Practical working guide
Check delivery capacity before promising a project start date
Before promising a start date, compare the work’s required skills and hours with genuinely available capacity, then check materials, access and dependencies. Separate a tentative reservation from a confirmed commitment. Empty calendar space alone does not prove a team can deliver the job.
A simple capacity calculation
Fictional example: two technicians have 80 rostered hours next week. Subtract 12 hours of absence and training, 40 committed job hours and 8 hours of travel and administration. That leaves 20 hours before any locally chosen contingency. A proposed 24-hour job does not fit. Do not subtract overlapping categories twice; explain whether travel is already included in the job estimate.
Use a booking gate
| Gate | Details |
|---|---|
| Skill match | Evidence: Named qualified person available If missing: Find another slot or decline |
| Materials | Evidence: Confirmed availability for that work If missing: Keep date provisional |
| Access | Evidence: Customer confirms workable window If missing: Do not assume site access |
| Dependencies | Evidence: Preceding work accepted as ready If missing: Resolve blocker before commitment |
Make a reservation expire visibly
Record reservation owner, hours, required skill, expiry and outstanding condition. Confirm or release the reservation at that point, and tell the customer what changed. Review by skill and day, not only weekly totals: 20 free electrician hours cannot replace 20 plumbing hours. This worksheet supports a manual decision and does not assume automatic resource scheduling in your CRM.
Include a review date for provisional holds so uncertain opportunities do not reserve the same hours indefinitely.