Requesting Resource from Resource Managers

[RossAl]

Hi folks, we're just getting underway with our Workfront implementation and have hit a bit of a bump so I thought I'd reach out to the community to see if you've come up against anything similar.

The way we currently work is that Project Managers (PMs) request resource for their projects by role from a Resource Manager (RMs), the RM them allocates the individual resources to the project. If the PM wants to change resource in the project they need to request a change from the RM. We do this because the PM role is often handled by folks in the Account Management department who are not always fully fledged PMs (usually because a client hasn't wanted to pay for a PM), so the RMs need to ensure they are resourcing responsibly.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look there is an "out of the box" way to do this in Workfront. I was wondering if anyone else had come up against a similar thing and how they approached the issue?

PS: posted this in the Creative Agency groups, apologies for the duplication!

[AnthonyIm]

Hi Ross - At my old agency, we would have the Project Owner (which sometimes was an Account person like you have), use the Action tool in Scheduling to unassign the resource they don't need (or have been told they don't have). We also have them do a quick update on the project and then tag the RM so they have a heads up. Then the RM would see in their resourcing tools that there were unassigned tasks that needed to be assigned and work just like if it was a new project.

But with that said, we didn't have any formal "request" to the RM for resources. Templates had job roles on the tasks and so when a project was created, the resource manager had tools and reports (each one liked something a little different) that showed them all the unassigned work and what needed resources. And then they would find them and use the Action tool to assign them to the projects.

Hope that helps.

Action Tool info: https://one.workfront.com/s/document-item?bundleId=the-new-workfront-experience&topicId=Content%2FRe...

• TIP: We tended to just do that at the project level because then you didn't have to worry about what was in the Resource Manager field on the project. But I'll leave that up to you and your RM.

[SamanthaIsin]

Can you use a combination of reports and project/task approvals? I'm not sure what the specifics of your process look like, but it seems that you could build this out fairly easily. Happy to discuss more.

[Christina_Jarosz]

Hi Ross,

In thinking of how you've explained this, what about something like this scenario:

• Create a custom request form for the information you're looking to tell the resource manager. (this could pull in some project level detail if you like to keep the resource manager to having to visit the project).
• Use this request ON the project. So for projects needing resources, the PM adds a request onto the project itself.
• Have the PM assign the request to the resource manager (or team).
• Resource manager receives the request in a report, or as a request object that they need to take action on. If they need additional feedback, the resource manager can assign the request to add'l people for assistance.
• Resource managers fulfill the request by either providing the resources via update in the request, and or by updating the project.
• Resource managers can the mark the request complete.

Since the request object 'lives' in the project, updates will still remain in the project history for record keeping purposes.

[RossAl]

Thanks Christina, Samantha and Anthony for taking the time to get back - super helpful responses and we've weaved some of the approaches into our solution!

Essentially, the steps that we're following to meet this use case are:

1) A work request is generated in WF via our Salesforce integration at the appropriate Salesforce stage

2) That request lands with a Resource Manager whole allocates it to a Project Owner.

3) Project Owner then creates the budget / staffing plan and submits it to the RM for approval

4) RM assigns resource, sets the project to "current" but then locks the project permissions so the Project Owner can't change resource allocations.

5) Then the Project Owner needs to submit a change request to the RM is the want to change the assignments.

What has become evident is that this will generate a lot of admin, so we will make it optional whether the RMs lock the Project Owner's ability to alter assignment or not - the idea being that if the Project Owners are responsible with their resource assignments they will get increased autonomy over their projects. Hopefully this will incentivise the right behavior and drive accountability in the business.

That's the theory anyway! ;-)