Scheduling Blocks

Scheduling blocks effectively ensures team capacity is allocated appropriately and work is sequenced correctly. This guide covers the full lifecycle of block management.

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Creating blocks

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Accessing Blocks page

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Adding a block

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Block restrictions

Core blocks (single instance):

• Design
• Development
• Deployment
• Only one per client per month
• Button disabled if already exists

QA blocks (multi-round):

• Internal QA Review
• Internal QA Fixes
• External QA Fixes
• Can add multiple rounds
• Auto-numbered (Round 1, Round 2, etc.)

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Configuring blocks

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Opening configuration

Click on any block to open the configuration dialog:

• Block details shown
• Edit fields available
• Save to apply changes

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Setting allocation

Specify hours needed for this work: Hours field:

• Enter whole or decimal hours
• Examples: 20, 15.5, 40
• Converted to minutes internally
• Shows in schedule as capacity

Guidelines:

• Design: 10-40 hours typical
• Development: 20-80 hours typical
• QA Review: 5-15 hours typical
• QA Fixes: 5-30 hours typical
• Deployment: 2-8 hours typical

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Assigning team members

Select who will do the work: Assignee dropdown:

• Filtered by work type
• Shows only relevant team members
• Designers for Design blocks
• Developers for Development/Deploy
• QA or Developers for QA blocks

Assignment benefits:

• Team member sees block in their schedule
• Capacity reserved on their calendar
• They can plan around it
• Helps prevent over-allocation

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Scheduling dates

Set when work will happen: Start date:

• When work should begin
• Must be within block’s month
• Can be any day of month

End date:

• When work should complete
• Must be after start date
• Can extend beyond month if needed

What happens:

• Status changes to “Scheduled”
• Block appears in assignee’s schedule
• Capacity distributed across date range
• Timeline visible to team

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Setting status

Update status as work progresses:

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Reordering blocks

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Why reorder?

Custom ordering helps:

• Match your workflow
• Show parallel phases
• Highlight priorities
• Improve visual clarity

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How to reorder

Within a client’s month:

• Drag blocks up or down
• Drop in new position
• Order saves automatically
• Only affects display

Default order:

1. Design
2. Development
3. Internal QA Review
4. Internal QA Fixes
5. External QA Fixes
6. Deployment

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Reordering strategies

Sequential workflow:

• Keep default order
• Shows typical flow
• Clear progression

Parallel work:

• Put concurrent phases together
• Design and Development side-by-side
• Shows simultaneous work

Priority highlighting:

• Critical blocks first
• Helps team focus
• Draws attention

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Editing blocks

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What can be edited

After creation, you can update:

• Allocated hours
• Assignee
• Scheduled dates
• Status
• Sort order

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What cannot be edited

Cannot change:

• Block type (delete and recreate instead)
• Client (blocks belong to specific client)
• Month/year (delete and recreate in different month)
• Round number (for QA blocks)

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Making changes

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Deleting blocks

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When to delete

Remove blocks that are:

• No longer needed
• Created by mistake
• Work cancelled
• Replaced by different plan

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How to delete

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What happens when deleted

• Block removed from all views
• Capacity released
• Team member’s schedule updated
• Time entries remain (not deleted)
• Cannot be undone

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Scheduling strategies

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Strategy 1: Full planning upfront

Approach:

• Add all blocks at month start
• Set all allocations and assignments
• Schedule full sequence
• Clear timeline for team

Best for:

• Predictable projects
• Fixed-scope work
• Well-understood phases
• Teams that plan ahead

Pros:

• Complete visibility
• No surprises
• Team can plan around it

Cons:

• Less flexible
• Changes need updates
• Upfront effort required

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Strategy 2: Just-in-time planning

Approach:

• Add blocks as needed
• Schedule ~2 weeks ahead
• Adjust based on reality
• Flexible allocation

Best for:

• Uncertain timelines
• Evolving scope
• Agile workflows
• Dynamic teams

Pros:

• More flexible
• Based on actual progress
• Less upfront work

Cons:

• Less visibility
• Team has shorter notice
• Requires active management

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Strategy 3: Hybrid approach

Approach:

• Plan major blocks upfront (Design, Dev)
• Add QA blocks as needed
• Schedule firm dates 1-2 weeks ahead
• Balance planning and flexibility

Best for:

• Most teams
• Mix of project and retainer work
• Moderate predictability

Pros:

• Good visibility
• Reasonably flexible
• Practical balance

Cons:

• Requires ongoing attention
• Some updates needed

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Month navigation

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Viewing different months

Navigate to plan future months:

• Use month navigation arrows
• View shows blocks for that month
• Can add/edit blocks for future
• Past months read-only for most

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Planning ahead

Current month:

• Execute scheduled blocks
• Update statuses
• Log time

Next month:

• Add blocks
• Assign team members
• Set tentative dates

2-3 months out:

• Create blocks for known work
• Rough allocations
• No firm dates yet

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Collaboration

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Who can manage blocks

Users with permission:

• Project Managers - Full access
• CSMs - Full access for their clients
• Managers - Full access for all clients
• Delivery Team - View only

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Communication

When adding blocks:

• Consider notifying assignee
• Explain context if needed
• Confirm availability

When changing blocks:

• Update assignee if dates change
• Explain why if major change
• Re-confirm if delayed

Status updates:

• Update promptly
• Keep team informed
• Note blockers or delays

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Best practices

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Troubleshooting

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Next steps