Overview
Resource allocation and capacity planning
Overview
The Forecast module is the central hub for resource management in SimplyManage. It provides a powerful visual interface for managers to allocate team members to projects, plan capacity, and ensure optimal resource utilization.
Core Feature
Forecasting is one of the most important features in SimplyManage. It allows managers to plan ahead and ensure the right people are working on the right projects at the right time.
Why Forecasting Matters
- Plan ahead - Know who's working on what before the work begins
- Avoid conflicts - Prevent double-booking team members
- Optimize utilization - Balance workloads across the team
- Project planning - Ensure projects have the resources they need
- Visibility - Team members can see their upcoming allocations
Accessing Forecast
- Navigate to Forecast in the sidebar
- The calendar view displays with team members and their allocations
Who Can Use Forecasting
| Role | View Allocations | Create/Edit Allocations |
|---|---|---|
| User | Own allocations only | No |
| Manager | Team allocations | Yes - For their team |
| Admin | All allocations | Yes - For everyone |
The Forecast Calendar View
The forecast displays an interactive calendar showing:
- Team members - Listed vertically on the left
- Days/weeks - Displayed horizontally across the top
- Allocation blocks - Color-coded bars showing project assignments
- Capacity indicators - Visual warnings for over/under allocation
Color Coding
Each project has a unique color. This makes it easy to see at a glance how team members are distributed across different projects.
Understanding Allocations
Each allocation block represents:
- Project - Which project the time is allocated to
- Hours per day - Expected work hours (e.g., 4h, 8h)
- Date range - The span of days covered
- Team member - Who is assigned
Capacity Indicators
The forecast shows capacity status for each team member:
| Status | Visual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Optimal | Green / Normal | Allocated hours match capacity |
| Under-allocated | Light / Available | Has available capacity for more work |
| Over-allocated | Red / Warning | Allocated more than daily capacity |
Next Steps
- Creating Allocations - Learn how to add new allocations
- Managing Allocations - Edit, move, and delete allocations with drag-and-drop
- Capacity Planning - Plan team capacity and workload