Resource Capacity Planning with an example

A step by step demo of capacity planning for a team with 6 resources, 2 skills and 2 projects for a 3 month period. We will enter the inputs in Excel and let the template do all the calculations for us. We will also cover how to modify the demand and capacity in order to achieve the utilization rates desired.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Objectives of Capacity Planning
02:07 Entering Holidays, Projects, Resources and Skills
03:53 Entering Capacity inputs
08:27 View automated Capacity calculation results in Dashboard and Calendar
12:53 Entering Demand data as tasks
18:20 View Dashboard for utilization rates
19:30 Identifying Over-utilized resources
22:50 Addressing over-utilization
26:35 Shifting demand from Project Planner 1 to Developer 2
32:12 Shifting demand from Project Planner 1 to Project Planner 2
35:20 Modifying capacity and distributing to multiple projects
37:20 All done. View the results of our work
38:15 More info about the Resource Capacity planner template
Template link: indzara.com/product/resource-...
User Guide: support.indzara.com/support/s...
Resource Capacity Planner template is designed to determine the available resource capacity, compare with demand, and identify surplus/deficit in capacity. It also allows us to modify the resource availability or demand (to meet our objectives) and see impact of the changes instantly.
This workforce planning tool can be used in different contexts.
For example, a HR manager or a team manager can use this to plan capacity of the team every month and hence determine how much work can be taken up and fulfilled. A project manager who is working on a multi-month-long project can plan the resource capacity of the project for the entire duration.
Limitations
Default: Maximum 200 Resources, 100 Skill Groups, 100 Projects and 200 Holidays.

[@bcanivari]

Positive comment: if you included the 4 diferent levels of people level skills, you could be more granuler and identify if you had enough resources for the more complex tasks that requires seniores to do. This is something extremely important on tasks because many tasks can be only be done by level 3 or level 4 professionals. Apart from that, excelent vídeo. Good job!

[@indzara]

Thank you for showing interest in our template. Currently, you can add upto 100 skills in the template. If this is not your requirement, please share more details of your requirement at the below link to check further: support.indzara.com/support/tickets/new Best wishes.

[@jessoppetroski9286]

Lover your videos and templates. Quick question: When building the capacity, you add the resources and skills, and in the video assign them a project. What I want to know is, I want my total resource capacity, unassigned to projects vs assigned to projects. In this case, would you just leave "Project" cell blank, OR, make the project cell "Company" for example. What I really want to compare is assigned to project time vs time available total and for internal company tasks.

[@indzara]

Thanks for feedback. Glad to hear. Please use a dummy 'Company' project. Please try this and let us know. You can also email file to [e-mail] if you run into any questions. Best wishes.

[@francoisminne]

Hello, I really like that demo. Before purchase it I have one question. Concerning the holidays, you have to put a holiday period per project. How do you introduce the holidays if one person is working on different project?

[@indzara]

Thank you for showing interest in our template. Currently, you will have to do multiple entries with each project for the particular Employee's vacation period. Best wishes.

[@prasadchathurvedula2024]

Just checked out your resource capacity planner template. My need is not project based but a process based one. The process would be addressing Issues and need to do capacity planning to support a process

[@indzara]

Thank you for showing interest in our template. You can enter the process instead of project in capacity and demand to get the similar output on process based. Best wishes.

[@FedericoRuizTriana]

Hello. I might want to purchase the Excel template to work with my team but we need to add all the tasks that have place in a project. This type of information could be added?

[@indzara]

Thanks for your interest. Yes, tasks can be entered for demand. Please let us know if there are any questions. Best wishes.

[@__sunilsamuel]

Bought this template. I had 2 questions on this. 1. If we key in the resource vacation days and also the holidays, if the dates overlap, is that taken care of in the capacity calculation ? Also, in my case, we have 2 weeks sprints (10 working days) , but when we estimate for a sprint we only consider 8 days, and the balance 2 goes into meetings and ceremonies. So on the sheet how can I reflect this ?

[@indzara]

Thank you for purchasing the template. 1. Holiday will be excluded from planned Capacity, Demand and Vacation table. 2. To exclude that two working day from two weeks sprint, you will have to enter the same as a vacation. If it's not a continuous days, you will have to enter as two separate vacation entry with same start and end date. For further queries, please email [e-mail]. Best wishes.

[@cedricericnkazi9238]

Please, which version of the template are you using for this video? is it V3_3 ?

[@indzara]

This is v4. I have emailed you the new file. Please let us know if any questions. Best wishes.

[@abdul-rahmanarcadan9088]

Hello Prasad , can i link a Gantt chart or an Excel work sheet that tracks all the granular tasks in time to your work sheet? The objective is to calculate the team capacity and at the same time track the progress of every task per person in time , thanks

[@indzara]

Thank you for showing interest in our template. Currently, our template works as a stand alone system. If you are looking for planned vs actual, please check our project planner and project manager templates at the below link: indzara.com/product/project-planner-advanced-excel-template/ indzara.com/product/project-manager-excel-template/ Best wishes.

[@cedricericnkazi9238]

Hello, I just bought this template but I did not receive the template once I downloaded from the link provided. Please, can I get the same template as on this new video?

