Either in conjunction with or separately from the built-in Prioritisation feature, your organisation can use Strategic Optimisation in Altus to:

• Plan Initiatives more strategically and efficiently
• Adapt to changing business needs through flexible scenario planning
• Make informed, data-driven decisions aligned with organisational goals
• Analyse financial impacts and manage budget constraints
• Assess resource capacity and potential overallocations

• Explore and compare multiple what-if Scenarios before committing to a final plan
  

Strategic Optimisation is designed to help decision-makers balance strategic value, investment, resource capacity, and delivery feasibility before agreeing which combination of Initiatives should proceed.

Optimisations can be found in the Altus Strategy area.

The Active Optimisation Plans view lists the Optimisation Plans created for your organisation.

A. Create a New Optimisation Plan

1. Navigate to the Active Optimisation Plans view.
   If an Optimisation Plan already exists, select its name to open and review it.
2. Select + New from the command bar.
3. Complete the Optimisation Plan details:
   Name
   Enter a unique name for the Optimisation Plan.
   Description
   Optionally provide a description explaining the purpose of the exercise.
   Start Date
   Enter the start of the planning window.
   End Date
   Enter the end of the planning window.
   Budget
   Enter the total budget available for the Optimisation Plan.
4. Review the planning period and budget.
5. Select Save to create the Optimisation Plan and begin creating what-if Scenarios.

Important:
The parent Optimisation Plan defines the planning horizon and budget used by its Scenarios. Confirm these values before proceeding.

B. Create Scenarios Within an Optimisation Plan

Each Optimisation Plan can contain multiple Scenarios.

Scenarios allow you to test different combinations, timing, costs, and resource requirements for Initiatives within the same planning exercise.

Create a Scenario

1. Open the required Optimisation Plan.
2. In the Scenarios pane, select Create Scenario.
3. Select Select Initiatives.
4. Choose the Projects, Proposals, Ideas, or other configured Initiative types you want to consider.
5. Switch between the available Initiative Type tabs if you need to select different types.
6. Select Apply Initiatives.

Each Scenario can contain a different combination of Initiatives.

Review Budget Constraints and Forecast Cost

After adding Initiatives, compare the Scenario's forecast cost against the available budget.

Use this information to determine which Initiatives should remain within the Scenario and which may need to be excluded or reconsidered.

Perform What-If Planning

Initiatives are organised into:

• IN, Initiatives included in the Scenario
• OUT, Initiatives excluded from the Scenario

Move Initiatives between IN and OUT to test different planning options.

Initiatives in the OUT group are excluded from:

• The Initiative count
• The In Horizon Forecast
• Optimisation Financial Grid calculations
• Optimisation Resource Grid calculations

As you adjust the Scenario, review how the forecast position changes.

Tip:
Use different Scenarios to test genuinely different planning strategies, such as a higher-investment option, a budget-constrained option, and a resource-constrained option.

Understand the Summary Widgets

The Optimisation Plan provides summary information to help you understand the current Scenario.

Planning Horizon

Shows the date range covered by the Optimisation Plan.

Budget Constraint

Shows the available budget for the planning exercise.

Initiatives

Shows the number of IN Initiatives.

In Horizon Forecast

Shows the total forecast for the included Initiatives and visually indicates the Scenario's position against its budget.

Simulate Initiative Timing

You can drag an Initiative in the Gantt to simulate a different start date.

The visual timeline distinguishes between the original schedule and simulated timing.

Use this functionality to test:

• Alternative start dates
• Different delivery sequencing
• The impact of timing changes on Forecast
• The effect of timing changes on resource requirements
• Dependencies between Initiatives

Important:
These changes are simulations only. Using the Optimisation Plan does not change the Initiative's underlying source dates.

For non-Project Initiatives, if part of the Initiative falls within the planning horizon, its applicable forecast treatment may differ from time-phased Project financials.

Financial data may also exist outside an Initiative's scheduled dates. Review the Financial Grid when assessing the impact of simulated timing changes.

Review Financial Constraints and Impact

Toggle the Financial Grid to review financial information for the IN Initiatives.

The Financial Grid can display:

• Included Initiatives
• Financial transaction types
• Time-phased Project financial information
• Total financial information where time-phased data is unavailable

For Projects, financial information is aggregated monthly.

Where supported by the relevant transaction type, simulated date movements can also shift financial information within the Scenario.

Important:
Optimisation is a simulation. Changes made within the Scenario do not modify the underlying source financial records.

Review Resource Constraints and Impact

Toggle the Resource Grid to assess the resource impact of the Scenario.

The Resource Grid displays resource roles referenced by the selected IN Initiatives.

This can include Resource Requests associated with:

• Generic Resources
• Named Resources

Named Resources without an identified Primary Role are grouped under Unclassified.

