Time Off - Rescheduling Dates

[joshh79242137]

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some feedback. We released recently a new capability that gives you a warning when you are about to assign someone to work and that user has PTO during the planned dates of that work. Well, while rolling that feature out, I heard a lot of feedback that users would use PTO more often if the tasks and issues that they get assigned to didn't automatically reschedule themselves until after the PTO. There were various reasons for wanting this, but it was pretty clear that a setting would be useful. So, I am looking into this. There are two types of "scheduling conflicts" that can cause these planned dates to move automatically. One is if the primary assignee has time off on their user profile. The other is if the projects schedule has schedule exceptions during the planned dates of the task/issue. My question to all of you, would you prefer the preference that will say something like "Do not reschedule work according to time off" to not move the dates: Only if the assigned user has time off Only if the project schedule has exceptions Both Thanks! FYI, here is a link to the idea exchange for this idea if you would like to check it out: https://experience.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSNiAAO/detail Josh Hardman Product Manager, Workfront

[Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore]

Hi Josh, My contrarian response might be unpopular, but no üåß , no üåà's... Since a Project can easily be set to a particular schedule - even one created specifically for the project - using the Project schedule as a default seems reasonable (think "9-5 on business days"). Similarly, a User can also easily be set to a particular schedule - even one created specifically for the department, or team, or user - so taking the User's schedule (and their PTO) into consideration would be prudent (think "Mike works 10 hrs / day, Mon-Thurs, and next Thursday he's on PTO"). For most organizations, planning work is done first, most often top-down and deadline-driven, and then, with those target dates set, work is assigned, most often just-in-time, as priorities settle and reality emerges. In fact, we created our "https://store.atappstore.com/product/jitr/" JITR (Just In Time Resourcing) solution around these very principals. Given that (here comes the üåß), although I see value in warning a planner that by assigning next week's "40 hour starts Monday due Friday" Task to Mike, it is unlikely Mike will finish it by Friday (given his schedule and PTO), I do not believe an assignment should ever change planned dates. To do so defeats the sanctity of the plan, seeding uncertainty, and - thinking of continual revision - a frustrating churn of wasted reworking chasing moving dates as assignees are swapped, or (in the extreme) Mike changes his golf game from Thursday to Friday. Workfront has a longstanding but underutilized feature called Projected Dates which are - As Designed - both capable of and intended to detect and report situations such as the example I'm describing: namely, "If you assign Mike to this, it won't be done until Monday, according to his schedule (and PTO)". Seeing that, humans can then make good choices (eg pick Sally instead of Mike, ask Mike to work some OT, ask Mike if he can move his PTO, etc.) without automatically and silently sacrificing the planned completion date. And so, I vote "D. None of the above". That said, as I am wrong far more often than I even realize, if there is a valid usecase for such automatic rescheduling of planned completion dates upon assignment and/or schedule change and/or PTO change, I stand corrected, wish those brave souls who walk that slippery slope all the best, and regardless of the name the crowd sources for it, will thank you for ensuring that the default setting ensures that it is to Opt Out. üåà Regards, Doug Doug Den Hoed - AtAppStore Got Skills? Lend a hand! https://community.workfront.com/participate/unanswered-threads

[joshh79242137]

Hey Doug, I'm thinking there is some confusion between us here. Sorry if I did not explain well. Right now, the system is automatically moving the planned dates based on both the users time off and the projects schedule. What I am proposing is a setting to stop doing that. It sounds to me after reading your message that you agree with stopping doing that? If so, vote for 3 (all of the above)? Also, keep in mind, the auto rescheduling only happens with certain constraint types (ie. ASAP). Josh Hardman Product Manager, Workfront

[SkyeHa]

thanks Josh (and Workfront) for considering this feature. I vote 2. I'll also have to go back and review exactly what the new capability does -- I recall that I responded to it with a hope that the PTO user would be flagged as being on PTO for any assigned task that fell in that duration. This way a user who selects PTO after the task is assigned can still be visually distinct. (I think I also asked for some sort of warning notification when this happens?) This will allow for greater adoption of the PTO feature in Workfront, and ultimately the best use of the PTO feature will be realized if we're able to see a calendar of team PTO times. -skye

[Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore]

Thanks for clarifying Josh, I have not observed the system automatically moving the planned completion dates based on the user's time off, but yes, as above, would wish to either halt (entirely) or opt out (be default) of such behavior: eg "Readjust Planned Dates as User PTO changes = False"...and for clarity/maximum flexibility an additional option for " Readjust Planned Dates as User Schedule changes = False", in case someone wants one but not the other. I'd want neither. Similarly, if a Project's schedule changes (eg from 9-5 Weekdays to 7 Days a Week), I would expect the planned dates to change accordingly upon the next Recalculate Timeline; and if that was to become optional behavior, would wish to opt in, by default: eg "Readjust Planned Dates as Project Schedule changes = True"; noting that I also believe that Schedules warrant tight control, and PMs warrant training on the importance of selecting the appropriate Project Schedule at the outset, and the perils of changing it later (even when justified). Still friends? Regards, Doug Doug Den Hoed - AtAppStore Got Skills? Lend a hand! https://community.workfront.com/participate/unanswered-threads

[joshh79242137]

Hi @Skye Hansen , just to make sure I understand... (maybe I made my original post confusing!): By voting for 2, you would like to have the new setting only STOP the moving of planned dates if the dates are scheduled off as exceptions on the project schedule? But CONTINUE to move them if the user has PTO? I would lean towards number 1 to make PTO more useful, but definitely interested in your take if you really do like option number 2. And as far as a PTO calendar... I definitely understand. Josh Hardman Product Manager, Workfront

[VicAl]

Personally, I WANT it to move my dates. That's the truth, reality, and early warning I want to see from my plan. I would just prefer to more easily know that it moved them and why so I can either accept the move or reassign the task (or see if I can move dates around). So I like the new feature that tells me when I'm about to assign a person that has PTO during that time. But it would be great to highlight the tasks that are adjusted because of people that have PTO (that was maybe entered after they were assigned). To more directly answer your question though, I think the ultimate would be to allow exactly what you've shown (the flexibility to turn off either one or both). But as I said I wouldn't turn it off for us, so perhaps my vote is less important ��

[Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore]

Huh! Mark the calendar, Vic: for once, our opinions vary. I do respect yours, though, and as you describe your use of the (recent) automatically change planned dates upon assignment behavior, imagine you skiing easily and efficiently as you carve through the moguls of change on the slippery slope I mentioned. I can also imagine other less diligent or experienced PMs hurtling head over heels, skis flying, poles flailing, unable or unwilling to react to constantly changing finish line (ie by not noticing or appreciating the impact of an assignment change, or an undetected PTO after the fact adjustment). Analogies aside, I think this thread demonstrates that there are valid, differing reasons for wanting Workfront to behave in a certain way, so thank you, Josh, for raising this item and providing a way for everyone to configure it to their needs. Regards, Doug Doug Den Hoed - AtAppStore Got Skills? Lend a hand! https://community.workfront.com/participate/unanswered-threads

[SkyeHa]

Thanks @Josh Hardman for checking for clarification. I guess maybe there are too many negatives in your original statement? I want the task due date to move according to the Project schedule , and I want the task due date to stay put and ignore any task holder's scheduled PTO. Personally it would be great if this could happen at the /setup level and then allow templates or projects to override. This way it stays consistent system-wide but that one weirdo team who wants the opposite can make that happen through their template. -skye

[VicAl]

Yeah I agree with Skype. That gives us all the flexibility to meet all our needs.

[VicAl]

Ha ha ha I want a divorce. Yeah agreed. We'll all have different needs and use cases. The flexibility that Skye mentioned will help in all cases.

