Double Grouping Hub Planner Reports (Secondary Grouping)

Quick Help for Grouping & Double Grouping in Hub Planner.

A quick help guide for applying a secondary grouping option to report results.

Sorting and Grouping a Report

Multiple Level Grouping and sorting in Hub Planner reports allows you to optimize analytics by categorising and breaking down the report results for access to further information about projects and resources. Report analytics are super helpful in forecasting resource time and project planning. Being able to determine and forecast the resource requirements mid project and future plans. Seeing a dip or a road block mid project. Use the report analytics to make quick strategic decisions to steer the project back on track.

• Do you need to add more contractors?
• Are resources over scheduled?
• What resource groups are under utilized?
• How are my NY Design Team optimized next month?
• Show me a weekly heat map of active resources scheduled time this quarter.

Hub Planner allows you to easily sort and group report data within a simple few clicks.

Use the pre formatted report templates and or add some extra data options you want to see in the report from the report builder.

Say for example we have the Resource Scheduled Time template. This will provide you with a breakdown of resource time scheduled on projects and events. Perhaps you might want to adjust this template to add in some more information and remove some existing columns. For example, add in columns that also displays the reported time, capacity, availability and the utilization rate. Giving you a complete overview of resource time and availability.

Using the secondary grouping option will allow you to scale the analytics further and show a breakdown of the information by project or unassigned wok, for example.

Hub Planner reports provides you with formatting options similar to what you would find in excel. Utilize the sorting and filter features. Even add conditional formatting to highlight important data. All of these options are available from the report toolbar.

Why group? Why double group?

Grouping can be useful for breaking a large amount of data into manageable chunks or for collapsing data into expandable groups. By default, the report template will be grouped by a pre selected option like Resource or project for example. This will be the starting column A. What you base your primary reports results on.

Sorting a Report

Nine times out of ten you will most likely group by one primary grouping option. However, when it comes to reporting analytics for project and resource management. The helpful addition of grouping by a second column can be super helpful.

You might group by Project. But then you want to see subsequent sorting of the next column to be resources or time for example.

Group by Resource, then group by Project, then sort by the date for example.

Quick Column Filter

At the top of each column, you can apply a filter to the report results. Depending on the data, you can filter using the greater than/equal to analogies. Columns filtered are highlighted by a light green icon to indicate a filter has been applied. This will help to identify filtered columns.

Pretty similar to Excel where you can sort by Column A, then Sort by Column B and so on. It’s pretty straightforward.

Where to find the Grouping tab?

There are two ways in which you can access the grouping tab in the report builder. Via Edit in the Report Toolbar or via the link in the Quick Grouping Tabs,

Via Edit in the Report Toolbar.

1. Click Edit in the Report Toolbar.
2. Select  Grouping from the drop down list.
3. This will open the Report Builder on the Grouping Tab.

Via Quick Access Grouping Tab

1. Click the 4th tab / 3 vertical dots.
2. Select “Group By” from the drop down list of options.
3. This will open the Report Builder on the Grouping Tab.

Quick Access Grouping Tabs

There are 4 icons located at the top right hand side of the report page. These icons represent the grouping options available. By clicking these options allows you to switch between how the report is grouped. The options available are:

• Project
• Resource
• Booking Category
• Link to Grouping tab in the Report Builder. Here is where you will have access to Double/Secondary Grouping.

Note, should you have secondary grouping activated. You will not have access to switch grouping from the above quick access tabs.

How do I know if my report is grouped?

All reports are grouped unless the option to not group report results is ticked.

What’s Single Grouping?

Depending on the type of report you choose will determine how the report is grouped. For example, if I choose a Resource Reported Time template. The report will be grouped by resource. Meaning that it will show me the data grouped by resources. The report will breakdown the data and present it with the resource names as the primary grouping. The resource names will be the first column in the report.

If you choose to not group results. You can opt to select this from the Grouping tab also. This will show you the raw, line item data that will be in date format.

What’s Secondary Grouping / Double Grouping?

You can also choose to add a secondary grouping to the report results. This will breakdown your report data once more. So using the Resource Reported Time template, the primary grouping is Resource. We can add a second grouping to the mix. We can breakdown the report data once more by showing the data by project also. This means that a new column is added to show a further breakdown of the reported time by resource and then by project.

• Resource Name
• Project Name
• Reported Time

If the resource was working on numerous projects within the date range of the report. Then, the report will document and breakdown the line item of each project.

