New Features and Enhancements in PSA Spring 2024

The following new features have been introduced in the Spring 2024 release of PSA.

If you are upgrading from a previous version, see Upgrading to PSA Spring 2024. This provides a summary of the items that have been added for each feature and details of any required upgrade steps.

Enhancements to Work Planners

We have enhanced the work planners to enable you to:

  • Hide buttons and actions, and restrict editing when using any of the work planners.
  • View the number of items and a list of applied filters in the work planner toolbar.
  • Show the top-level totals for resources in the Allocation view as percentages.
  • Identify billable and non-billable projects and assignments in the Allocation view.
  • Identify the percentage availability of resources in the Allocation or Scheduler views.

To support these enhancements, we have:

  • Added checkboxes to the Lightning App Builder for each work planner.
  • Extended the information displayed in the work planner toolbar.
  • Added the Show Totals as Percentages checkbox to the Preferences panel for each work planner.
  • Added a yellow vertical bar in the Name column to indicate a billable project or assignment, and a blue vertical bar in the Name column to indicate a non-billable project or assignment.
  • Added an Availability column in the Allocation or Scheduler views.
  • Changed the title of the Grid view to Allocation to be consistent with the view modules in other apps.

For more information, see:

Redesigned Resource Request Page for User Experience and Optimal Resource Assignment

We have redesigned the Resource Request page to streamline the user experience and optimize the process of identifying the most suitable resource to be assigned to a resource request. You can now view resource information across three views, which gives you a complete picture of the schedules, allocations, and attributes of the resources that are a good match for the work.

You can hold and unhold, assign and unassign, and pin and compare resources. You can also manage the schedules of resources within your process, and preview the effects of the changes on a resource's allocations before you assign the work to them. This enables you to quickly identify the ideal resource who also has the capacity to do work that fits into their existing schedule.

To support these enhancements, we have:

  • Created a Resourcing tab that contains a new PSA Resourcing component, which combines and improves the functionality of the previous Resource Request record page.
  • Deprecated the existing PSA Resource Schedule component and PSA Resourcing component.
  • Removed the side panel and moved the contents of the Filter, Resource Details, and Actions tabs to be opened from buttons in the toolbar on the Resourcing tab.
  • Included three views: Allocation, Attributes, and Scheduler, which you can select from the Views drop-down list on the Resourcing tab toolbar.
  • Added the Preferences panel, which you open from a button in the toolbar in the Allocation view. This enables you to set allocation ranges, use the utilization target for any resource that has one, and use cell shading instead of graphics in the grid.
  • Added a Preview button to the toolbar that enables you to preview schedules to understand the implications of holding or assigning a resource. This is only available when a preferred schedule exists.
  • Updated the PSA - Staff Resource Requests permission set by adding read access to the Utilization Target field on the Contact object.

For more information, see:

Resource Optimizer Enhancements

We have introduced the Resource Must Match field to help you ensure that a resource has the necessary credentials and skills outlined in the resource request. The field shows whether the resource should match with all or any of the essential skills, according to the Match All field on the resource skill request.

Resource managers can now group resource requests by fields via multi-sort options and can also use the search box on the toolbar to refine values in the Resource Requests grid.

Utilization Analytics Improvements

New Utilization Run Processed Object

The Utilization Run Processed object has been introduced to keep track of the processed assignments and unheld resource requests for the successful processing of the utilization run. This eliminates the need to update assignment or resource request records that can trigger custom codes or validations, optimizing the performance of the Utilization process.

The UtilizationAnalyticsTransaction API has been deprecated. The functionality that was handled by the API is now handled by the Utilization Run Processed object.

Note: All the records stored in Utilization Run Processed Object will be deleted at the end of each Utilization Run, so we recommend you not to create any customizations based on this object.

For more information, see Utilization Run Processed Fields.

Utilization Analytics Security

We have introduced additional security for the utilization results dataset rows, so that only authorized users can access any individual resource's utilization data. The authorization restricts the resource to view their own utilization information or allow their managers to view their direct report’s utilization. Few selected users can also be provided unrestricted access to all the utilization data.

We have included the following fields in the PS Cloud Core Analytics Setup to configure security:

  • Utilization Results Security Mode
  • Utilization Results Hierarchy Mode
  • Utilization Results Permission Controls

The Utilization Results Security Mode decides the type of access that is granted for the Utilization Results dataset. You can decide between Individual or Hierarchy.

  • If you select Individual, the security is applied to allow resources to access their own data only.
  • If you select Hierarchy, then you can select the required options from the Utilization Results Hierarchy Mode drop-down list to allow a group of users access to utilization data.

Use various combinations of these fields to customize the Utilization information access for different users. This feature is applicable for both PS Cloud Core Analytics and PS Cloud Advanced Analytics.

