How to calculate load in resource planning
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Guide overview
- 1. Professional Services Basics
- 2. Client Management and Retention
- 3. Project Definition
- 4. Resource Planning
- 5. The Ultimate Guide to Capacity Planning
- 6. Project Visibility
- 7. Billing for Projects
- 8. Project Profitability
- 9. Professional Services Software For Project Management
- 10. A Guide to Time Tracking for Consultants and Professional Services
- 11. FAQ
- 12. Glossary
Guide overview
- 1. Professional Services Basics
- 2. Client Management and Retention
- 3. Project Definition
- 4. Resource Planning
- 5. The Ultimate Guide to Capacity Planning
- 6. Project Visibility
- 7. Billing for Projects
- 8. Project Profitability
- 9. Professional Services Software For Project Management
- 10. A Guide to Time Tracking for Consultants and Professional Services
- 11. FAQ
- 12. Glossary
Resource Planning
How to calculate load in resource planning
In resource planning, load is a way to express capacity requirements. Load is the number of hours of work allocated to a task or project versus the time available. This figure, usually expressed as a percentage, represents overload or underload, as explained in David Frederick Ross’ “Distribution Planning and Control: Managing in the Era of Supply Chain Management.”
To calculate the capacity load ratio you must divide the required hours on a project by the amount of time available to complete it and multiply it by 100. For instance, if a project designer requires 80 hours to complete a project but they only have 60 hours available, they are at 133% — meaning they are overloaded.