Managing Resource Requests

On the Resource Request record page, you can hold and unhold, assign and unassign, shortlist, 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.

Tip:

We recommend using intelligent staffing to filter and rank resources. The Intelligent Staffing engine reduces the time and manual effort involved in finding suitable resources to assign to resource requests. Intelligent staffing considers the Role, RPG, skill ratings, availability of a resource, Worked With Customer, and any custom filter fields. Resources are automatically ranked in the results. To set up and use intelligent staffing, see Intelligent Staffing for a Resource Request.

Filtering Resources

When you click , the Filters panel opens and enables you to filter resources using the following default filters:

• RPG. For example, Region
• Include Sub-RPGs. For example, Include Sub-Regions
• Start Date
• End Date
• Last Worked
• Maximum Distance
• Distance Unit
• Minimum Availability (%)
• Minimum Work Duration
• Resource
• Resource Role
• Display Only Shortlisted Resources
• Skills
• Worked With Customer

The Filters panel is automatically configured with criteria that match the resource request. This means that the most relevant resources are displayed when you first open the Resource Request record page. Shortlisted, pinned, held, assigned, interested, and suggested resources are displayed alongside the resources who match the filter criteria. For more information, see Filters Panel Fields.

Note:

The Apply, Clear, and Reset buttons are displayed dynamically as you take actions in the Filters panel on the Resource Request record page. The following are the scenarios that determine how these filter buttons function:

• When you reload the record page, the Clear button is displayed in the drop-down list to clear the existing filters. The existing filters are removed, except the Start Date and End Date fields.
• After clearing the filter values, the Reset button is displayed in the drop-down list. The filter values are reset to the default values and the Clear button is displayed.
• When you make any changes to the filter values, Apply, Clear, and Reset buttons are displayed. The Apply button filters the resource request records. The Clear and Reset buttons are displayed alternatively.

Switching Views

You can open the different views using the view switcher.

The Resourcing tab contains the following views for your matched resources:

• Attributes: Shows various resource attributes, such as their status on the request, region, role, and cost rate that you can use in your identification of the ideal resource for the request.
• Scheduler: Shows the resource request's time period, and the assignments and resource requests that the matched resource are held or assigned to within the period. You can quickly reschedule the assignments and resource requests by dragging them forward or backward to change their start and end dates.
• Allocation: Shows the number of scheduled hours each matched resource is due to work on existing assignments or resource requests, and indicates if a resource is allocated within the planned allocation range, under allocated, or over allocated.

Your administrator can set the default view. For more information, see the Default View field in Resourcing Lightning Component Properties.

Viewing Resource Details

When you click , the Resource Details panel opens and enables you to view details about a selected resource. The header section displays an image for the resource, their resource name, and role.

For information about the Resource Details panel, see Using the PSA Contact Card.

Note:

To view a resource’s details on the contact card from the Contact Lightning record page, an administrator must have assigned you the PSA - View Resource permission set.

For more information about the custom Lightning components available, including adding them to your Lightning record page and customizing them, see PSA Lightning Components.

Viewing Details from a Contextual Menu

To view the details of an assignment or resource request using a contextual menu:

In the Allocation view:

1. Open the resource's expandable sections in the Name column.
2. Right-click an assignment or resource request. The contextual menu opens.
3. Click View Details. The details of the assignment or resource request are displayed in a popup panel.

In the Scheduler view:

1. Right-click an assignment or resource request bar. The contextual menu opens.
2. Click View Details. The details of the assignment or resource request are displayed in a popup panel.

Configuring Weighting and Priority Settings

Pinning Resources

You can pin a resource as a reminder that it needs further attention. Pinned resources are identified in all views, and moved to the top of the list, but below suggested or held resources in all views. You can also pin suggested or held resources, but these retain their "Suggested" or "Held" status in the Candidate Type and Status columns respectively.

Pinned resources are:

• Retained at the top of the resource list, even when they do not match new filter criteria.
• Displayed each time you access the same resource request on the same computer, using the same browser.

To pin or unpin a resource:

1. Select a resource from the Resource list and click . An icon displays in the first column of the row to indicate that the selected resource is pinned.
2. Click to remove the selected resource as a pinned user.

Shortlisting Resources

Shortlisting enables collaborative decision-making in the process of identifying the most suitable resource to be assigned to a resource request. For example, a resource manager can compile a list of shortlisted resources to highlight them as suitable candidates for the request. They might want to share the new shortlist with a project manager, who can add information for each resource in the Manage Shortlist window, then return the shortlist to the resource manager to make the final decision on the ideal resource to hold or assign.

With shortlisting, you can:

• Add multiple resources to a new or existing shortlist.
• Review the shortlisted candidates in the Manage Shortlist window by updating their status and adding accompanying notes. You can create custom fields that allow you to provide further supporting information within the Manage Shortlist window.
• Duplicate a shortlist and its related resource records to link to another resource request that might have similar requirements.

