This how-to article will help users to manage resources on projects they manage using the TDNext 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 TDNext plus the Projects 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 be within the specified capacity 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 TDNext will result in a resource request. These requests must be approved to add the resource to the project(s). If a resource pool manager approval is in play, the resource will be listed on the project with a status of 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 > Projects > [select the project in question] > 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 which has role forecasts is being staffed and converted to a project through 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 TDNext 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 whichever user is selected as the project manager will have the proper TDNext 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 resource's schedule to be set and provides the most control over it.
To add a resource from the Resources page:
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects > Manage Projects.
- Select the desired project.
- Click Resources in the left navigation.
- Click the Actions button and select Add Resources.
- 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.
- Click the Next button.
- Select Months or Weeks as the interval and enter the project member's hours per week or 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.
- 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 to the project 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:
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects > Manage Projects.
- Select the desired project.
- In the Project Details window, click the Actions button and select Add Resources.
- Begin typing in the search bar or select the magnifying glass button to search for the desired resource(s).
- 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 they will be added with a schedule of 0 hours.
To add a resource via the card wall:
- Access TDNext and navigate to Projects > [the desired project] > Plans > select the desired Card Wall plan.
- Select a card to assign to a resource by double-clicking on it or click the pencil button on the card.
- 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:
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects > Manage Projects.
- Select the desired project.
- On the Project Details window, click Resources in the left navigation.
- Click on the user's name that you want to modify.
- Make updates to the schedule.
- Click the Save button.
Removing a Project Resource
The project manager may remove a user who no longer needs access to a project.
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects > Manage Projects.
- Select the appropriate project.
- In the Project Details window, click Resources in the left navigation.
- Click the checkbox next to the user to be removed.
- Click on the Actions button and select Remove Resources.
- On the Remove Resources page, select the resource the removed user’s tasks should be reassigned to.
- Select how to handle the Associated Materials and Resource Schedules.
- Click the Save button.
Adding, Editing and Removing Resources as an Administrator
If a project manager is unavailable, and an existing resource needs to have 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 necessary changes.
An administrator can add, edit and remove resources from the same part of the system:
- In TDAdmin, go to Projects > Projects.
- Click the name of the project you want to add a resource to. This will open a Project Details window.
- In the left navigation, click Resources.
Then, to add a resource:
- In the Project Resources window, click the Add Resource button.
- In the Schedule Resource window, enter the start and end dates that the resource will be involved in the project.
- Fill in the number of hours or percentage of time to be spent over the course of the engagement.
- Select the Resource.
- Either click the Spread button, or manually update the numbers on the schedule.
- Click the Save button.
Or, to edit a resource:
- In the Project Resources window, click the resource’s name.
- In the Project Resource Schedule window, make the needed updates.
- Click the Save button.
Or, to remove a resource from a project:
- In the Project Resources window, click the Remove Resource button.
- In the Remove Resource modal, select the resource from the Remove/Delegate dropdown.
- In the Delegate To field, choose the person to delegate their responsibilities to.
- Choose whether to remove the resource and delete all associated materials or to delegate the schedule and materials to the new resource.
- 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:
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects.
- Select the relevant project and click Manage.
- Once in the project record, select General.
- In the General pane, scroll down to the Advanced section and click on it to display the fields.
- Select a Sponsor by typing their name into the field or choose the look-up icon (magnifying glass) on far right to add them in, or "+" to create a new record.
- When complete, select Save.
To add a user as a stakeholder, the project manager should:
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects.
- Select the project they need to make changes to and choose Manage.
- Once on the project record, scroll down to Stakeholders section.
- Select "+Add" and either type ahead for the user, or search for them by using the look-up (magnifying glass) icon, or "+" to add a new record.
- Enter in the Responsibilities/Concerns for the user and select the RACI role(s) they will play on the project.
- When complete, select Save.
Changing a Project Member's Bill Rate
A bill rate is the amount per actual hour a resource’s time on this project is worth. 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 going forward.
To change a user's bill rate, the project manager should:
- Navigate to TDNext > Projects.
- Click the "Manage Projects" folder link in the left navigator.
- In the "Manage Projects" window, select the appropriate project.
- Click on the "Resources" tab.
- Click on the user's name that you want to modify.
- Enter a new bill rate in the "Bill Rate" textbox.
- Click on the "Save" button.
Gotchas & Pitfalls
Finding Users to Add as Resources
Most resource lookup pages default to showing users marked as Employees only. If you don't see the resource you are looking for, try changing the filter settings for Employee, Non-Employee, Both and searching again. There is also the Include users whose capacity is not managed filter that will filter out users who are not marked to have their capacity managed. Check this filter if you are looking for such a user.
Scheduling Resources on A One-Day Task Which Is Also an Organizational Day Off
If a resource is already scheduled by their manager for time off on a holiday, then adding the holiday at the system level in the "Days Off" Admin tool impacts their availability. While the "Scheduled Hours" are not impacted by adding the holidays, the "Available Hours" are still reduced and effectively double-counted. This holds true until there are five holidays in one week (like a week off at Christmas), at which point both "Scheduled Hours" and "Available Hours" for that week go to zero.
When managing a project by plan, schedule entries will always be entered based upon task assignments. The assumption is that the project manager will know what their organization's days off are. If the project manager still wants to create a one-day task on an organizational day off and assign one or more users, schedule entries will be created. In this scenario, the capacity for the users assigned to the one-day task would be decreased by both the organizational day off and the task schedule.
Resource Estimates Aren’t Being Updated from Plans When "Manage By Plan" Selected
Manage By Plan can update resource estimates based on your plans. Normally, resources are updated once a night for checked-in plans. If you want to force the resource estimates to be updated, go to Manage > Resources and select Actions > Update Schedules.