Navigate the Resources tab - Exercise

Each Activity has one or more resource requirements, also referred to as resources. Each resource requirement is associated with a resource class.

The resources tab displays how resources are used in your schedule, and how these resources are used over the duration of your project.

Just like with the Schedule tab, from the top of the Resources tab you can:

Expand and collapse the available scenarios.
Find a resource from the search, such as animation or layout.
Customize the display of the overview graph, detail graph, and resource table.

Scenarios

Select Scenarios to expand and collapse the available scenarios.

Quickly sort existing scenarios, create new scenarios based on the original schedule data imported when the playground was created, and duplicate, delete or edit details about the selected scenarios. 

The Scenarios panel can be pinned to keep it visible when switching between the Schedule and Resources tabs. 

Search

Use the search to view specific Resources in your schedule, such as Animation or Compositing.

Customize

The Customize option allows you to customize the information displayed about the overview graph, detail graph and resource table.

Overview graph

The overview graph is displayed at the top of the Resources tab. It is a visual representation of your resourcing needs over time, as reflected by your schedule.

Graph type

You can choose to display the resources overview graph in one of three ways:

Stacked, in which the resource requirements of each resource class are stacked on top of each other, displaying the total resource requirements of all resource classes over time

Stream, in which the resource requirements of each resource class are viewed by how big their stream is over time

List, in which each resource class is separated into its own line, and all lines can be compared over time

Graph style

Each graph type, stacked, stream, and list, can be displayed in three different ways:

Smooth, which displays resource requirements using smooth curves across time

Linear, which displays resource requirements using straight lines from points across time

Stepped, which displays resource requirements using steps over time

Data type

Ideal Usage is the theoretical ideal utilization of a particular resource class.

For example, it might be ideal to have a static number of artists over the course of a project. Flow Generative Scheduling will attempt to achieve the Ideal Usage for a resource class, but this is not always possible to do while respecting the constraints that have been specified for the schedule.

Planned Usage is the actual utilization of a particular resource class.

For example, while the ideal utilization of a resource class might be a static number, reality will usually differ and there will be variations in the planned usage of a resource class over the course of a schedule.

Choose whether you want the overview graph to display planned or ideal usage.

Calendar settings

You can choose to show or hide non-working days on the overview graph.

Work schedules and exceptions in Flow Production Tracking are used to determine non-working days in Flow Generative Scheduling.

For example, if Wednesday is set to a non-working day in Flow Production Tracking, then Wednesday will also be a non-working day in Flow Generative Scheduling.

Work schedules and exceptions at the Project level are also reflected in Flow Generative Scheduling.

In the example above, Saturday and Sunday are non-working days and are reflected on the overview graph.

Detail graph

With a resource class selected from the overview graph, the detail graph displays information about the resource requirements of a single resource class.

Graph style

Unlike the overview graph, the detail graph's only type is a simple area graph, however it can be displayed in one of three ways:

Smooth, which displays the resource requirement using smooth curves across time

Linear, which displays the resource requirement using straight lines from points across time

Stepped, which displays the resource requirement using steps over time

Calendar settings

Just like with the overview graph, you can choose to show or hide non-working days on the detail graph by toggling them on and off.

Resource table

Column display

The resource table displays beneath the overview graph when no particular resource class has been selected.

The table can display information about each resource class, including total resources, total tasks, and the planned start and finish for that resource class. Which fields are displayed can be toggled on and off from the column display menu.

Select the dots to the right of the column name to drag the fields up or down to change the order in which the columns are displayed.

The visible fields in the resource table can also be toggled on and off from the Table settings menu in the top right-hand corner of the resource table.

Zoom controls

There are several ways to set the displayed calendar range for your scenario.

Use the calendar picker to choose a start and end date across which to see your resource utilization.

If you specify a date that is outside the current date range of the Gantt chart, you may lose sight of your resources. Click Reset to zoom out and frame the Gantt chart so that it displays your entire schedule.

Use the zoom in and out icons to narrow in on or expand on the dates on display.

Zoom into a date range with the draw zoom area tool.

Drag either end of the timeline selection to narrow in on or expand on the dates on display.

Resource class details

The overview graph is displayed at the top of the Resources tab. The overview graph shows how different resources classes are used over the course of a schedule.

Beneath the overview graph, details about resources are displayed in the resource table.

Clicking a resource class in the overview graph or resource table displays it in the resources detail panel.

Resource class detail graph

To the left, the detail graph displays resource utilization over time. Planned usage and ideal usage are both visible.

Resource class summary

Beneath the resource class detail graph, the resource class summary displays information about the selected resource class, including:

Total tasks on the project that make use of this resource class, shown in number of days
Duration from first task to last task completion, not including non-working days, shown in number of days
Total effort days based on an 8-hour workday, shown in number of days
Planned max resources throughout the duration of the resource class use, reflected in the highest peak of planned usage on the detail graph, shown in number of resources or units
Planned ideal max resources, reflected in the level line of ideal usage on the detail graph, shown in number of units
Max deviation from the ideal throughout the duration of the resource class use, shown in number of units
Average deviation from the ideal throughout the duration of the resource class use, shown in number of units

Resource class details panel

To the right, the details panel allows you to edit and view more information about Activities that area part of the resource class on display.

From the Edit tab, you can:

Adjust the earliest start and latest finish for a particular resource class.
Set a minimum number of resources.
Ease resources in and out.
Enable and set capacity.

From the Task list tab, you can:

View all activities scheduled to occur on any date selected on the detail graph.
View the details of a single activity, including the duration of the activity and activity hierarchy.
Link to the Schedule tab and view the selected activity in the Gantt chart.

Generate and refine a schedule - Quiz