Note:

To use shortlisting functionality, you must have the correct permissions enabled. Contact your administrator for more information.

Creating Shortlists

To create a shortlist:

1. From any view on the Resourcing tab, select one or more resources.
2. From the Shortlist drop-down, select Add to Shortlist. If there is no existing shortlist, a new one will be created. If a shortlist already exists on the resource request, the resources you added will be merged with the original shortlisted resources.

You can identify shortlisted resources by viewing their status in the Shortlist Status column. The Shortlist Status column is displayed in all views of the Resourcing tab. Selecting the Display Only Shortlisted Resources checkbox in the filters panel returns only shortlisted, pinned, held, assigned, and suggested resources, regardless of the filter criteria. You can also view shortlisted resources by clicking the Shortlist field on the resource request details page, then clicking the Related tab of the shortlist record. For more information, see PSA Resourcing Lightning Component Fields.

Managing Shortlists

To manage a shortlist:

1. From the Resourcing tab on the resource request page, click the Shortlist drop-down and select Manage Shortlist.
2. Enter the appropriate values into the editable fields for each resource.
3. [Optional] Click to remove selected resources from the shortlist.
4. Click Save.

You can tailor the Manage Shortlist window to your company's needs by selecting a field set from the Manage Shortlist Custom Fields Field Set Lightning component property. This imports custom fields that you can create on the Shortlist Resource object. For example, you might want to create a picklist field to set a list of reasons for rejecting a shortlisted resource. By default, the fields in the Manage Shortlist window are Name and Status. For more information, see Manage Shortlist Fields and Resourcing Lightning Component Properties.

Duplicating Shortlists

To duplicate a shortlist to another resource request:

1. On a resource request’s record page, click Duplicate Shortlist.
2. In the Duplicate to Resource Request field, search for a resource request by its name or number:
   • Click Show All Results for “ ” to perform an advanced search.
   • The search displays only resource requests that do not have a shortlist linked to it.
   • The search does not display resource requests that have a status of “Assigned” or “Canceled”.
3. When you have selected a resource request, click Duplicate.

The new shortlist is a copy of the original one, except for the status of shortlist resources. By default, a status of "Pending" is applied to all shortlist resources on the new shortlist, regardless of the same resources’ statuses on the original shortlist. An administrator can customize the default statuses of the shortlist resources.

Note:

To duplicate shortlists, the Show Duplicate Shortlist Lightning component property must be enabled. Contact your administrator for more information.

Viewing Other Shortlists

In the Allocation view, you can view how a resource's other commitments might impact the resource request you want to staff. To view any unheld resource requests that a resource has been shortlisted for, expand the resource's details and open the Other Shortlists section.

If you cannot see this section, or if you think other shortlists need to be shown, contact your administrator.

Comparing Resources

When you click Compare in any view, the Compare Resources window opens, where you can consider the details of up to three selected resources. This enables you to see relevant information before making a decision to hold, unhold, or assign a resource to the resource request. Matched skills and certifications also display in the Compare Resources window.

Note:

Your administrator can specify custom fields for the Compare Resources window. If your administrator has not specified custom fields, the Resource Role, Region, Practice, and Group fields are shown by default. If you cannot see these fields, contact your administrator.

Managing Schedules of Resources

Your administrator can set the default scheduling strategy. For more information, see the Default Scheduling Strategy section in Resourcing Lightning Component Properties. You can override the strategy for the resource request and see its effects on the schedule of a selected resource.

When the start or end dates in the filter panel are updated, the schedule created when holding or assigning resources respects those dates, not the start and end dates on the resource request.

To view a resource's projected schedule after changing the resource request's scheduling strategy:

1. Select a resource in any view.
2. Click Manage Schedule.
3. Select a strategy from the Scheduling Strategy picklist to update the resource request's schedule. The Projected Start Date and Projected End Date fields display how this altered schedule affects the resource request for the selected resource. These dates are calculated using the selected scheduling strategy and the original start and end dates from the filter criteria.

   The scheduling strategy value is reset when you either close the Resource Request page or reload your browser.

   If you select the Custom scheduling strategy, do the following:

   1. Enter the hours you want in the Daily Hours fields. The Total hours field is automatically updated as you enter hours.
   2. Click Refresh End Date to update the Projected End Date field and reflect the custom hours you have entered for the schedule.
4. Click Ok to confirm the change to the scheduling strategy.
5. Click Assign or Hold to apply the scheduling strategy.
6. Open the Allocation view to view how the changes affect the resource's schedule.

Updating the Hours a Resource is Scheduled to Work

Note:

To update values on the Allocation view, your administrator must have assigned you the correct permissions.

To update the number of hours a resource is scheduled to work:

1. Select Allocation from the button menu and check the zoom level is set to Days or Weeks.
2. Navigate to the relevant date. If the date you want is not displayed, select and apply the appropriate date range using the Filters panel.
3. Double-click the value you want to change.
4. Type the new value and press Enter.
5. [Optional] Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to update other values in the Allocation view.
6. [Optional] If you change your mind, click then Discard and Continue to return to the last saved state.
7. Click Save.

