Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Planisy is the first true multi-resource, multi-purpose, multi-view, fully interactive resource allocation planner/scheduler, delivering an unprecedented level of usability. The software enhances and simplifies the task of dynamically assigning resources and makes easy the reviewing and solving of resource assignment conflicts. This results in an obvious gain in operational efficiency, asset optimization and end-user satisfaction.

Moreover, through its innovative architecture, Planisy easily adapts to any use case, set of customer resources and business rules. Consequently, Planisy dramatically decreases the set-up time and Total Cost of Ownership.

  • Planning is the process performed to determine the resources required to fulfil the incoming demand of business operations. It pertains to the “what” and the “how” of any activity: what exactly needs to be achieved and how it will be accomplished.
  • Scheduling pertains to establishing the assignment and timing of use of specific resources of an organization. Scheduling typically involves resources such as workers, equipment, materials, machines, but also tasks, jobs, and locations. It details the “who/which” and “when” of operations, by assigning the appropriate resources to get the job done.

It is through the effective combination of these two functions that an organization creates an optimized use of resources and increases its operational efficiency. 

Planisy is by-design modular and naturally expandable. Its resources can be freely and interactively added, modified, or removed. New Types of resources can be defined, and new Attributes included, to dynamically search, select, and analyse resources and their assignments. Business rules can be adapted to any use case and modified when your business requirements evolve.

Getting started with Planisy is fast and straightforward. In its default configuration, Planisy does not require much adaptation to your use case, if any at all. In fact, reference templates are available for the most common use cases, which will likely satisfy most of your needs. Get familiar in a few minutes with its intuitive navigation features and interactive methods to search, select, assign, and schedule resources.

Planisy is a SaaS solution software and hence available as Cloud-based solution, through our native web browser application, supported by dizmo AG or our cloud partners, with best-in-class hosting SLA, security, and compliance. If you need on-premises distribution, Planisy can also be licensed to install on your own servers.

Planisy is fully based on time-proven and secure standards such as secure socket layer protocol (SSL) and database technology also used for e-banking and other large scale and sensitive web services.

All services of Planisy are running in isolated containers limiting a potential attacker’s ability to get access to the entire system even in a worst-case scenario. This is why Planisy also separates the databases of all customers into separate and independent containers for each company, department, or project. This makes it virtually impossible to access data across domains even in case of an attack against one of the companies using Planisy.

For highly sensitive environments like hospitals, banks, and others, Planisy can be deployed «on premise» allowing you to use your own datacenter to run the services of Planisy and therefore have full control over data security and privacy policies.

Yes, Planisy is available on mobile devices. The only obvious prerequisite is to have an internet connection or access point. Just go on your Planisy account from your mobile phone for example, and the scheduling information you need will be instantaneously available at your fingertips: what you need, whenever you need it and from anywhere. No more calls to the office or need of a laptop to check what your next assignment is, where the closest instrument you need is, or which options exist to solve an unexpected machine failure.

For an improved experience, the first time you access Planisy from your mobile, add Planisy to your home screen. If you are operating on a small screen, open the resource inventory of the target Type in Planisy and select the resource you are most of time interested in visualizing. Its status and planned allocations will be updated in real time and be always-on. You can also delete all other digital objects of the workspace, to optimize the usage of your screen digital real-estate.   

Benefits

We can hardly think of any business which would not benefit from using Planisy. Here are a few dimensions of your operations to explore to fully appreciate those benefits for your business:

  • Do you have multiple types of resources which need to be assigned and scheduled in a harmonized fashion? Would you benefit from a tool which provides you with a holistic view of all of them?
  • Would you benefit from a tool which allows you to navigate easily and interactively through all resources, and all their assignments over time, and visualize what matters to you, anytime, from anywhere and on any device?
  • Do internal or external factors often impact the availability of resources, requiring quick and precise planning adjustments and the ability to share them with anyone concerned?
  • Would you benefit from a tool which provides immediate visual feedback on scheduling errors, conflicts, misallocations, and gives you interactive and dynamic tools to correct them?
  • How important is for you to adjust resource allocation rules according to your needs and be able to do it for each type of resource?

