How to Manage Projects & Assign Tasks Based on Team Capacity

This Showcase shares how to use SmartSuite for Project Management and also be able to assign tasks to your team based on their utilization and workload.

This Video's Chapters: 

0:16- Introduction to Smart Suite as a Project Management Tool
1:12- Task Management and Assignment
3:07- Time Tracking and Task Completion
4:20- Sprint Management
5:38- Weekly Capacities and Utilization Rates
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Introduction to SmartSuite as a Project Management Tool

SmartSuite offers a comprehensive project management solution designed for intermediate users familiar with no-code platforms. Its flexibility allows for customization through a relational database structure, making it adaptable to various project management needs.

Understanding the Data Schema

The solution's design is built around four main components:

1. Projects
2. Tasks
3. Sprints
4. Weekly capacities

Projects include attributes such as status, product manager, priority, type, due date, and budget fields, providing a holistic view of each project.

Task Management and Assignment

Creating a new project in SmartSuite is straightforward:

1. Enter the project title
2. Assign attributes (priority, due date, type)
3. Tasks are automatically created based on the project type
4. Assign tasks to team members based on their workload and utilization

The task assignment dashboard offers a visual representation of team utilization, allowing for efficient task allocation.

Time Tracking and Task Completion

SmartSuite's time tracking feature enables:

• Logging time spent on tasks
• Monitoring task workload and completion status
• Filtering tasks assigned to the current user
• Starting and stopping timers for accurate time tracking

Sprint Management

Sprints in SmartSuite represent fixed intervals of work. The platform offers:

• Automation linking tasks to relevant sprints based on due dates
• Views for completed and open tasks within a sprint
• Access to task details and associated project information

Weekly Capacities and Utilization Rates

The weekly capacities app in SmartSuite provides:

• Automated creation of weekly records for team members
• Calculation of utilization rates based on allocated time and time worked
• A spotlight feature highlighting over-allocated time (utilization rate > 100%)
• The ability to add notes and utilize a smart dog field for additional information

Team Overview and Budget Tracking

SmartSuite offers a comprehensive team overview, including:

• Display of team members and their hourly rates
• Project budgets and spent amounts
• Tracking of tasks worked on and total time tracked
• Monitoring of remaining budget for each project

Project Dashboard and Overview

The project dashboard in SmartSuite provides:

• A comprehensive overview of utilization, budget, completed projects, and tasks
• Sorting of upcoming tasks by due date
• Display of active projects and their details

This all-encompassing view allows project managers to make informed decisions and keep projects on track.

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