5.2Resource sharing (resource pool)
The essentials in 30 seconds
- The multi-project trap: the same people work on several projects; without coordination, each project believes the resource is 100% available and you overload them without seeing it.
- The resource pool centralizes: a shared file that each project connects to; assignments become visible together.
- The pool reveals cross-project overloads and lets you arbitrate priorities (80% on A + 60% on B = 140%) for realistic commitments.
Running mini-case — Meriem pools her resources in a resource pool
Meriem, a project manager at an engineering & construction (BTP) company in Algiers, manages several sites with the same site supervisors and engineers. Each site manager was planning on their own, and the same expert ended up promised full time on three simultaneous projects — without anyone seeing the cumulative load. Meriem creates a pool file centralizing the resources and their capacities, then connects each project to this pool. The consolidated workload finally appears: she spots that an engineer is requested at 80% on one site and 60% on another in the same week, i.e. 140% — overloaded. She then arbitrates priorities and postpones what can be postponed.
Standalone case for this section: it comes back in the lesson, the diagram, the script and the 48h challenge of section 5.2.
1. The multi-project trap
In an organization, the same people often work on several projects at once. Without coordination, each project ignores what the others are doing and you overload people without seeing it. The solution is the resource pool: a file centralizing all resources, which each project connects to. Assignments become visible together, and Project detects cross-project overloads.
2. Arbitrating conflicts
Meriem designates a file as the pool, then each project “shares resources” from this pool. She can then arbitrate conflicts: see that a person is requested at 80% on A and 60% on B in the same week (overloaded at 140%) and decide priorities. The pool avoids the “everyone plans on their own” trap, which leads to unsustainable commitments.
3. Depending on the version
The file pool is a desktop Project feature (notably Professional). For enterprise resource management at scale (centralized repository, availability, workflows), you rely on Project Online / Project Server. Meriem therefore checks the available edition before building her multi-project organization; for most teams, the desktop file pool is enough.
🔎 Concrete example — 🔎 Concrete example — The invisible overload
Meriem compares the isolated view and the consolidated view:
Without a pool: promised at 100% on three simultaneous projects (invisible).
With a pool: 80% on A + 60% on B = 140% → overloaded.
→ arbitrate priorities with full knowledge.Result: realistic commitments, not unsustainable ones.
Reflex: desktop feature (Professional); in the enterprise → Project Online/Server.
Section vocabulary
- Resource pool
- A central file grouping resources, to which several projects connect in order to share them.
Simple example: Meriem centralizes her engineers in a pool file.
What it is not: letting each project have its own isolated list.
Reflex: pool = central resource list.
- Shared resources
- Resources from the pool, used by several projects, whose workload is seen in a consolidated way.
Simple example: The site supervisor is shared between two sites.
What it is not: believing each resource belongs to a single project.
Reflex: sharing makes workload visible.
- Sharer / shared file
- The pool is the “shared” file; the projects connecting to it are the “sharers”.
Simple example: Meriem connects each site to the shared pool.
What it is not: not knowing which file is the pool.
Reflex: the pool is shared, the projects share it.
- Cross-project overload
- Overuse of a resource resulting from the cumulative total of its assignments across several projects.
Simple example: Meriem sees an engineer at 140% for the week.
What it is not: looking at workload only project by project.
Reflex: the cumulative total reveals the overload.
- Arbitration
- A priority decision between projects when a resource is requested beyond its capacity.
Simple example: Meriem postpones a non-priority site.
What it is not: ignoring the conflict and letting people burn out.
Reflex: arbitrating = prioritizing with full knowledge.
In practice — In practice — Pool resources in a resource pool
- Create (or designate) a pool file containing the centralized list of resources and their capacities.
- From each project, share the pool's resources (Resource > Resource Pool > Share Resources).
- Check the consolidated workload: identify people solicited by several projects at the same time.
- Arbitrate cross-project overloads (priorities, postponements) to make commitments realistic.
Step-by-step script — pool resources like Meriem (10 min)
1) List the people working on several projects. 2) Create a pool file (resources + capacities). 3) From each project, connect to the pool (Share Resources). 4) Open the consolidated workload view and identify the cumulative totals. 5) For each overload (e.g. 80% + 60%), decide on a priority or a postponement. 6) Note your arbitrations to share them with the project managers.
The pool does not decide for you: it makes reality visible so you can arbitrate with full knowledge.
Copy-paste template — my resource pool
Pool file: ___ (list of resources + capacities)
Connected projects: ___ (Resource > Resource Pool > Share)
Consolidated workload: person ___ → A __ % + B __ % = __ %
Overload identified: ___ (e.g. engineer at 140%)
Arbitration: ___ (priority / postponement)
Rule: centralize resources, see the cumulative total, arbitrate priorities.A desktop pool
Meriem centralizes the resources of several sites in a pool file in the desktop version.
Overload detected
Meriem sees a person requested at 140% and postpones a non-priority site.
Commit with full knowledge
Meriem checks the consolidated workload before promising a resource.
Scaling up
Meriem keeps in mind that a larger organization will move toward Project Online/Server.
✓ Best practices
- Centralize resources in a shared pool.
- Check the consolidated workload before committing a person.
- Arbitrate priorities between projects to stay realistic.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Letting each project plan “on its own”.
- Believing a person is 100% available without seeing their other projects.
- Ignoring cross-project overloads until it is too late.
Key takeaways
- The resource pool centralizes resources shared between several projects.
- Each project connects to the pool instead of having its own isolated list.
- Project then detects cross-project overloads (cumulative assignments).
- Indispensable in multi-project settings for realistic workload and to avoid unsustainable commitments.
48h challenge — apply it tomorrow
Like Meriem, create a pool file with a few resources and connect two projects to this pool. Open the consolidated workload and identify a person solicited by both projects. Write in one sentence the arbitration (priority or postponement) you decide.
- I can explain the multi-project trap without a pool.
- I know how to create a pool and connect several projects to it.
- I know how to read the consolidated workload and arbitrate a cross-project overload.
Frequently asked questions
What happens in multi-project settings without a resource pool?
Each project plans on its own, believing “its” resource is 100% available, without knowing it is already committed elsewhere. Classic result: the same person ends up promised full time on three simultaneous projects — an unsustainable commitment no one saw coming, because no view consolidated their assignments. The resource pool solves this by consolidating workload: you see reality and arbitrate with full knowledge.
Is the resource pool available in all versions?
Sharing through a pool file is a desktop Project feature (notably Professional). For enterprise resource management at scale (centralized repository, availability, workflows), you rely on Project Online / Project Server. Project for the web also offers resource management, lighter and more collaborative. Check your edition before building your multi-project organization.
Why use a resource pool in multi-project settings?