We can think of a few industries where most of the above matter, although we will not be able to provide you with an exhaustive list. Of course, we would be glad to review with you your use case, if it is not listed here below:

  • Construction
  • Medical and pharmaceutical 
  • Logistics
  • Events planning
  • Manufacturing and industrial
  • Video production 
  • Field maintenance and Quality Assurance
  • And more…

Certainly yes. When managing resources there are many potential sources of time loss: time spent in gathering the information required to properly schedule tasks and resources, time spent in selecting the best resource and checking availability, time spent in communicating the plan, and time spent in adjusting the plan upon unforeseen events. When designing Planisy, we have looked at each and any of those steps and optimized them, making them easy and fast. Operational efficiency is what Planisy ultimately increases and that has a direct impact on cost and business health.

As one of its strongest and key capabilities, Planisy immediately highlights present and future misallocations and conflicts through messaging and visual feedback. Coloured resources, coloured allocations, and ability to explore details through multiple methods and patented techniques (multi-instance, dynamic filtering, interactive navigation, etc…) complete the set of features at your disposal to quickly resolve conflicts and avoid errors. 

Planisy is delivered as a SaaS solution and priced through a subscription fee. The total cost varies depending on the selected number of seats/users and depends on the chosen plan. The standard offer starts at 29$ per month per user. Premium and Enterprise plans also exist. Above a certain number of seats, we advise contacting us to tailor a perfect solution to your needs, as well as consulting services and training options to get you rapidly onboard. See our pricing and plans here. Last but not least, trying Planisy for free is the best option to get started. Try it now.

Features

Checking availability of resources in Planisy is fast and easy. The Inventory dizmo provides you with all available resources, for each type of resource (workers, machines, rooms, etc…., for example). Dynamic filtering provides you with a very quick path to identify the ones that match your requirements. The Timeboard will show you their scheduling in time. If they appear already allocated to other resources, you can still allocate them and check which options exist to resolve the resulting conflicts. The interactive time-stretching and moving of resource allocations directly on the timeline section of the timeboard, the list of alternative options through the Allocation Panel section of the timeboard, a second Timeboard to further analyse the assignments of the target resource type, all these options help you check and apply the best option to fulfil your needs.

Resource Type and Resource Attribute are two key resources database parameters in Planisy. When mapping Planisy onto your use case, you will be interactively asked to choose the resource Types (type worker, type machine, type location, type task, etc..) which best match the composition of your resource set. Start with a simple list of Types; you can always add/modify them later.

Resource Type and Resource Attribute are two key resources database parameters in Planisy. When mapping Planisy onto your use case, you will be interactively asked to choose for each resource Type which attributes you wish to set (name, location, years of experience, specialization…, or name, category, brand, id number, weight, location…, for example). Attributes will then become the key parameters to search, select and assign resources, as well part of the variables used to analyse, monitor, and optimize resources’ use.  

Planisy lets you set allocation rules between each pair of resources through a resource editor tool. The editor allows you to decide for each pair of resource Types if allocations are possible, and if they are enabled, which allocation rules apply.

  • As a result, you could, for example, in a hospital setting define the rule which manages the allocation of instruments to rooms and then independently set the rule which manages allocations of instruments to nurses. You can also simply disable allocations between a pair of resource types.

When allocations between two Types of resources are enabled, they can be either “exclusive” or “shareable”. Exclusive means that concurrent allocations of a resource to multiple resources of another Type are not permitted, where “concurrent” means for a time period which partially or entirely overlaps between allocations, and “multiple” refers to any number of occurrences higher than 1. Shareable means instead that such concurrent allocations are allowed.

A default configuration exists where all allocations between each pair of resource types are enabled, and all allocations are set to Shareable, with no predefined limits to the number of concurrent allocations of a resource a user can make to multiple resources of another Type.

