Scheduling Techniques and Bench Management in FinancialForce PSA

FinancialForce PSA resource scheduling often begins with resource requests instead of entering or scheduling transactions directly against a project. Resource requests are not required for forecasting resource capacity and demand in FinancialForce PSA, but they can be helpful. Resource requests are high-level frameworks around future resource requirements, so unlike assignments, they do not pair with a schedule. Instead, they contain the requirements for a particular job, such as the skills required, the bill rates, the location, the job role, etc.

One of the benefits of a resource request is that you can create them against an opportunity prior to the closed/won stage. This allows you to understand future resource needs sooner than if you were only using assignments. Assignments can only be opened against a project and projects are generally created after opportunities are closed. Relying on assignments only for your resource planning needs, you’ll have less time to analyze projected demand and plan for it. With resource requests, you can be more proactive. By looking at resource requests created on opportunities, you are able to gauge resource demand a lot sooner.

If you do opt to create resource requests against opportunities but aren’t sure yet what resource is right for the job or will have availability, you can create a generic resource request that specifies the role required. This still provides forward-looking visibility required for planning. Once the opportunity reaches a later stage or closes and the project is closer to starting, you can change the generic resource request to a named resource as part of the resource request fulfillment to create an assignment.

When creating assignments from resource requests, you can utilize filters to easily find resources that fit the requirements for that particular job. Once you find a suitable resource, you can place a resource on hold, which shows that a resource is set aside, or you can create an assignment directly from that window like in the image below.

Compared to resource requests, assignments are a little bit more detailed because they get paired with a date-driven schedule. If you have a centralized model or need a resource manager’s permission to use their resource, you can overlay an approval process to route the assignment to their manager or a central resource manager for approval.

Resources are only allowed to enter time if they have an assignment, and only within the time period of the assignment. For instance, if the assignment ends on 4/15 and today’s date is 4/16, they’re not going to be able to put any additional time against that assignment unless the assignment is extended.

Assignments contain the same level of detail as the resource request, as illustrated below. Links are available to the resource, the schedule, and the project, whether or not the assignment is billable. If the assignment is non-billable, you can count time entered against the assignment as credited, or just simply exclude the time from utilization calculations.

Once you have resource requests and assignments in the system, you can begin to use that data to plan resource needs. The Resource Planner allows you to view all resources and their assigned hours by day, week, month, or year. For a more holistic view, you can build reports and include other pertinent information you may want to look at simultaneously, like resource request data and forecasted utilization.

To learn more about how resource requests and assignments work with scheduling functions and help you with forecasting in FinancialForce, checkout the TOP Step webinar video “Scheduling Techniques and Bench Management in FinancialForce.” You may also register for our monthly webinars that feature helpful tips for using FinancialForce PSA. A schedule of upcoming webinars can be found at topstepconsulting.com/financialforce-psa-webinar-series/.