You can change the Resource Grid view using:

Data Mode

• Proposed
• Committed

Metric

• FTE
• Hours
• Days

You can also:

• Review resourcing requirements for selected Projects
• Select Resource Roles to identify their associated Project assignments

Note:
The Resource Grid and Financial Grid are mutually exclusive in the interface. Displaying one hides the other.

Understand Resource Capacity

The Resource Grid represents the available capacity position for each Resource Role after considering relevant demand.

A positive value indicates that capacity remains available.

A negative value indicates that demand exceeds available capacity.

Use this information to identify:

• Resource shortages
• Overallocated roles
• Available capacity
• Resource constraints that may prevent a Scenario from being achievable

Important:
A Scenario may fit within the available budget but still be difficult to deliver because of resource constraints. Review financial and resource feasibility together.

Simulate Resource Impact

Resource demand changes dynamically as you adjust the Scenario.

For example:

• Moving an Initiative from IN to OUT removes its relevant demand from the Scenario.
• If an excluded Initiative was the last one requiring a particular Resource Role, that Role will no longer appear in the Resource Grid.
• Moving an IN Initiative along the Gantt simulates its Resource Requests moving into corresponding periods.

Cells use capacity-based visual indicators to help identify available and constrained periods.

Periods outside the configured Resource Horizon may indicate that capacity information is unavailable.

Important:
Resource changes within an Optimisation are simulations only. The underlying Resource Requests and source planning data are not changed.

Save the Scenario

Once the Scenario reflects the planning option you want to retain:

1. Review the included Initiatives.
2. Review the forecast against budget.
3. Review resource requirements and constraints.
4. Review any simulated date changes.
5. Select Save.

The Scenario is retained for future review, comparison, or decision-making.

C. View, Copy, Delete and Compare Scenarios

Multiple Scenarios can be maintained within the same Optimisation Plan before your organisation decides which option to progress.

View or Switch Scenarios

• Select a Scenario name to open it.
• Use the Scenarios dropdown to switch between available Scenarios.
• Select Save As… from the Save menu to create a variation of an existing Scenario.
• Select the Delete icon beside a Scenario to remove it and confirm the deletion.

Each Scenario can contain a different combination of:

• Projects
• Proposals
• Ideas
• Other configured Initiative types

This allows you to explore alternative planning approaches without changing the underlying Initiative records.

Compare Scenarios

Use Compare to evaluate planning options side by side before deciding which Scenario should be committed.

You can compare up to five Scenarios within an Optimisation Plan before a Scenario is committed.

To compare Scenarios:

1. Open the required Optimisation Plan.
2. In the Scenarios pane, select the checkbox beside each Scenario you want to compare.
3. Select Compare.
4. Review the selected Scenarios in the Comparison screen.
5. Use the available charts and Initiative List to understand the differences between the options.
6. Where appropriate, select Add Scenario to include another available Scenario in the comparison.

Each Scenario card provides a quick summary of:

• Scenario name
• Total forecast value
• Number of included Initiatives

The comparison experience then brings the financial, strategic, resource, and Initiative-selection differences together within one view.

Monthly Forecast Distribution

The Monthly Forecast Distribution chart compares how forecast expenditure is distributed over time across the selected Scenarios.

Use this chart to understand how different combinations or timing of Initiatives change the expected financial profile across the planning horizon.

Hover over the chart to review additional period-level information.

Forecast vs Impact

The Forecast vs Impact chart helps compare the expected financial position of each Scenario with its Initiative impact.

Use this view to consider:

• Forecast amounts
• Impact scores
• Number of Initiatives
• Relative value represented by different Scenario combinations

Important:
The lowest-cost Scenario is not automatically the preferred Scenario.

Consider forecast cost alongside impact, resource capacity, dependencies, risk, delivery timing, and organisational priorities.

Resource Capacity Allocation by Scenario

The Resource Capacity Allocation by Scenario chart compares the resource implications of the selected Scenarios.

Use this view to understand:

• Resource roles required
• Capacity pressure created by different Scenario combinations
• Potential resource overallocation
• Differences in resource requirements between alternatives

Tip:
A Scenario may remain within budget but still be difficult to deliver if the required resource capacity is unavailable.

Compare the Initiative Mix

The Initiative List provides a side-by-side view of the Initiatives considered across the selected Scenarios.

For each Initiative, the comparison shows whether the Initiative is:

• IN
• OUT

Use the Initiative List to understand:

• Which Initiatives are common across the Scenarios
• Which Initiatives are excluded from specific Scenarios
• Which Initiative choices create the greatest differences
• What trade-offs are being made between value, cost, and delivery capacity

This makes it easier to understand not only how the Scenarios differ financially, but what is driving the difference.

Add Another Scenario to the Comparison

Where fewer than the supported number of Scenarios are being compared, select Add Scenario to include another available Scenario.