Let’s show you in an example:

Using the template – Resource Reported Time for this month. The grouping tab will be defaulted to group by Resource/Unassigned. There is no second grouping activated. Within the report, we have the below columns.

Resource Name | This Month (Resource Reported Time)  | To Date | Future | All Time

All time reported by the resource this month accumulates to the below figures. For example. As you can see, Resource Bob King has reported 86hrs this month and so on.

Lets navigate back to the Grouping Tab. Now we will select the option of Project/Event. Lastly, update the report.

Now we can see the added column of Project Name.

Note the reported time of Resource Bob has now reported in two rows. The total reported hours have now been broken down by project name and the time reported against each project. We can now see the hours Bob has reported for Project Management (66hrs) and Project A (20hrs). Both totalling to 86hrs total reported time.

What happens if I click ‘Do not group results’?

Should you click the option to not group report results, both the Primary and Secondary grouping options become obsolete. You are unable to select any of the options from the drop down lists. You can unclick the grouping of report results to re access the grouping options. Should you continue on to produce the report not grouping results. This will give you the raw, line item, row by row data. Check out the link for help on ‘Do not Group Results’.

Why don’t I have the option not to group results on the Secondary Grouping tab?

Selecting the grouping tick box will make both the primary and secondary grouping options redundant. The primary option will remain the overriding grouping. You cannot ungroup the secondary grouping and not the first. And visa versa. Once it’s clicked both grouping options are redundant. There is no functional need for another option to not group results.

Once it’s clicked both grouping options are redundant – Check out Non Grouped Reports for more help.

What are my Secondary Grouping Options?

Right now, we have the following with more options to follow:

Do I have to add a secondary grouping?

No. You can leave blank. It will be blank by default.

What happens if I add a Secondary grouping? What will my report look like?

So, let’s say you produce a Resource Scheduled Time report. The Primary group will be Resource/Unassigned. If we add a Secondary Grouping of by Project/Event and update the report. You will see a new column in the report heading entitled Project/Event. The report now shows both the resource names and project names. Not only that, you have a breakdown of resource time spent on the corresponding project. All on the one page.

What happens if I remove the Secondary Grouping?

The column will remain within the report. But will be blank with data. If not required, you can simply remove the column by:

1. Edit
2. Columns
3. Selected Columns
4. Remove unwanted columns
5. Update report

Can I set up a Secondary Grouping as a default?

No. There would be no logic for this.

Can I not just add the secondary grouping from the Columns tab in the Report Builder?

You and no. Technically you can add them in, however you will not get the clever breakdown by grouping. If you compared like with like, the grouping and figures will not be the same data and representative of the grouping.

How come I can’t switch the grouping options from the quick group buttons?

If you have activated the secondary grouping. The alternative grouping options will be inactive. Should you have the Primary Grouping option active. Then you will have the option to quick grouping switch icons.

Double Grouping Example:

Sure. So, we will look to create a report of Resource Scheduled Time. Firstly, allow me to show you the corresponding Hub Planner Scheduler. Here you can see the detail of the resources scheduled on projects for the month of May.

• Resource Bob is scheduled for 6hrs/day on project ‘(1) Project Management for the month.
• Subsequently, Brian is scheduled on the Design project for 100% of his monthly time.
• And finally, Daniel is scheduled on Web Development project for 9hrs a day. All are scheduled for the month of May.

Also, to make it more straightforward, all are scheduled to work on the Booking Category ‘Development’.

Next, let’s create a resource report. Using the Resource Scheduled Time template with the following data column headings:

• Scheduled Time
• Scheduled Time to Date
• Resource Availability
• Capacity
• Resource Utilization

As you can see from the report below. The scheduled time for the resources over the month of May which matches and corresponds to the time allocated in the scheduler.

For transparency, we also show you the Grouping tab of the Report Builder prior to any adjustments.

Now, navigate to the Grouping tab of the Report Builder. In the Secondary Grouping column, select Project/Event from the drop down list. This will activate the double grouping function.

Note, you have a couple of ways to get to the Grouping tab of the Report Builder. Either via the Report Toolbar -> Edit -> Grouping. Or, alternatively via the quick switch icons -> Grouping.

When ready, click the update button to produce the report. Now you can see the breakdown of the resource scheduled time grouped by project. Note the inclusion of the Project/Event column in the report.

