Managing Third-Party & Vendor Resources (External Resources)
Published on June 15, 2026 QuoteX
Setting Up External Resources in Pre Sales Cloud
This guide explains how to configure and manage External Resources within the Pre Sales Cloud. Adding external resources to your project timelines allows you to include roles provided by a client or a third-party subcontractor, with the flexibility to treat them as either billable or non-billable.
| In this guide: Overview • Setting Up External Resources • Financial Flexibility & Scoping • Practical Benefits • FAQ • Key Takeaways |
Overview
In scenarios like Staff Augmentation projects, a client might provide their own Project Managers, Business Analysts, or Release Managers. By creating External Resources, you can allocate their effort across various project phases to maintain a complete view of the project staffing.
While these are often non-billable, the system also allows you to define financial rates if you are using subcontractors, such as vendor-managed resources, that need to be billed to the client. This is particularly useful for vendors whom you contract for the customer; while they may not impact your internal direct labor costs, they must be reflected in the project's financial and delivery plan.
| Common use case: A client provides their own Project Manager on a Staff Augmentation project. Add the role as an External Resource, allocate effort across phases, and leave it non-billable so the quote totals stay focused on your organization's revenue. |
Setting Up External Resources
To add an external resource to the system, navigate to the PSC External Resources tab in the Pre Sales Cloud Admin App.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Initiate New Record: Click the + New External Resource button from the dropdown menu on the tab.
Figure 1: Creating a new External Resource from the PSC External Resources tab. - Role Name: Enter a clear name for the role.
Best Practice: Consider prefixing the name with "Client" or "Subcontractor" (e.g., "Client Project Manager") to distinguish it from internal billable roles. - Description: Provide a concise summary of the role's responsibilities and the context of their involvement (e.g., "Customer-side PMO lead for Staff Augment project").
- Status Selection: Choose the appropriate status from the dropdown (see the status reference below).
- Save: Click Save to add the resource to your library.
Figure 2: The saved External Resource record.
Status Reference
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | The role is being defined and is not yet available for use. |
| Active | The role is available to be added to project timelines. |
| Archive | The role is no longer in use but is preserved for historical record. |
| Note: Only Active resources can be used in the scoping tool. If a resource does not appear when you build a timeline, check its status first. |
Financial Flexibility & Scoping
External resources offer unique flexibility depending on the contract type:
- Defining Rates: Even for external resources, you can define specific Bill Rates and Cost Rates.
- The "Billable" Toggle: When an external resource is added as a line item in the timeline, it is non-billable by default. However, you can make it billable by checking the Billable box on the specific line item.
- Financial Impact: Once the "Billable" box is checked, the defined bill rates contribute to the "Total Fees" and impact the "As Sold Margin" (ASM) calculations, just like an internal resource.
| Tip: Use non-billable tracking for client-provided roles and check the Billable box for subcontractors you bill to the client. Both work with the same resource type. |
Practical Benefits
- Complete Scoping: Allows architects to account for the total human effort required for a project, regardless of who provides the resource.
- Accurate Resource Planning: Ensures that dependencies on client-side or subcontractor roles are visible in the timeline, helping to identify potential bottlenecks.
- Dual-Mode Tracking: Easily switch between non-billable tracking (for client-provided roles) and billable tracking (for subcontractors) using a single resource type.
- Financial Integrity: When left as non-billable, these resources do not inflate the quote totals, ensuring that the financial summary remains focused on your organization's revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Why can't I find my external resource in the scoping tool? Only resources with an Active status can be used in the scoping tool. Update the status from Draft or Archive to Active. Are external resources billable? Not by default. They are non-billable when added to the timeline, but you can check the Billable box on the line item to include them in Total Fees and ASM. Can I define rates for a client-provided role? Yes. You can define Bill Rates and Cost Rates for any external resource, even if you leave it non-billable. |
Key Takeaways
| • Create external resources from the PSC External Resources tab in the Pre Sales Cloud Admin App. • Prefix role names with "Client" or "Subcontractor" for clarity. • Set the status to Active so the role can be used in scoping. • Resources are non-billable by default; check Billable on the line item to affect Total Fees and ASM. |
Next Step: Setup Other Costs
Knowledge Article Number: KA-00013