Project View Grid

Use the Project View grid to review resource assignments and schedules for your projects or opportunities, assign employees and generic resources to your projects or opportunities, and enter planned hours for those assignments. You can also use the grid to reassign work from one resource to another and to reschedule planned hours.

Contents: Above the Grid

Field Description
Find project or opportunity

Use the Find project or opportunity field in the upper-left corner of the Project View to search for and select the project or opportunity for which you want to review, add, or change resource assignments in the grid.

On the drop-down list at the left end of the Find project or opportunity field, select a standard or custom search:

  • Click Active to select from a list of all active projects and opportunities to which you have access. (A project or opportunity is considered active if the status of the top-level WBS element is Active.)
  • Click All to select from a list of all projects and opportunities to which you have access, regardless of status.
  • Click Projects I Manage to select from a list of all active projects and opportunities for which you are the project manager at any level of the work breakdown structure (WBS). (A project or opportunity is considered active if the status of the top-level WBS element is Active.)
  • Click Organization to select from a list of all active projects and opportunities that are assigned at any WBS level to the organization to which you are assigned in the Employees hub. (A project or opportunity is considered active if the status of the top-level WBS element is Active.) This option is only available if DPS is configured to use organizations.
  • Using organization level 1 as an example, click <organization level 1 name> to select from a list of all active projects and opportunities that are assigned, at any WBS level, to an organization with the same level 1 value as the organization to which you are assigned in the Employees hub. (A project or opportunity is considered active if the status of the top-level WBS element is Active.) The searches for the other organization levels work in the same way. This option is only available if DPS is configured for a fixed organization structure.
  • Click a previously saved custom search to display the projects and opportunities returned by that search. Custom searches display below the standard searches on the drop-down list.
  • Click Custom at the bottom of the list to create and save or apply a new custom search. The custom searches you create are not limited to the projects and opportunities with which you are associated; they are only limited by your access rights as set up in DPS.

To help you distinguish between projects and opportunities on the list when the search returns both, displays next to projects on the list and displays next to opportunities.

To further restrict the list of projects and opportunities, do either of the following in the Find project or opportunity field:
  • To display a list of projects or opportunities with names (either short or long name, for projects) or numbers that begin with a specific single character, type the character in the field and pause.
  • To display a list of projects with names (either short or long name, for projects) or numbers that contain a specific sequence of two or more characters, type the characters in the field and pause.

If you enter characters in the Find project or opportunity field and then want to remove them, click the icon at the end of the field to clear the field.

The number of projects in the current search results displays at the right end of the Find project or opportunity field.

This opportunity is inactive. Move or delete resource assignments. This text displays when you select an opportunity that is inactive. Click the Move link in the text to display the Move Opportunity Assignments dialog box and move the resource assignments from the opportunity plan to a project plan. Click the delete link in the text to remove all of the resource assignments for the opportunity.

Contents: Left Grid Section

This section of the grid displays the WBS elements at each level of the WBS for the selected project or opportunity. For the lowest-level WBS elements, it also displays the resources assigned to that element.

To change the width of the left grid section, position the mouse pointer over the dividing line between the left grid section and the middle grid section, and drag the line.

Field Description
Click this icon to display brief descriptions of all of the summary columns that you can select for the middle section of the grid. Click More at the bottom of the list of column descriptions to display a related help topic.
Plan availability icons When you select a WBS row, one of the following icons displays to the left of the top-level WBS element:
  • : The plan is now checked out to you, and you can edit plan information.
  • : You cannot edit plan information for the row because the plan is checked out to someone else, the plan has unpublished changes, or you do not have the necessary access rights to make changes to the plan.

Click the icon to display an explanation in an info bubble. If the plan is checked out, the info bubble provides the name and email address of the person who has it checked out. If your security role is an Administrator role, the info bubble also contains a link that you can click to check the plan back in and then check it out to you. If the plan has unpublished changes, the info bubble provides the name and email address of the project manager so you can communicate with them about the plan.

