Introduction
When estimating a project in descon.ai, you’ll define how many hours a particular resource (e.g., an Architect or Engineer) needs to complete a task. Once the estimate is activated, the next step is managing resources—that is, mapping each planned resource to an actual user in your organization. This ensures accountability, clear task ownership, and the ability for team members to log daily reports against the allocated hours.
Accessing Resource Management
There are two main ways to manage resources for a task:
From the Gantt Chart (Timeline View)
Select the project, go to Timeline, and locate the relevant task.
Click on the task’s rectangle to open the details pop-up, then choose Manage Resources.
From the List View
Switch to List at the top of the Timeline section.
Find the task, click the three-dot icon, and select Manage Resources.
Both methods lead you to the same resource allocation interface.
Mapping Users to Planned Resources
When you created the estimate, you specified an estimated number of hours needed for each resource. Now you’ll assign those hours to a specific user on your team:
Select the Resource: You’ll see a list of resources (e.g., “Architect - 40 hours,” “Draftsperson - 20 hours”).
Choose a User: From the dropdown, pick the actual user who will fulfill that role’s hours. This user must already be added to your organization in descon.ai.
Set the Owner (Optional but Recommended): There’s a radio button to mark one user as the owner of that task. This person becomes the initial assignee and sees the allocated hours in their timesheet and daily reports.
Owner vs. Other Assigned Users
At least one user should be set as owner to avoid warnings in the system. The owner is responsible for:
Initial Task Visibility: They see the allocated hours and any updates related to that task.
Daily Reporting: They (and any other assigned users) can submit daily reports for hours spent on the task.
If no user is assigned or if no owner is chosen, descon.ai flags the task with a warning. This ensures every task has clear accountability. All users assigned as owner or collaborators will be able to see the task in the my task section.
Handling Warnings and Missing Assignments
When you see a warning for an unassigned task, it typically means:
No Users Assigned: Ensure a user is mapped to each planned resource.
No Owner Set: Mark one of the assigned users as the owner.
Once these assignments are in place, the warning should disappear.
Editing Assignments
You can revise assignments at any time. If a user leaves the project or a new team member joins, simply:
Open Manage Resources from the Gantt chart or List View.
Unassign the current user or select a different user from the dropdown.
Finalizing Your Resource Plan
After assigning users and setting an owner for each task:
Save your changes in the Manage Resources interface.
Return to the Timeline or List View to confirm warnings are cleared.
In the Gantt chart, tasks remain color-coded by status (grey, orange, green). Assigned owners and users will now be able to log their hours via daily reports.
Key Takeaways
Managing resources in descon.ai ensures every task has clearly assigned users with correctly allocated hours. By linking estimated hours from the project’s estimation phase to actual users on your team, you achieve accurate task tracking, transparent reporting, and a strong foundation for measuring project profitability and success. If you see any warnings about unassigned tasks or missing owners, simply revisit Manage Resources in that task to correct the assignments.
For any issues, you can:
Use the integrated AI chat nSage for instant help.
Email [email protected] for additional support.