]

Hi! Dear sir, I just starting and keep on pray for me to grab it ,,,,

[@TomStephensontraining]

Yes all the best and just keep at it, consistency over time will compound you to better heights

[@sanexup1038]

Which version of Project are you using?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Project 2016 and the current online but really there are not dramatic differences between 2010 and current online versions

[@imranbate5491]

Good morning sir,I am struggling to solve one issue.All activities set done,sequencing done.Got my project duration.Added PM team in summery task. Upon adding resources to other activities, my total project duration gets changed(Increased).Also Critical Path gets changed. Please guide .Thanks

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Imran, Did you remove any resources that are work based or adjust the loading eg change from 200 percent to 100 percent. If so that is effort driven. Otherwise difficult for me to tell exactly what is going on.

[@imranbate5491]

@@TomStephensontraining Hi Sir, Thanks for reply. There was problem in Resource Calendar.In Resource usage sheet, i spotted different calendar than that of assigned to project.

[@michaelkirsheyn5295]

I have a contactor on a project that will get paid $400 for the work that he is about to perform. However he gets paid monthly - $100 per month for 4 months of work. I am not clear how to set it up in MS Project. Ideally, I wanted to set up a parent task as Contractor A and budget $400 for that task. This contractor (task) would be set up as fixed cost with a value of $400. Then I wanted to set up 4 sub tasks to this parent task as Payment for Contractor A #1, Payment for Contractor A #2, Payment for Contractor A #3 and Payment for Contractor A #4, with a cost of $100 each. When I do this, MS project starts adding these $100 monthly payments to the parent task and at the end of the project I would end up with $800 figure for that contractor. That is not correct. I am not sure how to correctly set up this payment structure and have MS Project correctly budget for this expense. Pls. help.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Just create a summary task no money applied then 4 sub tasks each with a resource that you created in the resource sheet and listed as cost type. Apply the resource to the activities that are ine month long with a 100. Make sure in the resorce sheet they are set to be patat yhe end of period. That should do it.

[@michaelkirsheyn5295]

@@TomStephensontraining Thank you, that worked.

[@kushanchathura4052]

Hello Sir, When I enter cost resource and update project. For cost resources it shows 0 planned value. How come I overcome this problem.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Did you set the baseline?

[@kushanchathura4052]

@@TomStephensontraining Yes I set the baseline and the status date. When I add as a Fixed cost it shows the BCWS. But when adding as a cost resource it does not show the BCWS

[@ninjaitachi2247]

Excuse me, Sir, where could I download your project file?

[@TomStephensontraining]

Hi Ninja, check my playlists for Ms project the course and there will be links to those videos in the description which I start from the beginning.

[@ninjaitachi2247]

@@TomStephensontraining Thanks Sir

[@tacogarcia777]

Can you give me the contact info for the company paying $50/hr for a labourer? I want to apply. Haha

[@TomStephensontraining]

Haha true in a lot of places, although in Toronto a unionized labourer cost counting pension, wokers compension, government deductions is not far from that. Cost of living very high here.

[@tacogarcia777]

@@TomStephensontraining Haha great, thanks! These videos are great by the way! Tom is the Bomb! Regards from Saskatchewan.

[@raj10057]

youtube.com/@TomStephensontraining, thank you for this lecture. In the end you mentioned about the we can check the total cost of all the resources from the "Resource sheet" but at times it happens that for e.g. If the cost of the Electrical subbies goes higher than the contracted amount then how can we bring that down? Bcoz can we write directly the actual contracted total cost of that sub contractor in the Resource sheet and MS Project automatically lower the total sum of the project?

[@TomStephensontraining]

I would change it in the assign resources box that appears when you click on the resources tab and select assign resources. If you’ve set the baseline then cost sheet will indicate a variance