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resource assignment chart

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Project Resource Management with Gantt Charts

If you’re a project manager, you know resources are critical to your company’s success. But it can be tough to ensure team members have enough work to keep them busy without being overloaded. 

Add non-people resources to the mix, and your job gets even more complex. 

So how do you strike a balance and put the right resources in the right place at the right time? It all boils down to effective resource management. 

Let’s take a moment to define what project resource management is and why it’s important. We’ll also explore common resource examples and ways you can effectively schedule and manage project resources with a gantt chart. 

What is project resource management?

Project resource management is the process of planning, scheduling, and optimizing resources to deliver a project on time and budget. 

From the human perspective, it’s all about staffing your projects with the appropriate people to meet your project goals. This might mean taking your team’s skills and availability into account as you build project plans and outsourcing work when needed to bridge resource gaps.

Examples of project resources

Projects often rely on both tangible and intangible resources, which may be shared across your organization. Examples of project resources include:

  • Team members
  • Key stakeholders                       
  • Specialized skills and expertise

Why is resource management important?

Resource gaps make it hard to run a profitable business customers can rely on. That’s why it’s more important than ever to keep your workforce happy and productive. 

If you’ve ever missed a project deadline because you were understaffed and overbooked, you understand the stress it can cause. Effective resource management gives you and your team the confidence to say yes to projects with a clear plan for how and when you can deliver goods and services. 

As you get a better handle on resources and timelines, your team will find it easier and easier to meet goals efficiently. That means your team can enjoy better work-life balance, while your business benefits from happier customers and a healthier bottom line.

According to a recent PwC Pulse Survey , worker shortages and employee turnover rose to the top of the list of operational challenges for COOs in 2022. 

What does the resource management process involve?

The resource management process can generally be broken down into 3 high-level phases. Let’s take a brief look at each stage. 

  • Resource planning : Resource planning involves identifying resource requirements and dependencies so you can estimate project time and costs more accurately .
  • Resource scheduling : Resource scheduling is where people get assigned to the work you’ve scoped out on your project timeline. The goal is to match the right skills and materials to the task and ensure deadlines are realistically aligned with resource capacity and availability.
  • Resource optimization : Resource optimization is the process of monitoring utilization once work gets underway and adjusting allocation to minimize idle time and avoid resource conflicts and/or overload.

How to manage resources in a project using a gantt chart

Visibility is key when it comes to knowing who or what is available for a job so you can confidently schedule resources and consistently deliver work on time and budget.

Gantt charts provide a clear visual for every aspect of your project plan. You can see what’s scheduled when and who’s assigned to the task—all in a single glance. And TeamGantt makes it simple to view resource availability and rearrange timelines and assignments with the ease of drag and drop scheduling.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can use TeamGantt's resource management software to plan, schedule, and optimize project resources throughout the resource management process.

  • Identify the resource requirements for your project
  • Assess resource availability before scheduling work
  • Apply hourly estimates for better capacity planning
  • Schedule resources to your project
  • Show your team how to manage their task assignments
  • Monitor and optimize resource utilization

1. Identify the resource requirements for your project

The first step you’ll want to take is simple: Figure out who and what you need to get the job done. This could include team members, stakeholders, or contract workers on the people side and physical assets like equipment, facilities, or material supplies.

Once you’ve nailed down your resource requirements, go ahead and set these resources up in your project. In TeamGantt, you can add resources as either People or Labels . Here’s how to use these 2 resource types.

Project resources set up in TeamGantt as People and Labels

Use People to invite key players to your project

People are exactly that—actual humans who have some level of responsibility for tasks in a project. Inviting your team and stakeholders to a project—or at least those who will play an active role—allows you to assign them to tasks so you can collaborate on work together.

In TeamGantt, People have an email address associated with their name in the project so they’ll receive notifications when tasks are assigned or rescheduled. They’ll also be alerted if anyone tags them in a project discussion.

Learn more about People and permissions.

Use Labels to track non-personnel resources or high-level groups

Labels are flexible tags that enable you to filter and organize your project. You can assign them to tasks—and track their availability—just as easily as People in TeamGantt.

Since Labels aren't associated with an email address, they’re perfect for non-personnel resources. You can also use them to represent collective project resources, like departments, trades, or crews who don’t need to receive TeamGantt notifications.

YouTube video: Using labels to organize tasks in TeamGantt

2. Assess resource availability before scheduling work

Being able to see the entire workload of your whole team is a huge benefit while you’re planning and scheduling your project. 

Can Ben take on any more design work right now or is his plate already pretty full? Zach looks like he’s got a pretty light workload over the next couple days. He could pick up the slack. The marketing team is pretty busy for the next 60 days so maybe now isn’t the best time to take on that new client. You get the picture.

Here are a few simple ways you can figure out who and what’s available to get the job done.

Use the Workloads tab to check availability across all active projects

In many project management tools, scheduling and resourcing are handled in different parts of the app. This can cause a lot of back and forth and make it tough to get a true sense of availability across all your projects. 

In TeamGantt, you can check resource availability against your project schedules in one view—saving you tons of time and frustration. Simply click the Workloads tab at the bottom of your gantt chart to expand it. 

Check resource availability with Workloads tab in TeamGantt

Each person and label you’ve added to the project will be listed along the left, with the number of tasks (or hours) assigned to that resource for each day. The more booked a person or resource is, the darker the cell color. Think of it like your very own resourcing heat map! 

Clicking on one of the numbered cells will open a popup of all tasks assigned to that person or label on that particular day. Select any task listed to go to the project timeline and adjust the schedule, as needed.

Apply project filters to view schedules by resource

In TeamGantt, you can open multiple projects at once and filter your gantt chart based on Person , Label , Date , and/or Task Color . This allows you to view schedules in easy-to-digest chunks and is especially useful for managing resources across a long timeline of tasks.

One TeamGantt customer uses this approach to determine when subcontractors are available so they don’t overbook their crews or end up with a big gap in the construction schedule. 

Resource schedule filtered by construction trade

Use bookmarks to save filtered views

TeamGantt also offers the ability to bookmark pages for later use. This enables you to save resource-specific views of your project—or a filtered view of multiple projects—so you don’t have to recreate the wheel every time.

Have a meeting with the marketing team? Open up your active projects, and filter the view down to marketing-related tasks—all inside a single gantt chart with the click of a button. 

YouTube video: Using filters in TeamGantt

3. Apply hourly estimates for better capacity planning

Project estimation is an important skill for any project manager because it can make or break success. Estimate too much time, and you might have idle workers or equipment sitting around. Estimate too little, and it’s a recipe for delays—not to mention disgruntled teams who feel pressured to put in long hours just to get the job done. The trick is finding a happy medium.

The combination of hourly estimation and time tracking in TeamGantt is a powerful set of tools that not only lets you track the real amount of time your team spends on tasks. It also helps you get better at estimating future projects. 

Here’s how to use these features to improve your project resource management process.

Add hourly estimates to project tasks

To add an estimate to a task, just enter the number of hours you think the task will take in the estimated hours column of the gantt chart. You don’t have to use whole numbers here. For 30 minutes, just use 0.5 hours, for example.

Resource plan with hourly estimates applied to gantt chart tasks

Break task estimates down by assigned resource

Once you have a total number of estimated hours for the task, you can break it down across any people or resources assigned to that task. 

For example, let’s say you estimated 12 hours for a task, with work spread across 2 days. 

  • If 1 person is assigned to the task, TeamGantt will automatically assume that team member will work on that task for 6 hours per day for the 2 scheduled days. 
  • If multiple people are assigned to the task, you can break the estimated hours up however you like across the assigned people/resources.

As any person assigned to a task with an estimate updates their percent complete, you’ll begin to see a visual representation of how on-time, ahead of, or behind schedule a task is.

A close-up view of actual vs estimated hours with tracking on a gantt chart

View resource availability by hours per day vs. number of tasks per day

The Workloads tab at the bottom of your gantt chart gives you the option to view availability by either hours or tasks per day.

Knowing how many tasks a person or resource is assigned to is important, but it doesn’t always give you a clear picture of capacity. For example, if Joe has 6 tasks and Heather has 1 task assigned on Tuesday, you might assume Joe’s maxed out for the day and Heather can handle a last-minute task that popped up. 

But what if Joe’s 6 tasks were only estimated to take 30 minutes each? That’s only 3 hours of work. Even if Joe’s tasks take a little longer than the estimate, he’s still probably only logging a half day.

Heather’s 1 task, on the other hand, is estimated to take 8 hours. Even if everything goes as planned for Heather’s task, there isn’t enough time in the day for her to take on another assignment.

Hourly estimating gives you the visibility you need to ensure work gets distributed in a way that makes sense for your team and your project.

See how one customer distributes work evenly in TeamGantt  

4. Schedule resources to your project

Once you’ve figured out who and what is available when, resource scheduling is quick and easy in TeamGantt. Simply assign the person or resource to the task, and use drag and drop scheduling to set or adjust dates. 

Assigning resources to a task in TeamGantt

When you add someone to a project as a People resource, they’ll automatically receive email notifications from TeamGantt anytime they’re assigned to a new task or a task they’re assigned to has been rescheduled.

If tasks need to happen in a certain order, be sure to add dependencies. In TeamGantt, dependencies appear as light gray lines connecting two tasks on your gantt chart. To create a dependency , simply click the dot at the end of the first task, and drag it to the beginning of the dependent one. 

5. Show your team how to manage their task assignments

It’s a whole lot easier to make resourcing decisions when you know where things are and what people are doing. Inviting people to your plan gives them access to their schedule so they know what to expect and can track progress on deliverables in real time. 

Here are a few pointers to get your team engaged in your resource management plan.

Demonstrate the My Tasks view

My Tasks enables each person to see all their assigned tasks across projects in a single view—whether they prefer to view it as a list, calendar, or gantt chart. This makes it easy for them to prioritize their time because they know ahead of time what's expected of them and when it’s due. 

My Tasks is the perfect go-to for team members who want to update progress and collaborate on tasks without the clutter of work that isn’t relevant to them.

Sync project schedules with a personal calendar

Got team members who travel or want to keep their families in the loop about their work schedule? Let them know they can sync their TeamGantt tasks to their favorite calendar app. That extra bit of visibility enables employees to balance their work and personal schedules more easily.

Get instructions for syncing TeamGantt tasks to Google Calendar, iCal, or Outlook.

Track time to tasks

Time tracking not only enables you to keep track of billable hours. It gives you a history of actual time spent on tasks so you can forecast and plan resources better with every new project you take on. 

Team members can track time to tasks from the My Tasks , Gantt , or List view or enter and adjust time directly from their Time Sheet .

Time sheet example for resource management tracking

6. Monitor and optimize resource utilization

Project resources require ongoing management to prevent unexpected downtime and employee burnout. Here are some easy ways you can monitor and optimize resources as schedules and priorities shift. 

Use the Workloads report to view and adjust resource allocation

While the Workloads tab at the bottom of the gantt chart will only show you people who are invited to that project, the Workloads report enables managers to view availability for everyone in your TeamGantt account. It’s a great tool for assessing overall resource utilization across all your active projects.

Workloads report for viewing and optimizing resource utilization in TeamGantt

Just like the Workloads tab, you can view this based on hours per day or number of tasks per day, and there are a couple of basic filters like Hide Completed Tasks and Hide Users Without Assignments .

The Workloads heat map makes it easy to spot people or resources that may be over- or underutilized. If a resource appears overloaded on a particular date, click on the numbered cell to review all the tasks assigned to the person or label that day. Select any task listed to open the project timeline and reallocate resources or adjust the schedule, as needed.

YouTube video: Managing workloads in TeamGantt

Track progress and billable hours against estimates 

If your team regularly tracks their hours and progress, that makes it a whole lot easier for you to ensure your project finishes on time and budget. That’s because TeamGantt provides a clear visual for seeing how actual work is tracking against your plan. 

Simply look for the thin striped line that appears inside each taskbar. This indicator tracks how work is pacing against your estimates so you can catch overages before they cause problems. It can also alert you to tasks that are on track to finish early, freeing resources up for other work. 

Let's take a closer look at 2 different ways this simple striped line helps you compare task progress with your plan.

  • The color of the striped line tells you whether time tracked has exceeded the task’s estimate. Green means you’re still on course, and red means you’re over-budget. 
  • The length of the striped line indicates how progress is pacing against time tracked. If the striped line is shorter than the progress bar, you’ve got cushion. If it’s longer than the progress bar, this task or group is at risk for overage because the ratio of tracked vs. estimated hours is higher than the percent complete.

YouTube video: Tracking estimated vs actual hours in TeamGantt

Plan your next project in minutes

When you’re a project manager, every minute counts. So why waste time building out a bunch of complicated spreadsheets just to keep tabs on a project?

At TeamGantt, you don’t have to. Our free online gantt chart software enables you to stay focused on the tasks that move the needle. Whip up a project plan in minutes, and watch your team cross the finish line faster. It really is that simple.

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resource assignment chart

A Leadership Framework for Operational Excellence and Engagement

The resource assignment matrix.

– See All Project Management Key Concepts –

Resource Assignment Matrix - PMBOK

A resource assignment matrix or a RAM you might see it referred to on the PMP exam, shows the project resources assigned to each work package. Each thing that we’re working on and who is working on it. It is used to illustrate the connections between work packages or activities and the project team members.

An example of a resource assignment matrix that you may be familiar with, or one of the most common ones is a RACI chart which is Responsible, Accountable, Consult (who needs to be consulted) and who needs to be Informed.

The RACI chart is a useful tool to ensure clear assignment of resource roles and responsibilities when the team consists of internal and external resources. As you can see we’ve got the activity of the Project Charter, and who’s creating that? Well Ben is Responsible for that, Anne is Accountable for that so she may need to sign off on that particular item, and we need to inform Carlos, Dina and Ed.

Then the task of collecting requirements – who’s responsible? Carlos is responsible here and Ben needs to sign off on that particular item, he is Accountable for it to make sure that it is done.

A resource assignment matrix can be developed at various levels of your work breakdown structure. In other words you can do it at a higher level, at the high level feature or you can break it down. At the high level it might define those responsibilities of the whole project or of the whole team or a group or a unit, but as we break our work down into smaller activities that we can actually estimate and deliver on, then our lower level matrix might be used within the group to designate roles responsibilities and the levels of authority within that particular work item. So it provides a lot of clarity, there’s no confusion about who is ultimately in charge or who has authority to do the work.

And that is the benefit of your resource assignment matrix.

– David McLachlan

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Managing Project Resources and Assignments

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Creating a Resource Matrix in Project Management

resource assignment chart

Efficient resource allocation is a critical aspect of successful project management. Without a clear understanding of available resources and how they align with project tasks, organizations can face challenges such as missed deadlines, budget overruns, and compromised project quality. To overcome these hurdles, project managers rely on a powerful tool known as the resource matrix. Here we will explore what a resource matrix is, its benefits, and how to create one to optimize resource allocation in project management.

Project Resource Planning: Understanding Different Approaches

For each project manager, there’s their own favorite way to create the project management schedule. There are the ones that still prefer to plan on a whiteboard . Ones that have found a spreadsheet-based resource planning template that works for them.

There are the ones that plan create a work breakdown structure and then schedule the tasks using it. While, some project managers like to assign the resources right away and those that prefer to schedule the tasks first.

Here’s a breakdown of some of these approaches and the different tools used to reach the goals set.

Project Resource Management Techniques

  • Project-based resource planning That’s where projects are at the top of the project management food chain and resources are just means to an end. Project resource planning is often more about planning, rather than optimization. It’s allocating resources to tasks, not the other way around. Here it’s all about staffing projects and ensuring capacity for project tasks. With little to no emphasis on optimizing resource utilization.
  • Resource-based project planning In resource-based project planning, the approach is reversed compared to project-based planning. The main goal here is to keep resource utilization at an optimal level . Tasks are allocated to available resources, and project planning takes a backseat. The emphasis is on efficiently utilizing resources while project considerations are secondary.
  • Matrix planning Matrix planning combines the best aspects of both project-based and resource-based approaches. It focuses on task allocation while considering both resource capacity and project capacity. The goal is to maximize project efficiency by ensuring resources are allocated optimally. This approach involves planning for individual projects and pivoting the resource plan to assess how it aligns with overall resource utilization. Matrix planning strikes a balance between project requirements and resource optimization.

Basically though, if you’re a manager who plans resources and projects. Seeing how both fit together is optimal. That way you always know if the project you have scheduled will have the right capacity to get it done. Without worrying if you’re overburdening anyone in the process. That’s where a resource matrix comes into play.