[MichelleJa]

Hi, For our company, we use the auto adjustments for PTO, so I'm ok with any of the above so long as they are optional. I understand many have the ability to assign people after the project is built (or reassign as needed), but being a multi-brand company, each of our designers and writers as well as brand managers are specifically assigned inside a project/template based on the brand. We have to adjust for vacations (which can be a pain, yes). The current system process works great for the projects we are currently setting up, but if the person who enters their PTO after a project has been set up, there is no notification to the PM. I have to have the users still email me their vacation times after they enter it into the system so I can run a report and adjust pre-existing projects. I like what Skye recommends about having the resource who has PTO being formatted so it jumps out. Our names are assigned in templates, so the current feature of a name giving warning when being entered doesn't work for us. Not sure if my opinion helps in what you are asking, but I wanted to share in case it does. Thanks! Michelle Jackson Colony Brands, Inc.

[Heather_Kulbacki]

We would vote for #1, schedules pushing due to PTO causes projects to be late for us. Especially since there's no indication other than looking at each task's dates to know which task is pushing the schedule - the longer the schedule, the more this becomes an issue. We rarely assign tasks one at a time, so the new notification that the assignee is scheduled off is not real helpful We would still want schedules to push around exceptions.

[joshh79242137]

Thank you all for the input! @Michelle Jackson , however we do it, it will definitely be a preference. The default setting for the preference will be the current behavior. Meaning if you don't want a change from how it works today, you won't have to do anything. If you do want the new capability, you can opt-in. Josh Hardman Product Manager, Workfront

[DavidCo3]

Hi @Josh Hardman - I agree with @Vic Alejandro in that we like the current functionality as a default and would use it in 95% of cases even if there was an option to disable it through a new feature. If you're going to add these new options, it would be best if there is a default setting for it in the Setup menu, and you can then over-ride it at a project/template level. There's always so many different ways people use Workfront that I'm sure you product managers walk a fine line between giving people enough confiurability vs having so many options that it becomes a setup/admin nightmare! David Cornwell

[KatherineHa1]

I vote for #1 (I think? now i'm confused what that means after reading this whole thread). I'd like a setting/preference to dictate: I want the task due date to move according to the Project schedule , and I want the task due date to IGNORE any task assignee's scheduled PTO. We do not use the WF PTO solution for this very reason so agree with the original IdEx. We built an integration with our own PTO Tracker so we have visibility into resource's PTO, but do not push deadlines to accommodate. Katherine Haven, PMP VP, Director, Business Technologies - PMO FCB

[joshh79242137]

Good news! This new setting is now available in Preview. You can check it out in your account. Also, please see this documentation page for a short demo video: https://bit.ly/2M6YFr0 Josh Hardman Product Manager, Workfront

[Heather_Kulbacki]

I just went into Preview play with this a bit. I see in the system-level User Time Off setting information, it says: When you change this setting, only the projects and templates created after the change inherit the updated setting Am I correct that I will have to re-create ALL of my current templates for this to work?? In my testing, I updated the system-level User Time Off to: Ignore user time off in task durations, then I tried using both an existing project and a project newly created from an existing template and the task dates shifted based on that user's time off. But when I created a new project without a template, the dates did not shift based on that user's time off. This does not seem helpful as ALL our projects should be created from templates and re-creating those templates will be quite time consuming.

[joshh79242137]

The system preference works like most other preferences that also have a project level setting. Changing the system preference will not retroactively change any projects or templates that have already been created. Anything new that you create will inherit the system preference at the time of creation. Every project and template then has its own value for this setting and can be set on a one by one basis. It is also a field that can be bulk edited. You can select all of your templates and change the value for "User Time Off" in a single save. Same with projects. Also note, that if you create a project from a template, and the template's User Time Off setting is different from your system preference, the template setting will take priority on the new project. But as mentioned, you can change it on the project if needed. This way, you can have different departments, teams, Project Managers, etc. who might manage their resources differently. Josh Hardman Product Manager, Workfront

[SkyeHa]

hey @Heather Kulbacki -- I see the same setting available at the template level. Can you check that in your preview? I'm about to try bulk editing that dropdown, too. PS: whoops, sorry Josh -- we posted at the same time :) -skye