Level/Resource

This column displays the WBS elements for the selected project or opportunity and, for each lowest-level WBS element, the currently assigned resources. (Employees with no planned hours but with JTD hours charged to the WBS element are automatically assigned and display also.)

Click and to expand or collapse the work breakdown structure levels.

To add a resource assignment for a WBS element, mouseover the WBS row to display in the Level/Resource field in the row to display the Add Resources to Project dialog box. Keep in mind that the plan must be checked out to you and the row must be eligible to have assignments. (If displays in this field where normally does, the WBS element is not active. You cannot add new assignments for an inactive or dormant element or any elements under it in the WBS, but you can edit, delete, reassign, or reschedule existing assignments.)

If an assigned resource is an employee, click the employee name to display information about the employee in the Employee Card dialog box. If the assigned resource is a generic resource, click the resource name to display information about the resource in an info bubble.

In WBS rows, click the WBS element to display information about the WBS element. Click the Open in Projects link in the info bubble to leave Project View and display the WBS element in the Projects hub.

By default, only names display for WBS elements, but you have the option to display WBS numbers along with the names. Click next to the upper-right corner of the grid, and click the Show Project/Opportunity Numbers check box in the Column Settings & Selections dialog box.

Show less and Show more

Use these links at the top of the Level/Resource column to hide or show the summary columns you have selected for display in the middle section of the grid. Hiding those columns provides space to display more detail columns.

If the summary columns are visible, click Show less to hide them. The link then changes to Show more. Click that link to display the summary columns again.

You can pin individual columns if you want them to display even when you click Show less. To do that, click next to the upper-right corner of the grid, and click the check box for those columns in the Column Settings & Selections dialog box.

To add a resource assignment for a WBS element, click the WBS row, and click in the Level/Resource field in the row to display the Add Resources to Project dialog box.

If displays in this field where normally does, the WBS element or resource is not active. You cannot add new assignments for an inactive or dormant element or any elements under it in the WBS, but you can edit, delete, reassign, or reschedule existing assignments.

Contents: Middle Grid Section

The columns described below display by default in the middle section of the grid. Click next to the upper-right corner of the grid to add or remove columns.

To change the width of the middle grid section, position the mouse pointer over the dividing line between the middle grid section and the right grid section, and drag the line.

Field Description
Click this icon to display the Column Settings & Selections dialog box and do any of the following:
  • Indicate how to sort resource rows in the grid
  • Display WBS numbers along with names in the grid
  • Select the summary columns that display in the middle section of the grid
Plan Start

For a WBS row, this column displays the plan start date for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the WBS row has no planned hours, a message displays asking if you want to move the plan end date also to preserve the same number of days between the two dates.

If you change this date and the WBS row has planned hours, the Reschedule dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the plan is rescheduled.

If you select a date that is earlier than the plan start date for any higher-level WBS elements in the same branch, those plan start dates are adjusted accordingly. If you select a date that is later than either the plan start dates for any lower-level WBS elements or any assignment start dates in the same branch, those start dates are adjusted accordingly.

Plan End

For a WBS row, this column displays the plan end date for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the WBS row has planned hours, the Reschedule dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the plan is rescheduled.

If you select a date that is later than the plan end date for any higher-level WBS elements in the same branch, those plan end dates are adjusted accordingly. If you select a date that is earlier than either the plan end dates for any lower-level WBS elements or any assignment end dates in the same branch, those end dates are adjusted accordingly.

Assignment Start

For a WBS row, this column displays the start date for the earliest resource assignment for the WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the start date for that resource's assignment for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the resource row has no planned hours, a message displays asking if you want to move the assignment end date also to preserve the same number of days between the two dates.

If you change this date and the resource row has planned hours, the Reschedule dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the assignment is rescheduled.

If you change this date in a way that places any part of the assignment date range outside of the plan date range for the parent WBS row, a message displays asking if you also want to change the plan date range. Click Change Dates to have DPS adjust the plan dates to include the complete assignment date range. It is possible that plan dates at higher levels of the WBS may also be changed so that they include all plan dates below them in the WBS.

