Managing Resource Utilization

This chapter provides an overview of managing resource utilization using the Staffing Workbench and discusses how to:

Specify Staffing Workbench and resource utilization options.
Manage resource utilization.
Define supply category analytics.

Understanding Resource Utilization Using the Staffing Workbench

One of the primary responsibilities of a resource manager is to make sure that the resources are effectively utilized. Managing utilization is difficult, and it requires that you know the assignment status, skills, availability, and interests of resources. PeopleSoft Resource Management enables you to effectively manage resource utilization on the Staffing Workbench. The workbench that staffing coordinators use to manage service order fulfillment can also be used by resource managers to fully utilize resources. This common workbench is convenient for practice managers, who are ultimately responsible for both staffing and resource utilization.

The Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page serves as a central work space for a resource manager by providing immediate access to the information and features that are most important to that role. When you first access the page, a list of resources appears, along with information about their current assignment status. You can instantly determine the status of each member of the organization.

On the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page, you can:

View the current assignment status of resources.
- View resources in a list or in utilization charts.
- Dynamically filter the resources by assignment status.
- Select resources to evaluate and filter the view to display only those resources.
- Select a different resource group to change the list of resources to evaluate.
Identify potential work assignments for a resource.
- Perform a search for resource requests using Resource Matching.
  
  You can specify search options that define the set of resource requests for Resource Matching to evaluate when finding work for resources. If you do not find suitable resource requests, you can change the search options and search again.
  
  You can specify the search settings, such as the relative importance of factor family fit scores and the maximum number of resource requests to review, for Resource Matching to use when finding resource requests that fit the availability, qualifications, and preferences of the resource.
- View resource requests for which a resource has submitted a bid or been recommended.
- Select resource requests to evaluate for a resource.
Evaluate resource-and-resource-request combinations and make recommendations.

Workbench Tools used to Evaluate Resource Requests

With functionality and convenience that is similar to the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page, the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page provides easy access to the tools that you need to find work for resources. From the workbench, you can:

Evaluate resource availability, qualifications, and preferences.

The Job Scorecard page contains the request dates and other requirements that are included in the fit score calculation for the resource-and-resource-request combination.
View current resource assignments in the work space or view a list of all the resource's assignments.

You can open an assignment and modify it as needed, or open the resource's schedule to access all of the resource's assignments and appointments.
Review the resource's work experience, qualifications, preferences, and other general information in the resource profile.
Open the service order and resource request to review details.

Specifying Staffing Workbench and Resource Utilization Options

To specify workbench and resource utilization options, use the Staffing Workbench Options component (RS_MYWKBNCH_OPT).

This section discusses how to:

Specify Staffing Workbench user options.
Specify resource utilization user options.

Pages Used to Specify Staffing Workbench and Resource Utilization Options

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
My Workbench Options - Workbench	RS_MYWKBNCH_OPT	Resource Management, Define User Options, My Workbench Options	Select the default resource group to appear on the Manage Utilization page.
Resource Group Definition - Resource Groups	RS_RESOURCE_GROUPS	Click Add Resource Groups on the My Workbench Options - Workbench page. Click Add Resource Groups on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page. Click Add Resource Groups on the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page. Resource Management, Express Search, Express Search Click Add Resource Groups on the Express Search page. Resource Management, Define User Options, Resource Group Setup, Resource Group Definition - Resource Groups	Add or modify resource groups and select active resource groups.
My Workbench Options - Utilization	RS_MYWKBNCHRSC_OPT	Resource Management, Define User Options, My Workbench Options, Utilization	Select options for the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page such as the grid sort order, number of days before the end date that an assignment is treated as ending, minimum utilization percentage, optimal utilization ratio, and chart appearance. You can also specify whether to include your name on the workbench if you are a member of the selected resource group. Note. The My Workbench Options - Orders options page is discussed in a previous chapter.

Specifying Staffing Workbench User Options

Access the My Workbench Options - Workbench page.

Resource Group ID

Enter the default group of resources to appear in the Resources group box upon accessing the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page. The list contains the groups that you designated as active. Your selection is also used as the default resource group search option on the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page and the Express Search page, and appears on the Resources Needing Assignments operational summary portal pagelet.

If you do not select a resource group, the Resources work space will not contain any resource rows when you access the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

You can select a different resource group from the Staffing Workbench and the Express Search page when you search for resources.

Add Resource Groups

Click this link to access the Resource Group Definition - Resource Groups page and modify your list of active groups, modify or delete existing groups, or create new groups.

See Establishing Resource Groups.

Specifying Resource Utilization User Options

Access the My Workbench Options - Utilization page.