Heat Map Reports Grouping

A heat map is a detailed report of time broken down by date frequency. Hub Planner groups heat map reports by Project, Event, Resource or Unassigned work. Under each grouping are a number of pre formatted templates. Double Grouping allows users to breakdown the heat map reports further by producing the ability to add a secondary grouping option. For example, Heat Map Report for Resource Scheduled Time. Adding a double grouping of Project scheduled time, will break down the resource scheduled time per project. The heat map report will show resource scheduled time by project name as an added column. A line item row style will show Resource scheduled on multiple projects of the heat map report. All report results are shown in one page view style. So no need for navigating to the next level for more data.

Project

• Scheduled Time
• Reported Time
• Booking Categories

Event

• Scheduled Time
• Reported Time
• Booking Categories

Resource

• Scheduled Time
• Reported Time
• Forecasted Utilization
• Forecasted Availability
• Booking Categories

Unassigned

• Scheduled Time
• Booking Categories

Double Grouping Heat Map Reports

Adding a double grouping option to Heat Map reports allows you to breakdown the data to the next level all in the one page.

But what if they are scheduled on more than one project?

Should resources be scheduled on more than one project, the report will breakdown the scheduled time by project. Each project will be on a new line.

Taking the resource scheduled time as an example. You can see the Heat Map report broken down by resource and the scheduled time broken down by each day for the respective date range. By adding the double grouping option, by project let’s say. You will have a breakdown of resource with a new line row for each project.

Do I need to click on the resource to navigate to the next level for report results

No. There is no need. Double grouping now allows for all the data is now visible on the same row.

Double Grouping by Custom Fields

Grouping by Custom Fields allows you to activate a breakdown of your report by a chosen resource or project custom field.

For example, I choose Resource Scheduled Time report. But how do I add breakdown of resource scheduled time by their location?

Now you can activate the secondary grouping of Resource Custom Field ‘Location’ activated in Settings. Location options we have set are:

• Dublin
• London
• New York
• Paris.

By activating the Resource Custom Field – Location. The report will breakdown the scheduled time by the location.

The Custom Fields extension allows companies to add their own custom terminology to the Hub Planner interface using a set of quick and easy to use input fields.

If I choose a primary custom field to group by. Can I choose a second custom field too?

Absolutely. You can choose custom fields as both primary and secondary grouping options.

If I group by project, can I group by Custom Field in the secondary option?

Yes

What are the grouping options with Custom Fields?

1. Project and Project Custom Field
2. Project and Resource Custom Field
3. Resource and Resource Custom Field
4. Resource and Project Custom Field

I have multiple Custom Fields set. When I choose this will it show all custom fields?

No, when selecting a second grouping. You will select a specific custom field. So not all ‘Custom Fields’ you will need to select one of the custom fields.

Can I choose more than one custom field? Like resource location and languages spoken?

No. You have the ability to choose just the one CF.

Can I cross groupings with Resources and Project Custom Fields and visa versa?

Yes. You can indeed. So, primary grouping by Resource and secondary grouping by Project Custom Field. You can do this the other way around too. So primary grouping by Project and secondary grouping by resource custom field.

Example: Resource Scheduled Time 

Primary Grouping by Resource.

Activating Secondary Grouping: Project Custom Field (Skills Req)

Updated Report now showing Primary and Secondary groupings. Activating the secondary grouping will breakdown the original results into the double grouped option. In this example for each Project Custom Field of Skills Req, there is a new line item.

• Resource Barb Douglas has 3 x Skills Req (Project Custom Fields), so three separate line items will appear.
• Next, Resource Bob has 1 x Skills Req (Project Custom Fields), so just the one line item will appear.
• Finally, Resource Brian has 2 x Skills Req (Project Custom Fields), so two separate line items will appear.

Where do I set Custom Fields?

Custom Fields are a Premium Extension by Hub Planner. Custom Fields provides you with the ability to apply your own custom language that is relevant to your sector. Users will populate custom fields with resource skill sets, perhaps the languages they speak, their location etc. Project Custom Fields can be used to identify the project requirements for example. Custom Fields are completely custom to your company. Hub Planner provide you with formatting options. So for example, some options include:

• A drop down list
• Check box
• Radio Button
• Color picker, etc

There are two options to set Custom Fields: Resource Custom Fields and Project Custom Fields. To set these up, you need to follow these simple steps:

1. Settings
2. Manage Extensions
3. Project Custom Fields/Resource Custom Fields

You can find out a lot more information via the Custom Fields Knowledge Base or indeed the Custom Fields feature page.

Further Help

Reports Knowledge Base 

Reports Feature Page 

Grouping Reports Blog Post 

Non Grouping Report Results