Project

Select a project from the dropdown list. The list can be filtred by typing in the field.

Task

Select a task for the project and click to view details.

Start/Finish Date

These are set for the task and indicate when assignments can be made.

Confirmed

This is set for the task and indicates its status.

Milestone

This entry applies to the task and cannot be changed here. However, if it is set to Yes, it indicates that the record represents a major event that is used to monitor the progress of the task. It may also be an actual task and so effort may be booked against it. If not, you can still assign a resource to identify responsibility for the event.

Assignment Period Restriction

Any restriction is set for the project and determines how assignments are to be allocated to a task.

Description

Enter the description of the assignment. For direct scheduling assignments, this defaults to the task description if specified through Planning Settings.

Confirmed

You will only check the box to set the assignment as confirmed if you are sure that the resource is to work on the task. If not, you should leave the box unchecked until this is determined.


 

NOTE:
You cannot make an assignment confirmed if the task is not confirmed. However, you can specify a provisional assignment for a confirmed task. These settings indicate the assignment’s status but impose no restrictions on the way it is processed.


 

 

Resource

Defaults to your own resource but you can indicate:

      a single resource that is to be assigned to the task by either entering the code into the text box, clicking to select the required one or   to create one to add here

      multiple resources (if permitted through Planning Settings) by clicking Search to find and select records.


 

 

NOTE:

Sometimes, during the initial stages of setting up a project, you may assign roles to tasks rather than actual resources. They will eventually be replaced by assigning actual resources as the project becomes more finalized.

Resources and roles can only be assigned if they are available for scheduling.


 

Department

The resource’s normal department is shown. Select a different department to which the resource is assigned for this particular task.

Start/Finish /Deliver on Date/Time

Determine the earliest and latest dates that the resource can work on the task. Refer to Entering Data for information about entering or selecting dates and times.

The dates and times default from the task. The times, if entered, are for reference only and do not affect the assignment.

Leave the dates if the resource is to undertake the whole task. You can change them if the resource is to work for only part of the task period.


 

 

NOTE:
Depending on project settings, you may not be able to change these dates so that an assignment starts earlier than its task or is due to finish after the end date of the task. In these cases you must reschedule the task first. Allocated effort is derived from tasks and so is dependent on task dates.


 

Show Effort As

Choose to show the effort in days or hours.

Effort

The number of hours or days to assign to the resource defaults to those available between the specified start and end dates or, if the number of days that remain unallocated is fewer, to the unallocated days.

 

You can change the number of days but this cannot be greater than those still unallocated (although it can exceed the days in the period).

 

Under normal circumstances, the number of days or hours of effort is spread evenly over the number of days available for a resource. Click:

      Usage to assign actual effort to individual days when the resource is to undertake the work on specific days

      Flatten to spread the load evenly

*  to insert or distribute effort within a selected date range, with the ability for assignments to exceed total capability:

Actual Effort (Days)

Input is through timesheet entry when recording time worked for the task. Timesheet hours are converted to days and shown here as a guide to progress.

Allocated/
Unallocated Effort (Days)

These entries are maintained automatically. As you assign resources, the number of allocated days is increased and unallocated days are reduced. You can therefore determine what still needs to be done for the task to be fully allocated.

Percent Complete

You may update this percentage as the assignment proceeds to indicate its progress. Set to 100 when fully compete. If set for the project, the associated task will be automatically marked as 100% complete when all its assignments are complete.

The percentage may also be updated during timesheet entry, if time is entered against an assignment, or through the Project Review routine. It is used in the “Project Progress” report.

Date Completed

This only applies when recorded for tasks and assignments. If so, the date is set to the current date when the assignment is 100% complete.

Created Date

Shows the date and time the record was created.