Forecast - People Planner

The People Planner is available for customers that prefer to manage planned work entries for multiple projects and multiple users on a single screen (possibly for multiple periods).  In addition to entering hours in the convenient matrix layout, this screen also has powerful editing capabilities which can be used to modify planned work details for one or many users or projects.  This screen is comprised of a Search and Plan tab and is available to users with Administrator and Resource Planner roles.

Note that this screen can be used to plan:

 

This screen can be used to view existing planned work entries as well as add new entries.

Topics covered on this help page include:

 

You may also be interested in:


Search Tab

Using the various sections on the Search tab, the Resource Planner can control who will be included and how the grid will be laid out.

 

After supplying the desired selection criteria, click on the Plan tab to display the resulting matrix screen.  

 

Save Criteria

Selection criteria for specific lists can be saved by clicking the  () link after criteria has been entered.  This criteria can be later recalled on this screen by selecting a previously saved criteria from the Saved List drop down.  Individual saved criteria list can be managed via the Reports >> Saved screen in the  My Lists  section.

You will need to specify selection criteria in either the "Projects to Plan", "People to Plan" or both filters (in order to prevent someone from inadvertently creating a grid that included all people and all projects).

Field Descriptions (click on a link below for additional information)

 

 

Which users and projects appear in the resulting matrix (on the Plan tab) depends on the selection criteria defined on this Search tab.  In an attempt to prevent a user from creating a matrix that included all users and all projects, you must provide selection criteria for either or both the Project / Person filters.

Specifying the following combination of Projects and People will yield the following results:

 

Note that inactive projects can appear in the resulting matrix to allow for the planning of users to project prior to them becoming active.

Plan Tab

The resulting matrix will resemble the following.  The cells in the grid will reflect the number of existing planned work hours for a particular time period (e.g. month).  Additionally, the project manager can quickly add or change hours via these cells.

When saved, these cell values will be translated into individual planned work entries having a date range from the beginning of the period to the end of the period (e.g. a monthly June 2005 entry will be saved as 6/1/05 --> 6/30/05).  These entries can be viewed and edited via the other planning screens such as the Plan >> List .

Additional Planned Work Details for each cell can be manipulated via the grid by double clicking on a cell, a project/task name, a person's name, or the Project / Person label (to edit the entire matrix).  

See the Edit Plan Details section below for additional information about editing additional planned work details.

Field Descriptions (click on a link below for additional information)

 

 

Edit Plan Details

The matrix allows for easy entry of hours values, but can also be used to update other planned work entry details.  The editing of these details can be accomplished for a:

Single Cell         (supply details for an individual cell in the grid)

Entire Row         (supply details for all displayed cells for a particular row)

Entire Column   (supply details for all displayed cells for a particular column)

All Cells              (supply details for all displayed cells in the grid)

 

When adding additional hours to empty matrix cells, the plan details supplied will be copied from the next populated matrix cell to the left of the current cell (unless explicitly overridden by one of the Edit Plan Details vehicles described above during the same edit session) .

Cost Rates Overrides on People Plans and User Classification Note

Cost Rate overrides specified on People Plans will only be reflected in reporting output for those users having a classification of Non-Exempt and Non-Employee in the following cases:
  -- Dilution is enabled and the Use Plan Cost Rates for Dilution (unatime.cost.dilution.use_plan_rates) property is disabled

Cost Rate overrides specified on People Plans will also be reflected in reporting output for those users having a classification of Exempt in the following cases:
  -- Dilution is disabled
  -- Dilution is enabled and the Use Plan Cost Rates for Dilution (unatime.cost.dilution.use_plan_rates) property is enabled.

 

 


Shifting Cell Contents Right and Left

This functionality provides for the ability to move the contents of a row of cells X number of cells to the right or left.  When moving a populated cell, the values in the cell, as well as any override values associated with the cell (applicable to People Plans & Assignments only), will be moved.  This feature may be helpful, for example, if you need to delay a project for one or several months and would like to shift existing entries without having to re-key them in.

The controls involved in this functionality include the leading check box on each row, the Shift Left and Shift Right buttons, as well as the Number of Periods entry field.  Note that you can check the check box at the very top of the grid which acts as a toggle to check / uncheck all available check boxes in the grid.  

 

To move cell contents:

 

Restrictions/Considerations:

 

Grayed Out Entries

 


Turning People Plans into People Assignments

Planned work entries can be copied into people assignments by clicking on the Assign button from this screen, and further specifying which entries should be copied.  This will navigate you to the People Plans to Assignment screen.

You can also navigate to the Project Profile >> Assign Plans screen where you can further narrow down which plans you would like to copy into people assignment entries.

 

 

Related Topics