Two approaches to workforce planning
Headcount and position control answer different staffing questions. Headcount counts people. Position control tracks the approved roles and capacity those people fill, including capacity that remains vacant. Most teams benefit from seeing both, with FTE explaining the hours behind the staffing total.
What is headcount tracking?
Headcount is the number of distinct employees included in a result on a particular date. Two part-time employees count as two people, even if their combined hours equal one full-time schedule.
An employee report can also contain departments, job codes, schedules, and other details. The headcount number itself does not explain approved vacant capacity or how much each person works. Count each employee once within the result, including when that employee has several assignments.
What is position control?
Position control maintains a record for each approved position. Its number, department, approved FTE, schedule, and history remain available when an employee assignment ends.
Teams can then compare approved capacity with assigned FTE, identify vacancies, and review proposed changes. Read What is position control? for a sample register and review process.
A practical comparison
| Measure | Question it answers | What to pair it with |
|---|---|---|
| Employee headcount | How many people are included? | FTE to explain their capacity |
| Assigned FTE | How much capacity is actively assigned? | Approved FTE to see the staffing gap |
| Approved position FTE | How much position capacity is approved? | Assignments and vacancies to see how it is staffed |
| Vacant FTE | How much approved capacity is unfilled? | Position details, budget review, and hiring decisions |
Consider a department with 10 approved positions. Eight positions each have one employee assigned at 1.0 FTE, one is vacant at 1.0 FTE, and the last has one employee assigned at its reduced approved capacity of 0.5 FTE.
- Headcount: 9 employees.
- Approved position FTE: (8 × 1.0) + 1.0 + 0.5 = 9.5 FTE.
- Assigned FTE: (8 × 1.0) + 0.5 = 8.5 FTE.
- Vacant FTE: 1.0 FTE on the unfilled position.
Each result is correct. Nine employees does not mean nine full-time schedules, and ten positions does not mean ten approved FTE.
Choose the measures for your decision
Use headcount for questions about how many people are involved. Use scheduled FTE to compare working capacity across full-time and part-time schedules. Use position control when a decision depends on approved roles, vacancies, reporting relationships, or requested changes.
Use the same date and organizational scope for the comparison. At department level, an employee with assignments across departments may appear in more than one department’s headcount. An organization-wide distinct headcount must count that employee only once.
Review vacancy by position as well as in total. If one position has 0.2 vacant FTE and another is overassigned by 0.2 FTE, the total difference between approved and assigned FTE is zero. Both staffing conditions still need to remain visible.
Where FTE Tree fits
FTE Tree connects approved positions, assignments, vacancies, requests, and history. Position Control supports the staffing review; Workforce Planning adds labor budget, actual compensation, forecasts, and financial reports when those questions are also part of the decision.
For product definitions and examples, read FTE, assignments, and vacancy. To see the workflow, explore position control.