SOP: Balanced Workload in Microsoft Project
1. Purpose
The purpose of Balanced Workload in Microsoft Project is to make sure your team is not overloaded on some days and too free on other days.
A good schedule should show:
Right work + right people + right time
2. Main Problem
In construction planning, workload is often unbalanced.
Some days may have:
Too many tasks
Too many workers needed
Many activities happening together
Resource conflict
Other days may have:
Only one task
Team waiting
Low productivity
This makes the project difficult to control.
3. Goal of Balanced Workload
The goal is to:
Avoid overloading workers
Avoid idle time
Improve daily productivity
Reduce site confusion
Make the schedule more realistic
Protect the project finish date
4. Step-by-Step SOP
Step 1: Break Work into Clear Tasks
Before balancing workload, make sure tasks are clear.
Example:
Bad task:
Construction work
Good tasks:
Excavation
Rebar installation
Formwork
Concrete pouring
Brick wall
Plastering
Painting
Each task should be easy to understand and easy to assign.
Step 2: Add Correct Duration
Do not guess too quickly.
Check:
Quantity of work
Number of workers
Productivity rate
Site condition
Material availability
Example:
If brick wall work needs 5 days, do not put 2 days just to make the schedule look fast.
Step 3: Assign Resources
Go to:
Resource Sheet → Add workers or teams
Example:
| Resource Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Mason Team | Work |
| Rebar Team | Work |
| Carpenter Team | Work |
| Electrician | Work |
| Plumber | Work |
| Painter Team | Work |
Then assign each resource to the correct task.
Step 4: Check Overallocated Resources
Go to:
View → Resource Usage
Look for red resource names.
Red means the resource is overallocated.
Example:
Mason Team is assigned to:
Brick wall
Plastering
Tile work
on the same day.
This means the workload is not balanced.
Step 5: Use Team Planner View
Go to:
View → Team Planner
This view helps you see which team is overloaded or free.
Use it to check:
Who is working
When they are working
Which tasks overlap
Where there is free time
Step 6: Balance Work Manually First
Before using automatic leveling, try to adjust manually.
You can:
Move non-critical tasks
Delay low-priority tasks
Split work into smaller parts
Add more workers
Change task relationships
Adjust task duration
Example:
If plastering and tile work use the same team, do not schedule both fully on the same day.
Step 7: Check Critical Path Before Moving Tasks
Before moving any task, check if it affects the project finish date.
Go to:
Format → Critical Tasks
Critical tasks should be moved carefully because they directly affect the project completion date.
Step 8: Use Resource Leveling Carefully ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Go to:
Resource → Leveling Options
Recommended setting:
Leveling calculations: Manual
Look for overallocations: Day by Day
Clear leveling values before leveling: Yes
Level only within available slack: Start with Yes
Leveling can adjust individual assignments: Yes
Leveling can create splits: Use carefully
Then click:
Level Resource or Level All
Do not use auto-leveling without checking because it can change your schedule too much.
Step 9: Review Daily Workload
Check the daily workload by using:
View → Resource Usage
or
View → Task Usage
You should review:
Work hours per day
Number of active tasks per day
Team availability
Site space limitation
Material delivery timing
A balanced day should not be overloaded with too many trades at the same location.
Step 10: Save Baseline After Final Balance
When the workload looks realistic, save the baseline.
Go to:
Project → Set Baseline → Set Baseline
This helps you compare:
Planned workload
Actual workload
Delays
Changes
Balanced Workload Checklist
Before approving the schedule, check:
| Checklist | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Tasks are clearly broken down | |
| Durations are realistic | |
| Resources are assigned correctly | |
| No red overallocated resources | |
| Critical path is checked | |
| Daily workload looks practical | |
| Material delivery matches task timing | |
| Site space is not overcrowded | |
| Baseline is saved |
Simple Rule to Remember
Balanced workload does not mean every day has the same number of tasks.
It means:
Every day has the right amount of work that the team can actually complete.