When managing multiple projects across a large team, one of the biggest challenges is ensuring the right people are allocated to the right work at the right time. Mission Control, a native Salesforce Project Management and Professional Services Automation (PSA) solution, makes this process seamless with its powerful Resource Requests functionality. Designed to streamline and centralise resource allocation, the Resource Requests feature gives Resource Managers and Project Managers the tools they need to manage staffing more effectively and strategically.
Whether you’re managing a growing delivery team, running multiple projects with competing timelines, or simply want better visibility into your resource capacity, the Resource Requests feature provides a structured, collaborative approach to aligning people with projects. In this Feature Focus, we’ll explore what Resource Requests are, the key functionality that drives them, and how to use them to improve efficiency, transparency, and outcomes across your professional services organisation.
What are Resource Requests in Mission Control?
The Resource Requests feature in Mission Control provides a centralised process for managing and assigning resources across projects. Instead of each Project Manager individually sourcing team members using tools like the Scheduler or Resource Assignment Wizard, they can simply submit a Resource Request. These requests are reviewed by a central Resource Manager, who can then identify, assess, and assign the most appropriate team member for the job. This structure supports more strategic resource planning and reduces the risk of overlapping assignments or skill mismatches.
Built into the Resource Planner, Resource Requests bring consistency and governance to the resource allocation process. Project Managers provide key information such as project details, role functions, skill requirements, and timeframe, while Resource Managers assess the request using real-time availability and capacity data to assign the ideal resource. This centralised model is particularly beneficial for organisations with multiple delivery teams, high project volume, or matrix-style management.
Crucially, this functionality supports better collaboration and communication between delivery and resource management teams. It ensures resource decisions are based on up-to-date capacity data, skill alignment, and project priorities — reducing resourcing conflicts, ensuring fair distribution of workload, and ultimately improving delivery efficiency and billable utilisation.
Key Features of Resource Requests in Mission Control
One of the standout features of Mission Control’s Resource Requests is the Resource Request Manager Tab within the Resource Planner. This interface gives Resource Managers complete visibility into pending requests across all projects, with grouped views by project and sortable lists by role function. This structure makes it easy to manage high volumes of requests and quickly prioritise urgent needs.
Each Resource Request includes comprehensive fields such as the requesting Project Manager, target project, required function, timeframes, and billable/non-billable capacity needs. Resource Managers can review these requests and drill into search criteria that includes Teams, Skills, Proficiencies, and Enjoyment Factors — ensuring not only qualified but also motivated resources are matched to the work.
The Potential Resources panel displays individual profile cards for Roles that meet the search criteria. These cards provide deep insights, including Charge Level indicators (Low, Medium, High), current capacity and allocations, team memberships, and skill matches — complete with proficiency and enjoyment scores. Features like quick search and side-by-side comparison streamline the selection process, allowing Resource Managers to quickly identify the best fit and assign them directly from the interface.
How to Use Resource Requests in Mission Control
Project Managers can submit new Resource Requests directly from the Project page via the related list. When creating a request, they fill out essential details such as the resource function, timeframes, and justification for the request. Optional parameters such as billable hours or percentages can also be specified to help Resource Managers better understand delivery expectations.
Once submitted, Resource Managers review open requests from the Resource Planner. Clicking the “View” icon for a request will populate the request details and enable advanced filtering to find suitable candidates. This includes matching Skills, Skill Proficiencies, and Team membership. The search criteria used are saved to the record for future reference, maintaining context for follow-ups or edits.
Once a match is found, Resource Managers can assign the resource using the built-in Resource Assignment Modal. This tool allows them to create Role Forecasts, with flexible options for allocating billable hours — whether in a single block or distributed weekly or monthly. Additionally, the tool provides a path for Ownership Reassignment, allowing seamless transition of responsibilities from one resource to another across all levels of the project (e.g., Project Owner, Phase Owner, Milestone Owner, Action Owner, Checklist Item Owner and Contributor).
Conclusion: Why Centralise Resource Management with Resource Requests?
Implementing a centralised process for resource allocation offers numerous benefits, and Mission Control’s Resource Requests feature makes it easy to adopt this model. It brings clarity and consistency to how resources are assigned, ensures that allocation decisions are informed by real-time capacity and skill data, and reduces the risk of overbooking or underutilisation.
By empowering Project Managers to request rather than directly assign resources, and giving Resource Managers the tools they need to evaluate and allocate effectively, organisations gain greater control over resource planning. The result is improved delivery timelines, higher billable utilisation, better team morale, and ultimately stronger project outcomes.
Whether you’re a growing firm or a mature professional services organisation, Resource Requests in Mission Control help you scale your resource management with confidence, transparency, and efficiency.
Mission Control is a comprehensive Salesforce Project Management software application. Make sure you check out our other Project Management Best Practices.
