In PPM Express, resource management is governed by a flexible permissions system, available exclusively in the Enterprise Ultra plan. This system provides enhanced control over who can manage resources and resource planning activities within your organization.
Overview of Resource Permissions
Under this model, the Administrate App permission is visually separated in the UI. This permission includes all General and Resources permissions by default.
The Resource permissions are divided into two main categories:
- Manage Resources
- Manage Resource Planning
Each of these permissions can be granted with access to either:
- All Resources
- Designated Resources (specific resources assigned to the user)
-
Manage Resources – All Resources: Equivalent to the old “Manage Resources” permission. Grants full access to all resources and includes Manage Resource Planning automatically.
-
Manage Resources – Designated Resources: Allows managing only the resources where the user is assigned as a Direct Manager or Resource Manager.
- Manage Resource Planning – Designated Resources: Allows users to manage the Resource Plan only (e.g., add, allocate, remove resources) without access to the Resources page, dashboards, or timesheets. Especially useful for Project Managers who need planning access but do not need to manage resource profiles.
Role Descriptions and Capabilities
The following user roles are available, each with its own set of permissions and visibility:
- Direct Manager (multi-select field)
- Resource Manager
- Allocation Manager
When the permissions are granted on the People Management page, these roles can be assigned:
- In the Resource Details section
- Via Bulk Edit on the Resources page
- Using .csv import
The Resource Manager and Allocation Manager fields are hidden by default. Use the Configure fields menu to make them visible.
The Direct Manager and Resource Manager roles provide the same level of access to resources. The distinction between the two is business-related and allows for role-based clarity.
Users assigned as Direct Manager or Resource Manager should be granted the Manage Resources – Designated Resources permission. This ensures that they have access only to the resources they are responsible for, while remaining restricted from viewing or managing other resources in the system.
Users assigned as Direct Manager or Resource Manager for a resource will be able to:
- Update data in the Details section
- Manage Resource Exceptions
- Manage Resource Work Week
- Update the Resource Plan (if they have Edit permission for the corresponding project)
- Access Resource Planning and Utilization (with Edit permission for the project)
- Access Time Tracking
They will not be able to:
- Create new resources using the New button, import from external systems, or import via .csv file
- Update the Direct Manager or Resource Manager fields
- Delete a resource
The Allocation Manager role provides limited permissions and is intended for scenarios where a user should not manage resource data but needs to update the Resource Plan for specific resources.
This role is especially useful for Project Managers, as it allows them to add and allocate resources within projects without giving them access to modify resource details.
Users assigned as Allocation Manager should be granted the Manage Resource Planning – Designated Resources permission. This ensures they can manage resource plans only for the specific resources they are assigned to and cannot access or modify plans for other resources.
Additional Features
Resource Governance View
A view called Resource Governance is available on the Resources page. This view includes the following fields:
- Direct Manager
- Resource Manager
- Allocation Manager
Request Allocation Access
Users without allocation permissions can request access directly from the Resource Plan. This triggers an email notification to the assigned Direct Manager or Resource Manager of the requested resource.