[@indzara]

Hi Cedric Eric NKAZI, Thanks for purchasing. ​We published the new version and video only a few hours ago. We sent an email out to customers who have purchased the product in the past and subscribed to our email list with the new file. It looks like the email didn't reach you. We apologize. I just emailed you the new file v4.0 Please let us know if there are any questions. Best wishes.

[@brentregan5139]

When you purchase the template, does it come unlocked so that I can format and change it to 100% meet my needs? or does it come with certain cells locked out or password protected?

[@indzara]

Thanks for your interest. The template has locked sheets, but you can unlock with password provided. You can modify it with no restrictions. Please let us know if any questions. Best wishes.

[@mahendravetukury1021]

@@indzara I purchased the template. Where can I find the password to unlock the sheets?

[@darksoul90537]

template is good , but is there a tutorial? i would love to buy this provided there is a tutorial and I can amend the changes per situation. thoughts?

[@indzara]

Thank you for showing interest in our template. We have a step by step user guide to use the template and following is the link to the same for quick reference: support.indzara.com/support/solutions/articles/62000218839-resource-capacity-planner-v4-user-guide If you are referring to the development training, currently we do not have a development training video for this template. Best wishes.

[@akelachiwahua6670]

Hello, l already purchased you work book verion 4.1. Can l get some assistance with replicating the work book? The formulas are not working when typed in l get a syntax error. Also, ho do l roll up the granurality of the capacity tab from days to months per reource

[@indzara]

Thank you for purchasing the template. As communicated in Email, replicating the template in your work system will be a hard job. 1. You will need to create all the tables and rename it same as in our template. (Including the tables in the hidden sheet) 2. Replicate all the named ranges present in our template on Name manager. 3. Then replicate the formulas. Best wishes.

[@Zilimax]

Are you still offering support for templates purchased? I can see the template supports 200 FTEs but I'll be forecasting for up to 1000 FTEs. Can this be scaled up?

[@indzara]

Yes, we are providing support for the purchased template. Resource limit can be expanded easily by following the steps mentioned in the below article: support.indzara.com/a/solutions/articles/62000222943 Best wishes.

[@Zilimax]

I’m planning from Jan to Dec 2023 at 1-FTE However, I have a resource that is 1-FTE till September and 0.8-FTE from October to December. How Do I represent this? My Solution - 1-FTE from Jan to Sept and a separate line of 0.8-FTE from Oct to Dec Basically, there are months I wish to change demand for the same resource

[@indzara]

Yes, your solution is correct. You can enter the Jan to Sep in one line for 1-FTE and 0.8 FTE for Oct to Dec. You can also plan for Jan to Dec for 1 FTE and add a -0.2 as a vacation in Vacation table. Best wishes.

[@calofyoung8105]

Very good video, I can’t find the template

[@indzara]

Thank you for sharing your valuable feedback and showing interest in our template. You can purchase the template from the below link: indzara.com/product/resource-capacity-planner-excel-template/ Best wishes.

[@prasadchathurvedula2024]

The calendar tab is not updating. I changed the date from default Jan 1 to Apr 1 as well

[@indzara]

We regret the inconvenience caused. We are unable to replicate the same in our end. Hence requesting to share your sheet to [e-mail] with some screenshot highlighting the issue to check further. Best wishes.

[@iradutta3783]

I have the same issue. I have sent a query on support email also. Urgent pls.

[@Zilimax]

It seems the only response to enquiries is before subscription. No response to multiple emails for support after purchase is made.

[@indzara]

Thank you for purchasing the template. Our customer support working days are Mon - Fri IST (Indian Standard Time). Since your email was received after the working hours on Friday, we have responded the same today. Best wishes.

[@elisejoyce9919]

Is there a way to look at quarterly?

[@elisejoyce9919]

I mean for capacity / demand - instead of dates. Or even month

[@indzara]

The Calendar sheet allows customizing by Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly/Annual. The dashboard displays for the total planning period. Template: indzara.com/product/resource-capacity-planner-excel-template/ Step by Step user guide: support.indzara.com/support/solutions/articles/62000218839-resource-capacity-planner-v4-user-guide Please let us know if any questions. Thanks & Best wishes.

[@olaybarcheryannr.9309]

I would like to purchase this template. Still available? What will be the process?

[@indzara]

Thank you for showing interest in our template. Yes, the template is available and you can purchase the same from the below link: indzara.com/product/project-management-excel-templates/resource-capacity-planner-excel-template/ Once the order is processed, the template download link will be sent to the email ID provided during the time of purchase. Best wishes.

[@julianbashir8277]

The new sheet is different from this video. In Calendar is says enter a date. I do it properly but it still says its reporting from 1900

[@indzara]

We regret the inconvenience caused. Regarding new sheet is different from the video, Yes, previously the reporting period is limited to 2 years and now there is no limit to the reporting period. The Dashboard and Calendar remains the same. The new sheet additionally has Resource view and Project View calendar sheets. Regarding reporting from 1900, Following are the two common reason for the reporting period to show from 0-Jan-1900: 1. There is no data in capacity table. 2. One or More start date entered in Capacity table is deleted but the data is not refreshed. Best wishes.

[@Bikkichetri49]

You should teach people how you build this template rather than just branding this template to upsale

[@indzara]

Thank you for sharing your valuable feedback. We will update you once we build a course on template development. Best wishes.