Understanding the Resource Matrix

A resource matrix, also known as a staffing matrix or resource allocation chart, is a visual representation that maps project tasks or activities against the resources required to complete them. It provides an overview of the project’s resource needs and helps in identifying potential bottlenecks or imbalances in resource allocation. The matrix typically includes information such as the names or roles of team members, their availability, skills, and the tasks they are responsible for.

In general, matrix planning is a resource management technique where you lay out your projects and resources as a visual plan. This allows you to see the connected resources to projects and vice versa. This management technique puts equal emphasis on projects and resources, and the way to achieve this means seeing the project and resource schedules from all possible angles.

The reason why managers love it so much is that it gives the best possible overview of how everything comes together. It’s the big picture and the small details all in one.

Benefits of a Resource Matrix

Matrix planning takes the best of both worlds of project and resource planning. With it you can ensure that resources are allocated to maximize project efficiency. While also taking into account utilization. It’s planning for one project and pivoting the resource plan to see how it all comes together. This in turn creates some big benefits for your organization and staff. Including:

  • Efficient Resource Allocation – By creating a resource matrix, project managers gain a clear understanding of the availability and skills of team members, enabling them to allocate resources optimally. This prevents overloading certain individuals or departments while ensuring all project tasks are adequately staffed.
  • Improved Planning and Scheduling – A resource matrix helps in aligning project timelines with resource availability. It allows project managers to identify potential resource constraints and make informed decisions regarding task sequencing and scheduling.
  • Risk Identification and Mitigation – With a resource matrix, project managers can proactively identify potential resource gaps or bottlenecks that may impact project delivery . By identifying risks early on, they can take appropriate measures to mitigate them, such as hiring additional resources or redistributing tasks.
  • Enhanced Collaboration and Communication – A resource matrix facilitates transparent communication among team members and stakeholders. It helps everyone involved understand the resource requirements and availability, fostering collaboration and enabling effective decision-making.

Creating a Resource Matrix

When you’re ready to begin giving matrix planning a shot, here’s the steps to take in creating one.

  • Identify Project Tasks Begin by listing all the tasks or activities required to complete the project. Break them down into smaller, manageable components to ensure comprehensive coverage. This is your classic work breakdown structure (WBS), that usually comes at the beginning of project scheduling.
  • Determine Resource Requirements Now add to your resourcing demands. Achieve this by assessing the skills and expertise needed for each task. Then you can begin to identify the resources (team members, departments, or external contractors) that possess those skills. Consider factors such as availability, workload, and any constraints or dependencies.
  • Design the Matrix Create a grid or table where each row represents a resource, and each column represents a project task. Fill in the matrix with the names or roles of resources against the tasks they are responsible for. While a simple table in Excel works, a resource-based Gantt chart can be even better for this step!
  • Add Resource Details Include relevant information about each resource, such as availability (e.g., hours per week), skill sets, and any specific constraints or dependencies. This data will assist in making informed decisions once you begin executing your projects. Tip! In resource planning software, use custom resource data fields to fill out this info.
  • Review and Adjust Regularly review and update the resource matrix as the project progresses. This ensures that changes in resource availability, project priorities, or task dependencies are reflected accurately, allowing for agile resource allocation.

Matrix Planning in Ganttic

A resource matrix is the first step to better project management. And a simple one can be created in any kind of Gantt chart software or even with a template in Excel. As long as you get the visual overview of your resource pool and task list, that’s what counts.

But to ensure your projects are aligned with resource capacity, you’ll need to switch up how you see the matrix.

In Ganttic’s Single Project View , you can switch between Resource and Task modes. This allows you to schedule unassigned tasks which can later be assigned to the right resource once you’re ready. From there it’s simple to flip back and forth from a Project View and a Resource View. Giving you a complete overview from different angles.

Here we’ll get you how to set yourself up to do your own project resource matrix planning.

1. Add a new Project to Ganttic

The first thing you’ll need to do is add a new project to your planner. Customize this and add in details by filling out the custom data fields . These include signifiers like the project reference number, project manager, the status of the project, or the different milestones and phases of the project.

2. Open a Single Project View

Next, you open the project in a Single Project View . From there it’s simple to start scheduling tasks for the project without worrying about the resources. Some like to define the tasks beforehand, others do it on the go.

If you need some tips on how to estimate task duration, read our blog post here .

3. Add Tasks

Begin creating your WBS by adding tasks to the project. All tasks added in a Single Project View will automatically be connected to the larger project. There’s 2 kinds of tasks that can be added, those with resources (assigned tasks) and those without (unassigned tasks). Proceed as you see fits.

Adding assigned tasks:

Choose the All Resources mode and simply drag and drop the tasks to a resource. All tasks created this way will automatically have a resource attached. Once it’s scheduled, the Task Edit Dialog will appear. That’s for you to add any additional details if needed.

In this mode, you’ll see the placeholders for any other work assigned to your resources. This ensures that no one is overbooked in the process. You can also turn on availability settings, so you track the available time each resource has, even if it’s work on other projects.

Task placeholders and Resource availability can be hidden or adjusted in the Visibility Settings.

Check in on any of the assigned tasks in the Project Resources mode . This will only display the ongoing work and timeline for this one project. As well as only that project’s resources.

Adding unassigned tasks:

If you don’t know what resource is the best fit yet, then choose the Task mode . These tasks can be as detailed as you like. You don’t even have to add a title if you’re not sure yet!

Now, you’ll have a bunch of unassigned tasks. However, these tasks will be automatically connected to the project so you can easily differentiate them in the general resource plan using project colors .

resource assignment chart

4. Allocate Resources

If you use unassigned tasks, you will now need to begin assigning the right resources for the jobs. Again, there are many roads to take.

For those of you that are here just for the high-level resource planning, switch to the All Resources mode . This will display the entire resource pool. From here you can simply drag the tasks to the resource you’d like to take on the work.

If you want to assign the task to multiple resources (for example to different team members plus a piece of equipment), you can do it using the + that appears next to resource title once you open the Task Edit Dialog.

Assign tasks to multiple resources and make a resource matrix in seconds using Ganttic.

If you are for a more organic approach to project management scheduling, you can also do things a bit differently. Since research has shown that the best and most efficient approach to resource management is the kind that involves the resources, we recommend you to take that road. See which resources are available and hold a meeting . Maybe have a framework in mind and discuss the tasks. From there, let the top performers choose the tasks that they want to take on. If you have your planner open, you can even add the tasks as you go. Now that’s transparent, effective scheduling!

Narrow down the resource pool by adding filters (based on skills sets, certifications, location, and other criteria you’ve outlined with custom data fields) and availability settings (such as available time, or utilization rate).

5. Monitor the Resource and Project Matrices

For a full matrix planning experience, change between these modes and even different Views. While the Single Project View offers a detailed plan of one project, it’s also good to take on the big picture. So designing and utilizing an All Projects View will give you a complete overview of the entire portfolio.

No matter your preferential way of planning Ganttic has you covered. Hop on over to our Help Desk for more tips on planning. Or book a free demo at anytime.

Choose Your Planning Style with Ganttic

Ganttic is a powerful online tool perfect for creating a project and resource matrix.

Efficient resource allocation is crucial for project success, and a resource matrix serves as a valuable tool in achieving this goal. Begin today by incorporating this powerful technique into your project management arsenal to optimize resource allocation and drive successful project outcomes.

When it comes to project management, having a clear vision and knowing what you want is half the battle. With Ganttic, you have the power to build your ideal workflow from start to finish. Whether you’re initiating a project, planning tasks, allocating resources, or visualizing your project timeline. Ganttic’s matrix planning approach to project resource management provides the flexibility and control you need to bring your vision to life. With Ganttic, you have the perfect companion to transform your ideas into successful projects, making your journey as a project manager smoother and more efficient.

Make your vision a reality.

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resource assignment chart

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  • Agile project management
  • Gantt chart examples

5 Gantt Chart Examples for Better Project Management

Browse topics.

Gantt charts are indispensable tools in project management that visually represent project timelines, tasks, and dependencies. Gantt charts  simplify task management, foster team collaboration, and enhance project visibility. 

In this guide, we'll explore several Gantt chart examples and their diverse applications across various project types, from dependency mapping to date shifting and resource allocation. You'll discover how Gantt charts streamline project planning, execution, and adaptation, making them invaluable for both simple and complex projects. 

Whether you're a project manager, team lead, or collaborator, understanding how to leverage Gantt charts effectively can elevate your project management capabilities.

What is a Gantt chart?

A Gantt chart is a visual project management tool that illustrates tasks and their timelines within a project workflow . It has three parts: a list of tasks on the left and a timeline on the right, with schedule bars representing the duration of each task. 

JSW timeline

A Gantt chart example can include additional details, such as task start and end dates, milestones, task dependencies, and the individuals or teams responsible for each task. It offers a comprehensive view of a project's tasks and their sequencing, making it a valuable resource for effective project management.

5 examples of Gantt charts for project management

Gantt charts aid in planning, scheduling, and tracking projects. While versatile, their core purpose is consistent: enhancing project visibility and aiding decision-making. 

Let's explore several Gantt chart examples and how they aid in managing simple and complex projects.

1. Dependency mapping

Dependency mapping is a cornerstone in project management, not only for identifying, analyzing, and documenting task interdependencies but also for prioritizing them effectively. 

Gantt charts are often the go-to visual tool for this purpose, with horizontal bars indicating the duration of each task and connecting lines specifying the dependencies among them. They offer dynamic benefits like enhancing sequencing and scheduling, particularly in projects with multifaceted dependencies.

Modern Gantt chart software further elevates the practice by providing real-time updates, allowing for Agile adaptability. These charts foster team collaboration by presenting a centralized, coherent view of the project, thereby minimizing misunderstandings and closing knowledge gaps.

Example : Imagine orchestrating a large-scale cybersecurity update across multiple teams. You need to complete some tasks, such as coding the software before rolling out the update. But other tasks, like employee training, can occur in parallel. Gantt charts illustrate these complex interdependencies, empowering project managers to allocate resources optimally and proceed with a well-timed execution.

2. Task management

Gantt charts offer a structured and visual approach to planning, scheduling, and resource allocation, making them invaluable in project management. 

Here are some reasons why Gantt charts excel in task management:

  • Task planning provides a clear project task overview regardless of complexity.
  • Task allocation allows effortless assignment to team members, promoting collaboration.
  • Timelines offer precise scheduling with defined start and end dates, preventing overwork.
  • Task dependencies highlight interdependencies for correct task sequencing.

Progress tracking helps every stakeholder keep a tab on a project’s lifecycle through a chart.

Gantt charts streamline complex task information, facilitating decision-making, promoting organization, clarifying roles, and ensuring smoother project execution.

Example : A software development sprint includes coding, testing, and debugging. Gantt charts allow developers to assign tasks precisely, setting clear timelines for each sprint. Maintaining alignment, reducing overwork risks, and tracking progress visually helps teams meet release deadlines.

3. Project planning

Gantt charts provide an all-encompassing perspective on project scope, going beyond task enumeration to deliver strategic insight. These charts act as strategic roadmaps, meticulously aligning with overarching objectives. 

They serve the dual purpose of guiding immediate action and facilitating long-term planning. Their high-level timelines are tailored for diverse project scales, from short-term bursts of activity to long-term strategic initiatives, offering stakeholders a robust framework for decision-making and resource allocation.

Beyond this, Gantt charts break down tasks into manageable steps, assigning ownership and establishing logical sequences. This task breakdown enhances resource optimization and accountability, while identifying dependencies ensures smooth project progress. 

Gantt charts empower project planners to plan, visualize, and execute projects, making them invaluable for comprehensive project views, roadmap creation, and efficient task management.

Example : Marketing campaigns require the project team to juggle multiple tasks, such as market research, content creation, and campaign execution. Gantt charts serve as a visual roadmap for breaking down these tasks, assigning them to team members, and setting clear deadlines.

4. Date shifting

Gantt charts are versatile tools for managing project timelines and adapting to dynamic situations. They excel in date shifting, allowing you to add specific due dates for task alignment and clarity. 

When adjustments are necessary, Gantt charts simplify the process with a user-friendly drag-and-drop feature, ensuring task flexibility. They also help manage scheduling delays by visualizing their impacts and enabling resource reallocation and schedule modifications. 

During resource conflicts or unexpected emergencies, Gantt charts facilitate swift responses, providing the tools for task reassignment or deadline extensions. These capabilities make Gantt charts a reliable compass for navigating unexpected changes while keeping your project on course.

Example : Supply chain issues may delay a product launch. Using a Gantt chart, project managers can easily adjust the dates for dependent tasks, such as marketing and distribution. Adaptability minimizes the impact of delays and keeps the project on schedule.

5. Resource allocation

Resource allocation is a cornerstone of effective project management, and Gantt charts are instrumental in this process. Here's how to use Gantt charts for resource allocation:

  • Identifying resource needs : Gantt charts document resource requirements, associating them with tasks or milestones for clarity.
  • Checking availability : Gantt charts align resource timelines with project schedules, identifying conflicts and enabling adjustments.
  • Managing constraints : Gantt charts accommodate limitations, such as working hours, allowing parameter definition for adherence.
  • Optimizing usage : The visual representation of Gantt charts helps identify underutilization or overallocation, enabling task adjustments.

Example : Academic research projects use various resources, such as research assistants, lab equipment, and computing power. Gantt charts can determine when a project needs each resource, identify their availability, and optimize resource usage by avoiding bottlenecks.

A good Gantt chart example serves as a professional framework for resource allocation, ensuring judicious resource deployment, reducing bottlenecks, enhancing productivity, and achieving project goals within set timelines and budgets.

Alternatives to Gantt charts

Project management professionals often use Gantt charts to manage their workloads, but there are various alternatives seamlessly integrated with Jira Software for simplified management. Some of the most common alternatives to Gantt charts include:

  • Project planning timelines offer a simple chronological project overview for high-level discussions.
  • Project network diagrams , also known as Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) charts , are ideal for scoping projects, identifying critical paths, and tracking dependencies.
  • Kanban boards enhance task progress tracking and collaboration for flexible teams.
  • Scrum boards organize projects into sprints with customizable task tracking.
  • Cross-functional flowcharts effectively track dependencies and information transfers for complex projects.
  • Checklists can be a powerful organizational tool to keep you on track of your workload.
  • Simple Gantt charts deliver a user-friendly alternative for maintaining effective communication and flexibility. 

These tools seamlessly integrate with Jira Software, streamlining project management for efficiency and professionalism. Explore these Gantt chart alternatives for better project management.

JSW backlog

Jira Software is a robust, Agile project management tool for streamlined software development. It serves as a central hub throughout the development cycle, enabling effective planning, tracking, and release. 

Jira Software emphasizes the product backlog , prioritizing tasks from the project roadmap. This ensures high-priority items are at the forefront, enhancing development efficiency. 

As an alternative to Gantt charts, teams can select tasks based on capacity using continuous flow (Kanban) or structured iterations (Scrum), aligning work with capabilities and improving responsiveness.

In the realm of project management, backlogs and timelines can be invaluable alternatives to Gantt charts. While Gantt charts provide a visual representation of a project timeline with dependencies, backlogs and timelines offer dynamic adaptability, accommodating change swiftly.

Jira Work Management

JWM calendar

Jira Work Management is a valuable solution for diverse business teams, promoting seamless collaboration and efficient project delivery. It's accessible to many teams through its inclusion with Jira Software licenses.

Tailored for business teams such as marketing, operations, sales, and HR, Jira Work Management offers a user-friendly interface. For project planning, Jira Work Management uses dynamic calendars instead of traditional Gantt charts. Gantt charts show tasks in a fixed line, making it difficult to change plans. Dynamic calendars make it easy to move tasks around, so teams can adapt more quickly.

With integrations such as Slack, HubSpot, and Google Workspace, Jira Work Management is highly customizable, giving teams flexibility and control in managing their work efficiently.

JPD roadmap

Jira Product Discovery empowers product teams by capturing and prioritizing ideas, fostering collaboration, and ensuring alignment. It transforms product management into a collaborative endeavor, structuring idea gathering and prioritization. =

Jira Product Discovery integrates seamlessly with Jira Software bridging the gap between ideas and product development work. It also provides customizable views and roadmaps to engage stakeholders continuously. 

