Skip to main content

Analyse Resource Loading

Time: ~10 minutes Level: Intermediate Applies to: Free · Pro · Enterprise

What You Will Learn​

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

  • View all resources and their assignments in the Resource Grid
  • Read the resource histogram to spot over-allocation
  • Filter resources by type (Labour, Equipment, Material)
  • Trace an over-allocated resource back to its activities
  • Cross-reference resource data with the Activities tab

Prerequisites​

Step 1 — Open the Resources Tab​

Navigate to the resource analysis view.

  1. Open a schedule from the Projects tab.
  2. Click the Resources tab in the main navigation.
  3. The Resource Grid loads, showing all resources in the project.

What you should see: A grid listing each resource with columns for Resource ID, Resource Name, Resource Type, Max Units, Budget Units, and Actual Units.

Step 2 — Review the Resource Grid​

Understand the resource data at a glance.

  1. Scan the grid for all resources in your schedule.
  2. Note the Max Units column — this is the maximum quantity available for each resource.
  3. Note the Budget Units column — the planned total hours or units.
  4. Note the Actual Units column — the recorded actual usage to date.
  5. Look for resources where Actual Units exceed Budget Units — these may be overspent.

What you should see: A tabular view of every resource with key metrics. Labour resources show hours; material resources show quantities.

Step 3 — Switch to the Histogram View​

The histogram shows resource loading over time as a bar chart.

  1. Click the Histogram toggle or tab above the resource data.
  2. Select a resource from the list (for example, "Carpenter").
  3. The histogram displays bars for each week or month showing the planned loading.

What you should see: A bar chart where the X-axis is time and the Y-axis is units (hours or quantity). A horizontal line marks the resource's max units.

Step 4 — Identify Over-Allocation​

Over-allocation occurs when planned usage exceeds the available capacity.

  1. Look for bars that extend above the max units line.
  2. These red or highlighted bars indicate periods where the resource is over-loaded.
  3. Note the specific weeks or months where over-allocation occurs.
  4. This tells you when the resource demand exceeds what you have available.

What you should see: Over-allocated periods display in a distinct colour (typically red). The height above the max line shows the magnitude of the over-allocation.

Step 5 — View Resource Assignments​

See which activities drive the loading for a specific resource.

  1. Click on the over-allocated resource in the grid.
  2. The Assignments panel opens, listing every activity the resource is assigned to.
  3. Each assignment row shows the Activity Name, planned units, and date range.
  4. Identify which overlapping activities cause the over-allocation.

What you should see: A list of activity assignments sorted by date. Activities running in parallel during the over-allocated period are the root cause.

Step 6 — Filter Resources by Type​

Use filters to focus on a specific resource category.

  1. Open the filter controls at the top of the Resource Grid.
  2. Select a resource type: Labour, Equipment, or Material.
  3. The grid filters to show only resources of the selected type.
  4. Review the histogram for the filtered set.

What you should see: The grid and histogram update to show only resources matching the selected type. This helps you analyse each category independently.

Step 7 — Cross-Reference with Activities​

Connect the resource data back to the activity grid.

  1. Note the Activity IDs from the resource assignments in Step 5.
  2. Switch to the Activities tab.
  3. Search or filter for those Activity IDs.
  4. Review the activity details — consider adjusting durations, splitting activities, or staggering start dates to reduce resource conflicts.

What you should see: The same activities appear in the Activities grid. You can now make scheduling changes to resolve over-allocation.

Step 8 — Verify Your Analysis​

Confirm you can identify and trace resource issues.

  1. Return to the Resources tab.
  2. The histogram still highlights over-allocated periods.
  3. You know which resources are over-loaded and which activities cause it.
  4. You have a plan to resolve the conflicts (adjust dates, add resources, or split work).

What you should see: A clear understanding of your resource loading profile. Over-allocations are identified, and root cause activities are traced.

What's Next?​

Troubleshooting​

IssueSolution
Resources tab shows no dataYour schedule may not have resource assignments. Add resources using the Resource Editor.
Histogram is blankSelect a specific resource from the grid. The histogram displays data for the selected resource only.
No over-allocation visibleAll resources may be within their capacity limits. This is a positive result.
Filter dropdown is emptyEnsure your schedule contains multiple resource types. A schedule with only labour resources will not show equipment or material options.
Cannot edit resource assignments hereThe Resources tab is for analysis. Use the Resource Editor in the Editor panel to modify assignments.