Include My Name

Select to include your name in the Resources group box on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page if you are a member of the selected resource group.

Sort Name

Select the sort order for resources who appear in the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

Number of Days

Enter the number of days before the end date that an assignment is treated as ending. This number is used to trigger a warning on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page and the Resources Needing Assignments operational summary portal pagelet that a resource has an assignment ending.

The default value is 14.

Minimum Percentage

Enter the minimum percentage of time that a resource must be scheduled on utilized tasks for the resource to be treated as assigned in the Unassigned Resources interactive report. Enter a whole number or mixed number. For example, enter 75 for 75 percent, or 85.5 for 85.5 percent.

The default value is 85.00.

Optimal Utilization Ratio

Enter the percentage of a resource's total capacity that the resource must be scheduled on utilized tasks for the resource to be treated as optimally utilized on the Scheduled Utilization interactive report. Enter a whole or mixed number.

The default value is 85.000.

Task Category and Task Chart Color

Enter the tasks to appear in the Scheduled Utilization, Unassigned Resources, and Resource Schedule charts. Enter a corresponding task color to appear in the Resource Schedule chart.

If you do not enter tasks and corresponding task colors on this page, the Resource Schedule chart uses the default tasks and colors that are specified on the Installation Options - Resource Management page.

Note. The My Workbench Options - Orders options page is discussed in a previous chapter.

Managing Resource Utilization

This section discusses how to:

View resources.
Filter and expand resource lists.
Search for assignments for resources.
Evaluate resource requests.
Review utilization charts.
Perform actions.
Confirm actions.

Pages Used to Manage Resource Utilization

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization	RS_MYRESOURCES	Resource Management, Staffing Workbench, Manage Utilization	View key resource statistics and find assignments for available resources.
Staffing Workbench - Add Request to List	RS_SCWB_RRSRCH_SEC	Click an Add Request button in a resource row in the Resources group box on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.	Search for resource requests to directly associate with resources on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.
Staffing Changes Confirmation	RS_SCWB_CONF_MSG	Save an action on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page. Save an action on the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page.	View actions before changes. Add comments for assignment activity.
Update Confirmation	RS_SCWB_CONF_MSG	Click OK on the Staffing Changes Confirmation page.	Confirm the Staffing Workbench actions.

Viewing Resources

Access the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

The Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page provides a multi-layer view of Resource Management data that is especially useful for the resource manager. The first group box displays encapsulated resource data with visual indicators denoting the resource's current assignment status. You can access resource assignments, profiles, and schedules, and use Resource Matching to find potential resource requests for a resource. You can also review interactive reports and recommend resources for specific requests.

Hello , <User Name>

Displays the name that is associated with the user ID.

You currently have <number> unworked items in your worklist!

Click to access the Worklist page and view or process items that are routed from workflow.

See Processing Worklist Items.

Resources

Upon entering the workbench, the Resources group box displays a summary-level, collapsed row for each resource in the resource group that you specify on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page. If you do not select a default resource group, no resource rows appear in the work space. You can select a different resource group at any time to change the resources who appear on this page.

For each resource, you can view:

Visual indicators.
Summary information about the resource's current assignment.
Resource request actions.

Visual Indicators

Each resource row in the work space has a visual indicator that depicts the resource's assignment status. This helps determine which resources need your attention first.

	A green diamond indicates that the corresponding resource is currently assigned.
	A yellow triangle indicates that the corresponding resource may soon be available for a new assignment. This visual indicator appears if the resource's assignment end date falls within the number of days from the current day that you specify on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page.
	A red square indicates that the corresponding resource is unassigned. If the current day is a workday as specified on the resource's profile, the system determines if the resource has a task scheduled that day. If the current day is not a workday, the system determines if the resource has a task scheduled on the next workday. If no task is scheduled, the resource is treated as unassigned and this visual indicator appears.

Resource Summary Rows

Rows in the Resources group box are collapsed when you enter the page. These rows provide resource summary information.