Roadmaps in project management outline a product's future evolution, including feature release timelines. In Agile development, roadmaps offer essential context and adaptability to changes. Agile roadmaps balance long-term vision with adaptability, ensuring alignment with evolving goals.

Advanced Roadmaps

Advanced Roadmaps in Jira Software is a powerful tool for planning, tracking, and gaining insights into complex projects, especially for distributed teams. 

Unlike traditional Gantt charts, it handles intricate scenarios with multiple teams, projects, and dependencies, offering a high-level view of work across teams. 

Custom fields and labels categorize work, enhancing visibility and tracking. It simplifies dynamic planning, adapting to reorganizations or shifting priorities without manual adjustments. Integration with multiple Jira boards, projects, and filters allows customized planning. 

It's a versatile alternative to Gantt charts, providing teams with efficient project management tools and clear progress visibility.

Create Gantt charts with Jira Software

Count on Jira Software for Agile-focused project management, especially when dealing with complex timelines. In addition to robust Agile functionalities, it provides alternatives like dynamic calendars for those looking for a break from traditional Gantt charts. 

As a supplement,  Advanced Roadmaps , an add-on for Jira, enhances your planning with data-driven outcome forecasts. For teams seeking further diversification, Jira Work Management and Jira Product Discovery offer tailored solutions to meet specialized project management needs.

Gantt chart examples: Frequently asked questions

What types of projects are suitable for gantt charts.

Gantt charts are well-suited for various projects, including business plans, product management, and design projects. They offer a visual and organized way to outline tasks, allocate resources, and establish timelines, making them valuable tools for managing various project types effectively. 

Can you use Gantt charts for team collaboration?

Yes, Gantt charts are a valuable tool for team collaboration. They provide a clear visual representation of project timelines, tasks, and dependencies, making it easier for team members and stakeholders to coordinate efforts, track progress, and communicate effectively throughout the project's lifecycle.

What software can I use to create Gantt charts?

If you're aiming to create Gantt charts, consider using Jira Software as your go-to platform. Jira Software excels in offering features for dependency mapping, team collaboration, and real-time project tracking, making it ideal for handling complex projects. 

Take advantage of Atlassian's free trial to explore Jira Software's Gantt chart functionalities and other planning tools. To get started , consult the introductory materials available on Jira Software to learn more about its robust features.

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7 Free Resource Planning Templates For Project Teams

Jitesh Patil

Are you looking for free resource planning templates? Get access to the below templates the Google Sheets/Excel templates that make resource planning and management relatively easy.

  • Team Availability Tracker
  • Resource Allocation Template
  • Project Resource Planning Template
  • Resource Capacity Planning Template
  • Timesheet Template
  • Staff Resource Planning Template
  • Human Resource Capacity Planning Template

If like most small teams, you use spreadsheets to manage project resources, these ready-made templates are a huge time-saver. Instead of starting from scratch, you can get quickly off the blocks using templates.

Let’s dive in.

What is resource planning?

Resource planning is the process that ensures that the right resources are available to the project when needed. Within resource planning, project managers:

  • Track resource availability.
  • Plan and track project resource allocation.
  • Assign resources to project tasks.
  • Manage resource capacity and workloads.
  • Track time spent by resources on tasks.

Without a resource plan in place, projects get delayed, or worse, fail. Besides, upfront resource planning also helps avoid conflicts with other teams .

However, resource planning is not a one-time activity. Project managers need to adjust resource plans to account for:

  • Changes in project scope
  • Changes in resource availability or capacity
  • Delays in tasks and milestones

Resource planning templates help you record, update and visualize resource availability, allocation, and capacity data. 

Resource planning and management templates

So far, you’ve learned about resource planning templates and how they can help. You also know about the disadvantages of using these templates.

Next, let’s take a look at the templates you’ll need to manage your project team.

How to download and use these templates?

How to make a copy of the template

All the templates below are view-only templates.

Make a copy of a template by clicking File → Make a copy… from the Google Sheets menu.

To download the template for Excel, click File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) .

Each template comes with three sheets (Instructions, Example, and Template) to help you get started.

1. Team Availability Tracker

Team members are unavailable because of public holidays or planned vacations. Finding available team members to work on a project is a critical step in resource allocation. 

The Team Availability Tracker Template helps you track your team’s off time and visualize your team’s availability to work on a project. That way, you can schedule work when they are available.

Team Availability Tracker

How to use the Team Availability Tracker template?

  • Click here to make to copy or download the template as an Excel file.
  • Enter the month (MONTH) for which you want to track your team’s availability. This automatically populates the calendar for the month below.
  • Add your team members to the EMPLOYEE column.
  • Enter text or emojis to mark a team member’s off time on a specific date.

2. Resource Allocation Template

Once you know the available resources, the next step is to allocate them to a project . Or simply assigning a team member to a project for a specific period. 

The Resource Allocation template helps you track these assignments.

It helps track when a specific resource is available to work on a project . Use this template along with the resource availability tracker to avoid scheduling on dates when the resource is AWOL.

Resource Allocation Template

Tracking work assignments is critical, especially with shared team members. For example, multiple project teams could share a designer in a small web design company. It becomes important to know when this designer is available to take on more work.

How to use the resource allocation template?

  • Enter your team member names in the RESOURCE column.
  • This resource allocation template shows you weekly assignments for your team members.
  • Once a team member is allocated to a project, mark the corresponding week with an ‘ X ‘.
  • Optionally, insert a note from the File → Insert menu to add the name of the project they’re allocated to.

3. Project Resource Planning Template

Once people are assigned to a project, the next step is to track their workload within a project. 

The Project Resource Planning Template helps you assign tasks within a project without creating scheduling conflicts or workload imbalances. It also gives you a clear overview of who within your project is doing what and when.

In addition, it also shows you the number of days available for a resource during a month.

Project resource plan template

You’ll need to account for task dependencies, delays, as well as people’s availability and skills when assigning tasks. 

How to use the project resource planning template?

  • Enter the month ( MONTH) and the project name ( PROJECT NAME) . The calendar below automatically updates for the month.
  • Enter an ‘ X ‘ for a day when a resource is not available.
  • Enter the task name when you want to book a resource for a task.

4. Resource Capacity Planning Template

After you’ve assigned people to tasks, the next step is to track each team member’s workloads.

Whether a client comes with additional work or a new client comes onboard, you want to know who’s available to take on new work. At the same time, you don’t want to overwork your team members.

The Resource Capacity Planning Template helps you track the estimated working hours for all team members .

Resource capacity planning template

Also, you can visualize if any team member has some extra capacity. Or rebalance workloads if any team member is overwhelmed.

How to use the resource capacity planning template?

  • Enter the MONTH for which you want to track your team’s capacity.
  • Add all your team members under the RESOURCE column.
  • The sheet automatically creates the calendar for the month and calculates the available working hours ( AVL. HRS. )
  • Now add the estimated workloads on each day of the month corresponding to a team members.
  • The sheet calculates the booked hours ( BKD. HRS. ) and utilization ( UTIL. ) for each member.

5. Timesheet Template

The timesheet template helps you track and measure the billable hours put in by your team in a project.

Timesheet template

Whether you’re charging based on time and materials or a fixed price, staying in control of your project’s budget is essential. Without this, your agency cannot deliver profitable projects and grow.

How to use the Timesheet Template?

  • Enter the month ( MONTH ) for which you want to track billable amounts.
  • Enter the names of your team members ( RESOURCE ) and their hourly rates ( HRLY. RATE ) in the corresponding columns.
  • Finally, enter the billable hours put in by each team member on a day of the month.
  • The sheet automatically calculates the

6. Staff Resource Planning Template

At times you may want to look at the resource requirements over the next year.

A Staff Resource Planning Template helps you understand if you need to hire any resources based on project commitments for the year.

Staff Resource Planning Template

In addition, it can also help you plan your recruitment based on when you need a specific type of resource.

How to use the Staff Resource Planning Template?

  • Enter all the roles that your agency needs in the RESOURCE TYPE column.
  • Enter the number of days you expect to utilize a resource type during each month.
  • The sheet automatically calculates the TOTAL days you’ll require a resource during the year.

7. Human Resource Capacity Planning Template

The Human Resource Capacity Planning Template helps you see average workload and utilization by employee, department, and job title.

Human Resource Capacity Planning Template

Like the Staff Resource Planning Template, this template helps you manage your employee/freelancer recruitment and onboarding. As a result, you can match your agency’s capacity with the demand and the workload.

How to use the Human Resource Capacity Planning Template?

  • Enter your agency’s EMPLOYEE s along with their DEPARTMENT , JOB TITLE , and monthly CAPACITY .
  • Enter their workload in actual (or estimated) hours for each month.
  • The sheet automatically calculates the average workload ( AVG. WRKLD ) and UTILIZATION for each employee.
  • In addition, the spreadsheet also has two pivot tables that shows you average workload and utilization for each department and job title.

Pros and cons of using resource planning templates

Ready-to-use templates come with the following advantages:

  • Instead of starting from scratch, you can get started quickly
  • Low cost, as you probably already have access to Excel/Google Sheets
  • Little onboarding, as almost everyone knows how to use spreadsheets

Templates also have their fair share of disadvantages which make them unusable in most real-world situations.

  • Spreadsheets generally lack communication and collaboration features essential for team scheduling
  • It’s hard to keep track of who’s made what changes to a spreadsheet’s data
  • Not everyone needs to see everything in the spreadsheet, but you cannot prevent them from seeing it
  • Keeping track of different versions and keeping different spreadsheets in sync is quite a task

Updating templates needs discipline & effort

If you haven’t realized it yet, updating all these templates is a lot of work . 

These templates work together. And, if you miss updating any of these, your resource planning will be error-prone.

Some of these templates may look similar. And it’s tempting to combine these templates into one. 

But, there’s a reason why these templates are separate. Each template serves a different audience and purpose. Combining templates will cause information overload, and inconsistencies and lead to chaos.

So, what are your options?

  • Either, you can choose to keep all the templates up to date with the necessary discipline.
  • Or, you can choose to follow only the relevant steps in the resource planning workflow. That way, you’ll have fewer templates to update.
  • Or, you can use a project and resource planning tool like Toggl Plan.

Toggl Plan: A Better Alternative To Resource Planning Templates

Toggl Plan is a beautifully simple work timeline planning tool. It makes project and resource planning a breeze.

Let’s understand how:

Track Team Member Availability

Toggl Plan Team Availability Tracker

With Toggl Plan, you can create unlimited, color-coded plans. You can create a plan specifically to track your team’s leave plans. 

Besides, Toggl Plan also adds country-specific public holidays to the timeline. 

With these two features, you can easily visualize and find the available team members to take up a project.

Some more notable features include:

Track time off

Toggl Plan helps you plan and manage your team's time off

Knowing when your team is available is crucial for scheduling and delivering projects on time.

The Time off feature is a convenient way to communicate the team’s time away from work. It provides a clear overview of who’s available and who’s not — be they annual leave, public holidays, sick leave or something else. You can also see a conflict warning when work is scheduled for someone who is unavailable.

Allocate Team Members To Projects & Tasks

Toggl Plan Resource Allocation

With Toggl Plan, you can easily add team members to a project plan or a team plan. 

You can assign one or more team members to a task. And, these team members can collaborate on a task using comments and file attachments.

As a result, all the project-related information is available in one place. And, your team doesn’t have to use multiple channels to communicate about the project.

Managing Team Capacity & Workloads

Toggl Plan Capacity & Workload Management

For each task in Toggl Plan, you can include the estimated effort. 

On the team timeline, you can visualize your team workloads. Visualizing workloads helps you understand if team members are overworked or have any capacity to take up more tasks.

Time Tracking & Timesheet Management

Toggl Plan integrates with Toggl Track for time tracking and timesheet management . 

With this integration, you can easily track the actual time on each task. Plus, you can generate timesheets and billing reports. 

In Conclusion

Resource planning templates help you organize, capture, and track resource allocation and usage. 

Spreadsheet templates are easily accessible to everyone. Plus, such templates are readily available for free on the internet.

However, spreadsheets don’t come with communication and collaboration features. Also, you’ll constantly struggle to maintain data integrity and prevent information overload.

Consider using a project and resource planning tool like Toggl Plan to avoid these drawbacks. Try out the team plan with a 14-day free trial. 

Jitesh Patil

Jitesh is an SEO and content specialist. He manages content projects at Toggl and loves sharing actionable tips to deliver projects profitably.

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The Definitive Guide to Project Management Charts and Data Visualization

By Kate Eby | March 6, 2023

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Project managers can choose from dozens of charts to visualize project planning and progress. We explain available chart types and when to use them.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of all the different types of project management charts , including a useful reference chart and expert insight on the importance of visualizing project management data .

What Is a Project Management Chart?

A project management chart helps project managers visualize and share data with teams and stakeholders. They can share basic, comparative details with simple bar and pie charts. More complicated charts such as network and activity diagrams outline complex informational relationships.

Types of Project Management Charts

Project management charts can take many different forms, from graphs and matrices to calendars and diagrams. Charts are specialized to best display a certain kind of data. Some charts require more context to understand than others. 

Remember that no single chart shows the whole story, so in most cases it is best to use different charts for different needs. We’ll outline each chart’s best use cases, provide examples, and detail the pros and cons of each type in the sections below.

Gantt Charts

Gantt charts are useful for tracking schedules, tasks, and dependencies over time for projects and teams of all sizes. They clearly display essential information in a layout that is easy to understand at a glance.

Each bar in a Gantt chart represents a project task or assignment, and its length corresponds to its start and end dates. Arrows connect vertical tasks that are dependent on one another, and the bars are often color-coded to denote phases, employee assignments, or whatever organizational scheme the project manager chooses. Some programs can also display the percent completion of each task or highlight tasks that are in danger of exceeding their deadline. These charts are easiest to create with software using premade, customizable Gantt chart templates .

Ben Walker

“ Gantt charts are useful to track the progress of a project and for early identification of any potential delays or issues that need to be addressed,” explains Ben Walker, the CEO of Ditto Transcripts . 

Gantt Chart Pros:

  • Straightforward to read and understand
  • Offers a comprehensive project schedule overview
  • Can use software to easily create, update, and share 
  • Provides visibility into team assignments
  • Visualizes dependencies and helps anticipates risks

Gantt Chart Cons:

  • Difficult to create and update without software
  • Not ideal for charting complex projects because it can be hard to read
  • Can be time-consuming to create for multifaceted projects

To learn more, visit our in-depth guide to the pros and cons of Gantt charts .

Kanban Boards

Kanban boards are a visual task board to show the status of each project activity. They break up work into progress phases, most often named To Do, In Progress, and Completed . Kanban boards began as pen-and-paper tools, but many software solutions now offer Kanban functionality.

Kanban boards and Kanban cards are ideal for smaller projects and teams to manage a backlog of tasks that do not necessarily require specialized tools or expertise. Rather than assigning tasks to an individual, team members choose their next task based on what is available in the To Do pile to move the project forward. 

Project managers often create physical Kanban boards with sticky notes and a whiteboard, but many Kanban templates are available for those looking to create them digitally.

Kanban Board Pros:

  • Easy to set up and use without software
  • Clear to read and understand
  • Quickly add and remove items on a board
  • Great solution for sprints or short projects

Kanban Board Cons:

  • No visual timelines means they are less comprehensive than other chart types
  • Difficult to scale; larger projects are harder to visualize
  • Cannot see dependencies
  • Teams need a new board for each project phase

Work Breakdown Structure

A work breakdown structure (WBS) organizes each project step into the individual tasks and deliverables needed to complete it. A WBS chart is useful for project strategy, including identifying bottlenecks, determining possible task assignments, and creating estimates for project schedules. 

Breaking project work down into pieces is one of the most critical parts of project planning. You can’t finish a project until you know the tasks needed to complete it, and a work breakdown structure chart helps you visualize and organize your thoughts while strategizing. Work breakdown structures are not usually shared with stakeholders, who usually want more information than the chart can provide. You can create a WBS chart with pen and paper or use a free work breakdown structure template to make one digitally.

WBS Chart Pros:

  • Works with most project management methodologies and frameworks
  • Use as a first step in overall project planning strategy and visualization
  • Powerful organizational tool for visualizing all project tasks 
  • Easy to create the chart with or without software tools

WBS Chart Cons:

  • Does not order tasks sequentially
  • Does not factor in time or resource needs or constraints
  • Not suitable for sharing detailed project information with stakeholders
  • Can’t display detailed task relationships

Network Diagrams

A network diagram is a sequential visualization of all required project tasks linked by dependencies. Project managers use them to organize and visualize project tasks and dependencies. They are the first step in creating a PERT chart and identifying the critical path. 