Assignment End

For a WBS row, this column displays the end date for the latest resource assignment for the WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the end date for that resource's assignment for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the resource row has planned hours, the Reschedule dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the assignment is rescheduled.

If you change this date in a way that places any part of the assignment date range outside of the plan date range for the parent WBS row, a message displays asking if you also want to change the plan date range for that row. Click Change Dates to have DPS adjust the plan dates to include the complete assignment date range. It is possible that plan dates at higher levels of the WBS may also be changed so that they include all plan dates below them in the WBS.

Planned Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all planned hours (past and ETC hours) for the resources assigned to that WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the sum of the past and ETC hours for that resource's assignment for the WBS element.

JTD Hours <JTD date>

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of the job-to-date (JTD) actual hours charged to the WBS element by assigned resources, through the JTD date. The JTD date displays as part of the column heading. (Generally, the JTD date is the date of the latest historical labor record in the database, but your system administrator can specify a different date.)

For a resource row, this column displays the JTD actual hours that resource charged to the WBS element, through the JTD date.

DPS automatically updates these values when you use the API or the Historical Labor import to bring in hours charged to projects. Updating JTD hours, in turn, also affects ETC and EAC calculations. If the import process or API imports a labor transaction for a project, and no assignment exists for the employee for the WBS element to which the labor is charged, the import creates a new assignment with JTD hours but no planned hours.

ETC Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all ETC hours for the resources assigned to that WBS element. The ETC hours are planned hours for dates in each assignment range that are later than the JTD date. (Generally, the JTD date is the date of the latest historical labor record in the database, but your system administrator can specify a different date.)

For a resource row, this column displays that resource's total ETC hours for the WBS element.

You can enter hours in this field for any WBS element at any level of the tree structure, if that element has resources assigned. When you do, DPS allocates the hours to resources and to future calendar periods for that assignment row. If you enter total ETC hours for a parent WBS element and then expand the WBS structure in the Project View grid to display assignment rows at lower levels, DPS further allocates the hours to each calendar period for each lower-level row, including the resource rows. Likewise, if you change the scale of the calendar period columns (from Weeks to Months, for example), DPS reallocates the hours for the new scale.

If you enter hours in this field for a resource, DPS allocates the hours to the future calendar periods for that resource assignment.

How the hours are allocated to resources and to calendar period grid columns depends on whether or not ETC hours have already been entered in calendar period columns for the affected assignments:
  • If none of the affected resource assignments currently has any ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource and calendar period in proportion to the number of work days remaining for them. (Effectively, the hours are spread equally among all work days for all resources.)
  • If one or more of the affected resource assignments currently has ETC hours, the hours you enter are allocated to each resource and calendar period in proportion to its current number of ETC hours. Resources and calendar periods that currently have no ETC hours receive no allocation.

If the assignment date range for the row includes no more work days that are later than the JTD date, you cannot enter hours in this field.

EAC Hours This column displays the estimate-at-completion hours for the WBS elements and resources: JTD hours + ETC hours.
Calculated % Complete This column displays the percent complete for the WBS elements and resources: (JTD hours / EAC hours) x 100.

Contents: Middle Grid Section - Other Available Columns

By default, the following columns is not displayed in the middle section of the grid. Click next to the upper-right corner of the grid to add it to that grid section.

Field Description
Booking

This column displays the booking status of each row. If your security role is configured to allow you to hard book assignments, you can select a different booking status for WBS and resource rows. Changing booking status for an assignment does not change any calculated values, nor does it affect your ability to make changes to the assignment dates or hours or to reassign it.

What is displayed in this column and whether or not you can change booking status depends on the type of row:
  • On a WBS row, this column displays Hard if all assignments for the element are hard booked, Soft if all are soft booked, and Blend if the assignments are a mix of hard and soft booked assignments. To change the booking status for all assignments for that WBS element, click the current booking status and select either Hard or Soft.
  • On a resource row, this column displays Hard if the assignment is hard booked or Soft if it is soft booked. To change the booking status for that assignment, click the current booking status and select either Hard or Soft.
  • On a resource row that has only JTD hours, the Booking column is blank, and you cannot select a booking status

If DPS is not configured to use soft and hard booking, this column is not available to be added to the grid.

