How to use the Toolbox

The Toolbox provides a fast way to access all Planisy components – Inventory, Timeboard, Filter, etc.

Multi-instance capabilities

To open the same component multiple times, click the desired component as many times as need from the Toolbox.

Inventory

Changing the list of Items
(on the back)

The Inventory lists all available Items of a certain type. Turn the Inventory on its backside and use the available radio buttons to change the Item type.

Finding the right resource / Inventory and Filter

Dock the Filter to the Inventory to start searching Items. Its filtering fields will correspond to the attributes of the data type shown by the Inventory.

Opening an Item and dropping it on the Timeboard to create an allocation

To get more detailed information about Items, click the icon on the right-hand side of any Item of the Inventory: This will open the Item. To make an allocation, drag-and-drop the Item onto the timeline section of the Timeboard. Once dropped, the Item disappears and a time bar representing the allocation appears on the timeline. By default the allocation positions itself within the length of exactly one column. The length of a column is equal to the granularity of the time slider. Top left corner of Item is the point of reference for where the new allocation block should be created. You can then interactively stretch, shorten or move the allocation, as required.

Creating new Item

To register a new Item, click the Add button at the top of the Inventory. This will open an empty Item for you to fill out all details. After clicking Save, the new Item is stored in the database and you will find it when scrolling (or filtering) the Inventory.

Item

Opening an Item to review or edit

Depending on your user access level you can review, edit and/or delete Items. As soon as having clicked an Item’s Edit button, you can modify one or more of its attributes or, delete the entire Item.

Deleting an Item

Be aware that deleting Items makes them disappear permanently from the Inventory as well as from the database.

Filter

Filtering the Timeboard

Dock the Filter to the Timeboard to search for specific Items. Filtering the Timeboard works the same as filtering the Inventory. Upon docking, the filtering fields of the Filter automatically adapt to the attributes of the type of Item being displayed by the Items list section of the Timeboard.

Filtering the Allocation Panel

Filtering the Allocation Panel is only possible with the Filter opened directly from the Allocation Panel, by clicking the icon at the top right of the Item list. This Filter is colored differently and is for exclusive use to filter the Allocation Panel. Functionality-wise, every Allocation Panel Filter works exactly the same as any regular Filter.

Timeboard

Folded and unfolded views of allocations

By default, the Timeboard shows all allocations and corresponding Items as folded, summarized views in the Item list and Timeline sections. To see Items’ individual allocations, unfold any Item’s view by clicking the little arrow button at the right hand side of each Item of the Item list section. Additionally, the arrow button next to the Item type drop-down gives you the ability to fold and unfold all Item views simultaneously.

Change target Items list

You can change the type of Item shown by the Item list section of the Timeboard by using  the drop-down menu available at the top left. As soon as a different type has been selected, the Timeboard lists a different set of Items and related allocations.

Change time grid with slider

The slider at top of the Timeline section of the Timeboard defines the amount of time, represented by each column. The minimum time period is 1 minute, the maximum 1 year.

Open/Close Allocation panel section

The Allocation Panel section helps you to update allocations; for example to name them and/or to change their time duration, replace them or to create new allocations in the first place. Use the double-arrows at the top right of the Timeboard to unfold and fold the Allocation Panel. The Allocation panel section is by default folded, and it unfolds automatically when the user selects an Item of the Item list section of the Timeboard.

Go to date

You can navigate to a specific date by selecting it in the date picker situated right next to the time slider.

Creating Allocation via Drag-and-Drop

Pick and open an Item from the Inventory and drop it on the Timeboard, towards the target Item you wish to create an allocation with. Make sure your allocation complies to the allocation rules which have been set.

Modifying an allocation from the timeline section

To change the time duration of an allocation, just select its corresponding time bar in the Timeline section once to make the < and > symbols appear at its ends. Dragging the ends left or right will let you change the duration of the allocation. Use the Allocation panel for more precise time period setting.

Moving an allocation to a different target (within the timeline section)

An allocation can be moved to another target Item by clicking the allocation’s time bar twice until you see upward and downward pointing arrows inside the bar. Then the allocation can be moved vertically to another target Item via drag-and-drop.

Allocating a resource to Absent

Allocating Items to Items of the Absent type makes these Items unavailable for the defined time period. Examples of absent Items can be technical items under repair or maintenance or, sick leave, holiday and parental leave for persons. Allocating Items to Absent via drag-and-drop can be done in two ways:

1. Set the view of the Item list section of the Timeboard to Absent using the drop-down menu. Open the Item you wish to allocate from the Inventory or, select it from an already existing allocation on the Timeboard and drop it to the appropriate Absent Item.

2. Set the view of the Item list section of the Timeboard to the Item type that you wish to allocate Absent to. Set the Inventory to Item type Absent. Open the suitable Absent Item from the Inventory and drop it onto the target Item of your choice on the Timeboard.
Click Update button. For precise time period setting, use the Allocation Panel.

Absent resources appear grey in the allocation side panel

When allocating a resource within the allocation panel, if a resource is absent during the selected time, it will appear as greyed out and the allocation won’t be possible (a resource that is absent cannot be allocated to a different resource during that period)

Adjusting an allocation (target or allocated resource) from the Allocation Panel

Click an allocation time bar in the Timeline section and open the Allocation Panel to modify its name and/or time period and/or the allocated resource. To confirm the changes, click Update.

Creating Allocation (from the Allocation Panel)

To create a new allocation select an Item from the Item list section of the Timeboard. Open the Allocation Panel and choose an Item to be allocated from the listed ones. The Allocation Panel Filter can be used to find Items with specific attributes. After specifying a new allocation’s time period as well as giving it a meaningful name (optional), click the Allocate button to save it and make it appear on the Item list and Timeline sections of the Timeboard.

Deleting Allocation (from Allocation Panel)

To delete an allocation, simply select it by clicking the allocation time bar of the Timeline section and then use the the Delete button on the Allocation Panel section. If the Allocation Panel is closed, you can open it by clicking on the double-arrows at the top right of the Timeboard.

Overbooking mechanism

The Timeboard gives color-coded feedback in case of overbooking of Items (resources), also called “resource conflict”. A resource conflict happens when an allocation violates the max allowed assignment of an Item. When such a violation happens, the corresponding allocation turns red and so do all other /previously performed/ allocations which are involved in the conflict. The user needs to resolve the conflict by modifying the parameters of those allocations until they all turn back to green.

Search in the Item list

Use the Search field on the Item list of the Timeboard to quickly find a specific Item.

Search in the Allocation Panel

A fast way narrow down an Item to allocate, is to use the Search field on the Allocation Panel. For more detailed search options please use the Filter.

Zoom onto allocation

The Zoom-in function can be used in cases when the allocation is too long or too short for the current view, to be comfortably worked on. Select an allocation and click on the zoom-in button to see its full length.

Navigating in the Timeboard

Use the single and double arrows to move forward and backward. The single arrow moves forward/backward one column at a time. The double arrow goes to the next page, while keeping the last column visible:
Next page (forward): The last column (on the right) becomes the first column (on the left)
Previous page (backward): The first column (on the left) becomes the last column (on the right)

Zooming using the slider

When using the time slider, the reference used is the left column. Using the slider to zoom-in and out will always keep the left column synchronized with the displayed date.