Once allocation rules have been set (see also “How are resources’ allocation rules defined within Planisy”), Planisy will manage allocations, error messages, visual feedback and any available analysis and review accordingly.

If the allocation between two resources is not possible, Planisy generates an error message over the Timeboard with information about the violation. If the allocation is not possible because the resource is “absent” (see also “How does Planisy manage downtime of resources?”) an error message will also be generated.

If the allocation is possible, Planisy provides color-based visual feedback based on 3 key colors, when allocating resource-A to resource-B:

  • Green: the allocation has been successfully performed and generated no conflict
  • Yellow: the allocation has been performed and generated a conflict. Check the other allocations of resource-A to analyze and resolve the conflict.
  • Red: the allocation has been performed and generated a conflict. Check the other allocations of resources to resource-B to analyze and resolve the conflict.

Consistently with how assignments of resources are managed, Planisy provides an extra and special Type of resource, called “Absent” to manage any category of downtime of resources.

The resources of the Type “Absent” are user definable to account for all different categories of events which can cause resources to become unavailable: maintenance, repair, sick leave, holidays, etc…. Allocating a resource of any type to one of the resources of Absent makes the resources unavailable for any other allocation during that time. This category of unavailability being treated as a special case of “assignment”, the full capabilities of Planisy can be used to search, visualize, update, and analyse it. 

Planisy offers multiple ways to adapt to your requirements and process. You decide how to distribute resources across Types (doctors, nurses, rooms, instruments, machines, tasks, etc…) and freely decide which and how many categories of Attributes to assign for each type (name, location, roles, skills, years of experience, hourly cost, etc…). You can then decide which business rules to apply for allocations between each pair of resources. Of course, you can also conveniently use the pre-defined business rules to start with and maybe change them later. 

Planisy is naturally collaborative. As cloud solution, built on a browser native application framework, Planisy is available on any device, anytime, from anywhere and to any user having the required access rights.

Multiple users can real-time share Planisy’s database, each being able, depending on their user credentials, to contribute to the planning and review process. Users accessing a common “project” on separate devices can independently control their own visualization and still their actions will real-time impact each other workspace. Updates on resources and allocations will in fact be mirrored on both systems. Of course, as for any such collaborative work, it requires a certain level of coordination between the two (or more) users involved.

Thanks to its fully customizable architecture, Planisy supports all languages and scripts.
If you use only one language, use the resource editor webtool to enter the resource types and resource attributes in the language and script you want. 

In case you need more than one language, resource editor webtool offers the option to add a 2nd and a 3rd language, and to enter the corresponding text values. The language that will be seen by end users will be the language they set in their web browser. In case the web browser is set in a language which wasn’t define, the 1st language option set in the resource editor webtool will be used by Planisy as the default option. The enterprise version of Planisy allows to support more than 3 languages, if needed.

Others

Project management tools schedule milestones and tasks. They are task-centric and focus on the dependencies across them. They can help managing resources, but they are not designed for it.

Planisy is resource-centric and complements project management tools. It allows users to assign and schedule resources and focuses on the relationship between them. Through that, it ensures consolidation of resources within and across projects and includes in the process other allocations which would otherwise be unaccounted for.

Through its fully dynamic and interactive capabilities, Planisy ensures the correct assignment of resources, provides effective ways to anticipate resource conflicts, or avoid misallocations, and to quickly react to the unexpected. Reviewing, adjusting, and optimizing resource planning and assignment becomes easier, faster, and more accurate, across the full spectrum of human, physical and digital resources, driving up the company operational efficiency.

Calendar tools are essentially people-to-task schedulers. They are simply not capable of properly handling other types of resources, or not all in most cases. Nor are they good for the purpose of dynamic assignment and reassignment or understanding the inter-dependencies of all resource types. Alternatively, Planisy can handle all these intricacies and more.