Network diagrams are a work breakdown structure organized by the order of needed tasks. They are useful as a step in project planning and strategy, but do not provide much-needed context to stakeholders. These diagrams are not generally shared.

Network Diagram Pros:

  • First step to creating a PERT chart or finding the critical path
  • Useful for visualizing the tasks required to complete a project
  • Further breaks down work into manageable workflows and provides an order to complete tasks

Network Diagram Cons:

  • Does not track or estimate time for tasks or project completion
  • More of a planning tool than a way for stakeholders to visualize the project

Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) Charts

PERT charts are most useful for scheduling project tasks and estimating overall project timelines and deadlines. A PERT chart arranges all project tasks and the estimated time needed to complete them from start to finish and links them to their dependencies. 

A PERT chart is a type of network diagram that includes the time needed to complete each diagrammed task. On its own, a PERT chart does not provide project details, but project managers typically use them to find the critical path, build project schedules , and create other more shareable data visualizations.

PERT Chart Pros:

  • Can be used to find the critical path
  • Helps to estimate the time needed to complete project tasks and phases
  • Identifies and visualizes task dependencies
  • Useful for identifying dependencies between teams and departments

PERT Chart Cons:

  • Harder to read for complex projects
  • Requires accurate time estimates
  • Errors and inaccuracies can easily cascade down the line, causing larger errors later
  • Does not factor in resource needs or constraints

Critical Path Method (CPM) Charts

Use a critical path method (CPM) chart to identify the minimum time required to complete a project. They are useful for estimating timelines, performing risk assessments, and identifying project dependencies. Almost all projects can benefit from determining the critical path.

A CPM chart uses the time estimations made in a PERT chart to calculate the longest span of time required to see the project through to its end, or, the critical path . In this way, project managers can more accurately calculate project schedules and fit projects into a larger requirements calendar. A CPM chart is sometimes shared with stakeholders during the planning phase as part of project strategy, but it is not often included as an ongoing tracking metric. CPM charts can be made with pen and paper for smaller projects or with a critical path template for more complicated ones.

CPM Chart Pros:

  • Creates more accurate project schedule projections
  • Visualizes progress for a project
  • Easy to read with little context
  • Possible to create without software

CPM Chart Cons: 

  • Does not factor in external timelines or deadlines
  • Does not include resource information
  • Cannot anticipate external delays
  • Becomes much more complicated and harder to read on larger projects

Flowcharts are used in project management to create workflow diagrams or model decision trees or user journeys. They are useful for visualizing the possibilities related to decisions made and their potential journey and outcomes.

Flowcharts are easy to read and understand, and they can be easily created with pen and paper or pre-made flowchart mapping templates . Their graphic nature makes them ideal for describing thought processes or model workflows and more complicated processes to stakeholders in presentations. A workflow diagram is a flowchart that specifically visualizes the process order of a particular task.

Flowchart Pros:

  • Numerous use cases, from workflow diagrams to decision trees to user journeys
  • Intuitive; easy to read and understand
  • Simple to create with or without software
  • Highly visual format is ideal for presentations and sharing

Flowchart Cons:

  • Hard to edit and change; one change often necessitates additional adjustments down the flowchart
  • Complex flowcharts are more difficult to read
  • Challenging to maintain neatness as flowcharts get larger
  • Can be time-consuming to create

Activity Diagrams

Activity diagrams are complex flowcharts with specific, universal notations for choices, parallel actions, and requirements. They are often used in business process modeling and can also model more complicated workflows and processes. 

Activity diagrams are often used to model the user journey through an app or website or to model complex business and systems processes . They are generally more complex than a regular flowchart, and they’re easier to create and edit with software. Activity diagrams can be shared with stakeholders, but they are more often used for visualizing activities for planning and internal research purposes.

Activity Diagram Pros:

  • More specialized than a basic flowchart 
  • Useful for visualizing more complex processes
  • Features additional standardized notation to indicate parallel processes and requirements
  • Helps to visualize the logic behind UI/UX decisions

Activity Diagram Cons:

  • The layperson might find it challenging to interpret at a glance
  • Complex processes can be difficult to organize and read
  • Difficult to edit; changes to one item often require changes to subsequent ones
  • Does not provide context for resources or time

Cause-and-Effect Charts

A cause-and-effect chart enables you to visualize the results of direct inputs on corresponding outputs. These charts are a straightforward method for modeling the outcome (real or assumed) of choices made during or when planning a project.

Cause-and-effect charts are useful for presentations and sharing with stakeholders. They can help highlight the effects of decisions made during a project in a business post-mortem or lessons learned meeting . These simple charts are easy to make with graphics using software or simply by writing side by side in columns on paper. 

Cause-and-Effect Chart Pros:

  • Easily visualize the outcome or potential outcome of decisions made
  • Ideal for strategic planning in post-mortem and lessons learned meetings
  • Might be useful for compiling data over the long term
  • Great for training and resource planning

Cause-and-Effect Chart Cons:

  • Limited in scope; effects are often related to more than one cause
  • Does not separate cause and effects by weight; displays all items as the same impact visually
  • Requires accurate data and reflection, so the creator must be impartial

Fishbone Diagrams

Fishbone diagrams are used to visualize the potential causes of a given effect or outcome. The diagram orients the effect at the fish’s “head” and the potential causes cascade behind as the “bones.”

Fishbone diagrams are useful for brainstorming and strategic planning. They are often filled in as a group activity in meetings or to perform a root cause analysis . They are easy to create with pen and paper or from customizable fishbone templates . While they can be shared with stakeholders, a better option might be to provide a simpler cause-and-effect chart. 

Fishbone Diagram Pros:

  • Good tool for group brainstorming sessions
  • Identifies numerous potential causes for an effect
  • Useful tool for organizing thoughts before taking other actions

Fishbone Diagram Cons:

  • Cannot measure weight or severity of any cause over any other
  • Can create irrelevant lists of information, and checking them wastes time 
  • Not suitable for more complex issues with more complex causes
  • Must be paired with a strategic response to make improvements

Line Charts

A line chart is one of the clearest ways to model numerical data based on two variables. Those variables are often a quantity of an item on the y-axis in relation to “time” on the x-axis. Line charts are simple, universal, and easy to read.

Line charts can describe all kinds of data. You can easily see trends as a line that rises to the right, indicating the growth of your variables, while a line that descends portrays a reduction. You can “zoom in” on a chart to show small changes or “zoom out” to show larger ones. A line chart’s simplicity makes it easy to create without software. If you don’t want to make a hand drawing, you can learn how to make line charts in Microsoft Excel .

Most people are taught to read line charts when they’re young, so the charts are widely understood. For this reason, they are great for sharing trends or progress information with stakeholders and are often included in project status updates or dashboards.

Line Chart Pros:

  • Often familiar to viewers
  • Easy to understand
  • Outlines trends at a glance
  • Can represent large or small ranges of data equally well
  • Easy to create with or without software

Line Chart Cons:

  • Must be careful with chosen ranges to tell your data story — data from a shorter period might show larger variance than the same data from a longer time
  • Can track only two variables at a time
  • Does not include context to its data
  • Best when paired with other data or an explanation

Burn-Up and Burn-Down Charts

Burn-up and burn-down charts are line charts that model the work completed and remaining over a period of time. They are commonly used to track the progress of Agile sprints and provide an overview of how a team spent its time. 

“A burn-down chart illustrates the progress of a project sprint over time,” explains Walker from Ditto Transcripts. “Project managers use them to assess how quickly a project is progressing and whether or not it will be completed on time.” 

The y-axis measures the number of tasks or projects, and the x-axis measures the chosen timeframe. Burn-up and burn-down charts are easy and intuitive to read and create. They are often included on project status updates or dashboards because team members and other stakeholders can quickly see how a project is progressing and the amount of work remaining.

Burn-Up and Burn-Down Chart Pros:

  • Great for tracking progress of project sprints and ticket-based teams
  • Provides a model of productivity and efficiency for stakeholders
  • Extremely easy to read

Burn-Up and Burn-Down Chart Cons:

  • Provides no context to the type or impact of tasks completed or remaining

Cumulative Flow Diagrams

A cumulative flow diagram is a specialized burn-up chart that visualizes the amount of work by stage of progress. They provide more details about the state of a team’s backlog by highlighting tasks to do, in progress, and completed.

Cumulative flow diagrams are often used to monitor the stability of workflow over time. They are a great tool to share with stakeholders because they are an easy-to-read, graphic representation of the work a team is doing. They are relatively complex to design, so they are best created and updated with software and shared digitally.

Cumulative Flow Diagram Pros:

  • Highly visual and easy to read
  • Provides a view of a backlog and the phases of each task
  • Can help identify potential bottlenecks if the “flow” of any measured state becomes too uneven

Cumulative Flow Diagram Cons:

  • Difficult to create without software
  • Cannot be used to predict the future state of tasks
  • Doesn’t represent the size or impact of individual tasks

Control Charts

resource assignment chart

A control chart is a line graph bounded by an upper and lower control limit. They are generally used to track the outputs of a particular process and ensure that operations are within an acceptable range.

Control charts provide more context than a simple line chart because they indicate how close each data point came to reaching the upper and lower control limits. They also include a center line that shows the average value of the charted y-axis, allowing viewers to see trends over time.

“A control chart demonstrates the performance of a process over time,” explains Walker. “They allow managers and stakeholders to monitor the quality and consistency of various processes and help identify potential issues that need to be addressed.”

Control charts are easier to make with software or by using a control chart template . They are useful for auditing and diagnostics, but may contain too much specialized information for the casual stakeholder. A control chart does not provide context as to why a data point might be outside of the control limits, so they are most useful when the user has access to more detailed project data to diagnose these anomalies.

Control Chart Pros:

  • Useful for quality and performance management
  • Easy visualization of outliers and when they occurred
  • Great for tracking performance changes when introducing new processes or procedures
  • Can help diagnose issues by tracking down when outliers occurred

Control Chart Cons:

  • No context into how or why outliers occurred
  • Less intuitive for the layman to read
  • Requires context
  • Limits must be chosen carefully for the chart to be useful

/how-to-make-charts-in-excel

Bar charts, like line and pie charts, are a straightforward way to display basic data to stakeholders. Like line charts, bar charts also graph two variables, but they are better for comparing quantity instead of time. 

Bar charts can take two forms, traditional or stacked, to show off the data whichever way you prefer. They can also be modeled with vertical or horizontal bars based on design needs and how the creator wants to display their data. Bar charts are visually appealing, making them ideal  for sharing data with stakeholders in project reports or dashboards. You can create bar charts with software or on paper or a whiteboard.

Traditional bar charts often display numerical quantities of a variable or to show variance in the number of responses over time or from a group, such as sales of the same item at different store locations. A stacked bar chart acts similarly to a pie chart and visually displays the percentage or ratio of each variable within the total of the bar, which makes it easier to show the range of responses or its demographics. Bar charts can consist of single bars or groups of bars, but a single bar chart might often be better displayed as a line chart.

Bar Chart Pros:

  • Intuitive design and easy to understand for the layman
  • Can be used to model all kinds of relational data individually or by group
  • Highly graphic; works well for a presentation or dashboard

Bar Chart Cons:

  • The creator must understand the data being presented when selecting the range, or data can be skewed 
  • More complex data is more difficult to chart and to read
  • Cannot provide additional context outside of variables
  • Most useful when paired with discussion or context within a presentation

Pareto Charts

A Pareto chart is a combination bar and line chart that displays a quantitative variable in bars and the cumulative total of that variable over time with a line. They are used to measure the relative impact of a variable on an outcome.

Each bar in a Pareto chart represents a ratio of the total. For example, it can display the number of units of the same item sold by store location in bars and the number of units sold overall as a line chart. They are also used to identify the most common cause of an effect — for example, the most reported causes of the same kind of incident. The bars are always aligned with the highest quantity on the left and descending to the right. They are often used as a diagnostic or prioritization tool when tracking the cause of something, but can also be a helpful display for stakeholders when showing data such as sales by location.

“A Pareto chart shows the relative importance or impact of a variable,” explains Walker. “We use them to prioritize our manager’s efforts and focus on the things that will have the biggest impact on the success of a project.” 

Pareto charts can be hard to create without software because of their relative complexity and the need for precise math to align the bars and the line chart. If you don’t want to use specialized software, you can also download a Pareto chart template . 

Pareto Chart Pros:

  • Visual prioritization of the most important variables; easy to see what is most impactful and how it compares to other variables
  • Can chart many kinds of data, from store sales by month or location to the number of each type of reported cause of an incident.
  • Easy to read and understand
  • Graphic; great for sharing in presentations or dashboards

Pareto Chart Cons:

  • Does not provide context beyond quantity for each bar, so it can be challenging to determine cause and effect with a Pareto chart alone
  • Does not necessarily represent the severity of variables, only the quantity
  • Hard to create and update without software

A pie chart is a simple data visualization tool used to represent the percentage ratios of a single variable with a limited number of options. They are easy to read and useful for stakeholders who don’t require a lot of context.

You can create pie charts with software or by hand. They are good for providing information to stakeholders in presentations or on dashboards. They can represent all kinds of data, but are best used to compare the comparative quantities of multiple variables when grouped as a whole.

Pie Chart Pros:

  • Great for visualizing a small number of variables in relation to one another as part of a whole
  • Graphic and easy to read, making them good for dashboards and presentations

Pie Chart Cons:

  • Too many variables makes them harder to read 
  • Requires a key to identify variables
  • Provides no additional context 
  • Limited in scope; you might need multiple pie charts to represent the same information found in a stacked bar chart, for example

Matrix Diagrams

Matrices are used to compare complex data sets with numerous variables, helping viewers visualize many-to-many relationships rather than one-to-one. They can display more data at once, making them well-suited for prioritization and for visualizing a holistic overview of a situation.

Matrices can be used to help prioritize tasks or projects , as scoring models , or to find simple relationships between variables. They are easy to create with or without software tools and are an integral part of project planning and prioritization for many organizations. While they are sometimes shared with stakeholders to explain decision-making choices, there are often better charts for that purpose that do not include information they may find irrelevant.

Matrix Diagram Pros:

  • Used to visualize many-to-many relationships that might not otherwise be obvious
  • Ideal for project and task prioritization
  • Easy to create and understand
  • Useful for decision making and strategic planning

Matrix Diagram Cons:

  • Can get overly complex and lead to decision paralysis
  • Not a great visualization tool for stakeholders because of complexity and irrelevant information
  • Can be difficult to know how variables are related without context
  • Harder to read the larger they get

Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) Charts

raci chart example

A RACI chart is a visualization of who on a team is responsible, accountable, consulted, or informed for various project tasks and phases. They help provide visibility and encourage accountability across teams and departments.

Often, even if someone is not directly doing the work, they are still involved in a consultant or managerial fashion that may not be obvious when tracked on more traditional task assignment displays. RACI charts provide a more detailed picture of who should be paying attention to which project tasks at any given time.

You can make RACI charts without software, but they are often shared digitally and made available to everyone at all times. For this reason, using a RACI chart template or project management software is best for creating them because they can be shared with the team.

RACI Chart Pros:

  • Provides visibility and encourages accountability for tasks
  • Useful reference for cross-functional teams
  • Can be made simply with spreadsheets or use graphics for sharing in presentations or on dashboards

RACI Chart Cons:

  • Might add complexity where it is not needed or when responsibilities are clear and well established

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Matrix

A SWOT matrix helps the user outline the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks present in a potential project or business. It is a strategic planning tool that is useful for project prioritization and for business and personal growth. 

SWOT matrices are used for planning the strategies for business and growth opportunities, to shore up weaknesses, identify threats, and capitalize on strengths. It’s easy to perform a SWOT analysis with a pen and paper, but can benefit from using customizable SWOT templates . For more template ideas, see our collections of SWOT templates for Microsoft Word , PowerPoint , Google Docs , and Google Slides .

SWOT Matrix Pros:

  • Good for strategic planning and identifying growth opportunities
  • Useful for risk identification and mitigation
  • Simple to create and share

SWOT Matrix Cons:

  • Requires the creator to be completely impartial
  • Needs further action to act upon

Stakeholder Analysis Matrix

A stakeholder analysis matrix can help determine the level of involvement, as well as the regularity and type of communication, needed with different stakeholders. Depending on their interest and influence, stakeholders might need varying communication types and frequency about updates.