or	Click to expand or collapse individual resource rows. Expanded rows display information about resource requests that are associated with a resource.
	Click to sort the list of resources by the corresponding column heading in ascending or descending order.
Resource Name	Click the resource name link to open the resource profile in a new browser window. To return to the Staffing Workbench, either close the resource profile browser window or click in the Staffing Workbench window. See Reviewing Resource Profiles.
Rate	Displays the resource's bill rate and currency as specified for the resource's employee ID. If no bill rate is specified for the employee ID, the value is the rate that is associated with the job code in the Job Code Rates table (PC_RATE_JOBC). If neither value exists, the bill rate value is 0.0000.
Descr (description)	Displays the resource's current status as: Unassigned: The resource is not currently working on an assignment. Assignment Ending: The resource is currently on an assignment that is ending within the number of days specified on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page. <Task category>: The resource is currently working on an assignment with this task category, and the latest assignment end date is beyond the number of days specified for ending assignments on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page. Note. A resource is designated as working on an assignment if the assignment dates overlap the current date—regardless of the assignment status. For example, if a resource is placed on an assignment with the status Proposed, and today's date is between the assignment start and end dates, then this field displays either a task category or the value Assignment Ending, based on the assignment end date.
Customer	Displays the customer name that appears on the resource's current assignment. The field is blank if the resource is not currently working on an assignment.
End Date	Displays the end date of the resource's current assignment or, if the resource is not currently assigned, the end date of the resource's most recent assignment. If the assignment includes multiple date ranges, the last end date appears.
Personnel Status	Displays the resource's personnel status. This column appears only if you allow non-employees to be established as resources.
	Click the Monthly Calendar icon to access the resource's monthly schedule in a new browser window and view the assignments and appointments schedule. Close the browser to return to the workbench, or leave the schedule open and click the workbench window. See Working with Resource Schedules.
	Click the View List of Assignments icon to access the Assignments for <Resource> page in a new browser window and view a list of the resource's current assignments, bids, recommendations, and assignment history. This information is useful when evaluating the true utilization of resources. Future assignment activity may not appear on a resource's schedule, depending on the assignment status.
	Click the Create Assignment icon to access the Assign Resource page with the resource's name populated on the page. This icon appears only for users with permission to create assignments. You can create an assignment for the resource and click Save, or click Cancel to return to the Staffing Workbench without creating an assignment.

Resource Request Rows

When you expand resource summary rows, they display basic information about resource requests that are associated with the resource, the resource's factor fit scores for the request, the request dates, role, and customer, and a link to the request.

A resource request may appear in the expanded row if:

Resource Matching returns the resource request in a search.
You retrieve bids and recommendation for the resource request.
You add the resource request to the resource row.

A more detailed discussion of the information that appears for each resource request row appears later in this chapter.

See Evaluating Resource Requests.

Filtering and Expanding the Resource List

You can choose a filter, located under Hello <User Name> on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page, to view subsets of the resources in the work space. Filters control the number of resources who appear in the Resources group box or in the chart views. When you select a filter that limits the list of resources, such as resources who are unassigned, the resources who do not meet the filter criteria do not appear in the list or chart. The number of resources who are included in a filter appears next to the filter name.

If you are a member of the selected resource group, you can select an option on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page to include your name in the list of resources.

All	Click to view all resources who belong to the specified resource group. This filter provides a snapshot of the assignment status of all members of the resource group, regardless of whether the resources are currently on assignment.
Unassigned	Click to view a subset of resources who are not working on an assignment at the time.
Ending Assignments	Click to view a subset of resources who are currently on an assignment that is ending within the number of days that you specify on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page.
Selected Resources	Click after selecting the check box beside the resources that you want to appear in the Resources work space. To remove another resource from this filter, clear the resource check box and click Selected Resources again.

You can use the toolbar—located just above and below the Resources group box —to expand all resource rows so that you can view or act on resource requests that are associated with the resources. You can also display results from Resource Matching, retrieve bids and recommendations, or clear the requests from the work space and start again.

	Click Select All to select all resources who appear in the work space.
	Click Deselect All to deselect all resources who appear in the work space.
	Click Expand All to expand all resource summary rows in the work space.
	Click Collapse All to collapse all resource summary rows in the work space.

When you enter the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page, the list of resources appears in a grid format. You can switch to a chart format at any time and then switch back to the grid format. The same resources appear regardless of the view that you select. If you select a different filter while any chart view is active, the resources in the chart view reflect the new filter.

A more detailed discussion of charts appears later in this chapter.

See Reviewing Utilization Charts.

	Click Resources Grid to view the list of resources in a grid format in the Resources work space. This is the default view for the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page. The icon appears only if the active view is not the Resources grid.
	Click Unassigned Resources to view the Unassigned Resources chart—a graphical representation of the assignment status of resources who appear in the active filter. The icon appears only if the active view is not the Unassigned Resources chart.
	Click Chart Resource Schedules to view the Resource Schedule chart—a graphical representation of the schedules for the resources who appear in the active filter. The icon appears only if the active view is not the Resource Schedule chart.
	Click Scheduled Utilization to view the Scheduled Utilization chart—a graphical representation of scheduled utilization and optimal capacity for the resources who appear in the active filter. The icon appears only if the active view is not the Scheduled Utilization chart.

