Configuring Project Pools

You can define lists of unassigned projects and worksteps that your staff can assign to themselves. These lists are referred to as pools. Your firm might also refer to these as crates, bins, drawers, or shelves.

You can control who has access to a pool based on three staff attributes; business unit, office, and staff position. You also can directly assign specific staff members to a pool, regardless of their attributes. When used together, attribute filters and direct assignment ensure that staff members only see the pools for work they are qualified to perform.

 Notes:

• If your firm has only one business unit or one office, that attribute is not available for configuring pools. The staff position filter is not available if your firm has not set up staff positions.
• You must have All Project Firm Lists functional rights to be able to configure project pools.

To manage a project pool, do the following:

1. In Dashboard, click Application Links, and then click Configuration > Project pools under Workstream.

   Note: This option is also available in the Manage group on the Manage ribbon in Workstream.

2. Do one of the following, depending on what you would like to do:
   •  Add a new pool. Click Add New Pool. Then, enter a unique name for the pool.
   • Edit an existing pool. Click the pool you want to edit.
3. Select options from the filter lists to identify the projects to be included in the pool. To select multiple contiguous items in a list, press and hold Shift while selecting items. To select multiple non-contiguous items, press and hold Ctrl+Shift while selecting items.

Component	Definition
Status	Select the status for the projects included in this pool. You can only select one status. This field is required.
Template	Select one or more templates for the projects that should be in the pool.
Office	Select one or more offices for the projects included in the pool.
Complexity	Select one or more complexities for the projects included in the pool. Complexities can describe the level of skill needed to complete the project.
Priority	Select one or more priorities for the projects included in the pool. The priority defines the project's importance or urgency.

4. If you want to limit pool access to certain staff members, click Select staff (optional) at the top of the window. Then, select the attributes for staff members who should have access to the pool.
   • Limit access by business unit, office, or staff position. If multiple attribute filters are set for a pool, staff members must match at least one criteria for each filter to access the pool.

     Example: The Springfield Reviewer pool limits access to the pool by both office (the Springfield office) and staff position (Reviewer). Only staff members who are both in the Springfield office and assigned the staff position of Reviewer can access this pool.

     1. Hover the pointer over Select an attribute, and then select the attribute you want to use to limit access.
     2. Click in the text box that displays and select the business units, offices, or staff positions for people who should have access to the pool. You can select multiple options for an attribute.
     3. Click outside the text box when you have added all the needed items for this attribute.
     4. If you want to add another attribute filter, click Add attribute, then repeat the previous three steps.
     5. If you need to remove an attribute filter from the pool, click next to the attribute box. To remove a specific attribute value, click the white x next to that attribute value.
   • Assign specific staff members to the pool.
     1. On the right side of the window, click into the Enter staff name or ID box.
     2. Begin typing the name or ID of the staff member you want to give access to. As you type, names that match what you are typing display.
     3. When the name you want to add displays, select it and click to add it to the Selected box. You can also click to move all of the displayed names at one time.
5. To view a list of projects that match the currently selected filter criteria, click Preview. If you find further refinements are needed to the pool criteria, you can click the Define or Select staff tabs to make changes as needed.
6. Once the criteria is set, click either Save & New to save the pool and create a new pool, or click Save & Close to save the pool and exit the window.

The pool is now available in the Pools Dashboard pane. For more information, see Using the Project Pools Pane.