A stakeholder analysis matrix is easy to create with a pen and paper or from a stakeholder analysis template . They are a critical part of stakeholder management and are usually included in a project communication plan . They are useful tools for managing stakeholder expectations about types and frequencies of contact, and can help reduce the number of calls and emails required to keep clients in the loop.

Stakeholder Analysis Matrix Pros:

  • Sets expectations of types and frequencies of contact
  • Helps manage client expectations
  • Provides a reference for team members to field questions and reports

Stakeholder Analysis Matrix Cons:

  • Can be time-consuming to create if there are a lot of stakeholders
  • Stakeholders’ needs vary by projects making profiles hard to templatize
  • Stakeholders might not always agree about their assigned level of contact

Project Management Charts at a Glance

Project management uses dozens of types of charts. We’ve created this chart to help you see what each kind is used for, what to consider when using it, and which project management methodologies it integrates with best.

Why Charts Are Crucial for Project Management

Charts help you visualize data to aid in sharing or decision-making. Project management is a complicated business: Using charts to get complex ideas out of your head and onto the page helps keep you organized. 

“The biggest advantage of visualizing project data with charts is that it allows you to quickly and easily recognize trends and patterns in your data,” says Walker. “This can help you identify areas in need of improvement or potential issues in your work processes, so you can make more informed decisions about how to manage your projects.” 

In addition to tracking numerical data, charts are also useful for planning and organizing your thoughts. 

Randall Englund

“The biggest advantage of using charts is the ability to visualize complete content in one image,” explains Randall Englund, the Project Management Instructor at Northeastern University College of Professional Studies. “It can really help you see the big picture, and each topic can be expanded to see additional details, such as relationships to other topics. They’re also useful for brainstorming project tasks, categorizing them, and then exporting the most important things into your project plan and your software.”

Charts are an important diagnostic and tracking tool that can show your progress, or lack thereof, over time.

Alaa Negeda

Alaa Negeda , Chief Technology Officer at ALXTEL, adds, “Charts are visually appealing and make data easy to understand. They make it easy to compare data across different periods or projects, and can help you make better decisions by providing data-driven insights. Depending on the chart, they can improve your communication with your team, or with stakeholders and clients. Charts make it easier to identify and solve problems, which makes it easier to manage projects.”

What to Consider When Choosing a Chart for Data Visualization

Different charts are best for visualizing various kinds of data. Some charts are better for decision making, and others are better for sharing with stakeholders. Here are some considerations when choosing a chart:

  • Consider Your Audience: Are you making a chart to share data with stakeholders, or is it for your own decision-making purposes? Charts that are shared with stakeholders should be more graphic and simple to read. “Consider the specific goals and objectives of your project and its audience, as well as the type and amount of data available. Every project is different, and the best way to determine what works best for your stakeholders is through trial and error,” advises Walker.

Stefan Oborski

  • Consider Your Goals: What is your goal when charting? Are you sharing information, pitching a new process, or using it to help make a decision? For decision-making, often it is suitable to put pencil to paper and get to brainstorming knowing that it will not be shared with others.
  • Consider Its Future: Will your charts be used to compare to past or future projects? It might be worth making digital charts if you know you will want to reference or update them in the future.

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Project Plan 365

Lesson 5: Assign Resources to Tasks

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Once a project schedule is created, it will usually have to be altered to avoid overallocating a particular resource (for instance, a subcontractor), which will cause the schedule to be held up. Assignments are the last step of data to enter into the project schedule and they reflect who works on a task. Knowing how to allocate resources will help keep you in control of your project from start to finish. By assigning resources to tasks, you can make sure that you have enough resources to accomplish the tasks in your project. You assign people and equipment in the same way. You assign resources to tasks to clarify responsibility for getting those tasks done. Assigning resources also helps you determine how long it will take for a task to get done, and, if you track costs, how much the task will cost.

You should assign resources to tasks when your goal is to:

     - Track the amount of work done by the people and equipment assigned to the tasks.

        -  Ensure high accountability and understanding of the project --- responsibilities are clear, which decreases the risk of tasks being overlooked.

  - Have greater flexibility in planning when and how long tasks take to complete.

  - Monitor resources with too little or too much work assigned.

  - Keep track of resource costs.

Step by step on how to assign resources to tasks:

1. Assign resource using Resource Names column in the Gantt Chart view.

If  Resource Name  column is not present in your table, right click on grid columns and click on insert column then select "Resource Names".

1. You can import Team Members using the Assign Team Members dialog (menu Team - Assign - Team Member) or by adding them from Gantt Chart.

resource assignment chart

2. When you open the  Resource Names  drop-down menu, you will get a list of all resources in your project and the Team Members (marked with an icon). Note that all the Team Members are visible in this list (imported or not). Selecting any Team Member in this list will import it to the current project (only once). If you want to add a new Team Member, click Add Team Member button and the following dialog will be opened.

resource assignment chart

After clicking on the  Add Team Member  button, John will be added as a  Team Member .

resource assignment chart

Note that  Imported Team Members that are assigned to tasks are shown in the Resource Names with a distinct icon in front of their name. 

resource assignment chart

2.  Assign Resource using Task Information dialog   

Open  Task Information  dialog and in Resource tab write or select the resource/resources you want to add. Set the resource units or the number of items.

resource assignment chart

3.   Assign Resource using Assign resources dialog.

Select the desired  task in  the  grid  then   go to menu Team  - Assign - Resource .  In Assign Resource dialog,  select the  desired  resource and click on Assign  button. Set the resource units or the number of items.

resource assignment chart

  Note:   If a task is not selected and we click on the  Assign – Team Member   or  Resource   buttons from the  Team  menu, a message will warn you that you must select a task  in order to use this option.  

resource assignment chart

4.  Assign resource type Material .

First add  resources like equipment and materials  using  Resource  Sheet  view.  

resource assignment chart

Define resource type using  Type column  -  select Material type.  

Then, go to Gantt Chart view, locate  in Resource  Names  column the desired material resource.    

Note:   If you have a single task with a lot of people assigned, making changes in the  Resource Names  column may not work.  

For tasks where you need a lot of resources assigned, it's best to make your assignments, and make changes to those assignments, in the  Task Information dialog  box.   On the  Resources  tab, you can assign a longer list of resources to the task.  

resource assignment chart

With regard to resource assignment, there are two types of scheduling generally met in project management:

1. Fixed deadline and unlimited resources - it is the case when adhering to a strict deadline is mandatory, and the project manager must do whatever it takes to meet the deadline;

2. Limited resources - when the resources are limited but the deadline is flexible; in this situation the PM is not allowed to hire new persons; overallocation is allowed, corresponding to resources working more than 8 hours a day (extra-working hours), and this degenerates in a more flexible deadline.

Project Plan 365 implements the two scheduling policies above regarding resource assignment and, also, a third one.

In the first scenario described above, the PM estimates the maximum duration for each task such that the whole project will meet the deadline. Then, it assigns all the resources necessary to accomplish the activity in the given period. If you are in this situation while planning, then Project Plan 365 must use the "Fixed Duration" policy.

In the second scenario, instead estimating the duration of the task, you should estimate the total amount of work required to accomplish the task (that is the number of hours required by a single person to do the task). After setting the work field, you assign the resources you have and the duration of the task will be computed based on the assignment. In this situation, Project Plan 365 must use "Fixed Units" policy.

The current section describes resource assignment under "Fixed Units".

You can assign one resource, a part-time resource, multiple resources, or multiple units of the same resource to a task. Project Plan 365 displays the percentage of time a resource is assigned to a task, and the number of multiple resources assigned to the task, next to the resource name by the task bar on the Gantt Chart. You can remove a resource from a task at any time. If you want to remove a resource from a task, simply delete the resource name values from the Resource Names cell corresponding to that task. Use the Undo option if you want to restore the assignment.

When assigning a resource of type work, this may work full time at a given task, or part time. You indicate the percent of the work day dedicated by the resource to the task in units: 1 unit (or 100%) is equivalent to full time. Project Plan 365 allows resource assignments with 0% units and resource assignments that exceed 100% units. A resource assignment with 50% units corresponds to 4 hrs/day, while a resource assignment with 200% units corresponds to 16 hrs/day. If two resources are allocated to the same task, the total number of Resource Units assigned to that task is 250% or simply 2.5.

The first time you add resources to a task, you will notice that a value for the work field is computed for that task. The formula used to compute work is:  task work = task duration x assignment units . If you edit again the assignment (i.e. the Resources names field), you will see that duration gets modified while the value of work is kept constant. If you modify the total amount of work required for the task and edit the work field, the duration is recomputed. Changes in duration draw updates on work. This is the scheduling behavior at resource assignment under the "Fixed Units" policy.

Assign a resource

 1. by typing its name in the cell from Resource Names column in Gantt Chart view

 2. in Task Information Resource tab type the name of the resource in cell

 3. use Resource Name cell and select from a resource from the drop-down list of available resources

    4. to assign a resource part-time, type a decimal fraction in the Units field to represent the percentage of working time you want the resource to spend on the task

 5. to assign several different resources, select them

 6. to assign more than one of the same resource, such as two carpenters, type the number of units in the Units field

Units  - The number of units or the quantity of a resource assigned to a task. For example, if you have a plumbing task, you could assign two units, or two plumbers, to the task. If you have one plumber, you could assign 0.5 units (half of the plumber's time) to the task.

Once a resource is assigned to a task, the resource name will be displayed in Resource Name column and in Gant panel on the right side of gantt representation.

If you do not enter resource information, Project Plan 365 calculates your schedule using just task duration and task relationships information.

Resource assignments affect the length of time it takes to complete a task. Based on your resource assignments, Project Plan 365 also calculates costs for resources and tasks, if you entered cost information, and the amount of work completed.

Changing a resource assignment may change the duration of the task.

   Practice

1. If you look in the current commercial construction project, you will notice that so far, since no resource was assigned to a task, no work is conducted yet in the project. So if you switch to the Gantt Chart and look in the Work column, you will notice that we only have zero values.

resource assignment chart

2. Now, let's start entering assignments in our commercial construction project plan. To assign a resource to a task, click in the Resource Names cell and use the drop-down arrow to select a resource from the pick list. This is better than typing in the name in case you get the spelling wrong. You may need to resize the Resource Names column by dragging it to the right to reveal more content of it. Please keep in a mind that if you enter in the Resource Names cell a new resource name different than the resources you already have entered in Resource Sheet, a new resource will be automatically created and added for you in the list from Resource Sheet. Let’s consider that the task called Receive notice to proceed and sign contract has allocated the resource named G.C. General Management. You will see that in the displayed drop-down there are listed in an alphabetical order all of our resources, regardless of their type. Check in this list G.C. General Management so it will be assigned to the task. Press on another cell so that the change is applied.

resource assignment chart

3. When assigning a resource of type work, this may work full time at a given task, or part time. You indicate the percent of the work day dedicated by the resource to the task in units: 1 unit (or 100%) is equivalent to full time. Assignment units indicate how much of the resource's available time, according to the resource calendar, is being used to work on a particular task. In our previous case, since no assignment unit was explicitly specified, it is considered to be 100% or the resource works full-time to the task. Keep in mind that assigning resources using the ‘Resource Names’ column will assign by default resources to tasks at 100% units.

resource assignment chart

4. The first time you add resources to a task, you will notice that a value for the work field is computed for that task. For our task, the automatically computed work value is of 24 hrs. This value is computed based on the scheduling formula:

Work = Duration * Resource Units , where:

  • Work is the amount of effort, commonly measured in hours, which the resource assigned to that task will have to perform for the task completion
  • Duration is the length of working time needed to complete a task and it is the difference between the start date and finish date of a task, and
  • Resource Units indicates how much of the resource available time is devoted for working on a particular task

In our case, the duration is of 3 days and we have assigned to the task a resource with a Standard calendar that is working full-time, 8 hours/day. This results in a work of 24 hours for this task.

5. Notice that once the assignment was made, the resource name will appear next to the taskbar in the right Gant Chart panel. Select this task and then in the Task menu, press on Scroll To option. This will help you to quickly locate in the right chart the taskbar corresponding to this task. This is the default formatting of displaying the assigned resource name to the right of the taskbar. However, this behaviour can be changed by customizing the display of the taskbars in Gantt Chart.

resource assignment chart

6. We will continue with assigning resources to tasks in our project and proceed in the same way as before. Suppose that for the completion of Install millwork and wood trim task it is needed the G.C. Finish Carpenter Crew resource. Locate this task and in the list from the Resource Names cell select this resource to assign it to the task. In this case, the computed work is of 120 hours, corresponding to a task duration of 3 weeks, each week consisting of 5 days, when the resource is working full-time, 8 hrs/day.

resource assignment chart

7. Next we will assign Electric Contractor to the Install conduit at ceiling plenum space task, for Install duct in ceiling plenum space task allocate HVAC Contractor resource. Then for Install ceiling grid and Install ceiling tile tasks we will need the Drywall Contractor resource.

resource assignment chart

8. Notice that the assignment of Drywall Contractor, which is a part-time resource, draws some changes in the scheduling. This causes the finish date of the task to move later on in time, incurring also changes in the parent summary task and in the project summary task.

resource assignment chart

9. For the Hang wallpaper task we will need the Painting Contractor, for the Complete elevator inspection and certification task we will need Elevator Contractor, for Install hard tile flooring in common areas we will need Tile Contractor, for Substantial completion date we will need G.C. Superintendent and for Issue final completion documents including warranties we will need G.C. Project Management.

resource assignment chart

10. So far we’ve only added only one resource to each task, but we can have more than one resource allocated to a task. Using the drop-down list from Resource Names cell we can assign at a task multiple resources at once. Let’s do this for the task called Rough-in electric and plumbing in elevator. In the displayed drop-down list, we just need to select all the resources needed for the completion of this task, let’s say Plumbing Contractor and Electric Contractor. After pressing on another cell, notice the name of the two resources separated by a comma, that appears in the Resource Names cell.

resource assignment chart

11. Besides work resources, we can also use this method to assign material resources to tasks. Bear in mind that unlike work resources, assigning material resources to a task does not affect task scheduling. Let’s suppose that for the Paint walls and woodwork task we require a Painting Contractor and 1 liter of Painting Material. In the drop-down list for this task, just check Painting Contractor and Painting Material.

resource assignment chart

Once doing this, you will notice that the name of the material resource will be followed in brackets by its material label that we’ve specified in Resource Sheet. 1 liter written within the square brackets signifies that for this task we need one liter, meaning 1 unit from the Painting Material.

