Managing Resource Requests

This how-to article will help users to approve, reject, or substitute resource requests. The user must have the access to the Resource Management application in TDNext.

Overview

Resource requests are a method of approving and being aware of resources being added to projects. This practice is to show and help show Project managers and leaders how capacity of users is underworked or overworked in a given time frame; i.e. a month.

Resource requests fall under a Resource Pool that has a Manager that approves, reviews, or rejects the request. Their job is to determine their pool resources are overcapacity or under and can be on projects. In addition to approving or rejecting them onto future work, a Pool Manager adjusts their capacity of estimated time in a given time frame.

Someone who is either staffing a project request or is the manager of a project might try to add someone from your resource pool to their item. If your resource pool requires approval, then you are going to receive an email notification. Take note of the project-specific information, as well as the link at the bottom of the email. In addition, please note that the notifications for these resource requests are customizable by administrators. 

Review the Getting Started with Resource Planning article for resource request administration information.

Approving, Rejecting or Substituting Resource Requests

To review and edit resource requests:

1. In TDNext navigate to Resource Management application. You can access it via the application icon (upper left).
2. When you click into the application and to go Resource Requests, you will be taken to a screen that gives you all the high-level information you need about the request like person and project. You will then need to click the Actions button.
3. This button allows you to approve or reject the resource request. Regardless of whether you are approving or rejecting it, you will be able to insert comments about the decision you made, and emails will then be sent to the appropriate parties informing them of the result. 
4. Assuming that there are other resources in your resource pool with the same primary functional role as the resource that was requested, the system will allow you to swap the resources based on what you believe is best as the manager of those resources. On the resource request screen, there will be a section called Alternative Resources, where you can consider swapping them. Then, click the Substitute Resource button. You will be prompted to carry out the substitution and will be taken to a screen like the screen in step 1. From there, you'll see another Actions button, which when clicked, approves the resource you are trying to substitute in place of the originally requested resource. 

Withdrawing a Resource Request

A project manager will occasionally need to withdraw a resource request if a requested resource is no longer needed.

To withdraw a resource request:

1. In TDNext navigate to Resource Management application
2. Navigate to the Resources page of the project.
3. Click the All Resource Requests link. The Resource Requests page will open, listing all resource requests for that project.
4. Click the ID for the pending request you’d like to delete. The Resource Request Detail page will open.
5. Click the Actions button and select Withdraw from the dropdown. 
6. Enter Comments about why you're withdrawing the request. 
7. Click the Save button.

The request is now withdrawn, and the resource will no longer display on the project's Resources page.

Gotchas & Pitfalls

• If you need to make a substitution, ensure you have the person in your pool added into the project that the initial request is on.