Excel tends to be a common jump point to Planisy. Excel is one of the greatest business tooling “inventions” since it was first introduced in 1985. It created the conditions for teams to efficiently manage business and operations and boost productivity. However, ~40 years later our expectations for productivity have quite drastically changed.

Users cite “Management Load”, “User Fatigue”, and excel being “Meeting-Heavy” when trying to reconcile the resource puzzle along the team. Half a day is invested and then a plan is set for the week – it becomes a hardcoded entity. But then things dynamically change on a daily or even hourly basis – change is constant. Resource dependencies (blockages) are not detected. Either the plan is burdensome to update or is not adhered to at all when using an excel strategy. This is when Planisy comes in, with self-service biz rules, which then understand the constrains and inter-dependencies between resources; colour-coding visualises misallocations, and an unprecedented level of interactivity makes analysis and adjustments easy and fast. Moreover, Planisy facilitates a smooth path to integrating IoT data, or modularly inputting data from a 3rd party system. 

Planisy is a so-called AI-ready platform, meaning that its architecture can naturally adapt to any specific algorithm and method to automate and optimize the resource planning and assignment process.

Any modular recommendation or automation engine can be rapidly wrapped around, plugged in the workspace and a new link established to select and assign resources, taking advantage of the parametrized attributes of each resource Type.

Write to contact@planisy.com for more information on how to include your own resource selection algorithm and recommendation engine into Planisy. If you are an AI supplier interested to be part of Planisy’s eco-system and offering, please write to sales@planisy.com .

Scalability is one of the most natural and built-in aspects and characteristics of Planisy.

It is achieved through its modular architecture, the standardized way to represent any type of resource, whether they are human, physical or digital, and completely flexible way used to set allocation rules across each pair of resource type. Planisy’s on-the-fly capability to individually modify those allocation rules, add/edit resources, add/edit their list of attributes and value, add, or split existing Types of resources, further contributes to achieve the target level of scalability.

All those unique design elements of Planisy allow it to grow with your business and seamlessly scale up and down with your resources’ requirements.    

Planisy takes advantage of the composition platform it is built on: dizmo. As a result, within its workspace, links can be easily and quickly built to connect to potentially any source of data, and among them your ERP system of choice. Write to support@planisy.com for more information.

The toolbox dizmo is a utility dizmo providing quick access to the main digital objects required to perform the selection of resources and their assignment, review, and adjustment: the Inventory dizmo, Timeboard dizmo and Filter dizmo.

Resources in Planisy are listed in digital objects (dizmos) called Inventories. Each type of resources has its corresponding inventory dizmo where they can be search/filtered and selected. Clicking on the right icon of any listed resource calls up the corresponding Item dizmo. Please note that item dizmos of each resource can be called up through any dizmo in the workspace when an active icon of the resource is available: the list section and the allocation panel of the Timeboard are examples.

Any dizmo of the workspace where an active icon of a resource is visible, allows to select the corresponding resource. By clicking on the icon, the matching item dizmo appears in the workspace. The item dizmo lists all attributes values of the specific resource, and all its allocations. To select resources matching a selection criterion, a user can use the search box or filter dizmo. A search box is available in all digital objects which list resources. The filter dizmo can be activated by a) selecting it in the creator dizmo, or b) in the toolbox dizmo, or c) by clicking on the corresponding symbol which is also present in all digital objects which list resources.

Resources can be edited through the item dizmo, provided that the users has the access rights to perform such operation.  A user needs to have system admin or power user privileges to be allowed to edit resources.

A user needs to have system admin or power user privileges to be allowed to edit resources.

Resources can be filtered through the search box or filter dizmo. A search box is available in all digital objects which list resources. The filter dizmo can be activated by a) selecting it in the creator dizmo, or b) in the toolbox dizmo, or c) by clicking on the corresponding symbol which is also present in all digital objects which list resources.

Putting the filter dizmo side by side to the list of resources being analyzed, the filter dizmo inherits the resource type’s attributes as filtering option fields. Put the required value in any of the option fields and the matching resources will be listed.