12. A similar thing is for task called Pour concrete elevator walls. Let’s assume that for its completion we need the G.C. Concrete Crew and 1 ton of Concrete. Select these two resources from the drop-down list. The name of the Concrete resource will be followed like previously by its material label.

resource assignment chart

13. Using the drop-down list displayed in the Resource Names cell was a quick and easy method of assigning resources to our tasks. The only issue with this method is that there is no option in the dropdown that could allow us to specify units for a particular assignment. If you want to specify how much of a resource should be assigned to a certain task, you have to edit the Resource Names cell and type this assignment unit directly in this cell. Notice that you can also assign a resource to a task by directly typing a value in the Resource Names cell. Let’s say that for the Pour column piers and foundations task we need to indicate an assignment unit of 150% for the G.C. Concrete Crew resource, meaning that we need for this task more than 1 unit of the same resource. For this, in the Resource Names cell we will type G.C. Concrete Crew[150%]. Notice that after the name of the resource, within the square brackets we indicate the assignment units. Project Plan 365 supports resource assignments that exceed 100% units.

resource assignment chart

14. For the Strip wall forms task, we will proceed in a similar manner by directly typing in the Resource Names cell. In this case, we will specify an assignment unit less than 100%. The resource called G.C. Labor Crew spend his time on other tasks from this project and can allocate to this task only 10% of this time. To indicate this, in the Resource Names cell we will type G.C. Labor Crew[10%]. In this case, we have a task duration of 2 days, the assignment unit is 10%, so to compute the work for this task we have to multiply 2 by 8, which corresponds to a 100% assignment units when the resource is working full-time 8 hrs/day according to the Standard calendar. But since here we only have 10% assignments units, the resulted work for this task is 1.6 hrs. If you look in the right side of Gantt Chart, notice that like in the Resource Names cell in the left, for this resource, besides its name it also appear the assignment units.

resource assignment chart

15. Also for the material resources that we’ve previously assigned in our project, we see next to the taskbar, the name of the material resource followed by the material label.

resource assignment chart

16. Another way of assigning a resource to a task is to use the Task Information dialog. This method is especially useful if you don’t want to type the assignment units by yourself in the Resource Names cell. Also for tasks where you need a lot of resources assigned, it's best to make your assignments, and make changes to those assignments, in the Task Information dialog box. Select for instance the task called Prepare and submit project schedule, and in the Task menu press on Task Information option. In the Task Information dialog that shows up, go to the Resources tab. If you select the Resource Name cell, you will see that again in the displayed drop-down, the resources are listed alphabetically. Let’s suppose that for this task I need full-time the G.C Scheduler and only 25% of the G.C. Project Management resource. First we will select G.C. Project Management from the displayed list. To specify 25% assignment units for this task, in the Units field type 25. Select another cell so that the drop-down list closes. Then, move to the below row and here when pressing in the Resource Name cell, we will select G.C Scheduler. On the row corresponding to this resource, notice that 100% Units is filled by default for you, meaning that the resource is working full-time on this task.

resource assignment chart

17. In this way, we've indicated that for this task, the G.C. Project Management resource is assigned part-time, having in the Units column, a percentage less than 100. More exactly 25% means that the resource is spending a quarter of its available time on this assignment. Even if the resource is a full-time resource, some assignments may require only a part-time effort, leaving the remaining time available for another assignments or projects. Press OK in this dialog, so that all these changes will have effect. If we look in the Resource Names column for this task, we now see the resources that we’ve just assigned before.

resource assignment chart

18. Now let’s use again the Task Information dialog to assign some resources to other tasks in our project. Select the task called Excavate foundations and open for it the Task Information dialog. We need for this task two resources: G.C. Labor Crew and Site Grading Contractor, with an assignment unit of 50%, being allocated part-time to this task. Like before, first we will select G.C. Labor Crew in the drop-down list. As a tip, to find more quickly a resource in this drop-down list, if you type the first letter of the resource name, you will be offered some suggestion based on the resource name. In the second row we will select Site Grading Contractor. Then type in the Units cell 50. In this way, we’ve specified that the Site Grading Contractor is spending half the available time on this assignment.

resource assignment chart

19. Now for the Perform architect's inspection task we will indicate that we need for its completion G.C. Superintendent and G.C. Project Management resources, both of them working part-time on this task. We will introduce these assignments by using again the Task Information dialog.

resource assignment chart

20. For the task below this one, we need the same resources with the same assignment units as before. To specify this more quickly, we will use copy and paste to copy these assignments from the Resource Names cell. Position on the Resource Names cell for the Perform architect's inspection task and in the Task menu, press Copy. Then position in the Resource Names cell from the below task and press on Paste. You will notice that the same content as in the above cell was copied here in the Resource Names cell corresponding to Perform Fire Marshal's inspection task.

resource assignment chart

21. Using the same Task Information dialog make the following assignments:

a. for Submit bond and insurance documents task assign G.C. Project Management,G.C. General Management[25%] resources

b. for Obtain building permits task assign G.C. Project Management[50%],G.C Procurement[50%] resources

c. for Submit preliminary shop drawings task assign G.C. Project Management[50%],G.C Procurement[50%] resources,

d. for Submit shop drawings and order long lead items - steel task assign Steel Erection Contractor Management resource

e. for Submit shop drawings and order long lead items - roofing task assign Roofing Contractor Management resource

f. for Detail, fabricate and deliver steel task assign Steel Erection Contractor Management[50%],Steel Erection Contractor[50%] resources

g. for Install temporary power task assign Electric Contractor resource

h. for Set up site office task assign G.C. Superintendent,G.C. Labor Crew[10%] resources

i. for  Prepare site - lay down yard and temporary fencing task assign Site Grading Contractor,G.C. Labor Crew[10%] resources

j. for Prepare site - lay down yard and temporary fencing task assign Site Grading Contractor,G.C. Labor Crew[10%] resources

k. for Clear and grub site task assign Site Grading Contractor resource

l. for Rough grade site (cut and fill) task assign Site Grading Contractor resource, for Install exterior fire line and building fire riser task assign Plumbing Contractor resource

l. for Perform final site grading task assign Site Grading Contractor resource

m.for Cure elevator wall concrete task assign G.C. Labor Crew[10%] resource

n. for Prepare and pour concrete floor in elevator pit task assign G.C. Concrete Crew resource

o. for Remove debris from building and do final clean-up task assign Tile Contractor[50%] resource

p. for Issue final request for payment task assign G.C. Project Management[33%],G.C Accounting[33%],G.C. General Management[33%] resources.

resource assignment chart

If you prefer to see things in action, rather than reading text, watch out this   video , which covers some of the topics from this section.

resource assignment chart

View resource workloads and availability in Project desktop

As a project manager, one of the most important aspects of your role is to monitor the assignments for each of your resources so that you can effectively balance their workloads. Some resources might be overallocated, and others might be underallocated. You can review how efficiently your resources are being used in your project, and whether you need to make any adjustments, by viewing their workloads and availability in Microsoft Project.

What do you want to do?

Review resource workloads by using the resource usage view, review availability for enterprise resources by using project online, use a graph to view individual workloads, view a list of resources who are overallocated, group resources who are overallocated, find resources who have available time.

In the Task or Resource tab, click Resource Usage in the View dropdown menu.

Review the resource names and their assigned tasks in the table portion of the Resource Usage view.

Review the timescale portion of the view to see how work is allocated over the selected time period.

In many resource views, including the Resource Usage view, overallocated resources are shown in red. An overallocation occurs whenever a resource's maximum units have been exceeded for any period of time. In resource sheets, the indicator field for overallocated resources also includes the Resource leveling indicator, which indicates that the resource be leveled. Check for the indicator, and review the task assignments to assess whether the overallocation is acceptable.

For example, suppose that two tasks have a duration of four hours, and that they both start and finish at the same times. If you assign both tasks to Bob, he is technically overallocated, because during that four-hour span of the two tasks, Bob is working at 200 percent. However, if leveling is set to a day-by-day basis, Bob does not need to be leveled, because during the whole day he doesn't exceed his total eight-hour capacity to work.

Note:  Along with resource assignments for tasks in the currently opened project, the Resource Usage view also displays summary resource assignments. Summary resource assignments indicate the total amount of work a resource is assigned to in all other projects. Summary resource assignments are only shown if you are connected to Microsoft Project Server and if you have an enterprise project open. If you don't want summary assignment rows to affect the totals shown in the Resource Usage view, you can select the summary assignment rows and then press DELETE.

You can also display and modify the Resource Usage view to see all of the resource assignments and their percentages of work allocation in a timesheet. This view shows all assignments by resource, and shows how fully these resources are allocated to assigned tasks over time.

In the Format tab, click Add Details .

In the Available fields list, click Percent Allocation , and then click Show .

Review the timescale portion of the view. In the % Alloc. row that you've just added, you can see the percentage of the resource's total available working time that is allocated to assignments during the selected time period. In addition, the timescale portion of the view shows both the resource's overallocated work and its allocation percentage in red, making it possible for you to pinpoint exactly when the resource becomes overallocated.

Tip:  You can zoom in on the time period shown in the timescale (for example, you can change the view from days to hours) by clicking Zoom In (+) located at the bottom right corner of the window. Likewise, you can zoom out from the time period (for example, you can change the view from days to weeks) by clicking Zoom Out (-) .

To find overallocated or underallocated resources either within a project or across projects, you can access Project Online and view a graph and table of resource availability.

From the Project Online Project Center , click Resources in the left side menu.

Select the resource or resources whose availability information you want to view by selecting the check box next to their name and then in the Resources tab, click Capacity Planning in the Navigate section.

To select adjacent resources in the list, hold down SHIFT while you click the first and then the last resource. To select nonadjacent resources, hold down CTRL while you click each resource.

In the Views section of the Availability tab, select a resource view.

To display assignment work grouped first by resources and then by the projects that the resource appears in, select Work by Resource .

To display assignment work grouped by the projects that the resource appears in, select Resource Utilization by Project .

To display the amount of time that the resource has available to work during a specified time period, select Remaining Availability .

To display the amount of work that the resource is assigned to do, select Resource Utilization .

If you selected multiple resources on the previous page, you can click in the legend on the chart to select the resources that you want to view in the graph.

The Details table below the graph shows a timescale that displays how much work the resource is assigned to during the specified time period.

Tip:  To see a different date range in the chart, click Set Date Ranges in the Availability tab, and then select new dates in the Set Date Range boxes.

The Resource Graph view displays a bar chart view of an individual resource's workload and availability. This view allows you to quickly discover whether the selected resource is overallocated or underallocated for a specific period of time. You can also see the percentage of units allocated for assignments, along with the resource's maximum units availability.

In the Resource tab, select the Resource Graph view in the View section.

Review the name of the first resource in the Resource Graph view by scrolling left or right in the left window.

If the resource name is listed in red, then the resource is overallocated. Resources listed in black are allocated either exactly at or under their full capacity.

Review the bar chart to see the level of overallocation or underallocation.

Blue bars (by default) indicate the amount of allocated work that is at or below the resource's maximum unit and working time availability for that time period. Red bars (by default) indicate that the resource is overallocated because the resource has exceeded their maximum unit and working time availability for a given time period.

Review the highest allocation percentages that occur in the time period shown — that is, the peak units for the resource in the time period.

Peak units are listed at the bottom of the graph.

To view the bar graph for the next resource, either press PAGE DOWN or use the scroll bar or the arrow keys.

Top of Page

You can see a list of only those resources that are overallocated by displaying the Resource Sheet view or the Resource Usage view, and then filtering for overallocated resources.

In the View section, click Resource Sheet or Resource Usage from the dropdown.

In the View tab, click the Filter dropdown menu in the Data section, and then click Overallocated Resources .

To see the full list of resources again, click the Filter dropdown menu and then click No Filter .

Note:  Even without filtering for overallocated resources, you can easily see which resources are overallocated, because their names are shown in red in any resource view. Also, in the Resource Sheet and Resource Usage views, the indicator field will suggest that overallocated resources be leveled.

Task views can also be used to display overallocations, though they don't show overallocations in red the way that resource views do. If you are working in a task view, you can step through each task that has resource overallocations, though a task view won't show you which resources (or how many) are overallocated.

While in any task view, such as the Gantt Chart or Network Diagram, in the Resource tab, click Next Overallocation in the Level section.

In the Resource Sheet or Resource Usage view, you can group resources who are overallocated. You can also group resources by their peak units, which indicate their maximum percentage allocations on assignments during the project. Reviewing overallocated resources by the extent of their overallocations can help you to focus on the most extensively overallocated resources first.

In the View section, click Resource Sheet or Resource Usage .

In the View tab, click on the Group by dropdown menu and then click New Group By .

In the Field Name box, select Overallocated .

In the Order box, select Ascending or Descending .

If you click Ascending , the group of resources that are not overallocated appears first and the group of overallocated resources appears second.

To create a nested grouping of peak units, click the Then by box, and then click Peak .

Supply a name for the grouping and then click Apply .

The view is grouped according to your specifications. Any resource that has any assignment exceeding 100 percent of peak units at any time during the project is grouped under Overallocated: Yes . If you specify a nested grouping of peak units, you might have additional groupings under headings such as Peak: 200% , Peak: 300% , and so on.

To see resources listed in their original order in the Group by box, click [No Group] .

If you have resources who are overallocated, you might want to identify resources in the project who have available time, so that you can distribute the workload more evenly. This capacity is also useful if there are additional unassigned tasks and you want to find out who is available to take on more work.

Resource availability is calculated using the following formula:

Resource Availability = Resource Capacity - (Summary Resource Assignment + Calendar Exceptions)

The Summary Resource Assignment is the sum of all work done by the resource, and Calendar Exceptions are any exceptions on the resource's base calendar.

To find resources who can work additional hours on a job, you can display and modify the Resource Usage view to see the amount of time (hours, days, or weeks) that a resource has available for additional assignments. You can also use this view to redistribute work from overallocated resources to underallocated ones.

In the View section, click Resource Usage .

In the Format tab, in the Details section, check the Remaining Availability box.

In the Rem. Avail. (remaining availability) row, review the amount of work that represents remaining availability, or underallocation, for each time period.

You can also display and modify the Resource Graph view to view a bar chart of an individual resource's workload, which can help you to discover who can work additional hours on a task. You can review information about one underallocated resource at a time in the Resource Graph view. You can see the amount of available work by time period.

In the View section, click Resource Graph .

In the Format tab, click the Graph dropdown menu, and then select Work Availability .

For the selected resource, review the amount of available work shown in the bar chart. Scroll through the timescale to see underallocations during varying periods of time.

Review the amount of available time for the selected resource at the bottom of the graph.

To move to the next resource that has available time, press PAGE DOWN or use the scroll bar or the arrow keys in the left pane.

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Project Management Templates

Resource Planning Template Excel – Free Download

Resource Planning Template Excel

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Resource Planning Template Excel helps to plan resource capacity planning, utilization and allocation. You can Track and to monitor the bandwidth of the team and manage your resource more effectively. A Project Resource Template can be very helpful to simplify and schedule your Project Resource . Resource allocation template in Microsoft Excel is created for resource tracking. You can download and use this free resource planning spreadsheet template for capacity planning.

Resource Planning Template Excel

You can download the Excel Resource Planning Template and Enter the Data in the Data Sheet.Resource Allocation Template Excel Microsoft Spreadsheet is easy to use and manage your team resource. You can resource utilization template excel is one of the useful resource planning tools excel for resource planning in Excel. You can go to Reports Tab to see the Resource Bandwidth by each month.

  • Download the Project Resource Planning Template in Excel Format
  • Click on the Resource Report button in the Details sheet
  • Click on the ‘Data Entry’ button in the Report Sheet to Enter New Records
  • You can change the default format of the template using the built-in tool in Excel
  • This Template will work on Excel 2007, 2010,2013,2016.
  • This templates also compatible with Mac with Office 2011 or 2016.

Fields in Project Resource Planning Template Data sheet

We have captured minimum required fields in the Resource Data Sheet. You can add more dimensions if required.

  • ID: Resource Activity Serial Number
  • Resource Name: Name of the Resource
  • Project Name: Name of the Project allocated
  • Activity: Activity Description assigned to the Resource
  • Start Date: Date to start working on the task
  • End Date: Due Date to complete the task
  • Hours/Day: Hours required per day to complete the activity.

Project Resource Planning Template Report

Report in Resource Planner Excel and Heat Map in Project Resource Planning Template helps to understand the bandwidth used and available for each resource of your team. You can select month and year from the drop-down list and select the required items. This will automatically populate the sum of hours by person per each day of the month.

  • Resource Name in the Left side is the list of name of your team
  • Month and Year Data Bars: This bar chart represents the overall bandwidth utilization of your team members for the entire month
  • White Color represents No Hours allocated on the date, i.e; Resource is completely Free
  • Light Orange Pink Color represents fewer hours utilized
  • Dark Pink Color represents More hours utilized

Download Free Project Resource Planning Excel Template

Here is the Excel Template for Planning the Project Resource. You can download and make any changes if required to suit you needs.

Resource Planning Template Excel – Free Download

How to Create a Resource Plan in Excel

Follow the below steps to create a resource plan in Excel.

  • Download the Free Resource Plan Excel Template
  • Go to Data Sheet to enter the data
  • Select data for Resource Name, Activity Fields
  • Enter data for in Start Date, End Date Fields
  • Also Enter Man Hours in Hours/Day Fields
  • Now check the Report Tab to Plan your Resource

Please Check Our Premium Project Management Templates

Hope this topic ‘ Resource Planning Template Excel – Free Download ‘ helps you to understand and create your own Plans using Excel and VBA. We are trying our best to help you in your resource management by creating this free templates.

Feel free to download the Free Resource Scheduling Template and other Excel Templates available in our blog. Please share your valuable feedback and thoughts with us about our Templates and other stuff in our blog and Forums.

A Powerful & Multi-purpose Templates for project management. Now seamlessly manage your projects, tasks, meetings, presentations, teams, customers, stakeholders and time. This page describes all the amazing new features and options that come with our premium templates.

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Essential pack 50+ pm templates, excel pack 50+ excel pm templates, powerpoint pack 50+ excel pm templates, ms word pack 25+ word pm templates, ultimate project management template, ultimate resource management template, project portfolio management templates, 31 comments.

Thank you very much. It is very helpful and an amazing template.

Good afternoon,

Having found your sheet via google, I downloaded a copy. It does say that data can be edited or modified to suit. It appears it cannot.