Searching for Assignments for Resources

There are three ways to find resource requests that are appropriate for available resources on the Staffing Workbench:

Retrieve resource requests for the selected rows based on search options and each resource's factor fit scores for the request.

This feature uses Resource Matching to find resource requests that match the qualifications, availability, and preferences of the selected resources.
Retrieve resource requests for which the selected resources are recommended or for which they have entered a bid.
Add a resource request to a resource row.

These toolbar icons invoke a search for resource requests and the visual indicators appear when a resource request matches the search criteria:

	Click Search for Requests for selected Resources to retrieve open resource requests for the selected resources based on search options and each resource's factor fit scores for the request. Specify search options at search time. Resource Matching calculates factor fit scores for each resource-and-resource-request combination. The system returns resource requests that meet the criteria for a resource. The requests appear in the work space with the resource row expanded and a visual indicator that the resource requests are a result of a Resource Matching search. A message appears for each selected row stating the number of resource requests that the system finds in the search results for the resource.
	Indicates that the corresponding resource request has been returned in the search results from Resource Matching.
	Click Retrieve Bids and Recommendations for selected Resources to retrieve resource requests for which the selected resources entered a bid or received a recommendation. The system returns resource requests that meet the criteria. The requests appear in the work space with the resource row expanded and a visual indicator that the resource entered a bid or received a recommendation for the corresponding resource request.
	Indicates that the resource entered a bid or received a recommendation for the corresponding resource request. Move the mouse pointer across the visual indicator to view the alternate text, which indicates if the resource submitted a bid or was recommended for the resource request.
	Click Clear Unwanted Requests for selected Resources to clear from selected resource rows the resource requests for which no action is selected.
Resource Group Name	Select the specific names—such as HR, Programmers, and LAN Admins—of the resource groups by which to search. Click the Add Resource Group link to modify or add a resource group and return to the Staffing Workbench. The resource group defaults from My Workbench options.
Add Request	Click to add a resource request for a resource row. Select the resource request and return to the workbench to enter the appropriate action.

The following sections provide more details on how to find work for resources by using the Staffing Workbench:

Retrieve Resource Requests Based on Factor Fit Scores

Expand the Search Options and Search Settings collapsible group boxes on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

Note. Search options and search settings apply only when you click Search for Requests for selected Resources to perform a search using Resource Matching.

To populate the workbench with resource requests based on a resource's factor fit scores:

In the Search Options collapsible group box, specify the search options that indicate which resource requests Resource Matching needs to evaluate when it searches for work for the resources. You can direct your search to:
- All Requests: Click to have Resource Matching evaluate all open requests as potential matches for the resource.
- Requests I Own: Click to have Resource Matching evaluate open resource requests for service orders that specify you—that is, the user that is logged into the system—as the person responsible for staffing the order.
- Owning Organization: Click to have Resource Matching evaluate open resource requests with a service order owning organization that includes the resource's organization.
  
  For example, if the organizational unit is department, Resource Matching evaluates any open resource request that specifies the resource's department or a parent department as the owning organization on the service order.
In the Search Settings collapsible group box, assign the relative priorities to the Availability, Preferences, and Qualifications factor family fit scores for this search session, and identify the number of results that are to be returned.
Select the resource rows for which you want to search for resources.
Click Search for Requests for selected Resources.

If selected resources are matched with resource requests based on the specified search options and the resources' factor fit scores, the resource requests appear in the work space with the row expanded.

The priorities that you specify during the search session are included in each resource's overall fit score calculations. The resource requests appear in descending order of the resource's overall fit score, which measures how well a resource fits the specified qualifications, availability, and preferences; accounting for the organization's priorities; and the priorities that you specify during the search session. If you change the priorities and search again, Resource Matching recalculates overall fit scores, which potentially changes the order of resource requests.

Note. Because the QUAL score is a combination of the resource's qualification and preferences fit scores, changing the relative priorities of Qualifications and Preferences may result in a change in the resource's qualification score shown in the workbench. If you only want to see the qualification score in the workbench, set the Preferences search setting to 0 - Not at all important. The actual values of qualifications, preferences and availability will appear in the Job Scorecard. Those values are not affected by the Search Settings values.

See The Fit Score.

Retrieve Resource Requests Based on Resource Bids and Manager Recommendations

To populate the workbench with requests that received a bid from one of your resources or a recommendation for one of your resources:

Select the resources for which you want to view bids or recommendations.
Click Retrieve Bids and Recommendations.

If selected resources bid or were recommended for requests, the requests appear in the work space with the resource row expanded and a visual indicator that the resource submitted a bid or received a recommendation.

