Tracking individual workload

[Isabelle_Kirsch]

In my table, I have many projects inserted as different records in a column. In another column, I included the project lead for each project, and in a third column are other staff members working on each project but are not project leads.

I want to create a block or a column showing an individual’s weekly or monthly workload. For example, if Mark is a project lead to 3 projects but also working on 2 projects that are led by someone else, I would like to have a place where I can see his whole workload for the month. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

[WilliamPorter]

Isabelle,

When you say you want to see someone’s “workload,” what exactly do you mean? It sounds to me like what you want is to see how many projects a particular person is linked to? Is that it?

(I ask because “workload” to me suggests “how many hours I’m working each day”. I can have 7 current clients but if none of them are asking me to do much, my workload is pretty light.)

I’m also curious about your requirement that you view this info “by the week or the month”. You don’t elsewhere indicate that you’re entering dates, so I’m not sure how we would know what someone’s project load (if I may call it that) is for the week.

William

[WilliamPorter]

Here’s a quick suggestion. This isn’t going to do everything I think you want but perhaps it will help you get started.

Start by creating two tables, with these fields:

• PROJECTS: Project Name, End Date
• PEOPLE: Name

Now, go to the People table and create a new column of type “Link to another record.” Of course, link to Projects. Rename this column Leading.

Stay in People and create a second new column of type “Link to another record”. Again, link to Projects. Rename this field Helping With.

Now go back to Projects, add in a few project records, then switch to People and add some people. In the appropriate columns, link each person to the projects he or she is leading or helping with.

I included a “Project Ends” date field in PROJECTS so that I could filter by projects that are still current.

I’m attaching a couple screenshots. I’ll add some comments in a follow-up message about the challenges your problem presents, especially to Airtable.

William

[WilliamPorter]

WilliamPorterTech:

I’ll add some comments in a follow-up message about the challenges your problem presents, especially to Airtable.

Okay, so here are some notes on my quick-and-dirty Projects & People base.

1. The “Projects Current” view is filtered to show only projects whose Project Ends date field is empty or contains a date later than today.
2. The Leading and Helping With fields in PERSONS are configured to Limit record selection to a view (PROJECTS Current). This prevents you from assigning a person to an expired project. If you use the Projects Current view to assign leaders and helpers from there, you’ll also be sure to assign people to current projects.
3. The base as I suggested it above does not hide the person’s link to expired projects and I can’t think of a simple way to do that in Airtable. (Someone else will no doubt suggest one.) So if Larry was assigned as leader on the project 2019 New Year’s Party, this record will still show that link, even though that project is expired. You can either live with that or (better) remove the links when the project is closed.

.

Now, a more basic critique of my own suggestion. Your problem sounds to me like it could use a many-to-many relation. A given project can have more than one leader and/or helper; and any person can be linked to more than one project. If you explore the Airtable help for many-to-many relationships (look especially at the classes and students example) you may be able to build a more sophisticated version of this base that comes closer to what you want.

William

[Isabelle_Kirsch]

WilliamPorterTech:

each person to the projects

Hi William,

Your suggestions are really helpful. Thank you. You understood my issue. Sorry I wasn’t clear in my message - I meant workload as in the number of projects one person is working on at a time, and by viewing this by week or by month I meant to be able to visualise by time range. I’ll try what you’ve suggested as it seems that is what I need.

Thanks again

Isabelle

[Isabelle_Kirsch]

To follow up, I am entering start and end dates which I should’ve mentioned

[WilliamPorter]

Isabelle_Kirsch:

Your suggestions are really helpful. Thank you. You understood my issue. Sorry I wasn’t clear in my message - I meant workload as in the number of projects one person is working on at a time, and by viewing this by week or by month I meant to be able to visualise by time range. I’ll try what you’ve suggested as it seems that is what I need.

Excellent, Isabelle. Sounds like you’re on the right track. Good luck.

William