We've added a permission control that determines if a user can override the security predicate on the Utilization Results dataset and view the utilization data of all the resources in PS Cloud Core Analytics and PS Cloud Advanced Analytics.

You can enable the permission control using the View All Utilization checkbox on a user permission control record.

For more information about this feature, see Utilization Analytics Security in Enhancements in PS Cloud Core Analytics in the New Features and Enhancements in PS Cloud Analytics Spring 2024

For more information, see:

For more information about the use of security predicates, see the Salesforce Help.

Utilization Results Reports

We have included five Salesforce reports for utilization results. These reports help you to track the historic utilization results and scheduled utilization results trends by months or weeks. The following reports are available from the PSA: Resource Management folder on the Reports tab:

  • PSA 4 Months Historical Util Results
  • PSA Hist Util Results By Month
  • PSA Hist Util Results By Week
  • PSA Sched Util Results By Month
  • PSA Sched Util Results By Week

For more information, see Reporting on Utilization.

Field Deprecations

The Utilization Run fields in Resource Request and Assignment objects have been deprecated. For more information see, Resource Request Fields and Assignment Fields.

Enhancements to Delivery Tracker

We have made the following enhancements to the Delivery Tracker:

  • The following custom fields are now supported by Delivery Tracker:
    • Case
    • Opportunity
  • You can now filter by the following custom fields on the Delivery Tracker:
    • Case
    • Opportunity
  • You can also filter whether your selected project is active by selecting an option from the Active drop-down list on the Filter Panel.
  • The Delivery Tracker now limits the number of project records displayed to 1,000, to ensure the component supports viewing high volumes of projects.

For more information, see:

Actuals Performance Improvements

Processing Transaction Deltas in Continuous Mode

We have introduced the following in Actuals Calculation:

  • A continuous mode for Actuals calculation that automatically processes transaction deltas as they are created, enabling calculation of Actuals in real time. It is enabled by default on upgrade. In this mode, the transaction deltas are processed by the asynchronous ActualsCalculateDeltaContinuous job when they are created.
  • Two configuration options to control the processing of transaction deltas in continuous mode:
    • AbortActualsCalculateDeltaContinuous: If set to true, it stops the processing of transaction deltas in continuous mode.
    • UseActualsCalculateDeltaContinuous: If set to "true", the transaction deltas are processed by the asynchronous ActualsCalculateDeltaContinuous job as soon as they are created.
  • The Resume Processing button in continuous mode. This button displays when you have enabled the AbortActualsCalculateDeltaContinuous configuration option, and you have unprocessed transaction deltas.

For more information, see:

Display Resource Availability Information in Gantt

To view Gantt, open a project record and click Actions | Project Planning Tools | Open Gantt.

We have made the following improvements:

  • A scheduler is now available in Gantt. The scheduler shows the resources assigned to the current project and displays their assignments and resource requests on all projects on a timeline that is synchronized with the timeline displayed on the Gantt chart. To show and hide the scheduler, which is displayed below the Gantt chart, click Gantt Scheduler in the toolbar.
  • New buttons are now available to help you navigate in Gantt:

    Go Forward on Timeline enables you to move forward beyond the currently available timeline.

    Go Backward on Timeline enables you to move back on the currently available timeline.

  • On the Task Assignments tab of the Task Editor, you can now click Expand Row to expand a row and view additional information about the assignment or resource request that is selected from the Resourcing Link column. The following details are displayed, as appropriate:
    • Assignment or Resource Request Name.
    • Start Date and End Date (assignments only).
    • Schedule Start Date and Schedule End Date (held resource requests only: these are the start and end dates of the preferred schedule on the related resource request).
    • Milestone.
    • Planned Hours (assignments only).
    • Scheduled Hours (assignments only: the hours value comes from the schedule associated with the assignment).
    • Remaining Hours (assignments only: the hours value is calculated using the number of scheduled hours on the assignment subtracted from the number of planned hours on the assignment).
Warning:

The Remaining Hours value is not updated immediately when a user changes the hours recorded on the assignment or its schedule. This is because when the user clicks Save on the relevant record, the update is made by Apex job and there might be a delay while the job is queued for processing. For more information on the Apex job queue, see the Salesforce Help.

For more information, see:

Display Resource Information on the Project Task Board

The panel on the Project Task Board that used to display details of project tasks now contains two tabs. Task details are displayed on a Task tab and a Resources tab enables you to view details of resources assigned to the currently selected task without leaving the Project Task Board.

To view details of the resources assigned to a task, do one of the following:

  • Double-click the task and select the Resources tab from the record details panel.
  • Select the task, click The Record Details button., and select the Resources tab from the record details panel.
  • Click a resource's avatar or initials on a task. The resource details are displayed on the Resources tab in the record details panel.

If there are multiple resources assigned to a selected task, you can select the relevant resource from the list displayed when you click the Search Contacts field on the Resources tab.

