Working with Project Resources

This how-to article will help users to manage resources on projects they manage using the Work Management interface. The user must be a project manager of the project they wish to make resource modifications on.

Overview

To allow users to contribute to a project they must be added as resources. When a user is added, they will receive an email informing them that they have been added. The project automatically becomes part of their Projects list. Project managers can add users to the project from the Project Details page, the Resources page, or from a Card Wall. This article describes each of these methods.

Requirements for Adding Resources to a Project

All of the following conditions must be true to add a resource to a project:

• The user must be of type User or Resource Placeholder and not of type Customer.
• The user must be active.
• The user must have a primary functional role.
• The user must have either access to Work Management plus the specific Project application, or the View Projects security role permission for the Client Portal.
• The user must not already be on the project.
• If the user has capacity start and/or end dates specified in their user profile (in TDAdmin), the project's dates must fall within those dates.

If the User Belongs to a Resource Pool

Users who belong to a resource pool require resource pool manager approval to be added as resources to projects. If this is the case, any attempt to add this resource to a project from within Work Management will result in a resource request. These requests must be approved before the resource can be added to the project(s). If a resource pool manager's approval is in play, the resource will be listed on the project as Pending until the request is evaluated by the resource pool manager. 

TDAdmin users may bypass the resource request process. This is accomplished by adding the resource to a project via TDAdmin > Applications > [the Project application] > [Project] > Resources > Add Resource button. Complete the process of locating the necessary resource and setting schedule details, then save.

Converting a Project Request with Role Forecasts to a Project

When a project request with role forecasts is staffed and converted to a project in the Portfolio Planning application, an additional rule will be applied. The rule dictates that users selected to fill the role forecasts on the request must have the requested role as their primary functional role, plus Work Management and Projects access. This means that Client Portal-only users cannot be selected to staff a request being converted to a project. This is to ensure that the user selected as the project manager has the proper Work Management access to manage the project.

Client Portal only users may be added to the project after staffing and conversion.

Adding Resources

Adding a Resource Via the Resources Page

The project manager can add a resource on the Resources page of a project. This path is the only way that allows the resource's schedule to be set and provides the most control over it.

To add a resource from the Resources page: 

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Click Resources in the left navigation.
4. Click the Actions button and select Add Resources.
5. Click the checkboxes next to the resource(s) you want to add to the project.
   • If you select multiple people at this stage, they will be assigned to the project with the same schedule.
6. Click the Next button. 
7. Select Months or Weeks as the interval, then enter the project member's hours per week or per month in the text box. You can add "0" hours to give the user access to the project's workspace, but not create a schedule.
8. Click the Save button.

If this resource is in a resource pool that requires approval, the request will be automatically routed to the resource pool manager. Otherwise, the resource will be added to the project.

Adding a Resource Via the Project Details Page

The project manager can add a resource directly from the Project Details page. This will set the resource’s schedule to 0 hours.

To add a resource from the Project Details page: 

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Click Details in the left navigation, then click the Actions button and select Add Resources.
4. Begin typing in the search bar or select the magnifying glass button to search for the desired resource(s).
5. Click Add when finished selecting resources.

Adding a Resource Via the Card Wall

When a project manager assigns a resource to a project from the card wall, the resource is added with a schedule of 0 hours.

To add a resource via the card wall: 

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Click Plans in the left navigation, then select the desired Card Wall plan.
4. Select a card to assign to a resource by double-clicking on it or by clicking the pencil button on the card.
5. Locate the Responsible field and select as many resources as needed.

If this resource is in a resource pool that requires approval, the request will be automatically routed to the resource pool manager. Otherwise, the resource will be added to the project.

Modifying a Resource’s Scheduled Project Time

To edit a resource’s schedule project time, the project manager should:

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Click Resources in the left navigation.
4. Click on the user's name that you want to modify.
5. Make updates to the schedule.
6. Click the Save button.

Removing a Project Resource

The project manager may remove a user who no longer needs access to a project. 

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Click Resources in the left navigation.
4. Click the checkbox next to the user you want to remove.
5. Click the Actions button, then select Remove Resources.
6. On the Remove Resources page, select the resource the removed user’s tasks should be reassigned to.
7. Select how to handle the Associated Materials and Resource Schedules.
8. Click the Save button.

Adding, Editing, and Removing Resources as an Administrator

If a project manager is unavailable and an existing resource needs their bill rate for the project changed, a new resource needs to be added, or a resource must be removed, the system administrator can make the necessary changes.

An administrator can add, edit, and remove resources from the same part of the system:

1. Open the Project app admin interface:
   • Project Application Admins: In Work Management, click View Applications, select the Project application, click the gear icon in the top-right corner, then select Admin from the menu
   • Global Admins: In TDAdmin, go to Applications, then select the Project application
2. Click Projects in the left navigation.
3. Click the name of the project you want to add a resource to. This will open a Project Details window.
4. In the left navigation, click Resources.

Then, to add a resource:

1. In the Project Resources window, click the Add Resource button.
2. In the Schedule Resource window, enter the start and end dates that the resource will be involved in the project.
3. Fill in the number of hours or percentage of time to be spent over the course of the engagement.
4. Select the Resource.
5. Either click the Spread button or manually update the numbers on the schedule.
6. Click the Save button.

Or, to edit a resource:

1. In the Project Resources window, click the resource’s name.
2. In the Project Resource Schedule window, make the needed updates.
3. Click the Save button.

Or, to remove a resource from a project:

1. In the Project Resources window, click the Remove Resource button.
2. In the Remove Resource modal, select the resource from the Remove/Delegate dropdown.
3. In the Delegate To field, select the person to whom you are delegating the responsibilities.
4. Choose whether to remove the resource and delete all associated materials or to delegate the schedule and materials to the new resource.
5. Click Remove.

Project Sponsor and Stakeholder Roles

A project manager may add a project sponsor and/or stakeholder(s) to a project.

A project sponsor is a person who owns the project overall, whereas stakeholders are generally people not directly involved with the execution of the project but who are interested in, and/or affected by, the project's deliverables. Typically, both of these project members want to see updates and statuses at a high level throughout the duration of a project. They both can view a project via the Client Portal.

Adding Sponsors and Stakeholders

A user can be added as a sponsor or stakeholder during the project request process, or at any point during a project's lifecycle.

To add a user as a sponsor, the project manager should:

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Once in the project record, select General in the left navigation.
4. On the General page, scroll down to the Advanced section, then click it to display the fields.
5. Select a Sponsor by typing their name into the field, or click the look-up icon (magnifying glass) on the far right to add them. Global admins can also click "+" next to the field title to create a new person record.
6. When complete, select Save.

To add a user as a stakeholder, the project manager should:

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Once on the project record, select Stakeholders in the left navigation.
4. On the Stakeholders page, click +Add and in the popup, either type ahead for the user, or search for them by using the look-up (magnifying glass) icon. Alternatively, global admins can click "+" next to the field title to add a new record.
5. Enter the Responsibilities/Concerns for the user and select the RACI role(s) they will play on the project. 
6. When complete, select Save.

Changing a Project Member's Bill Rate

A bill rate is the amount per actual hour for which a resource’s time on this project is billed. The project manager can modify a project member’s bill rate for a project without changing the bill rate globally in Admin. A bill rate change will not affect submitted time entries created before the rate change; only time entries created after the rate change will be affected.

To change a user's bill rate, the project manager should:

1. In Work Management, navigate to View Applications > and select the Project application.
2. Click a project name in the left navigation.
3. Click Resources in the left navigation.
4. Click on the user's name that you want to modify.
5. Enter a new value in the Bill Rate textbox.
6. Click on the Save button.