Assigning Resources to Project Tasks
Assign resources to define who should complete a project task. You can assign one or more resources for each task.
Resources can be assigned either when the project task record is first created, or be assigned later as the project progresses.
If you use Resource Allocations, resources can be allocated directly to project tasks. For more information, see Assigning Resources with Allocations.
Overbooking Resources
Because a job resource can be assigned to a high number of tasks and not be constrained by time limitations, you must take care not to overbook project resources. Resource workloads are not assessed when a resource is assigned to a particular task.
For example, Bob can be assigned to three project tasks at one time, even if each task requires 10 hours of daily work, meaning Bob's total work requirement is 30 hours per day.
It could also be the case that a project task gets rescheduled, and a resource who was previously underbooked on a particular day may become overbooked due to the rescheduling.
In order to assess resource booking, you can run the Current Backlog by Resource report. This report lists employees who are assigned open projects, the number of open projects per employee and the total hours remaining assigned.
For details on this report, read Current Backlog By Resource Report.
Resource Assignment and Profit Margins
When assigning project task resources, remember that the resource you assign to a task can affect the cost of the task, and ultimately the cost of the project. That is because the service item selected for the resource dictates the revenue generated from the task.
The service item sources the cost from the resource record. This cost is then multiplied by the units of work to find the cost of using the resource on the task. Selecting a resource with a higher cost can lead to a higher overall cost for the project and lower margins. Selecting a resource with a lower cost can increase profit margins.
Project costs and revenues can be assessed on the Financial subtab of the project record.