You can submit a recommendation for a resource directly in the resource request or in the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page. A resource can submit a bid for a resource request in the Job Spy page.

Note. Search settings that you specify on this page do not impact the scores of the requests that are retrieved through Resource Bids and Manager Recommendations.

Add a Resource Request to the Work Space

Click the Add Request button on a corresponding resource row to access the Staffing Workbench - Add Request to List page.

To directly add resource requests to the work space for a resource:

Enter the business unit of the service order that you want to locate.

You must enter the business unit first, because it determines the list of valid service orders.
Click the Look up Service Order ID icon to select the service order.

You can search for the service order by the person responsible for staffing it, customer ID or name, description, project, service order ID or status, or by the user ID of the person who created the order.
Click Look up Request Number icon to select the resource request.

If no value is selected, all resource requests that are associated with the selected business-unit-and-service-order combination are added to the Resources work space when you click OK.
Click OK.

The selected resource requests appear in the work space under the selected resource summary row.

Note. Search settings that you specify on this page do not impact the scores of the requests that are added to the work space through Add Request.

Evaluating Resource Requests

Resource requests that meet the search criteria for a resource appear under the resource summary row.

If selected resources are matched with resource requests based on the specified search options and the resource's factor fit scores, the requests appear in the work space with the row expanded. You can click Selected Resources to hide all other resource rows from view.

Expanded rows display basic information about resource requests, the resource's factor fit scores for the request, the assignment status (if applicable), and a link to the resource request.

Qual. (qualification) and Avail. (availability)	Displays the qualification and availability factor family fit scores, which indicate how closely the resource's profile and schedule match the resource request. The qualification fit score is made up of the qualifications and preferences factor family fit scores. Click either fit score link to access the Job Scorecard for <Resource> page and view details about requirements that are included in the resource's fit score calculation for each factor family. Note. The QUAL score retrieved by the search on the workbench is a reflection of how well the requests match the resource—not how well the resource matches a particular request. This allows a more accurate set of requests that will maximize the utilization of a resource's qualifications and preferences. Because the Job Scorecard is leveraged by many different parts of the system, it is important to note that the scores contained in it are from the resource request perspective—how well a resource matches a particular request. Therefore, the Job Scorecard scores may vary from the Manage Utilization search results. See Viewing the Job Scorecard.
Dates	Displays the start date and end date of the resource request. If multiple date ranges are indicated on the request, this column displays the earliest start date and latest end date of the indicated date ranges.
Role	Displays the project role specified on the resource request.
IDs	Displays a concatenation of the service order business unit, the service order ID, and the resource request ID. Click the ID link to access the service order and view the order information. Depending on your security access, you can recommend the resource for the resource request. To return to the Staffing Workbench, click Save on the Order Summary or Resource Requests page, or click Return to Staffing Workbench.
Status	Displays the assignment status if the resource is assigned to the resource request during the current search session. Otherwise, the column indicates that the resource is being considered for this resource request, or is blank. Considering: This value appears if you saved an action to consider this resource as a possible match for the resource request. An assignment is not created when you consider a resource for a resource request, and therefore a value of Considering in this field is not treated as an assignment status. Note. The search settings that you specify on the workbench do not impact the scores of the requests that appear in the work space with a value in the Status column.
Action	Select the appropriate action to take on the resource. Available values are based on the resource's current assignment status and your user role security. Values are: Assign: Assign the resource to the resource request. The assignment appears on the confirmation pages for you to edit and verify. If assignment approval workflow is enabled, the assignment is automatically routed to the resource's manager for approval after you save and confirm the actions on the workbench. If assignment approval workflow is not enabled, or if the user that is logged into the system is the resource's manager, the assignment can be saved with the status Assigned without triggering assignment approval workflow. Interview, Propose, or Reserve: Create an assignment for the selected resource as soon as you save the actions on the workbench. The assignment appears on the confirmation pages for you to edit and verify. Consider or Recommend: Associate the resource with the resource request as one that you are considering as a possible match, or recommending for the resource request. These are not assignment statuses. An assignment is not created if you select one of these values. If you don't have the security access to create assignments, Consider and Recommend are the only available actions. Cancel: Cancel an existing assignment. Complete: Complete an assignment that is in an Assigned status. See Assignment Statuses.
Customer	Displays the customer name that is specified on the service order.
Location	Displays the assignment location that is specified on the resource request.

Reviewing Utilization Charts

Resource Management provides real-time analyses that you can view from the workbench to aid in managing utilization of resources. All views on this page contain the resources who appear in the active filter—all resources, unassigned resources, resources with ending assignments, or only selected resources. If you select a filter while the Resources group box is active and then you switch to a chart view, the same filter is used to display resources in the chart. If you view a chart view and select a new filter, then revert back to the Resources group box, the new filter appears in the group box.

