Creating resource assignment for a specific group produces multiple resource assignments

[StephenPMO]

Before switching to resource assignments (using Resource Plans), we were able to create a placeholder in the resource plan that represented an unnamed member of a specific group. This allowed the group’s resource manager to select an appropriate team member to fulfill the demand.

Now that we’re using resource assignments, creating an assignment for a group automatically generates multiple assignments—one for the group and one for every individual member of that group.

Have we lost the ability to request an unnamed group member and let the resource manager choose who should be assigned? See screenshot.

[peoples541]

Hi Buddy,

 When you were using Resource plans, ServiceNow supported a true placeholder resource role or group first, person later. That allowed a resource manager to decide who should fulfill the demand at a later stage.

With Resource assignments, the model is person-centric. When you select a group, ServiceNow treats it as a collection of users and automatically expands it into individual assignments for each group member, along with the group record. There’s no longer a native concept of an “unnamed group member” placeholder.

So yes — by switching to Resource Assignments, you’ve effectively lost that capability. It’s by design, not a bug.

I would handle this by either:

• Keeping Resource Plans for early demand intake and converting to assignments later, or

• Using a generic placeholder user “Project Manager – TBD” and swapping it out once the resource manager makes the decision.

Unfortunately, Resource Assignments don’t currently offer a clean, OOTB replacement for the old placeholder behavior.

@StephenPMO - Please mark Accepted Solution and Thumbs Up if you found Helpful 🙂