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.

• Access the Assign Resource page to directly assign a resource.

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 create or 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

Specifying Staffing Workbench User Options

Access the My Workbench Options - Workbench page (Resource Management, Define User Options, My Workbench Options, Workbench).

Specifying Resource Utilization User Options

Access the My Workbench Options - Utilization page (Resource Management, Define User Options, My Workbench Options, Utilization).

Include My Name	Select to include your name in the Resources scroll area 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 on 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.
Resource Grid Display Options	Choose either Daily, Weekly or Monthly.
Unit of Measure	Choose either Hours or Days.
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.

See Also

Specifying Order Fulfillment User Options

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

Viewing Resources

Access the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page (Resource Management, Staffing Workbench, Manage Utilization).

The Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page provides a multi-layer view of PeopleSoft Resource Management data that is especially useful for the resource manager. The first scroll area 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.

Resources

Upon entering the workbench, the Resources scroll area 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 you determine which resources need your attention first.

Resource Summary Rows

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

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 scroll area 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.

You can use the toolbar—located just above and below the Resources scroll area—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.

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.

When you enter the page, the resources that you specify on the My Workbench Options - Workbench page appear in the Resources scroll area. You can select a different active resource group from the Resource Group Name options. You can also access the Resource Group Definition - Resource Groups page to modify or add a resource group and return to the Staffing Workbench.

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:

This button appears for each resource row in the work space:

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:

1. In the Search Options collapsible group box, specify the search options that indicate which resource requests that 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 requests that specify the resource's department or a parent department as the owning organization on the service order.

2. 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 a priority greater than 0 - Not at all important for at least one factor family.

3. Select the resource rows for which you want to search for resources.

4. 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 Resources scroll area 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 qualification 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.

See Overall 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:

1. Select the resources for which you want to view bids or recommendations.

2. 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 on the resource request or from the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization page. A resource can submit a bid for a resource request from 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

Reviewing Utilization Charts

PeopleSoft Resource Management provides real-time analyses that you can view from the workbench to aid in managing utilization of resources. All of the 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 scroll area 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 scroll area, the resources that belong to new filter appear in the scroll area.

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 scroll area 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. Changes are reflected on the Resource Schedule chart when you refresh the chart, which occurs when you click a navigation icon to scroll to the next or previous four-week period.

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 scroll area 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:

1. In the Resources scroll area of the grid view, select the check box for the resource summary rows on which you want to perform an action.

2. Select an action for the resource-and-resource-request combinations for selected resource summary rows.

3. 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 required approver.

  • Automatically routes the assignment to the required approver 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 scroll area on the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page when you retrieve resources based on recommendations.

  • In the Resources scroll area 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 of 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 is 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.

Staffing Changes Confirmation

Access the Staffing Changes Confirmation page (save an action on the Staffing Workbench - Manage Utilization 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 fields on the Staffing Changes Confirmation page behave the same as the ones on the Staffing Workbench - Fulfill Orders page.

See Confirming Actions.

Update Confirmation

Access the Update Confirmation page (click OK on the Staffing Changes 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 scroll area 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

Selecting Resource Pools for Analytics

Access the Supply Category Analytic parameters page (Resource Management, Manage Resource Pools, Supply Category Analytics).

Start Date	Enter the month and year from which the system will generate and display the supply category analytic.
Show	Enter the time frame for which system will generate the analytic, from 1 Month to 6 Months.
Search Options	Expand this group box and select attributes to specify 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 attribute to generate and view the data using the Group By and View In options.
Select Pools	Select the corresponding check boxes for each pool name for which the system will generate the analytic. All active resource pools in the system appear in this group box. If you select a parent pool, the system automatically selects its children as part of the analytic scope. You can select child pools independent of the parent pool. Only the pools that are selected on this page are in the scope for the supply category analytic.

Searching for Resource Pools

Access the Search for Pools page (click the Search for Pools link on the Supply Category Analytic parameters page).

Search for Pools	Search for pools by pool name, manager, ID and description to find and select pools to add to the supply category analytic. The search results appear in the Search Results group box. The list of pools in the Search Results group box is not hierarchical.
Select	Select the check box for each pool in the search results that you want to add to the supply category analytic scope.
	The Selected Pool icon indicates that the corresponding pool is selected on the Supply Category Analytic parameters page.
Add to Selected Pools	Click to add the selected pools to the Supply Category Analytic parameters page with the check box selected. If you select a parent pool, the system automatically selects the child pools.
Remove From Selected Pools	Select rows that have the Selected Pool icon, and click Remove From Selected Pools to remove the selected pools from the Supply Category Analytic parameters page.
Return to Select Pools	Click to return to the Supply Category Analytic parameters page.

Viewing Supply Category Analytics

Access the Supply Category Analytic page (click the View Supply Category Analytic button on the Supply Category Analytic parameters page).

Select the rows for which you want to drill down to view details.

If you sort by Region then by Project Role, when you select a region, the system selects all roles that belong to that region.

Viewing Analytic Details

Access the Supply Category Analytic Details page (click the View Details button on the Supply Category Analytic page).

	Select the resources to include in the resource scope of the master resource schedule, and click View Selected In Master Resource Schedule to view the schedule of the selected resources.
	Click to access the Operational Capacity Analytic chart for the corresponding resource.
View Selected In Master Resource Schedule	Click to view the master resource schedule for the selected resources.

Viewing Resource Details in the Master Resource Schedule

Access the Master Resource Schedule page (click the View Selected In Master Resource Schedule button on the Supply Category Analytic Details page).

The master resource schedule is discussed in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Program Management 9.1 PeopleBook.

As resources are added or moved to different pools, or requested or assigned to assignments, you must maintain up-to-date data in the Supply Category Analytics Cache table. To do this, select the Refresh Supply Category Analytics Cache option on the Cache Administration - Miscellaneous page and run the process.

Note. When you access the Master Resource Schedule page from the Supply Category Analytic Details page, the Master Resource Schedule may show more work for a resource than the resource's number of assigned days that appears on the Supply Category Analytic Details page. This is because the Master Resource Schedule includes any work where the resource is in a Considered status for the project.

See Also

Working with Master Resource Schedules

Setting Up and Maintaining the Verity Search Engine and Resource Matching Cache Tables