From the workbench, you can view graphical representations of:

Unassigned resources.
Resource schedules.
Scheduled utilization.

Unassigned Resources Chart

Access the Unassigned Resources chart view on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

The Unassigned Resources chart represents the assignment status of the resources who appear in the active filter. You specify the threshold on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page that determines when a worker is treated as assigned. The chart displays the percentages of resources who are assigned and unassigned for the next four weeks, with navigation icons to scroll to the next or previous four-week period.

Move the cursor across each bar section to view alternate text about the number of resources assigned (the yellow portion of the bar) or unassigned (the red portion of the bar).

Click the assigned or unassigned portion of a bar to return to the Resources group box with the Selected Resources filter active and the resource rows selected for all of the resources included in that portion of the bar.

Resource Schedule Chart

Access the Resource Schedule chart view on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

The Resource Schedule chart represents the schedules of the resources who appear in the active filter. The chart displays schedules for a four-week period beginning with the current date, and navigation icons to scroll to the next or previous four-week period.

You specify task categories and corresponding chart colors on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page. If there are no task categories specified on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page, the Resource Schedule chart displays the default task categories and colors that are specified during implementation on the Installation Options - Resource Management page.

Move the mouse pointer across each chart section to view alternate text about the unavailable time (gray), available time (white), or overbooked time (red) for that period. Move the mouse pointer over a task on the chart to view alternate text about the customer name and assignment, or the appointment description.

Click an assignment task bar to access the Assign Resource page. View or modify the assignment as required, and save your changes to return to the workbench.

Click the overbooked time to access the Assignments for <Resource> page to view a list of the resource's existing assignments in any status. Click Cancel to return to the workbench.

Click an appointment task bar to access the Appointment Details page. You can view the appointment and click Cancel to return to the workbench, or modify the appointment and save your changes to return to the workbench.

Click the unassigned portion of the chart to return to the Resources group box with the Selected Resources filter active and the resource row for the applicable resource selected.

Scheduled Utilization

Access the Scheduled Utilization chart view on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.

The Scheduled Utilization chart compares the scheduled utilization with the optimal capacity for the resources who are included in the active filter.

Utilization represents the total number of hours that the resources on the chart are scheduled to work—or have already worked—during the chart period on the tasks designated as utilized time. You select the task categories to include in the analysis on the My Workbench Options - Utilization page.

Capacity is the total number of hours that the resources are available to work in the chart period as defined by the Standard Hours field (STD_HOURS) on the Job record (JOB) for the employee. On the My Workbench Options - Utilization page, you specify the percentage of capacity that is required for a resource to be treated as optimally utilized.

The chart displays hours for a four-week period beginning with the current date, and navigation icons to scroll to the next or previous four-week period.

Move the mouse pointer across the chart to view alternate text about the scheduled utilization hours (red) and optimal capacity hours (yellow) for the chart period for the resources who appear in the work space.

Performing Actions

To perform an action on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page:

In the Resources group box of the grid view, select the check box for the resource summary rows on which you want to perform an action.
Enter a corresponding action value for the resource-and-resource-request combinations for selected resource summary rows.
Click Save Actions for all selected items to perform the actions on the selected resource summary rows.

Note. When you save actions on one workbench page, the unsaved actions are performed on all workbench pages. For example, if you have access to the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page and the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Resources page, any actions that you select for a resource-and-resource-request combination on either page are performed when you save either page. The actions from both pages are listed on the Staffing Changes Confirmation page and the Update Confirmation page.

When you save the work space and accept the confirmation pages:

If there is no existing assignment for this resource-and-resource-request combination, and if you selected an action status of Assign, the system:
- Creates a new assignment with the indicated status if assignment approval workflow is not enabled, or if the user that is logged into the system is the resource's manager.
- Automatically routes the assignment to the resource's manager for approval if assignment approval workflow is enabled.
If there is no existing assignment for the resource-and-resource-request combination, and if you selected an action status of Interview, Propose, or Reserve, the system creates a new assignment with the indicated status.
If you selected an action status of Recommend, the system associates this resource with the resource request as a recommendation. The recommendation appears:
- On the Service Order - Recommend Resources page on the resource request.
- In the Recommendations filter on the Assignments for <Resource> page.
- In the Recommendations filter on the My Assignments - Assignments page.
- In the Requests work space on the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page when you retrieve resources based on recommendations.
- In the Resources work space on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page when you retrieve resource requests based on recommended resources.
If you selected an action status of Consider, the system saves the record to associate this resource with the resource request as a possible candidate.