Contents: Right Grid Section

This grid section displays planned hours by calendar period for the selected project or opportunity.

Field Description
Calendar period columns

Use the calendar period columns in the third grid section to view or enter planned hours at the resource level by day, week, or month.

Your selection in Scale determines whether each calendar period column represents a day, week or month. The number of calendar period columns depends on the scale you select and on the plan start and end dates. You may need to scroll horizontally to view later periods.

You can enter hours in a calendar period column for any WBS element at any level of the tree structure if that WBS element has resources assigned and if the calendar period includes at least one work day for those resources that is later than the JTD date. When you do, DPS allocates the hours to the assigned resources and to their individual work days. How the hours are allocated to resources depends on whether or not ETC hours already exist for the calendar period for the affected assignments:
  • If none of the affected resource assignments currently has any ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource in proportion to the number of work days remaining for them in the calendar period. (Effectively, the hours are spread equally among all remaining work days in the calendar period for all resources.)
  • If one or more of the affected resource assignments currently has ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource and to each work day in proportion to its current number of ETC hours in the calendar period. Resources that currently have no ETC hours in the calendar period receive no allocation.
If you enter hours in a calendar period column for a resource row, DPS allocates the hours to the work days in the calendar period that are later than the JTD date:
  • If the resource currently has no ETC hours for the calendar period, the hours are spread equally among all of the work days in the calendar period.
  • If the resource currently has ETC hours for the calendar period, the hours are allocated to work days in proportion to each day's current ETC hours.

On resource rows only, you can enter hours for calendar periods that are outside of the resource's current assignment date range, In that case, DPS adjusts the assignment dates to include that calendar period. You can also enter hours for a calendar period that includes no working days. If that calendar period currently has hours for the resource assignment, the hours you enter are allocated to days in proportion to each day's current hours. If the calendar period has no hours for the resource assignment, the hours you enter are allocated equally to each day in the calendar period.

If a calendar period date range includes some dates that are on or before the JTD date and some dates that are after the JTD date, you can enter planned hours for that calendar period. To do that, click in that calendar period field to display a drop-down dialog box that shows both the hours for past days in the period and the current ETC hours. You can enter or change the ETC hours. The grid cell then displays the updated sum of the past hours and ETC hours.

If you set up multiple companies in DPS, you can display plans for projects from more than one company in Project View. Each of those companies could have different starting days for their work weeks. Because of that, Project View always uses the starting day of the week that is specified for the user's currently active company.

and

If displays at the end of the row for a WBS element, notes exist for that element. Click the icon to view or change the notes or to enter additional notes.

If does not display, no notes exist for the WBS element. To add notes, hover over the row and click at the end of the row.

The plan notes are also displayed in an info bubble, along with other information for a WBS element, when you click on the WBS element in any of the planning grids in the Projects hub or in Resource Management.

This icon displays at the end of the row when you click or hover over a grid row. Click the icon to select one of these actions for that row:
  • Reschedule: Use the Reschedule dialog box to change one or both assignment dates for a resource row with planned hours, or to change one or both plan dates for a WBS row with planned hours. In either case, you also indicate how to distribute the planned hours within the new schedule.
  • Reassign: Use the Reassign dialog box to reassign all or part of the planned hours for a resource row to another resource. This option is only available for resource rows with planned hours.
  • Delete: Delete a single resource assignment.

    If the assignment has JTD hours or has been saved as part of the baseline plan, you cannot delete the assignment. In those cases, however, you can still use this option to delete all planned hours for the assignment.

Click this icon to display the Column Settings & Selections dialog box and do any of the following:
  • Indicate how to group and sort resources in the grid
  • Indicate how to sort project rows in the grid
  • Select the summary columns that display in the middle section of the grid