Copying Schedule Values

You can drag a cell or range of cells to copy their contents to other cells in the grid. This enables you to extend or shorten multiple schedules associated with assignments or resource requests.

To extend or shorten the schedules associated with assignments or resource requests:

1. Open the Allocation view from the button menu and check the zoom level is set to Days or Weeks.
2. Click the arrow in the Name column to expand the list of assignments and resource requests.
3. Click and drag the bottom-right corner of one or more cells and drop them into other cells. If you drag more than one cell, the pattern of the cell values will be copied into the corresponding cells accordingly.
4. Click Save.

Tip:

If you drag an assignment or resource request and then change your mind, click to return to the last saved state.

Note:

You cannot use the fill handle in the following scenarios:

• When dragging onto or across cells that are read-only.
• When dragging read-only cells.
• When dragging empty cells to the start or end of a schedule, or past the start or end of a schedule. This would cause the schedule to be removed.
• When dragging empty cells vertically. You can drag empty cells horizontally to shorten the schedule.
• When dragging a combination of empty and populated cells.
• When dragging vertically from one record to another. For example, when you group the data by project, you cannot copy cell values from one project to another.
• When you are not on the Days or Weeks view.
• If your administrator has not assigned you the correct permissions.

Holding Resources

You can hold only one resource against a resource request.

When you hold a resource, the following are updated:

• The Resource field is populated with the name of the selected resource on the resource request record and, where present, on the compact layout of the Lightning record page.
• The Resource Held field is selected.
• A new schedule is created if there is no preferred schedule on the resource request, and the Retain Schedule on Hold field is deselected in the Assignment Settings custom setting. For more information, contact your administrator.
• The resource request status is set to "Held."

To hold a resource:

1. Select a resource in any view.
2. [Optional] Click Manage Schedule to select a schedule from the Scheduling Strategy picklist. For information on scheduling strategies, see Scheduling Strategies Overview.
3. Click Hold 
   • If the resource request has a preferred schedule, and the Retain Schedule on Hold field is selected in the Assignment Settings custom setting, the preferred schedule is retained. If you don't need this functionality, contact your administrator.
   • If the resource request doesn't have a preferred schedule, and the Retain Schedule on Hold field is deselected in the Assignment Settings custom setting, a schedule is created from your selection in Manage Schedule. If you don't need this functionality, contact your administrator.

Unholding Resources

Unholding a resource removes them from the resource request.

Following a successful unhold, the following are updated:

• The Resource and Preferred Schedule fields are both set to blank on the resource request record.
• The Resource Held field is deselected.
• The resource’s status in the Resource list is updated to remove their “Held” value.
• The resource request's status is set to "Draft."
• The previously held resource is no longer at the top of the Resource list.
• The orphaned schedule and any associated schedule exceptions are automatically deleted.
• EVAs associated with the resource request are deleted.

To unhold a resource:

1. Select a resource from the Resource list.
2. Click Unhold.

Assigning Resources

When you assign a resource to a project and create an assignment, the following are updated:

• The Resource, Schedule, and Assignment fields are populated on the resource request record and, where present, on the compact layout of the Lightning record page.
• The Resource Held field is deselected when a resource was previously held against this resource request.

Note:

To assign a resource to a project, you must have the Staffing permission control. For more information, see About Staffing Permission Controls.

You cannot create an assignment for a resource when:

• The resource is not selected.
• The resource request already has an assignment record.
• The Project field on the resource request is blank.
• You do not have the required permissions to access the Project field.

To create an assignment for a resource:

1. Select a resource in the Resource list.
2. [Optional] Click Manage Schedule | Schedule to select a schedule from the Scheduling Strategy picklist. For information on scheduling strategies, see Scheduling Strategies Overview.
3. Click Assign: 
   • If the resource request has a preferred schedule, and the Retain Schedule on Assign field is selected in the Assignment Settings custom setting, the preferred schedule is retained. If you don't need this functionality, contact your administrator.
   • If the resource request doesn't have a preferred schedule, and the Retain Schedule on Assign field is deselected in the Assignment Settings custom setting, a schedule is created from your selection in Manage Schedule. If you don't need this functionality, contact your administrator.

Unassigning Resources

You can unassign a resource from a resource request using the Unassign button, located on the Resource Schedule and Resource Grid tabs.

To unassign a resource:

1. Select an assigned resource in the Resource Schedule or Resource Grid.
2. Click Unassign. The selected resource is unassigned from the current resource request and the Unassign button changes to Assign.

This action also removes the assignment from your resource request, and reverts the resource request to a Draft status. Unassigning resource requests also deletes the related schedule information, as well as any Estimate Versus Actuals records.

You can reassign resources to resource requests in your preferred way after unassigning resources.

Note:

To unassign a resource you must have the relevant permissions within the PSA - Staff Resource Requests permission set assigned to your user profile. Contact your administrator for more information.