The filter dizmo includes a clear button which conveniently resets all values which have been previously entered.

Attributes refer to the key parameters which define resources of a given category, such as machines, people, locations, tasks and so on (which is called resource “Type” in Planisy). Examples of attributes of the resource type machine -for example- can be function, brand, ID number, location, year of manufacturing, weight and so on.

To add a new attribute, users use the resource editor tool, if they have the required access rights to perform such operation.  A user needs to have system admin privileges to be allowed to add attributes to a resources type. The new attribute will be given a name of choice and one among the available data types, typically image, text, number, date, or dropdown. Saving the new attribute makes it readily available as an additional parameter for existing and new resources of the same type.

The timeboard allows to choose which resource Type is displayed by selecting it on the top left side of the resource list section of the Timeboard. A dropdown menu allows to select the desired resource type among those which have been set with the resource editor webtool.

The timeboard dizmo provides users with several options to manage what they see and how they see it. On its top left side, the search box allows to quickly make a text-based filter of resources of the selected resource type.

A full-fledged filter pops up instead as soon as the filter symbol is pressed (or a filter is selected in the dizmo creator or in the toolbox dizmo).

Once put side by side to the Timeboard, the filter inherits the attributes of the resource type being displayed as filtering option fields. Put the required value in any of the option fields and the matching resources will be listed.

Moreover, a display arrow on the right end side of the resource type selection field allows to conveniently fold and unfold the allocation rows being displayed for all listed resources. An equivalent arrow on the right end side of each displayed resource allows users to make the same choice on an individual resource basis. 

Like any digital objects in Planisy’s workspace, the Timeboard can be resized, by using the handle at its bottom right. When resizing it, the time space covered by the timeline section of the timeboard can be increased or decreased accordingly, adding, or removing (to a limit) the number of columns, and with that of timeslots and overall time it visualises.

Performing an allocation consists of the action of assigning a resource of a given resource type to a resource of a different type, for a determined amount of time. For example, assigning an excavator to a construction site for a week or a driver to a car for a day.

In Planisy, this action can be very easily and quickly performed by a drag & drop of the resource’s item dizmo (of the excavator, for example) on the timeboard, on the target timeslot and target resource (the construction site, for example). Once dropped, a time bar appears on the timeboard, and further adjustments (duration, position, etc..) can be interactively performed. The same set of operations (assignment, adjustment) can be performed on the allocation panel section, on the right end side of the timeboard.

Allocations are represented by horizontal time bars in the central timeline section of the timeboard. They can be individually selected by clicking anywhere in the corresponding time bar.

Once selected, users have the option to adjust them interactively by moving them horizontally in time or extending / shortening their duration on their two sides, or even clicking on them a second time to have the possibility to vertically re-assign them to another target resource. Users can also delete them with a simple key stroke on the delete key of their keyboard.

Alternatively, users can use the allocation panel section on the right end side of the timeboard to perform the same operations, and additionally add text comments, replace resources with alternative ones, or delete allocations.

Time navigation in the timeboard uses 3 graphical functional elements: the date picker, the navigation arrows, and the granularity slider. They are all conveniently placed on the top side of the central timeline section of the timeboard.

The granularity slider allows to set the time width of each visible column of the timeline section. Its limits are set from 1 minute to 1 year through several convenient steps. Moving the position of the slider, sets a new value for the time width of columns, and all allocations are displayed accordingly.  

Time navigation in the timeboard uses 3 graphical functional elements: the date picker, the navigation arrows, and the granularity slider. They are all conveniently placed on the top side of the central timeline section of the timeboard.

The date picker allows to set the reference date of what is visualised at the very center of the timeboard, choosing between Today or any past or future calendar date. Alternatively, users can navigate to their target calendar date by means of navigation arrows. There are two sets of arrows, single and double arrows. Single arrows: for each click on any of the two single arrows, the time period visualised in the timeline section moves by one column in the selected direction. If the user holds the arrow pressed, the timeline scrolls accordingly. Double arrows: for each click on any of the two double arrows, the time period visualised in the timeline section moves by one full screen minus one column, in the selected direction. If the user holds the arrow pressed, the timeline scrolls accordingly.