An assignment is not created for an action status of Consider.

Note. resources who have the status Consider are only associated with the resource request on the Staffing Workbench. This information does not appear anywhere else in the system. These resources appear in the workbench each time the resource request appears until their status changes or the associated resource request is closed or canceled.
If the resource is already assigned to this resource request, the system updates the assignment with the new status.

Confirming Actions

When you save the actions on the Staffing Workbench, the Staffing Changes Confirmation page appears and explains the changes to be made for every selected resource. When you accept the changes, the Update Confirmation page appears and confirms that the changes were successful.

Use these pages to confirm that:

An assignment will be created for an action of Assign, Interview, Propose, or Reserve for a resource who is not already assigned to this resource request.
If assignment approval is required, the status of the assignment changes to Pending Approval.
The status of an existing assignment for a resource is changed according to the specified action.
Any workflow that is associated with the status change is invoked when you confirm the staffing changes.
Assignment history is updated when you confirm the staffing changes.

Note. You can change the assignment default values that appear on the Staffing Changes Confirmation page.

Staffing Changes Confirmation

Access the Staffing Changes Confirmation page.

Note. The information that appears on the Staffing Changes Confirmation page and Update Confirmation page differs based on the source of the action. If you initiate an action from the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page, the resource description appears at the top of the update section on the confirmation pages. If you initiate an action from the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page, the resource request description appears at the top of the update section on the confirmation pages.

The system displays a summary of the changes for each resource row that is selected at save time. If there are no changes for a selected row, the message No actions indicated for this Resource appears.

You can modify the assignment values that appear on the Staffing Changes Confirmation page.

Update	Select to confirm the change and update the assignment, resource request, resource schedule, and other workflow. Clear this check box to cancel the updates. The check box is selected by default.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday	View the default or existing work days for the assignment, and modify as needed by selecting or clearing the appropriate check boxes.
Start Date and End Date	View the default or existing dates for the assignment, and modify as needed. To accommodate a noncontiguous schedule, add a row for each nonconsecutive start and end date range for a single assignment.
Start Time and Hrs (hours)	View the default or existing start time and hours for the assignment, and modify as needed.
Description	Enter the assignment description.
OK	Click to save the specified actions and access the Update Confirmation page.

Update Confirmation

Access the Update Confirmation page.

Verify the changes and confirm that they occurred as expected. Click Return to Staffing Workbench to return to the work space and view the changes.

Assignments that are created from in the Staffing Workbench are populated with values from the resource request, and the system places the resource on the assignment with the designated action status. New assignment statuses for the resources appear in the Status column on the associated resource request rows in the Resources group box until you refresh the workbench.

Note. If you select the action Assign and assignment approval is required, the assignment status is Pending Approval if you view the assignment from the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page, Assignments for <Resource> page, or Assign Resource page. The assignment remains in a pending status until it is approved by the resource's manager or canceled.

Defining Supply Category Analytics

This section provides an overview of supply category analytics and discusses how to:

Select resource pools for analytics.
Search for resource pools.
View supply category analytics.
View analytic details.
View resource details in the master resource schedule.

Understanding Supply Category Analytics

One of the key tools for an IT organization is the ability to view supply category capacity, allocation, and availability of resources by time period at the organizational and resource pool level. It is also important to be able to view project assignments as well as task assignments on the resource usage analytic.

Pool managers can quickly and easily view the availability of the resources in their pool for a given time period. The supply category analytic can be generated for a maximum of six months.

Pages Used to Define Supply Category Analytics

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Supply Category Analytic parameters	RS_OCP_POOL_SELECT	Resource Management, Manage Resource Pools, Supply Category Analytics	Select pools from which to include data for supply category analytics. Define the start date and number of months to display as well as data sorting options.
Search for Pools	RS_OCP_POOL_SEARCH	Click the Search for Pools link on the Supply Category Analytic parameters page	Search for pools to add to the supply category analytics.
Supply Category Analytic	RS_OCP_ANALYTIC	Click the View Supply Category Analytic button on the Supply Category Analytic parameters page.	View the supply category analytics.
Supply Category Analytic Details	RS_OCP_ANALYTIC_DTL	Click the View Details button on the Supply Category Analytic page.	View detail supply category analytic data.
Master Resource Schedule	PGM_MRS_SCHED	Click the View Selected In Master Resource Schedule button on the Supply Category Analytic Details page.	View the supply details in the master resource schedule.

Selecting Resource Pools for Analytics

Access the Supply Category Analytic parameters page.