Please advise?

Kind regards,

Martin Sargeant

Thanks for contacting us.

Yes, you can edit formulas and all the sheets to suit your needs. Could you please describe the issue more elaborately.

This is a good start to a template. Biggest feedback would be ability to remove or not count the weekends. Unless there’s a way and I didn’t notice

Hi, I have downloaded the resource planning worksheet, but something seems not right. When values entered in the data sheet , hours are being spread for the weekends (Sat & Sun) . Rare case scenario and no organisation works 7 days a week.

can you suggest?

Regards, Prashanth

Hi, I have a work around for this, I have filtered out the weekends from the dates at the top of the report. In cell D3 paste: =IF(WEEKDAY(DATE(Report!$AA$1,Report!$T$1,1),2)<6,DATE(Report!$AA$1,Report!$T$1,1),IF(WEEKDAY(DATE(Report!$AA$1,Report!$T$1,1),2)=6,DATE(Report!$AA$1,Report!$T$1,1)+2,DATE(Report!$AA$1,Report!$T$1,1)+1))

In cell E3 paste: =IFERROR(IF(MONTH(D3+1)=MONTH($D$3),IF(WEEKDAY(D3,2)=5,IF(MONTH(D3+3)=MONTH($D$3),D3+3,""),D3+1),""),"")

Then drag the formula in E3 across to AH3. It will show only weekdays across the top and the hours below are shown only for weekdays.

I haven't looked at public holidays yet, I think it will be too complicated.

Would like to make some changes in the Resource Planning Template. I am unable to insert a column in the data sheet. I would like to have an extra column

Recently I downloaded the Resource planning Excel Template. Now I would like to make some changes in the template to suit my own requirements. I would like to add a new column in the data sheet. However, I am unable to do this. Can you help me out in this.

Regards Srinivas

How do i add more resources to the Report sheet

I’m attempting to use the heatmap template, but I need weekends and holidays to be excluded. Can someone help me figure out how to do this? Please and thank you! :)

You can simply drag down the last record to add more resource the template.

You can use WeekDay Formula to avoid requred days. For example, the following formula will exclude Sunday and Saturday: =IF(OR(WEEKDAY(Report!D$3)=1,WEEKDAY(Report!D$3)=7),",SUMIFS(Table1[[Hours/Day]:[Hours/Day]],Table1[[Resource Name]:[Resource Name]],Report!$B4,Table1[[Start Date]:[Start Date]]," ="&Report!D$3))

I have just downloaded the template but I am unable to change any details on the data sheet, can you advise how I can rectify this?

Thanks Laura

I cannot remove the weekdays based on the above tricks…can I getmore detailed help please? Thanks JM

how to edit the year in the template? I need only 2019,2020,2021&2022

Can you please provide the password as the sheets are locked.

In what cell?

Is there a way to make the view months in the year rather than days in the month?

How can I change the view from Days in the Month to Months in a Year?

At Range D4

How can I change the heat map view from daily to monthly?

Hi, You can calculate the Monthly Values based on the Daily Values. Or, you can change the SUMIFS criteria to aggregate by Month. Thanks

The year range in heat map is only until 2022. How do I change it to 2023?

Updated! Please download the latest file.

Have loaded in all data but dashboard is blank, can you check it to see where I went wrong?

Please download the latest Resource Plan template.

Hi, downloaded the latest version. But the sheets are protected with password to edit existing data. Can you please provide the password to unlock the sheets. Thxs,

Please check out premium Templates for UnLcoked Version of the Templates

Hi I’m interested in just using %FTE allocation to project phases. We have found that e.g. the Data Analyst will need to spend 20% of their time in the Design phase, 40% in the Build phase and 10% in the Test phase. I was proposing to swop the ‘activity’ for ‘project phase’ and then also swop ‘hours per day’ for ‘%’. That’s not really working so I’m trying to use 0.1 day for 10%, 0.5 days for 50%.

I’ll check out your calcs to exclude weekends/BHs and to look at monthly stats but otherwise very useful thank you!

are we able to insert more rows on the Resource Summary and Projects tabs please?

You can add more records in our Premium Templates, please check our Premium Resource Management Templates .

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  • What is resource allocation? Learn how ...

What is resource allocation? Learn how to allocate resources

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Project managers and teams can struggle to make balanced resource allocation decisions, often opting for too much or too little. But the key to navigating this delicate balance is continuous adjustment and real-time responsiveness to project needs. This approach ensures that resources are optimally utilized, preventing both surplus and shortfall and steering towards project success with precision and efficiency.

When you think of the most important elements of project planning, what comes to mind? You probably think of the project’s main objectives, the timeline for achieving those objectives, and the scope of what you can accomplish within the project. 

But achieving any of these elements hinges on one thing: the resources available for your project. 

If you’ve never created a resource allocation plan before, this article is for you. We’ll walk you through five steps to allocate resources effectively. Then, get a preview of common resource allocation challenges and what you can do to get ahead of them.

What is resource allocation? 

Resource allocation is the process of identifying and assigning available resources to an initiative. Effective allocation of resources helps maximize the impact of project resources while still supporting your team’s goals. To create a resource allocation plan, identify the right resources—including team members, tools, budget, and more—you need to accomplish your project deliverables .

What is a resource? 

A resource is anything that helps you complete a project. This can include:

Team members

Project timelines

Ideas, intellectual property, or specific skill sets

Tools or software

Automated processes that reduce work about work

Who is responsible for allocating resources? 

The person responsible for resource allocation varies based on the size of your organization, but it’s usually the individual in charge of the project’s decision-making. For smaller companies, the project manager or team leader typically manages the budget, resource scheduling, and project work. 

Alternatively, at larger companies, the project manager and project budget owner are often different people. As a result, you may need approval from important project stakeholders or your project sponsor before allocating resources. 

If you aren’t sure who should be allocating resources, ask yourself these two questions and identify who is best equipped to answer them:

What is the budget, and who is approving it? You’ll need a budget for tools, technology, freelancers, and equipment. 

What are the team’s priorities, and who has time to work on this initiative? Before you allocate human resources, think through each team member’s capacity and priorities. How can you help team members do their best work and have the highest impact?

If you aren’t sure what’s on everyone’s plate, use a workload management tool to view team member capacity, get ahead of upcoming projects, and spot burnout before it happens. 

Benefits of resource allocation

Effective resource allocation is more than just a task; it's a strategic approach that can improve project management by ensuring resources are used efficiently and judiciously. This leads to better alignment of tasks with available resources, smoother workflows, and more effective handling of project constraints. 

As a result, projects are more likely to be completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality standards, directly contributing to the overall success of the project.

Streamlined workflow: Proper allocation of resources leads to a more streamlined workflow . It ensures that each phase of the project aligns with the necessary project requirements, reducing delays and increasing efficiency.

Mitigation of bottlenecks: By anticipating and planning resource usage, bottlenecks can be identified and mitigated before they impact the project timeline. This proactive approach keeps projects on track, enhancing client satisfaction.

Simplified project management: Merging the use of dashboards with automation transcends traditional methods like spreadsheets. Dashboards provide a visual and intuitive overview of resource distribution and utilization, while automation streamlines the tracking and allocation process. This combination enhances overall project management efficiency, allowing for real-time adjustments and more informed decision-making.

Resource optimization: A well-crafted resource allocation strategy is key for project success. It ensures the best resources are utilized where they are most needed, aligning with the project's goals and timelines. By optimally using both physical and human resources, projects are more likely to meet their objectives and satisfy client expectations.

How to allocate resources effectively

An effective allocation strategy identifies the project’s goals and priorities and collects resources to fit your needs throughout the project's lifecycle. Resource allocation should be an early project consideration—ideally, aim to allocate resources during the project planning phase.  

1. Start with the end in mind

In order to understand your project’s priorities, how important it is, and how it should be resourced, you first need to outline the project’s objectives. This is the first step to any project. Project objectives are attainable, time-bound, specific goals you plan to achieve by the end of your project.

If you haven’t already, align on:

The project’s main goals and objectives

The project’s key deliverables

Relevant milestones

A high-level timeline or project roadmap

2. Identify available resources

In resource allocation, a resource is anything that helps you achieve your project objectives. Depending on your project’s needs, this includes the project team and any tools, budget, equipment, or skills you need to hit your project deliverables. 

Before you actually allocate resources, understand what’s available. There are a few dependencies to look out for, including:

What is the project’s priority level? This influences how it should be resourced. Is this an all-hands-on-deck project that’s contributing to a company OKR , or is it a lower priority initiative? Come up with an internal tier system for project priority to guide how you’ll staff each project. 

Who is available to work on this project? Take a look at your team’s capacity to understand what they’re working on. If this project is more important than their current work, try resource leveling . See if there’s anything you can deprioritize or reschedule to accommodate this new work. 

What budget or tools are available? Does this project have a budget? Are there additional tools you need to invest in or develop in order to complete this work? 

What additional resources do we need? Do you need any cross-functional team members to work on this project? Alternatively, are there unconventional resources—like very unique skill sets or new equipment—you need for this project to succeed?

Who needs to approve the resource allocation plan? If someone other than you is in charge of budget, tooling, or team workload, check in with them to make sure this resource allocation plan looks good. Are there any additional project stakeholders who need to be looped in during the resource allocation process? 

3. Align on project scope

To scope a new project, you first need to understand the project’s goals, deadlines, and project deliverables. This helps you get a sense of your project needs so you can hit your goals on time and on budget. 

A clear project scope also helps you avoid scope creep , which is what happens when the asks and deliverables exceed the pre-set project scope.

4. Create and share a project plan

Now that you have a sense of your available resources, surface that information to the larger team. Invite your project team to a project kickoff meeting , and share:

Your project plan

Relevant project milestones

The project schedule

Any task dependencies to keep an eye on

Track all of this work with work management software . It’s important for your project team to know which resources are available for this project—and also to have a central source of truth for this information in case it changes. With a centralized work management system, you can clarify project priorities so everyone understands the context of the work. That way, if something does change, you can reprioritize based on the highest-impact work. 

5. Monitor project progress

Once your project is underway, monitor project progress in case of any unexpected resource allocation developments. No matter how well planned your project is, things can change. Team members go on vacation, a client might be delayed in getting back to you, or your business goals might change. Track project progress in real time so you can adjust if necessary.

Common challenges of resource allocation

When done correctly, resource allocation can help you hit your goals, increase your impact, and maximize your resource utilization. You’ll get better at allocating resources as you go, but if you’re just getting started, here are some common challenges—and how to avoid them. 

Problem: Burnout and over-allocation

The biggest issue to avoid during resource allocation is overwork and burnout. Team members get overworked when they work too hard, too much, or too long. Prolonged overwork can lead to burnout, which the World Health Organization defines as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress.

Without visibility into what everyone is working on—especially if you’re managing work across multiple projects —it’s easy to assume team members have the time and bandwidth to work on your specific project. This lack of clarity can lead to accidental over-allocation and, eventually, burnout.

To prevent overwork and burnout, proactively evaluate team members workload. With capacity planning , you can get ahead of burnout and make sure team members aren’t overwhelmed or underworked. This is critical because, according to the Anatomy of Work , 71% of knowledge workers reported experiencing burnout at least once in 2020. With proactive resource management software , you can promote balance—instead of burnout.

Problem: Resource dependencies

Sometimes, things change after you identify and allocate available resources. You might be waiting on a team member to finish a project before getting started on your initiative—but what happens if that project gets extended? 

Even the most effective resource allocation can’t predict every business contingency . To avoid unpleasant surprises, use resource management tools, such as project management software , to automate resource tracking in real-time. That way, you can immediately see resource shortages and project delays and pivot your own work accordingly. 

Problem: Low resource utilization

The average knowledge worker spends 60% of their time on “work about work”—things like searching for documents, chasing approvals, switching between apps, and following up on the status of work. That leaves only 40% of each day for skilled work and strategic planning . More often than not, we take this time-consuming “stuff” for granted as part of work, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s where resource utilization comes in. Resource utilization describes the percentage of a team member’s time that is spent on billable work or tasks that contribute to overall profitability.

High resource utilization isn’t about squeezing out the maximum amount of productivity from any given team member. Rather, the key to maximizing utilization is impact. When team members understand the relative priority between different tasks, they can spend their time where it’s most effective —and have the highest impact as a result.

Tips for effective resource allocation

Many teams that are new to making resource allocation decisions often struggle to identify and deploy the best resources in a manner that streamlines operations and keeps the project on its critical path . This can lead to bottlenecks and setbacks, potentially jeopardizing the success of the project. 

The following tips offer strategies to transform these initial stumbling blocks into stepping stones for a successful project.

Align location decisions with availability of resources

Deciding where to locate your project requires careful consideration of both its geographic requirements and the availability of resources . 

Consider a construction project where materials are sourced from the closest suppliers to reduce transit time and costs. To optimize their resource allocation strategy, the team could continually assess supply chain dynamics and foster relationships with local suppliers that can lead to quicker turnaround times and better material quality.

Such strategic location decisions not only ensure that resources are used where they are most needed but also aid in developing a more efficient project structure.

Leverage automation and project management tools

Incorporating automation into your resource allocation strategy can improve the management of project tasks and ensure smoother project progression and timely completion. 

For example, a software development team might use a tool like Asana to automate task assignments based on team members' current workload and expertise. Automation tools can help with scheduling, resource leveling , and identifying potential issues before they become problematic. 

By automating routine tasks, project managers can focus more on critical aspects of project management, such as client satisfaction and ensuring project success.

Use real-time data in decision-making

The foundation of effective resource allocation lies in harnessing real-time data . For instance, a marketing agency might use dashboards to monitor ongoing campaigns, adjusting team assignments and resources based on real-time performance metrics. 

Employing tools that provide insights into the work breakdown structure and relevant metrics , project managers can make adjustments that keep their resource allocation strategies on track.

Effective resource allocation leads to better projects

Resource allocation can help you set your project up for success from day one. Manage resource availability early during the resource planning process to know exactly what you can support and how you’ll hit your project goals.  

Resource allocation is crucial to reducing miscommunications and getting more work done, faster—especially when you can automate it. In Asana, you can identify resources, track and update them, and assign related tasks—all from one central platform.

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How to Make a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for a Project (Template Included)

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The most important resource you’ll employ to deliver the project is people. They have to fit into the schedule and maintain the project budget. Defining what their roles and responsibilities are when executing tasks and delivering on the project goals is an important part of controlling the project.

How can you coordinate all the people who are involved in a project so they know what they’re doing and don’t block others from doing what they are assigned? Using a responsibility assignment matrix can help. An assignment matrix gives your project a team that gets things done.

What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management?

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a project management chart used to identify and define the various people and organizations and outline each of their roles in working on tasks or delivering a part of the project.

Project managers use an assignment matrix to clarify what cross-functional teams do within the boundaries of the project and its numerous processes. Sometimes a responsibility assignment matrix is required when responding to a request for proposal (RFP).

The responsibility assignment matrix can also be called a RACI matrix, which stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed.

  • Responsible: Notes who is responsible for executing the task, which is then assigned to them.
  • Accountable: Notes who has decision-making authority and how that power is delegated throughout the project team.
  • Consulted: Notes who is able to offer insight into the task, from team members to stakeholders.
  • Informed: Notes who is updated on what in terms of progress and performance, as well as when and how this information is disseminated.

This creates a map of connections between activities and project team members. Depending on the size of the project, there can be several assignment matrices used for various project levels.

Why Create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix?

The assignment matrix identifies what everyone on the team is responsible for, which means not only what their duties are, but how they participate in the project. Some will have defined tasks, others will offer help with work, while there are some who are designated as decision-makers. These groups all have an identity and function within the project to help guide it towards a successful end.

Clear communication leads to more efficient projects. An assignment matrix facilitates better communication between team members and provides transparency by creating a system to make sure everyone is updated and always on the same page. Belaboring communications can bog down a project with too many pointless meetings and confusing interactions in which people try to understand what they’re supposed to be doing. Using the responsibility assignment matrix helps, but having project management software that connects teams in real-time is ideal.

ProjectManager manages project information by allowing teams to attach files directly to tasks, and our unlimited file storage keeps important project documents at your fingertips anywhere, anytime. Commenting on tasks can save time and tagging others in the project team creates a communication process that avoids the pitfalls of redundancies or unnecessary meetings.

Gantt chart screenshot with a team collaboration pop up

When Should a Responsibility Assignment Matrix Be Created?