For more information, see:

Track Consumption of Individual Budgets

You can track the consumption of internal budgets and customer purchase order budgets based on timecards which are allocated to them. You do this by creating a budget allocation for a project, and specifying the budgets you want to track.

You can configure a budget allocation to track the consumption of:

  • A customer purchase order budget by the Total Billable Amount on timecard splits. If a customer reference is supplied on the customer purchase order budget, it is copied to the billing events that are generated when the timecard splits are billed. This enables your customer to identify which purchase order an invoice relates to.
  • Up to three internal budgets by the Total Cost on timecard splits. You can allocate the full cost to one internal budget, or you can spread the cost over more than one internal budget. When spreading the cost over more than one internal budget, you enter the percentage to allocate to each one.

You can assign a budget allocation directly on timecard splits, or you can set a default budget allocation on milestones that timecard splits will be linked to. When timecard splits are included in financials, their billable and cost values are allocated to the related budgets. The Amount Consumed field on each affected budget updates automatically to include the allocated amount so that you can see how much of the budget has been consumed.

For more information, see:

Automatically Split Billing Events That Would Breach the Billing Cap

When a billing cap is applied to a project and the project's Auto-Cap Billing checkbox is selected, you cannot release billing events that exceed the project's bookings unless you are releasing a single billing event via the Release quick action. In this case, PSA can automatically split the billing event and release billing event items that together do not exceed the project’s bookings. The unreleased items are saved to a new billing event.

For example, the project's bookings might be 10000 but only 300 remains because of previously released billing events. If you release a billing event that has three items for 100, 150 and 140, PSA can automatically split the billing event to release the first two items. The unreleased item is moved to a new billing event and the amount remaining in the bookings becomes 50. If none of the items has a value less than 300, the billing event cannot be released.

For more information, see Releasing Single Billing Events When Billing Is Capped.

Project Assignments Breakdown

The Resources tab of the project record page now includes the Project Assignments Breakdown grid. This grid provides a breakdown of the project based on assignment hours, with the assignments grouped by role.

You must be assigned the Certinia - PSA - Project Manager permission set group to view this grid.

For more information, see Project Assignments Breakdown Fields.

Improvements to Delegated Time and Expense Entry

We have made the following enhancements to the Time Entry and Expense Entry components:

  • You can now use advanced search capabilities when selecting a resource to enter time for.
  • You can now use advanced search capabilities when selecting a resource to enter expense records for.

This means that project managers, who have been granted delegated time and expense entry for 50,000 or more resources, face no limitations on the amount of resources it is possible to enter time and expense records for.

Time Entry Start and End Times

You can now enter time in Start and End Times mode when entering time on timecards, using the Time Entry component. Enabling this mode enables users to enter time using start and end times. Entering time in Start and End Times mode records time in time entries, which are displayed chronologically in the Time Entry list view, rather than displaying them by project.

For more information, see:

Filtering Resources by Distance

We have added Maximum Distance and Distance Unit fields on the Resource Request page, Filter panel, and Lightning App Builder properties. You can use these fields to filter resources by the maximum limit of the distance between the location of the resource and the resource request work address.

We have also added the Distance column in the resource request grid of the PSA Resourcing component that will display the calculated distance between the location of resources and the resource request location.

Notes:
  • To filter resources by the maximum limit of the distance between the location of the resource and the resource request work address, ensure that you have set up Google API keys and activated Google maps. For more information, see Setting up PSA to Filter Resources by Distance.
  • Google Geocoding API services are chargeable. For more information about Geocoding API Usage and Billing, see the Google Maps Platform Documentation.

For more information, see:

Enhancements to PSA Mobile Application

We have made the following enhancements to the PSA Mobile Application:

  • You can now approve, reject, or reassign Expense Reports and Timecards on your mobile application. We have added Expense Reports to Approve and Timecards to Approve tabs to the PSA Mobile Application. These tabs allow you to approve, reject, or reassign single or multiple expense reports and timecards on a mobile phone, respectively.
  • You can also manage your skills and certifications on your mobile application. We have added the Manage Skills and Certifications tab to the PSA Mobile Application to enable you to manage skills, certifications, and aspirations on your mobile phone.

For more information, see:

Release Content

We want to help you find all of the information and resources that you need to use our products effectively.

In-App Guidance

Certinia in-app guidance uses Salesforce user engagement features to deliver Certinia content, such as tutorials and walkthroughs, directly from our products.

In this release, we've updated our in-app guidance. For more information, see PSA In-App Guidance.

Certinia Trailhead

If you want to learn more about the new features in this release, see the PS Cloud - Spring 2024 Release Highlights Certinia Trailhead module. This module will guide you through the new features in PS Cloud.

Fixes

Fixes are listed on the Known Issues page of the Certinia Community. You can access this page from the Community Support Hub. For a brief description of the issues that have been fixed in this version of PSA, see the relevant section of the Known Issues page.