When doing resource planning, named or unnamed resources are given allocations either manually or automatically. For the automatic way of adding allocations, see Resource Planning: Auto-Generated Allocations. Manual allocation setting is discussed below. 

Allocation is a planned resource loading time allotment attributed with start and end dates, total allocated hours value and allocation percentage. Allocations are based on available hours that a resource has in accordance with Company Schedule and their own personal weekly schedule. Public holidays are not included in available hours. An allocation is represented as a bar on the Gantt area of the Resource Planning screen and is colored depending on its type, as follows:

Type of Allocation	Properties	Coloring
Soft	Tentative allocation
Hard	Final; cannot be assigned to an unnamed resource

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Adding allocations

Allocation can be set manually using the mouse or the add/edit allocation wizard.

 

Method 1 Gantt Area

To set an allocation with your mouse in the Gantt area, please follow these steps:

1. Select suitable granularity (Daily, Weekly or Monthly).
2. Place the cursor at the starting point on the Gantt area within the line corresponding to the resource you are going to add an allocation for.
3. While holding down the Shift key, click the left button.
4. Without releasing the Shift key drag the cursor to the right before you reach the end point of the allocation. Do not fear to make a mistake as you will be able to edit the allocation at any time.
5. Release the button.
6. As the Add Allocation wizard opens up on the button release, you can add finishing touches to the allocation.
7. Adjust, if required, start and end date.
8. Specify the allocation percentage or total allocated hours (bi-directional arrows sign () indicates that the value on either side is in direct correlation with the other: halfing one will result in halfing the other, etc.). 
9. Select the type of allocation: soft or hard. 
10. Click Save.     

 

 

 

 

 

Method 2 More Actions Menu

To set an allocation using the resource's More Actions menu, please follow these steps:

1. Select suitable granularity (Daily, Weekly or Monthly).
2. Hover over the resource you wish to add an allocation for and click the More actions button ().
3. Select Add allocation.
4. Set a start and end date.
5. Specify the allocation percentage or total allocated hours (bi-directional arrows sign () indicates that the value on either side is in direct correlation with the other: halfing one will result in halfing the other, etc.). 
6. Select the type of allocation: soft or hard. 
7. Click Save.     

 

 

 

 

 

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Editing Allocations

On editing hard allocations see the note above. To edit an allocation, the following steps are used:

1. Select the required granularity: daily, weekly, or monthly.
2. To change the duration of an allocation, drag the bar representing it by the right or left edge.  
3. To edit other details, click on the allocation.
4. Edit the fields in the Edit Allocation window.
5. Click Save when done. 

 

 

 

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Deleting allocations

To delete an allocation:

1. Click the allocation to be deleted.
2. Click Delete in the Edit Allocation window. 

 

 

 

 

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Allocated Hours/Allocation Duration Calculations

The system uses the company working schedule for unnamed and named resources when calculating allocated hours, with the default company schedule defined by the “Default no of hours per day” and “Treat weekends as workdays” settings.

 

Example 1: If allocation starts on Jul 25, 2022 and ends on Aug 7, 2022, and the company schedule is eight hours per day and Treat weekends as workdays is OFF, the system will calculate the total allocated hours as 80 hours.

 

The primary parameter used in the calculations is allocated hours per day (AHD). The formulas used are as follows:

Changes in the parameters involved will affect other values in a different way. The following cases can be considered:  

1. Altering either calculated value in the above formulas will change the amount of allocated hours per day. The other value is then recalculated based on the new amount of allocated hours per day. 

 

Example 2: Given: 2-day allocation, 100%, 16 total allocated hours, 8 hrs/day. Allocation percentage is changed manually to 75%. The new AHD is 8 (company scheduled hours) x 75% = 6 hrs/day Result: 2-day allocation, 75%, 12 total hours, 6 hrs/day.

 

Example 3: Given: 2-day allocation, 100%, 16 total allocated hours, 8 hrs/day. Total allocated hours is changed manually to 10h. The new AHD is 10 / 2 (allocation duration in workdays) = 5 hrs/day. New allocation percentage = 5 / 8 (company scheduled hours) x 100% = 62.5%  Result: 2-day allocation, 62.5%, 10 total hours, 5 hrs/day.

 

2. Changing the company schedule will not affect AHD for existing allocations. The change will result in changed allocation percentage, with total allocated hours remaining the same.

 

Example 4: Given: 2-day allocation, 100%, 16 total allocated hours, 8 hrs/day. Company schedule is changed from 8 to 4 hours. New allocation percentage = 8 / 4 x 100% = 200% Result: 2-day allocation, 200%, 16 total hours, 8 hrs/day.

 

3. Changing the start or end date of the allocation will update its total allocated hours value.    

 

Example 5: Given: 2-day allocation, 50%, 8 total allocated hours, 4 hrs/day. End date is changed from March 2 to March 3, increasing duration by one day. New TAH = 3 x 4 = 12 hrs. Result: 3-day allocation, 50%, 12 total hours, 4 hrs/day.

 

4. Adding public holidays will affect No. of work days in allocations the added holidays fall on, so will changing the Treat weekends as workdays setting.

 

Example 6: Given: 3-day allocation, Sept 1 to Sep 3 Sep 2 is added as a public holiday. Result: 3-day allocation, adjusted total hours for 2 work days.

 

Example 7: Given: 4-day allocation, Mar 10 to Mar 13, Mar 11 to 12 is a weekend. Treat weekends as workdays is set to OFF. Result: 4-day allocation, adjusted total hours for 2 work days.

 

 

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