I am looking for a web based solution to a requirement to plan resource work assignments over a 6 week period. We have a project staff that delivers work in traditional timecard activities (planning, development, testing, admin, paid leave, etc). We want to be able to view resource plans and allocations before entering into MPP. The task mix per individual changes frequently so we are constantly measuring resource schedules to determine capacity. As a post process, we would compare plan to actuals from timesheet records. Most project teams do this with XLS. I'd like to find something more robust.
We have a prototype in XLS that works fine, but trying to get a large team to use a single XLS without overriding one another has been a challenge. A web based tool that uses a simple form with an equally simple database backend (even a single table in XLS is enough) would allow the resources to manage the schedule activity themselves and free the managers to actually manage. It would have to have filters for time of course. Microsoft Project is a good tool for project management, but overkill for simple resource scheduling and capacity planning. It is also too intimidating for our user population.
Is anyone aware of a simple product or solution to do this? I don't have a significiant budget so recommending some of the big name OTS packages won't work. I've considered authorizing a home grown web-tool, but this problem seems so simple and ubiquitous that others must have a solution defined.
Any suggestions?
We have a prototype in XLS that works fine, but trying to get a large team to use a single XLS without overriding one another has been a challenge. A web based tool that uses a simple form with an equally simple database backend (even a single table in XLS is enough) would allow the resources to manage the schedule activity themselves and free the managers to actually manage. It would have to have filters for time of course. Microsoft Project is a good tool for project management, but overkill for simple resource scheduling and capacity planning. It is also too intimidating for our user population.
Is anyone aware of a simple product or solution to do this? I don't have a significiant budget so recommending some of the big name OTS packages won't work. I've considered authorizing a home grown web-tool, but this problem seems so simple and ubiquitous that others must have a solution defined.
Any suggestions?