---
title: "Project resource planning"
slug: "bc-project-resource-planning"
description: "Learn to budget and plan with resource groups in Project Control Suite, including breakdown, expand, and collapse actions for effective resource management."
updated: 2026-06-25T09:59:10Z
published: 2026-06-25T09:59:10Z
canonical: "docs.staedean.com/bc-project-resource-planning"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staedean.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Project resource planning

In Project Control Suite, you can budget and plan with resource groups. However, time posting must be per resource. There are two places from which you can break down a resource group into resources:

- The project budget line, using the **Breakdown** action.
- The project planning line, using the **Resource Group: Expand** and **Collapse** actions.

## Steps - Break down a resource group budget line

Use the **Breakdown** action to split the quantity for a resource into individual resources:

1. Select a project budget line with type **Resource Group** and a quantity > 0.
2. From the **Process** group, select the **Breakdown** action.
3. A new page opens where you can select resources and assign a quantity.
  - The **Requested Quantity** in the footer shows the quantity from the project budget line.
  - The **Remaining Quantity** in the footer shows the quantity from the project budget line minus the quantity specified for the selected resource.
4. Use the drill-down in the **No.** field to select a resource from the list.
5. Use the assist edit in the **No.** field to select resources from the resource group.
6. When the breakdown is complete, click **Process** to apply the lines. **Close** discards the updates.
  - The **Breakdown** action sets the quantity for the resource group to 0.

## Steps - Expand a resource group planning line

Use the **Expand Group** action to expand a resource group into its members:

1. Select a project planning line with type **Resource Group** and a quantity > 0.
2. From the **Resource Group** menu, select **Expand Group** and confirm the action.
3. A new page opens showing the members of the team.
4. In the **Select** column, check or uncheck the resources to include when expanding.
5. When the selection is complete, click **OK**.
  - The quantity on the resource group (parent) line is set to 0.
  - The quantity from the resource group line is split evenly over the selected resources.
  - In the background, the **Quantity Before Explosion** and "expanded from system-id" are stored to support the **Collapse** action.

## Steps - Collapse a resource group planning line

Use the **Collapse Group** action to collapse a resource group and delete its members:

1. Select a project planning line with type **Resource Group** and a quantity = 0.
2. From the **Resource Group** menu, select **Collapse Group** and confirm the action.
  - The quantity on the resource group (parent) line is set to the **Quantity Before Explosion**.
  - The resource member lines are deleted.

## Steps - Add a temporary resource group member

Use the **Add Resource** action to temporarily add a resource to the expanded resource group.

Temporarily means the resource group for the added resource is not updated. The added resource is recognized as "expanded from," so when the group is collapsed, this member line is also deleted.

1. Select a project planning line with type **Resource Group** and a quantity = 0.
2. From the **Resource Group** menu, select **Add Resource**.
3. In the pop-up, select a new **Resource No.**
4. Click **OK** to add the resource on a new project planning line.
  - The line is added with a quantity of 0 because the original quantity was already split over the group members.

## Order, post, and invoice external resources

You can order external resources from the project planning line. Make sure a vendor number is specified on the **Resource card** for the external resource.

### Steps - Order an external resource

1. Complete and release the project planning line for the external resource.
2. From the **Item Planning** menu, use **Create, non-invent., purchase orders**, or first request a quote with **Create, non-invent., purchase quote**.

Once a purchase order exists for this type of line, post usage through the purchase order. Posting the number of hours worked creates a posted purchase receipt. This document can be used as a **Payment Certificate** to the vendor. The payment certificate lets the vendor submit an invoice for the "received" quantity of hours. Posting the purchase order as invoiced creates a project ledger entry and updates the remaining quantity in the project planning line.

## Related

- [Project logistics](/bc-project-logistics.md)