Allocations between resources are treated independently from each other. However, when any allocation is amended or a new allocation is made, it can interfere with any other existing allocation, in relation to how allocations rules have been set. If a resources conflict is generated, the time bar color of the affected allocations changes accordingly. Planisy provides color-based visual feedback based on 3 key colors, green (no resource conflict), yellow and red (some level of resource conflict detected).

If the allocation is possible, Planisy provides color-based visual feedback based on 3 key colors, when allocating resource-A to resource-B: green, yellow and red. The time bar of the allocation turns green: the allocation has been successfully performed and generated no conflict. The time bar of the allocation turns yellow: the allocation has been performed and generated a conflict. Check the other allocations of resource-A to analyze and resolve the conflict. The time bar of the allocation turns red: the allocation has been performed and generated a conflict. Check the other allocations of resources to resource-B to analyze and resolve the conflict.

Planisy takes advantage of the composition platform it is built on: dizmo. As a result, within its workspace, links can be easily and quickly built to connect to potentially any source of data, and among them input coming from alternative scheduling systems and other systems of choice. Write to support@planisy.com for more information.

When logged in as System Admin into the workspace of a project, you can exit the workspace by selecting “Exit Workspace” in the system cogwheel at the bottom right side of the workspace. This action will bring you back to your “homepage”. From the homepage, choose:

  • “Resource planner” to go back to the workspace of the project.
  • “Log out” from the user icon on the top right of the homepage, to go back to the login window.
  • “Admin panel” from the hyperlink on the top right of the page, to go back to the admin panel where to further choose between Plan resources (which brings you back into the workspace), or Edit resources, Edit users or Get support. 

When logged into as Power or Standard user into the workspace of a project, you can exit the workspace and log out by selecting “Log out” in the system cogwheel at the bottom right side of the workspace.

As a side note, should your browser window close at any point in time, the workspace exit and logout is also performed, but none of your data and edits is lost.

When logged in as System Admin, choose the option “Edit users” in the System Admin panel. The User editor page will open which allows you to add one or more users and define their access rights as additional System Admin, Power users or Standard users. Upon completion of the user creation form, the additional user(s) will receive an email notification and be asked to confirm and change password, completing the new user’s creation process. 

People and their roles in Planisy, for an existing project, can only be entered through the User editor webtool by the System administrator of the concerned project. 

Consistently with how assignments of resources are managed, Planisy provides an extra and special Type of resource, called “Absent” to manage any category of downtime of resources.

The type absent includes a predefined set of default categories of absence (Holiday, Sick leave, Maintenance…). However, they can be amended as required.  To assign a resource to any of such categories, drag & drop the resource item dizmo (an electrician, for example) onto the target resource (Holiday, for example) and extend the allocation to the desired duration (month of June, for example). As a result, no allocations will be possible for the electrician for the full month of June.

Any digital object (dizmo) of the workspace can be iconized and de-iconized through the top left handle on the dizmos’ frame.

Sticky note dizmos can be instantiated through the Creator dizmo available through the + sign on the left end side of the home button of the workspace.

Should you encounter any issue while using Planisy, please report it using the “Report an issue” form available in the corresponding page of the Support page on the Planisy website, or contact us at support@planisy.com

Planisy’s resources are either entered manually in the corresponding inventory dizmo or imported using the Inventory update dizmo. Users need to have system admin or power user privileges to perform those operations. The inventory update dizmo supports CVS format and most IT systems allow to export data in such format. To get access to the inventory update dizmo, please contact us at support@planisy.com. 

Planisy allows users to selectively export data using the exporter dizmo. Within the exporter dizmo, users can decide which resource type to export, and which set of allocations. A zip file is created, including all relevant CSV files.

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