Task level resourcing in projects

Who can use this feature
gray-cloud.svgAvailable on monday work management
gray-lightning.svgAvailable on Enterprise plan

Efficient project delivery depends on knowing exactly who is working on what, when, and for how long. Task level resourcing brings resource planning into the project board itself, so you can align high-level planning in the Resource planner with the execution of individual tasks.

 

Note: Task level resourcing is supported in both standard projects and multi-level projects. The way items appear differs by project type and is explained later in this article.

 

Set up the Resource Directory

You can set up the Resource Directory before creating your project to make resource assignment easier. By filling in attributes such as job role, skills, location, and resource manager, you’ll be able to filter and select the most suitable resources later. This step is not required for task level resourcing, but it can help streamline allocations.

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Create a project

To use task-level resourcing, create a new project and choose the template that matches the project structure you need. Task-level resourcing is supported in both standard projects and multi-level projects. Make sure the Resource planner toggle is on before creating the project so you can track allocations alongside task-level details.

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Allocate resources

Open the Resource planner created with your project and add the resources or placeholders you’ll need. Create allocations by setting effort and timelines for each resource:

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These resources will then appear as recommendations in the Resource column when you assign tasks in the project.

 

Add tasks and define resource details

Once your Resource planner is ready, add tasks directly to the project board. Each task includes four dedicated columns for capturing resource information.

In the Resource column, assign a single resource to each task. You can choose from resources already allocated in the Resource planner or search and filter by attributes in the resource picker:

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Tip: The assigned resource is not notified or invited to the board.

 

The Timeline column is required for tasks to appear in the Resource planner. The Planned effort column records the total planned hours for each task, evenly spread across the timeline. The Effort spent column tracks the actual hours logged as the task progresses.

 

Note: Task-level resourcing behaves differently depending on the project type. In multi-level projects, parent items are rolled up, so only the lowest-level subitems appear in the Resource planner. It’s recommended to assign resources at the lowest task level rather than at higher levels so effort and timeline data are reflected correctly. In standard projects, both parent items and subitems appear in the Resource planner.

 

Review and adjust in the Resource planner

After you fill in task details, the Resource planner displays them in two views:

  • Allocations vs. planned effort – compare planned resource hours against project allocations.
  • Allocations vs. effort spent – monitor actual work done compared to what was allocated.

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In standard projects, both parent items and subitems appear in these views. In multi-level projects, parent items are rolled up, so only the lowest-level subitems appear.

From the Resource planner, you can spot tasks that exceed allocations, identify assigned resources without allocations or resources with no tasks, and directly edit effort, timelines, or assignments.

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Connect a Capacity manager

To review resourcing across multiple projects, you can connect your project and its Resource planner to a Capacity manager. The Capacity manager lets you compare allocations with task-level effort across all connected work.

From the Capacity manager, you can choose to connect Resource planners, projects, or both.

If you connect only Resource planners, the Capacity manager shows the Allocations view so you can see how each person is allocated over time:

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If you connect only projects, the Capacity manager shows the Tasks planned effort and Tasks effort spent views using the project’s task-level data.

In standard projects, both parent items and subitems appear in these views. In multi-level projects, parent items are rolled up, so only the lowest-level subitems appear.

If you connect both planners and projects, you can switch between all three views to compare allocations with both planned and actual effort:

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In the task-level views, standard projects show both parent items and subitems, while multi-level projects show only the lowest-level subitems.

Use the Capacity manager when you want to see allocations, planned effort, and effort spent in one place for all connected projects.

Note: The red over-allocation indicator (when planned or actual effort exceeds the allocation) is still available only in the Resource planner and does not appear in the Capacity manager.

 

Current limitations

View current limitations
  • Only one resource can be assigned per task in the Resource column.
  • The Resource column cannot be used in board automations.
  • Placeholders cannot be assigned at the task level.
  • The Resource column does not connect to the Workload widget.
  • Capacity managers can connect to a maximum of 50 projects and planners and can only be created as standalone entities, not as part of a portfolio.
  • The Capacity manager does not display the red over-allocation indicator or an aggregated “planned vs. actual” capacity view. These comparisons are only available in the Resource planner.

 

If you have any questions, please reach out to our team right here. We’re available 24/7 and happy to help.

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