How To Configure The Capacity And Resource Allocation Add-On In Project Insight

Project Insight’s Capacity and Resource Allocation Add-On lets administrators configure how resource capacity, utilization, allocation warnings, allotments, and reporting options work across the workspace. These settings help teams identify overallocated resources, set realistic utilization targets, and support more accurate resource planning across projects.

This article is best for System Admins, PMO leaders, and workspace administrators who need to configure resource planning rules before project managers begin using capacity and allocation reports.

Best For

• Setting default resource capacity percentages
• Controlling over-allocation warnings
• Sending nightly over-allocation reports
• Defining utilization targets
• Deciding whether to use project-level allotments
• Choosing how allocation data appears in reports and user views
• Showing or hiding allocation percentages next to resource names

What Is The Capacity And Resource Allocation Add-On?

The Capacity and Resource Allocation Add-On controls how Project Insight calculates and displays resource availability, capacity, utilization, and allocation across projects.

Admins can use this add-on to define workspace-level planning rules. These settings affect how Project Insight warns users about overallocated resources, how utilization appears in reports, and whether allocation data is shown in task and resource views.

In short, this add-on helps your organization decide what “available,” “fully allocated,” and “overallocated” should mean inside Project Insight.

What Configuration Sections Are Included?

The add-on includes several configuration sections:

1. Allocation And Capacity Settings
2. Utilization Settings
3. Allotment Settings
4. Other Settings
5. Task List Allocation Display Settings

Each section controls a different part of how resource planning works in your workspace.

How Do Allocation And Capacity Settings Work?

Allocation and capacity settings define the default capacity rules Project Insight uses when evaluating resource workloads.

Common settings include:

1. Adjusting the default capacity of resources to a value other than 100%.
2. Sending nightly email reports when resources are overallocated.
3. Displaying over-allocation warnings during task assignment.
4. Allowing or preventing users from overriding over-allocation warnings.
5. Showing allocation reporting in user views without giving access to global allocation report data.

By default, resource capacity is normally set to 100%. Project Insight uses the Capacity Percent Max Default as the guideline for over-allocation warnings. Some organizations choose to allow a resource to go above 100% before a warning appears.

For example, your organization may decide not to warn users until a resource reaches 115% allocation. This gives project managers more flexibility before Project Insight flags the assignment as overallocated.

Allocation and Capacity Settings control resource capacity defaults and over-allocation warnings.

How Do Utilization Settings Work?

Utilization settings define target utilization guidelines for resources.

Utilization is different from capacity. Capacity usually represents the total available working time for a resource. Utilization represents the target amount of that time expected to be used for project work.

For example, a resource may have 100% capacity, but the organization may only expect that person to be 80% utilized on project work because the remaining time is used for meetings, administration, support, or other non-project responsibilities.

Utilization settings can also be overridden at the user profile level. This is common because different users often have different project workload expectations.

Utilization Settings help define target project workload expectations.

How Do Allotment Settings Work?

Allotment settings are used when an organization wants to measure recommended allocation by individual project.

Allotments can be helpful for organizations that already manage resource allocation by project and have a process for maintaining that data.

However, allotments add administrative overhead. They are usually not recommended for teams that are new to resource allocation or have not previously tracked resource allotments.

Allotment Settings support project-level allocation planning when your organization maintains allotment data.

What Are The Other Settings?

The Other Settings section includes less commonly used options, such as cumulative data reporting, FTE calculations, and other advanced resource planning controls.

Some options may only be useful for specific reporting needs or more mature resource management processes. Before enabling advanced options, confirm that your organization understands how the data will be maintained and how the reports will be used. See the use of Work Manual Leveling in its own article at the link. 

Other Settings include advanced resource planning and reporting options.

How Do You Show Allocation Percentages On The Task List?

Project Insight can show the allocation percentage next to a resource’s name on the task list.

By default, this setting is turned off.

To show allocation percentages next to resource names:

1. Open the Capacity and Resource Allocation Add-On configuration page.
2. Find the setting for showing the allocation percentage next to the resource name.
3. Check the box to enable the setting.
4. Save your changes.
5. Return to the task list and confirm that the allocation percentage appears next to assigned resources.

This can help project managers quickly see whether task assignments may create overload risk.

Enable this setting to show allocation percentages next to resource names on the task list.