Resource Estimates Settings

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Resource Estimates

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Resource Estimates
• Core Functionality
• Setting Estimates on a New Project
• Estimate Types
• Configurable Row Titles (Admin Configuration)
• Expand and Collapse Controls
• Editing Role Assignments in Columns
• Weekday-Only Scheduling Option

Resource estimates serve several key purposes, primarily enhancing project planning and management. They provide projected estimates of the time and resources required to complete specific tasks or projects, helping teams allocate personnel and manage workloads effectively. By estimating the hours, effort, or costs associated with various activities, resource estimates enable managers to make informed decisions about project feasibility and resource allocation.

Additionally, these estimates support better budgeting and financial planning by allowing organizations to anticipate costs and align resources accordingly. They also help identify potential bottlenecks or underutilization of resources, supporting proactive management of team dynamics and project timelines. Ultimately, resource estimates are critical in ensuring that projects are adequately staffed, on schedule, and within budget.

Core Functionality

The core functionality of resource estimates centers around providing users with accurate projections for the time and resources required to complete projects and tasks. 

Setting Estimates on a New Project

When creating a project brief, you can also create resource estimates. This feature lets project managers enter estimated hours and resources based on specific requirements, enabling a clear understanding of the workload and the personnel needed for successful project execution.

1. From the project brief, navigate to the Estimate tab.
   
   
2. Click Settings.
   
   
3. Select an Estimate Type from the drop-down.

   
   

   Estimate type options include Per Row, Per Column, or Per Row (Weekly/Monthly). See below for details.
   
   
4. Enter the Number of Phases in the project brief. The number of phases is configurable. 
   
   
5. Give each phase a unique name (optional).
   
   
6. Click the description icon to add details to each phase.
   
   
7. Enter a description in the box, along with any details to help users working on the brief.
   
   
   
8. Click the Import icon to import a resource template (if desired). 
   
   
   This allows you to select and import previously created resourcing templates. This is especially helpful if you have repeatable projects or processes. 
   
   
9. Click the Export icon to download and export the resource estimates to Excel. Note that only exports the most recently saved version. 

   
   

   Export Example:

   
   
   
10. Click the Upload icon to add a previously created Excel template or spreadsheet to the project estimates. 
    
    
11. Revenue Stream captures any third-party costs associated with the estimates. 

    
    Click the description icon to add details to this field.

    
    

    Importing Revenue Stream expenses allows users to upload out-of-pocket project costs into an estimate from a prepared file, rather than entering each expense manually. This makes it faster to add multiple external costs while keeping estimate totals accurate.

    
    
    
12. Deliverables are the defined outputs produced for a client as part of an estimate. They are configured as separate cost categories within each phase, allowing the estimate to track and summarize deliverable costs independently from labor fees and out-of-pocket expenses.
    
    
    
13. Click the X to close the Settings. 

Estimate Types

You can choose from three Estimate types.

1. Per Row Estimate: This estimate lets users enter resource requirements and time estimates for individual tasks or activities in a brief. It provides a detailed view of each task, enabling precise planning and task-level workload monitoring.
   
   
2. Per Column Estimate: This estimate aggregates resource requirements and time estimates across multiple tasks or projects within a defined category or phase. By viewing estimates by column, managers can quickly assess total resource needs and performance metrics for similar tasks, making it easier to manage resources across broader categories.
   
   
3. Per Row (Weekly/Monthly) Estimate: This estimate breaks down resource requirements and time allocations over specified periods, such as weekly or monthly intervals. By focusing on time, this type helps managers analyze workload distribution and resource availability over time, facilitating better scheduling and ensuring that project timelines align with resource capacity. Choosing this type enables a clock icon. 
   
   
4. Click the icon to open a box. This allows you to select the period (Weekly or Monthly), the Time Frame, and a Start Date. 
   
   
5. Click Save. 
6. You can now enter monthly estimates for the role, which are applied to the resource estimates. 

Configurable Row Titles (Admin Configuration)

You can configure estimate row titles based on department or category requirements.

Administrators can define which fields appear in the estimate row title, such as:

• Title
• Role
• Start date
• End date
• Additional custom fields

This allows organizations to align estimate structures with their internal processes.

In some workflows, estimate rows may remain unnamed during creation. In these cases, configurable title logic applies only after a value is entered in the Title field.

Expand and Collapse Controls

An Expand All / Collapse All control improves navigation when working with large estimates.

Users can:

• Collapse all estimate sections to simplify the view
• Expand all sections to review full estimate details

The control label may update dynamically based on the estimate grid's current state.

Reordering Tasks and Roles

Users can now reorder estimate content using drag-and-drop functionality.

This includes:

• Reordering task rows within an estimate
• Reordering role columns when using multi-role-per-task configurations

This allows teams to better organize estimates to reflect delivery order, ownership structure, or internal reporting needs.

Editing Role Assignments in Columns

Users may be able to update role assignments directly in the estimate grid without deleting and recreating columns.

For example:

If a task is assigned to the wrong role (such as Designer instead of Design Director), users can edit the role selection rather than rebuilding the estimate structure.

Availability depends on the final configuration and permissions.

Weekday-Only Scheduling Option

Estimates can optionally be configured to allow weekday-only scheduling in the admin settings area.

When enabled:

• Date selection excludes weekends
• Estimates align more closely with standard working schedules
• Timeline accuracy improves for resource planning