The responsibility assignment matrix would be created at the start of the project. You’d want to have everyone on the project team aware of where they stand in terms of their involvement before they start executing tasks.

As much as its use is a preventative measure, it can be used prescriptively. If you’re deep into the project and things are not moving as planned, there could be communication gridlock. If team members are not in the loop, or misconstrue what they’re supposed to be doing, using a responsibility assignment matrix might untie up those knots in the communication channel.

If there’s a problem with leadership overruling suggestions on how to advance the project and this is seen as a problem, it’s likely that the roles and responsibilities of the project team need refining. The responsibility assignment matrix defines who has authority to make decisions and using it or revisiting can determine if the right people are in that position.

In fact, any of the definitions might need reexamining at any phase in the project. Perhaps tasks are falling behind schedule. This could be because team members aren’t aware of what tasks they own. Anytime a delay occurs, returning to the assignment matrix is a good first step, even if you went through the process as you should during the planning stage of the project.

How to Create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix

The actual making of a responsibility assignment matrix is not as difficult as getting everyone on board with what their roles and responsibilities are.

Therefore, you want to include your team in the process, get their input and eventually buy-in without spending too much time and energy on the process. Follow these steps to make sure everyone is in agreement and you’ll have a successful responsibility assignment.

  • Identify all the participants involved in the project, from team members to stakeholders and everyone in between.
  • List all deliverables associated with the project. Use a work breakdown structure to make sure you don’t miss any.
  • Meet with team members on how to execute the tasks to create the deliverables. Every task needs to be discussed in terms of the team’s responsibility and authority.
  • Draft the responsibility assignment matrix using a table with the project tasks listed on the left-hand column. Across the top add the name of everyone in the project.
  • Where the tasks meet the project team member, assign whether they’re responsible, accountable, consulted or informed.
  • When completed, share the responsibility assignment matrix with the project team and stakeholders and hold a meeting if necessary to make sure everyone understands their part in the project. If you’re working in a shared space, print out a copy and post it.

Free Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template

Using a RACI template is a shortcut that sets up your team and the project for success. ProjectManager is more than an award-winning software that organizes tasks, teams and projects to streamline work and boost productivity, it’s also the online hub for all things project management.

Among the hundreds of blog posts, guidebooks and tutorial videos are dozens of free templates that can help you through every phase of your project’s life cycle. Using our free RACI template will help you guide all the project teams better, allowing them to know where they stand in relation to the project and what their level of responsibility and accountability is.

Use it at the start of the project to avoid delays and untangle any communicative knots that are preventing the project from progressing as planned. To keep your project on track, download our free RACI template and get a head start on building a workable responsibility assignment matrix.

RACI Matrix Template for Excel

Best Practices

Using our free RACI template is a good start, but you have to make sure you fill it in correctly. A responsibility assignment matrix is only as good as the effort put into creating it. Here are some best practices to apply when you’re in the process of building your assignment matrix.

  • Involve the team: They’re the ones who will be executing the work. You want their input and buy-in to avoid any costly mistakes or time-consuming questions about what wasn’t made clear at the beginning of the project.
  • Identify every single task: Identify all the tasks required to reach your final deliverable. Once you have that thorough list make sure that there is only one person on the team who is accountable.
  • Update your RACI regularly: Make sure that each new one is clearly marked as the most current version and is distributed to everyone on the team. There will be times when you’ll want to revisit the responsibility assignment matrix or changes in personnel will require an edit.
  • Share responsibility viably: One person shouldn’t have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibilities for the project and you want to give authority throughout the project team and not just among the very top management team.
  • Optimize tasks: Managers can use the RACI matrix to see if too many team members have been assigned to a task. Maybe these workers could be spread out for greater productivity. There could be too many people listed as consulted, which slows down the process. The assignment matrix is endlessly useful.

How ProjectManager Helps You Manage Projects Better

ProjectManager is a cloud-based tool that connects everyone in real-time to facilitate planning, monitoring and reporting on the project. It works to give everyone on the project team a job and the knowledge as to where they have authority and when to consult others, as well as defining the reporting process.

Let’s look at the people who are responsible, for example, the team who execute the project. Once invited into the software, you can share the project plan, assign them tasks, add detailed direction, add a deadline and tag for priority and more. The teams can then collaborate by attaching files and images to the tasks and commenting in real-time to work better together.

A screenshot of the Team collaboration user interface in ProjectManager

Those who need to stay informed of the project can do so by also getting invited into the project and sharing plans and schedules with them. Stakeholders can stay updated with reporting features that can generate reports on project variance, cost, time and more with one click. Then share them as a PDF. Reports can even be quickly filtered to zero in on the data stakeholders are interested in.

a screenshot of the status report generation screen in ProjectManager

The responsibility assignment matrix can help you reallocate your resources when things aren’t progressing as planned. Use our software to get further insight. The resource management features include a workload chart that’s color-coded so it’s easy to see who has too many tasks and who can take on more work. Then you can simply reallocate those resources from the workload page to help your team work more productively.

color-coded workload chart

ProjectManager gets you organized, keeps your team focused on their tasks and stakeholders in the loop. Gain efficiencies throughout every aspect of your project’s life cycle with an online Gantt chart to schedule work and kanban boards, a visual workflow feature that provides transparency into production. All that and it’s on a collaborative platform to keep everyone connected. Try ProjectManager today for free.

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Create resource assignments

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Applies To: Project Operations for resource/non-stocked based scenarios, Lite deployment - deal to proforma invoicing

A resource assignment is the direct association of a project team member to a leaf node task. This article provides information about the different ways to assign resources.

Create a generic team member through task assignment

When you create a generic team member through task assignment, you create a placeholder or generic resource. This generic resource describes the characteristics of the named resource that you ultimately want to work on the tasks. You then generate a requirement, or you submit a request by using the requirement that is used to search for and book the named resource.

  • On the Schedule grid for a task, select the Resource icon in the Resource cell.
  • Type a name to serve as the placeholder resource's name. For example, Program Manager.
  • Select Create , and in the Quick Create Project Team Member field, set the role for the generic resource.
  • Assign tasks as needed to this placeholder resource by selecting the resource on the Resource Selector for the task. The resources listed under Team Members .
  • When you're finished assigning the generic resource, on the Team tab, select the generic resource, and then select Generate Requirement to create a resource requirement for the generic resource.
  • Select Book for the generic resource and then use the Schedule board to find and book a real resource. You can also submit the requirement for fulfillment by a resource manager.
  • When the generic resource is fully fulfilled with a named resource, the generic resource is removed from the team. (Partial resource requirement fulfillment won't result in a resource assignment.) The task assignments for the generic resource are assigned to the named resource that fulfilled the generic resource's resource requirement.

Assign a named resource from the list of all bookable resources

You can use the search box in the Resource Picker to search all active bookable resources and assign them to any leaf node task. Resources assigned this way are added to the team without any bookings. This is similar to adding a team member and selecting None as the allocation method. The resource is displayed on the Team , Resource Assignment , and Reconciliation tabs as resources with only assignments and a booking deficit. Book them if you want to use their availability.

  • From the task grid, board, or timeline, navigate to the Assigned To cell.
  • In the search box, start typing a name. The search results for the name are displayed in the Resource Selector under Other Resources .
  • Select the resource that you want to assign to the task or select the name of the resource under Other Team Resources .

Editing resource assignment contours

By default, when resources are assigned to a task in the schedule, their effort is linearly distributed to each resource, based upon that resource's working hours and the project's schedule mode. A project manager can use the resource assignment grid to refine the effort estimates of each resource that's assigned to one or many tasks across the different time scales. This feature helps project managers produce more accurate cost and sales estimates, which are driven by the resource assignment contours that are generated when a resource is assigned to a task. Additionally, project managers can more easily reflect the resource demand that's required to build the demand in a resource requirement.

To access the contour editing grid, the project manager first selects the Tasks tab on the project main page and then selects the Assignments tab.

Assignments tab on the Tasks tab of the project main page.

The grid supports two methods for grouping: group by resource and group by task . Unlike in the grid view, columns aren't configurable. The only visible columns are Assigned To , Task Name , Assignment Start , Assignment Finish , and Assignment Effort .

The contour editing grid has been enhanced to include the ability to group contours by week. It was also added previous and next controls to support quickly changing periods in the current view. Lastly, it was added a grand total row.

Call out to the new controls available on the contours form.

When the grid is initially rendered, it starts at the earliest assignment contour. If your schedule doesn't contain any assignments that have effort, the grid will be blank and won't render anything. The minimum value of a resource contour is zero, and the maximum value permitted is 9,999,999.

Blank assignment grid.

If you want to view your contours and different time scales, the read-only resource assignment grid and resource reconciliation grid are also available.

Resource calendars

The ability to edit a contour for a specific day is governed by the resource's working days, as reflected in their calendar. If a cell is disabled for a given resource, that resource doesn't have working days during that period.

A resource's contours can extend beyond the assigned task's current start and end dates. If a contour is updated so that it's after the latest end date of a task or the earliest start date of a task, the task's end date or start date will be changed as appropriate. However, if a contour is updated so that it's earlier than the start date of a task that's linked to a predecessor, the update will fail because the assignment will trigger the task to start before its predecessor is completed, and that behavior isn't currently supported.

Co-authoring

Changes to the resource assignment grid are automatically reflected in any associated views, including the chart, timeline, board, and grid views. If multiple users are reviewing the project at the same time, any changes that one user makes will be reflected in the grid. Conversely, any changes that are made in the resource assignment grid will be shown to all other users who are viewing the project in the same session.

Unassigned assignment

In Project Operations, an unassigned assignment is an assignment that is assigned to a NULL team member and a NULL resource. Unassigned assignments can occur in a couple of scenarios:

  • If a task has been created, but it hasn't yet been assigned to any team member, an unassigned assignment is always created.
  • If all assignees on a task are removed, an unassigned assignment is re-created for that task.

The contour will express hours of unassigned effort based on the project's calendar.

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COMMENTS

  1. Resource Gantt Chart: Optimize your Project's Resources

    Probar ahora Resource assignment chart is a model that allows project managers to assign resources to multiple projects; it will properly show resources on Gantt chart thereby enabling the team to maximize their resources and make vital project decisions.

  2. Project Resource Management with Gantt Charts

    Project Resource Management with Gantt Charts | TeamGantt Your Complete Guide to Gantt Charts Discover why companies like Amazon, Netflix, Nike, and Intuit manage their projects with TeamGantt. Build your gantt chart Free forever. No credit card required What Is a Gantt Chart? 2 Project Resource Management with Gantt Charts

  3. The Resource Assignment Matrix

    The RACI chart is a useful tool to ensure clear assignment of resource roles and responsibilities when the team consists of internal and external resources. As you can see we've got the activity of the Project Charter, and who's creating that?

  4. Project Resource Management Plan Ultimate Guide: Definition & Template

    Responsibility Assignments; Estimation Needs; Resource Management Charts; Project Dependencies; Alternatives; 1. Responsibility Assignments. Using something like a RACI chart to identify resources and their roles in a project or organization makes assigning deliverables and responsibilities clear and easy-to-understand for all stakeholders.

  5. Ultimate Guide to Resource Planning

    This resource capacity planning template includes a Gantt chart feature to visualize and plan resources for Agile software project sprints. Use this template to chart software development resources by quantity and skill type (for example, PMs, analysts, developers, designers, product managers, administrators, etc.).

  6. What Is Resource Allocation? How to Allocate Resources for Projects

    Define Your Project Scope Before you can allocate your resources or manage them, you have to determine the scope of the project you're working on. To do so, you need to break down the project into every individual task and deliverable that will be completed.

  7. Resource Plan: The Ultimate Guide to Resource Planning

    Responsibility Assignment Matrix: A responsibility assignment matrix defines resources according to various levels of responsibility for completing project tasks or for the overall project. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the entire project.

  8. PDF Managing Project Resources and Assignments

    icon [ ] under Resource:Assignments. You will see the Assign Resources dialog box. 7. Select Patrick Rierdon in the Assign Resources dialog box, and then click Assign. Your screen will resemble the following. Figure 8-7. Gantt Chart or Task Form with Assign Resources dialog box Chapter 8 Managing projeCt resourCes and assignMents

  9. Creating a Resource Matrix in Project Management

    A resource matrix, also known as a staffing matrix or resource allocation chart, is a visual representation that maps project tasks or activities against the resources required to complete them. It provides an overview of the project's resource needs and helps in identifying potential bottlenecks or imbalances in resource allocation. The ...

  10. 7 Simple Charts For Resource Planning Visualization + Best Software

    A Gantt chart, for instance, is a visualization tool that allows team members to forecast and track progress against the project plan. The Importance Of Resource Planning Visualization Resource planning visualization helps resource managers develop project plans and optimize resources for those plans.

  11. 5 Gantt Chart Examples for Better Project Management

    Example: Marketing campaigns require the project team to juggle multiple tasks, such as market research, content creation, and campaign execution. Gantt charts serve as a visual roadmap for breaking down these tasks, assigning them to team members, and setting clear deadlines. 4. Date shifting.

  12. What Is a Resource Histogram? (Example Included)

    A resource histogram is a stacked bar chart that is used for resource allocation in project management. It's basically a resource planning graph that displays the amount of time a resource is scheduled to work over a period of time. It can also be used to determine resource availability.

  13. How to Create a Resource Chart in 3 Steps

    Resource Chart is, in simple terms, a Gantt Chart, visualized in the form of horizontal stripes (often colored) on your project timeline axis. It means to show you when a specific resource is busy and what they are working on at a specific point in time.

  14. 7 Free Resource Planning Templates For Project Teams

    Timesheet Template Staff Resource Planning Template Human Resource Capacity Planning Template If like most small teams, you use spreadsheets to manage project resources, these ready-made templates are a huge time-saver. Instead of starting from scratch, you can get quickly off the blocks using templates. Let's dive in. What is resource planning?

  15. 19 Key Project Management Charts

    Each bar in a Gantt chart represents a project task or assignment, and its length corresponds to its start and end dates. Arrows connect vertical tasks that are dependent on one another, and the bars are often color-coded to denote phases, employee assignments, or whatever organizational scheme the project manager chooses.

  16. Lesson 5: Assign Resources to Tasks

    Step by step on how to assign resources to tasks: 1. Assign resource using Resource Names column in the Gantt Chart view. Resource Name column is not present in your table, right click on grid columns and click on insert column then select "Resource Names". 1.

  17. View resource workloads and availability in Project desktop

    Review the timescale portion of the view. In the % Alloc. row that you've just added, you can see the percentage of the resource's total available working time that is allocated to assignments during the selected time period. In addition, the timescale portion of the view shows both the resource's overallocated work and its allocation percentage in red, making it possible for you to pinpoint ...

  18. Resource Planning Template Excel

    Resource Planning Excel Template Project Management Excel Dashboard Gantt Chart Google Sheets Template Monthly Expenses Excel Template Project Initiation Project Planning & Execution Project Monitoring & Tracking Project Portfolio Management Effortlessly Manage Your Projects 120+ Project Management Templates

  19. How To Do Resource Planning In Jira?

    With one-on-one help, we guide you to your top software options. Narrow down your software search & make a confident choice. Get free tool advice. Resource Planning In Jira. Option #1: Export Jira Data to CSV. Option #2: Integrate Jira with a Data Visualization Application.

  20. What is resource allocation? Learn how to allocate resources

    Resource allocation is the process of identifying and assigning available resources to an initiative. Effective allocation of resources helps maximize the impact of project resources while still supporting your team's goals. To create a resource allocation plan, identify the right resources—including team members, tools, budget, and more ...

  21. How to Make a Responsibility Assignment Matrix ...

    A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a project management chart used to identify and define the various people and organizations and outline each of their roles in working on tasks or delivering a part of the project.

  22. What Is A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)? Everything ...

    The responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a form of project management that encourages everyone to understand every step of the project.

  23. Create resource assignments

    A resource assignment is the direct association of a project team member to a leaf node task. This article provides information about the different ways to assign resources. Create a generic team member through task assignment When you create a generic team member through task assignment, you create a placeholder or generic resource.

  24. Kaur Prabhdeep COM 4100 Assignment 4 RASCI Chart

    docx. 1 COM4100 Effective Communications and Ethics Assignment 4 Completing a RASCI Chart Here is a RASCI matrix for the activities outlined in your project, with IT resources, Finance resources, and HR resources l isted on one axis as well as activities listed on the other axis. Responsibility is assigned by assigning the appropriate letter (R ...