Probability Settings and Resources

Each plan record carries a probability setting. This setting represents the probability that the plan will win a contract and become a project.

You can enter probability on the General tab of Project Planning. The probability setting displays in the following areas of Vision:

• Utilization tab of Resource Management

• Employee Schedule tab of Resource Management

• Planning reports

Why is the Probability Important?

The plan's probability setting is important information for anyone who's assigning resources to plans.

For example, assume you want to assign John Brady to a plan you are creating. Before doing so, you need to check the following:

• The other plans he is assigned to during the desired time period.

• The probability that any of these other plans will become projects.

When you go to the Employee Schedule tab in Resource Management, you see that John Brady is assigned to a plan that overlaps your plan for a significant period of time. The probability settings for the plans are quite different:

• The other plan's probability is 25%.

• Your plan's probability is 75%.

In this case, you could go forward with your own resource assignment for John Brady because you would be reasonably confident about his availability for your plan.

Why is Updating the Probability Important?

When a client signs the contract for the plan, you need to use the Probability field on the General Tab to update the probability to 100 percent on the plan record. This will reflect the plan's change in status and keep all team members up-to-date with the most current information

Conversely, if you neglect to update the probability setting on the plan's record, the Resource Management tabs and reports might display incorrect data. Leaving probability settings at less than 100% for "won" plans could give other project managers the wrong impression that a plan is unlikely to become "active" and therefore is unlikely to need the resources assigned to it.

For example, assume that this time, John Brady is assigned to another plan and these conditions are true:

• On the Employee Schedule tab in Resource Management, you see that the other plan's probability is 25%. You also see that John Brady is slated to start work on this other plan two months before you need him; his assignment on the other plan is to continue for one year.

• Your plan's probability is 75%. You proceed with assigning John Brady to your plan.

• What you do not know is that the team working on the other plan has already won the contract. They did not update the plan's probability to 100%. Therefore, the Utilization tab, Employee Schedule tab, and reports in Planning still show their plan's opportunity as having a 25% probability of success.

In this case, leaving the probability at 25% is misleading. It does not accurately reflect John Brady's assignment to an "active" plan and the fact that he is not going to be available for work on your plan.