Working With Plans

Creating Plans

You can create plans by submitting a proposal into the Demand Plan process app in one of three ways:

The Create Plan link on the Configure menu in Demand Center
The submit feature on the Demand Plan tab in the SBM User Workspace (http://serverName/tmtrack/tmtrack.dll?)
The Plan Proposals service request in Serena Request Center (http://serverName/tmtrack/tmtrack.dll?shell=srp)

"Normal" plans must go through a concept approval process before you can add demand items to them. Before plans are approved, they are available in the Pending Plans page on the Plans tab in Demand Center. Once a plan has been approved, it is available in its assigned portfolio on the Plans tab in Demand Center.

"Pre-approved" plans are available in the selected portfolio after they are submitted, and you can immediately add demand items to the plan.

Editing a Plan

Edit a plan to view its details, allocate resource teams, and share it with others planners.

To edit a plan:

From the Planning tab, select the portfolio that contains the plan, and then select the plan to edit.
Click the edit icon ( ).
On the Details tab, view the plan name, description, and time frame.
Note: This information is specified in the Demand Plan application and cannot be changed directly in Demand Center. To change the plan duration, select Update Plan from the actions menu located on the Planning tab.
On the Teams tab, search for and add resource teams created by your administrator. Once a team is added to the plan, you can see its available capacity and allocate the team to tasks. For details on teams and capacity calculations, refer to Working With Resources.
On the Sharing tab, search for and add users who can view your plan. Administrators can also share views with groups. Plans are automatically shared with the manager specified in the plan owner's resource record. Plan sharers cannot modify your plan or add or remove demand items, but they can view and update analysis data, such as task allocations.
Click OK to save your changes.

Linking Plans to SBM Projects

You can link plans to SBM projects to simplify the process of associating work items with demand items in plans that are in-flight. A project can be linked to multiple plans, but a plan can only be linked to one project.

Plans linked to projects are selected by default when users associate work items with demand items in plans. For details, refer to Using Work Items To Calculate "Actuals".

You must choose a Linked Project Type option for plans before they enter the Planning state:

Create New Project
Users with administrative access can create a new project to associate with the plan.
Use Existing Project
Select an existing project to link to the plan.
Do Not Link to a Project
Choose not to link a project with the plan.

The Linked Project Type options are located on the Development tab of the plan item before it enters the Planning state. After this point, you can use the Change Dev Project button to change the linked project or create a new project.

Note: To change or remove the link between a plan and a project, select Change Dev Project from the plan life cycle menu.

Moving the Plan Through Its Life Cycle

The Demand Plan process app moves plans through a life cycle from proposal to completion, as described in About the Demand Plan Process App. Depending on your role in the Demand Plan process app and the current state of a plan, you can perform various life cycle actions in Demand Center.

Plan life cycle tasks include:

Use the drop-down list in the upper right corner to move the plan through its life cycle in the Demand Plan process app.

Moving Plans to "In Flight"

After planning is complete for some or all of the items in a plan, select Finish Planning:

Note: Planning must be complete on at least one item in the plan before you can move a plan to in flight.

The Finish Planning form from the Demand Item application opens. Depending on your organization's process, you can:

Select "Yes" from the Requires Sign-off drop-down to send the plan to those selected in the Plan Reviewers field.
Select "No" from the Requires Sign-off drop-down to bypass sign-off and send the plan directly to in flight.

If your plan requires sign-off, it will be sent to the in-flight phase after all sign-offs are complete. Plan owners can override this sign-off if reviewers are unavailable by selecting Override Sign-Off from the actions menu:

Once a plan is in flight, the planned items are "unpaused" and can follow the regular process in their demand item application.

Placing a Plan on Hold

To accommodate changing business priorities, you can place a plan on hold when it is in flight or in review. Demand items assigned to the plan are paused, and the capacity for teams assigned to the plan is adjusted to remove the allocations for the demand items assigned to the plan.

To place a plan on hold:

From the Planning tab, select the portfolio containing the plan to place on hold.
Select the plan.
From the actions menu, select Place on Hold.

You can later reactivate the plan and return it to the Planning state. Demand items are also returned to the planning state and remain paused until planning is complete. Resource estimates are recalculated and added to the plan's capacity.

To reactivate a plan:

From the Planning tab, select the portfolio containing a plan that is on hold.
Select the plan.
From the actions menu, select Return to Planning.

Canceling a Plan

Plan owners can cancel plans that are no longer valid. Plans can be canceled when they are planning, in flight, or in a scheduled or ad hoc review.

Demand items assigned to canceled plans are "unpaused" and returned to demand views as "rejected" if they meet report criteria for the view.

To cancel a plan:

From the Planning tab, select the portfolio containing the plan.
Select the plan.
Select Cancel Plan from the actions menu.

Handling Plan Reviews

In-flight plans can be sent to review at one of these points:

Scheduled Reviews
Scheduled reviews during the in-flight phase are determined by settings made for the plan in the Demand Plan application. Depending on your organization's process, plans may be automatically sent to review one day before the scheduled review.
Ad-hoc Reviews
At any time during the in-flight phase, plans can be sent to ad-hoc review directly from Demand Center.
Plan Completion Reviews
When all of the work in plan is completed, the plan owner selects Project Complete from the actions menu to send the plan to a final review.
Review Requests
Plan participants (owners, reviewers, stakeholders, and approvers) can request a review at any time.

During the review, you can add minutes to the plan directly from Demand Center:

Minutes are stored in the Demand Plan Review Results auxiliary table and can be viewed on the Notes/Attachments tab of the plan in the SBM User Workspace.

When the review is finished, select Complete Review from the actions menu to open the plan and add work notes and other information as needed.

Adding New Items to In-flight Plans

At times, you may need to add a new demand item to a plan that is in flight. Once planning is complete for newly added items, the plan must be sent to review and approved again. Newly items remain paused until this approval process is complete.

When the review is complete, new items are automatically moved to execution.

Changing a Plan Owner

Plan owners are responsible for adding items to plans, allocating and monitoring resources, conducting reviews, and ensuring a plan is signed off and completed.

If a plan owner is unavailable, you can delegate the plan to another owner, as long as the new owner has appropriate privileges in the Demand Plan process app.

To change a plan's owner:

From the Planning tab, select the plan.
Select Update Plan.
Select the Details tab, and then select the new owner from the Plan Owner field.
Click OK.

Completing a Plan

Once all work has been completed on items in a plan, you can close it by selecting Project Complete. This closes the plan in the Demand Plan process app.

Changing a Plan's Portfolio

Plans that are completed or are in the final review state can be moved to a different portfolio from within Demand Center. To do so, select Change Portfolio from the actions list:

To change the portfolio for a plan in any other state, edit the plan item in the SBM User Workspace, and then change the Portfolio field. By default, this field is located on the PMO tab.

Hiding Completed Plans

By default, plans owners can see all of their plans in each portfolio. You can remove completed or canceled plans from the list, however.

To list only active plans:

In the navigation pane of the Plans tab, select Options.
Select Hide Completed Plans or Hide Canceled Plans.
Tip: You can also collapse or expand the entire list of plans.

Working with Backlogs

Backlogs differ from plans because they have no start or end date, and you cannot allocate teams to backlogs.

You can, however:

Prioritize backlog items by ranking them.
Score and estimate them.
Move backlog items to an approved plan.
Return backlog items to analysis. You will need to select a demand view for backlog items returned to analysis.

You can use the default backlog provided with Demand Center if an administrator has shared the it with you. You can also create your own backlog and share it with other planners.

You can move demand items to backlogs you own or share.