Generalising and specialising resource allocations

If you have set up your permanent resource library as a hierarchy of skills, the hierarchy probably starts with a number of general permanent resource folders (for example Flooring Contractors) which gradually become more defined into skills (for example Concrete Flooring Contractors and Wooden Flooring Contractors) and finally specific individuals (for example Judy Phillips and Steve Parnham). When you allocate a resource to a task, you can change the allocation to a more general or more specific resource.

For example, you may initially estimate a task's demand resource at 20 Flooring Contractor days. Further into the project you may want to be more specific and change it to 20 Concrete Flooring Contractor days. Alternatively, you may allocate a resource of 15 Concrete Flooring Contractor days, then decide that you want to be less specific and change it to 15 Flooring Contractor days.

You can generalise and specialise permanent and consumable resource allocations either by editing the resource allocations in the assignment grid, or by editing resource bars.

To make a resource allocation more generalised or more specialised:

Right-click the resource allocation in the grid of the assignment view, or right-click the allocation bar in the bar chart.
Select Generalise or Specialise as appropriate, then select the resource you want from the list available.

You cannot specialise a resource that is at the bottom of the resource hierarchy, nor can you generalise a resource that is at the top of the resource hierarchy.