Understanding Workload and Planning Effectively in the Short Term

Accurate day-to-day planning ensures that capacity is used efficiently – without overloads or idle time. planr supports this with a clear interface and integrated workload control. Within minutes, it's easy to see whether resources are already fully assigned or if availability remains.

The Goal of Short-Term Planning

The goal of short-term planning is to allocate available resources as effectively as possible – ideally with a small buffer for unexpected changes. The planning typically covers the next 5 to 10 working days and is based on concrete project and service assignments.

Workload as a Control Tool

The workload control feature shows how well available capacity is being utilized. It is based on the working hours defined per day or week.

Key indicators:

• 100% workload: The planned assignments fully match the defined working time
• < 100%: Free capacity remains
• > 100%: Overload – for example due to bookings outside regular working hours (weekends) or assignments exceeding the defined target hours

Workload can be displayed directly in the top row of the planning view or analyzed in detail via the workload chart.

No Vacancies – All Assignments Are Concrete

In short-term planning, only real employees are assigned. Vacancies are not used. As a result, the workload analysis is precise and reflects the current situation accurately.

Disposition Level and Workload

The disposition level indicates how much of a resource’s time is assigned to a specific task – for example, 100% for a full-day assignment or 50% for a half-day.

In planr, the disposition level allows a person to be assigned to multiple tasks in parallel. The total of all disposition levels for a person during the same time period must not exceed 100%.

If the disposition level is less than 100%, the person is considered only partially utilized – whether assigned to one or several tasks. This is reflected in the workload chart with a reduced percentage.

Conclusion

Short-term planning requires flexibility – but also structure. Workload control helps identify under- or overutilization instantly and optimize planning accordingly. This enables stable execution, even when things change at short notice.

Stay on top of your daily business. Use capacity wisely. Avoid bottlenecks – with planr.

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