Start Date	Enter the month and year from which the supply category analytic is to be generated and displayed.
Show	Enter the time frame for which the analytic is to be generated, from 1 month to 6 months.
Search Options	Expand this group box and select attributes to drive how the analytic data is grouped and displayed, using the Sort By and Then By fields to specify a supply category. You can select a primary and a secondary driver to generate and view the data using the Group By and View In choices.
Select Pools	Select the respective check boxes for each Pool Name for which the analytic is to be generated from the displaying pool hierarchy. All active resource pools in the system display. If you select a parent pool, the system will automatically select its children as part of the analytic scope. You can select child pools independent of the parent pool.

Searching for Resource Pools

Access the Search for Pools page.

Search for Pools	You can search on Description, Pool Manager, and Pool ID to find and select pools to add to your analytics. The search results display in the Search Results group box. The display of pools is not hierarchical.
Select	Select the check box for each pool in your search results that you want to add to the scope for generating the supply category analytic
Add to Selected Pools	Click this button to add the additionally selected pools to the Supply Category Analytic parameters page.
Remove From Selected Pools	Click to remove selected pools from the Supply Category Analytic parameters page. Only the pools listed on that page are in the scope for generating supply category analytic.

Viewing Supply Category Analytics

Access the Supply Category Analytic page.

(check box)	Select the check box for the rows into which you want to drill down. Note. If you sort by Region then by Project Role, then when you select a region, all roles under that region are selected.
<Pool/Region>	This column is dynamic; your Sort By and Then By selections dictate the column title.
Capacity	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the capacity of each role in the region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month. Note. The Start Month and the View In unit also display in the column heading.
Requested	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the requested days for each role in a region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month.
Assigned	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the assigned days for each role in a region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month.
Available	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the difference between capacity and assigned days for each role in a region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month.
View Details	Click this button to view the details for the resources you selected with the check boxes, which make up the capacity for a supply category.

Viewing Analytic Details

Access the Supply Category Analytic Details page.

(check box)	Select the resources to be included in the resource scope of the master resource schedule. You can select the desired rows and click the View Selected In Master Resource Schedule button to view the schedule of the selected resources. If the analytic is generated for supply categories Pool and Role, if you select the pool node all resources in that pool will be selected. If you select a role node, all the resources in that pool with the selected role will be selected.
Role/Region/Resource	Displays the role (such as Database Administrator), the region (such as East), or the resource as applicable.
Capacity	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the capacity of each resource in each role in the region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month. Note. The Start Month and the View In unit also display in the column heading.
Requested	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the requested days for each resource in each role in a region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month.
Assigned	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the assigned days for each resource in each role in a region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month.
Available	When the Sort By selection is Region, and the Then By selection is Role, for example, this column displays the difference between capacity and assigned days for each resource in each role in a region for each calendar week for the time frame between the start month and the end month.
View Selected In Master Resource Schedule	Click this button to view the schedule of the selected resources.

Viewing Resource Details in the Master Resource Schedule

Access the Master Resource Schedule page.

This page and its fields are discussed in the Program Management PeopleBook.

As resources are added or moved to different pools, or requested or assigned to assignments, the cache table must be updated so the data remains up-to-date. It is important to run the processes that load the cache tables from which the Supply Category Analytic obtains data.

To do this, select Set Up Financials, Common Definitions, Resource Search, Cache Administration, Miscellaneous and select the Refresh Supply Category Analytics Cache check box. Then click the Summary tab and run the process.

Include My Name	Select to include your name in the Resources group box on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page if you are a member of the selected resource group.
Sort Name	Select the sort order for resources who appear in the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page.
Number of Days	Enter the number of days before the end date that an assignment is treated as ending. This number is used to trigger a warning on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page and the Resources Needing Assignments operational summary portal pagelet that a resource has an assignment ending. The default value is 14.
Minimum Percentage	Enter the minimum percentage of time that a resource must be scheduled on utilized tasks for the resource to be treated as assigned in the Unassigned Resources interactive report. Enter a whole number or mixed number. For example, enter 75 for 75 percent, or 85.5 for 85.5 percent. The default value is 85.00.
Optimal Utilization Ratio	Enter the percentage of a resource's total capacity that the resource must be scheduled on utilized tasks for the resource to be treated as optimally utilized on the Scheduled Utilization interactive report. Enter a whole or mixed number. The default value is 85.000.
Task Category and Task Chart Color	Enter the tasks to appear in the Scheduled Utilization, Unassigned Resources, and Resource Schedule charts. Enter a corresponding task color to appear in the Resource Schedule chart. If you do not enter tasks and corresponding task colors on this page, the Resource Schedule chart uses the default tasks and colors that are specified on the Installation Options - Resource Management page.