This allows the comparison to evolve as additional alternatives are developed before a final decision is made.

Use Scenario Comparison to Support the Decision

Scenario Comparison provides structured decision support. It does not automatically determine which Scenario should proceed.

When comparing alternatives, consider:

• Strategic impact
• Initiative Score and Rank, where Prioritisation has been used
• Forecast cost
• Budget constraint
• Resource capacity
• Resource overallocation
• Initiative mix
• Delivery timing
• Dependencies
• Organisational risk
• Governance requirements

The preferred Scenario should represent an achievable balance between value, cost, capacity, and delivery feasibility.

Best Practice:
Use Scenario Comparison as part of the governance discussion before committing a Scenario. This provides a clearer decision trail showing the alternatives considered and the basis for selecting the preferred option.

Interact with Comparison Charts

The comparison charts support hover interactions to provide additional detail.

Financial Chart

Hover to review financial forecast information for the relevant period.

Forecast vs Impact Chart

Hover to review information such as:

• Number of Initiatives
• Forecast amounts
• Impact scores

Resource Chart

Hover to review:

• Resource roles
• Degree of overallocation

Download the Comparison

Use Download PDF to export the on-screen Scenario Comparison visuals for:

• Governance discussions
• Stakeholder review
• Decision records
• Reporting
• Record keeping

Tip:
Where your organisation requires evidence of the alternatives considered, retain the comparison output alongside the final planning decision.

Before Committing a Scenario

Before selecting the Scenario your organisation intends to commit to, confirm that:

• The preferred Initiatives are included
• The financial position has been reviewed
• Budget constraints have been considered
• Resource constraints have been reviewed
• Significant overallocations are understood
• Simulated timing changes are acceptable
• Dependencies have been considered
• Strategic impact has been reviewed
• Required stakeholders have completed the appropriate governance review

D. Commit to a Scenario

Once your organisation has selected its preferred Scenario:

1. Navigate to the required Optimisation Plan.
2. In the Scenarios section, select the checkbox beside the Scenario your organisation has chosen.
3. Select Commit.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the process.

Important:
Only one Scenario can be committed for an Optimisation Plan.

Where several Scenarios exist, use the comparison and governance process to determine the preferred option before selecting Commit.

Once committed:

• The Scenario status changes to Committed.
• The Optimisation Plan becomes locked.
• Further normal editing is prevented.
• The committed Scenario provides a formal record of the planning decision.

Your organisation may configure additional business processes, such as notifications or workflows, using Microsoft Power Platform.

These additional processes are not included by default and depend on your organisation's configuration.

Understand Read-Only Optimisation Plans

An Optimisation Plan becomes read-only when:

• The Plan is deactivated
• The current user has read-only access
• A Scenario within the Plan has been committed

Where underlying Initiative information within a committed Scenario later changes, those changes may be reflected when the Scenario is viewed.

If Altus detects underlying changes when you navigate away, you may be prompted to save the updated information to the Scenario.

This is an exception to the otherwise read-only state of a committed Scenario.

Key Considerations

• Strategic Optimisation can be used independently or alongside Prioritisation.
• Prioritisation helps identify relative Initiative value; Optimisation helps test whether combinations of Initiatives are financially and operationally achievable.
• The Optimisation Plan defines the planning horizon and budget used by its Scenarios.
• Each Scenario can contain a different combination of Initiatives.
• Only IN Initiatives contribute to Scenario calculations.
• Simulated date changes do not alter underlying Initiative dates.
• Optimisation simulations do not modify source financial or resource data.
• Financial and Resource Grids provide different perspectives and cannot be displayed simultaneously.
• Resource capacity should be considered alongside financial constraints.
• Scenario Comparison provides a side-by-side view of financial, impact, resource, and Initiative-mix differences.
• Up to five Scenarios can be compared before a Scenario is committed.
• Scenario Comparison provides decision support and does not replace organisational governance.
• Only one Scenario can be committed within an Optimisation Plan.
• Committing a Scenario locks the Optimisation Plan from normal editing.
• Custom post-commit workflows require separate configuration.

Tips

• Use Prioritisation first where you need to establish relative strategic value before optimisation.
• Create meaningfully different Scenarios rather than minor variations of the same plan.
• Use IN and OUT to test the impact of including or excluding Initiatives.
• Simulate timing changes to understand financial, resource, and dependency impacts.
• Review both the Financial Grid and Resource Grid before saving a Scenario.
• Use Scenario Comparison before committing when several viable options exist.
• Review the Initiative List to understand what is driving differences between Scenarios.
• Compare budget and resource feasibility together.
• Use Forecast vs Impact to consider value alongside investment.
• Download the Scenario Comparison PDF where decision evidence is required.
• Complete the required governance review before committing a Scenario.
• Treat Optimisation as a decision-support capability rather than an automatic selection process.