Getting Started with TeamDynamix Functional Roles

This getting started article will help Administrators and Project Managers determine create and set Functional Roles on their resources. You must have access to the TDAdmin console to configure and create Functional Roles.

Overview

Functional roles define skillsets that can be applied to users. A user may have multiple functional roles. However, a user can only have one primary functional role. A user's primary functional role is what drives the resource allocation reporting in the TDNext application.

Where to Find This

This feature appears in the TDAdmin interface.

Navigate to Functional Roles following these paths:

• TDAdmin > Users and Roles > Functional Roles

Where to Start

Functional roles refer to the primary and secondary job duties performed by an individual within an organization. These roles exist primarily for resource management and capacity planning. For example, if a resource's functional role is a database administrator (DBA), when that resource is added to several projects, and when other DBA colleagues are added to projects, the allocated hours get rolled up to the DBA functional role. This allows insight into resource capacity so that an organization can see the total hours committed to DBAs. Since the DBA role can also be added to project requests that are being planned, an organization can see the future impact as well. This will help gain an understanding of total resource commitment and if it is necessary to add DBAs to meet the demand or take other actions, such as delaying or shifting projects.

Since employees have several roles at your organization, users can therefore have multiple functional roles. It is best to define which of the functional roles is the user's primary role, which is what is used when calculating the user’s availability when sorting by functional role in Resource Management.  By default, each user has the functional role of participant and when other functional roles are added, this can be modified. When evaluating project requests (i.e. potential work to be undertaken by the organization), functional roles will be added to the request so that work effort can be estimated, and capacity planning reviewed. During project request evaluation, the actual resource that will be assigned to a potential project is often unknown. However, after evaluating the scope of the project, project request evaluators can typically identify the roles needed to complete the project. Once a project request is approved, a staffing exercise will be performed and the functional roles that were previously added to the project request will be replaced by users having that specific primary or secondary functional role.

In the interest of tracking project costs and capturing returns, each functional role has a cost rate and standard rate associated with it. The cost rate represents what that functional role costs with all factors included. The standard rate represents the hourly rate charged to clients for the service the functional role is providing. 

Creating and Managing Functional Roles

A functional role is associated to a user within TDAdmin by modifying the user's profile. When viewing a user’s profile, there is therefore a section called "Functional Roles." Every user has a primary functional role and it is that role which is used for capacity planning. A user's primary functional role is also what drives the resource allocation reporting in the TDNext application. Additional functional roles can be added to a user's profile and those other roles can be searched when trying to identify a user for a project.

To create a functional role:

1. In TDAdmin, go to Users & Roles > Functional Roles.
2. Click the +New button in the Functional Roles Display window.
3. Fill in the required and optional fields as desired in the New Functional Role popup window.
4. Click the Save button.

To modify a functional role:

1. In TDAdmin, go to Users & Roles > Functional Roles.
2. Click the name link of the Functional Role you’d like to modify.
3. Modify the required and optional fields as desired in the Edit Functional Role popup window, then click the Save button.

To delete a functional role:

A functional role cannot be deleted if it is associated with a user. You will need to change the functional role of any users first before you will be able to delete an existing functional role.

1. In TDAdmin, go to Users & Roles > Functional Roles.
2. Click the Delete link to the right of the Functional Role you’d like to delete.
3. Click the OK button in the confirmation popup.

To Add/Edit Functional Roles for a user in your company:

1. In TDAdmin, navigate to Users & Roles > Users.
2. Click the Name of the user your wish to edit in the list.
3. On the User Profile page, click the Functional Roles in the left navigation.
4. Add, remove or edit the functional roles as needed.

Exporting the List of Functional Roles to Excel

To export the list of functional roles:

1. In TDAdmin, go to Users & Roles > Functional Roles.
2. Click the To Excel button in the Functional Roles Display window.
3. Click the OK button in the confirmation popup.

Gotchas & Pitfalls

•  A user can have more than 1 functional role. Be sure to select which role of the many roles that User has as your Primary role.
• When using resource management and role forecasting, you can select the requested role for a person, and not necessarily their primary role you need them for a project.

Examples

The following are examples of functional roles from other TeamDynamix implementations:

Organization A

• Blackboard Administrator
• Image Now Administrator
• Web Development
• DataTel Developer

Organization B

• Database Administrator
• Hardware Support
• Programmer
• Project Manager