Resource Sheet: Define Construction Crews in Microsoft Project
Why Resource Sheet Matters
Many construction schedules fail because tasks are planned without considering the actual availability of crews.
A schedule may show:
Foundation Work
Rebar Work
Formwork Work
Masonry Work
Electrical Work
All starting at the same time.
However, in reality, you may only have:
1 Rebar Team
1 Formwork Team
1 Mason Team
1 Electrician Team
When the schedule ignores crew availability, it creates:
Resource conflicts
Delays
Overloaded teams
Unrealistic completion dates
The purpose of the Resource Sheet in Microsoft Project is to define your construction crews and allow Microsoft Project to calculate workload automatically.
What is a Resource Sheet?
A Resource Sheet is a database of all resources available to your project.
Resources can include:
Labor Resources
Mason Team
Rebar Team
Formwork Team
Electrician Team
Plumbing Team
Painting Team
Equipment Resources
Excavator
Crane
Concrete Mixer
Scaffolding
Material Resources
Cement
Sand
Rebar
Brick
For construction scheduling, labor crews are usually the most important resources.
Step 1: Open Resource Sheet
Open Microsoft Project.
Navigate to:
View → Resource Sheet
You will see a table containing:
| Resource Name | Type | Max Units |
|---|---|---|
This is where all crews will be created.
Step 2: Create Construction Crews
Enter each team as a Work Resource.
Example:
| Resource Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Mason Team | Work |
| Rebar Team | Work |
| Formwork Team | Work |
| Electrician Team | Work |
| Plumbing Team | Work |
| Painting Team | Work |
These represent actual crews available on site.
Step 3: Set Max Units
Max Units represent crew availability.
Example
| Resource Name | Max Units |
|---|---|
| Mason Team | 100% |
This means:
One Mason Team is available.
Multiple Crews
If you have:
Crew A
Crew B
Crew C
Then:
| Resource Name | Max Units |
|---|---|
| Mason Team | 300% |
Microsoft Project understands that three masonry crews can work simultaneously.
Common Examples
| Resource Name | Max Units |
|---|---|
| Rebar Team | 200% |
| Formwork Team | 300% |
| Electrician Team | 100% |
| Plumbing Team | 100% |
Step 4: Define Crew Composition
Each crew should have a standard structure.
Example:
Mason Team
1 Foreman
6 Masons
2 Helpers
Rebar Team
1 Foreman
5 Steel Fixers
2 Helpers
Formwork Team
1 Foreman
8 Carpenters
2 Helpers
Electrician Team
1 Supervisor
4 Electricians
Store this information in the Notes field for future reference.
Step 5: Assign Crews to Tasks
After creating resources, switch back to:
View → Gantt Chart
Assign crews to construction activities.
Example
| Task | Resource |
|---|---|
| Foundation Rebar | Rebar Team |
| Foundation Formwork | Formwork Team |
| Foundation Concrete | Concrete Team |
| Ground Floor Brickwork | Mason Team |
| Electrical Conduit | Electrician Team |
Now Microsoft Project knows which team performs each activity.
Step 6: Check Resource Usage
Navigate to:
View → Resource Usage
This view shows:
Which crew is assigned
How much work they have
When they are scheduled
Example:
Mason Team
GF Brickwork
1F Brickwork
Staircase Brickwork
You can immediately see workload distribution.
Step 7: Identify Overallocated Crews
Suppose:
Mason Team
Assigned to:
Ground Floor Brickwork
First Floor Brickwork
Both start on the same day.
Since only one Mason Team exists, Microsoft Project will flag the resource as:
Overallocated
This means the schedule is unrealistic.
Step 8: Use Resource Leveling
Navigate to:
Resource → Level All
Microsoft Project will automatically:
Delay conflicting tasks
Balance crew workloads
Reduce resource conflicts
Example:
Before Leveling:
| Task | Start |
|---|---|
| GF Brickwork | Day 1 |
| 1F Brickwork | Day 1 |
Conflict occurs.
After Leveling:
| Task | Start |
|---|---|
| GF Brickwork | Day 1 |
| 1F Brickwork | Day 8 |
No conflict.
Recommended Crew Structure for Residential Construction
For a typical house project:
| Resource Name |
|---|
| Mason Team |
| Rebar Team |
| Formwork Team |
| Concrete Team |
| Electrician Team |
| Plumbing Team |
| Ceiling Team |
| Tiling Team |
| Painting Team |
| Aluminum Team |
| Cleaning Team |
Recommended Crew Structure for 8AM Contractor
| Resource Name | Max Units |
|---|---|
| Mason Team | 100% |
| Rebar Team | 100% |
| Formwork Team | 100% |
| Concrete Team | 100% |
| Electrician Team | 100% |
| Plumbing Team | 100% |
| Finishing Team | 100% |
| Painting Team | 100% |
For larger projects:
| Resource Name | Max Units |
|---|---|
| Mason Team | 300% |
| Rebar Team | 200% |
| Formwork Team | 200% |
| Electrician Team | 100% |
Key Principle
A professional schedule is not just about Tasks and Dates.
A professional schedule must answer three questions:
What needs to be done?
Tasks
When should it be done?
Schedule
Who will do it?
Resources
The Resource Sheet is the place where Microsoft Project learns who is available to perform the work. Without properly defining crews, the schedule may look good on paper but fail in the real world. By defining Mason Teams, Rebar Teams, Formwork Teams, and Electrician Teams in the Resource Sheet, you create a realistic, achievable, and resource-balanced construction schedule.