Overview
Project plans are another project with a particular type. Unlike some systems, there is no disconnect between planning and actual projects. The Project Planning applet, allows Project Managers to plan, schedule, and allocate resources to their projects. Typically, projects begin as a "Plan" and then migrate to an "Opportunity" or "Billable" (Projects>General Tab>Contract Type) state. When in the "Planning" and "Opportunity" stages, the Project Manager has complete control of the project plan. WBS nodes can be added and removed, and budgets can be revised. Once the project has been changed to a billable or indirect project, the project manager can no longer alter budgets (unless they have special permission) or WBS nodes. The moment a project is changed to "Billable" or "Indirect" the current budgets are saved as the baseline budget. These can be used in project management reporting for performance analysis. Changes to the budgets at this point must go through the Change Order process. To learn more about Change Orders click here. Moreover, when the project is changed to "Billable" or "Indirect", the Project Manager WBS Lockout can be set in the Projects applet. This restricts the Project Managers ability to add / remove WBS nodes to below the level defined in the lockout. The concept upon the lockout is to give the Project Manager the freedom to alter the WBS structure at a level lower than any that would affect accounting.
Note: All Project Planning entries "Auto-save" once you leave the field. This eliminates having to save individual sections.
Project Planning Interface
Project Planning is broken into three sections: Project, Allocations and Resource Schedule
| • | Project - The Project section is where the Project Manager creates the WBS structure of the project, Modify Budget Amounts, Create & Approve Change Orders, etc. While the Project Window displays all levels of the WBS (Fig.1) , only the lowest level is available for budget amounts (only when the project type,in the Projects applet, is Not Billable or Indirect). The WBS can be modified when the WBS button is selected in this window. For details on modifying the WBS click here. The data can be modified when the Data button is selected in this window. For more information about the Projects window click here. |
| • | Allocations - The Allocations Window is where Project Managers make allocations to the WBS levels of a project. Allocations must be defined at the lowest level of the project. In the initial planning stages of a project, allocations typically represent the initial budget. As the project progresses, the allocations can be altered if desired. Additionally, Estimates to Complete can be entered against allocations. In the planning stage, Estimate to Complete will default in from the allocations amount. For more information about the Allocations window click here. |
| • | Resource Schedule - The Resource Schedule window is where a Project Manager schedule resources against allocations. They may be scheduled against individual vendors or against no particular vendor by using the General Vendor name. For more information about the Resource Schedule window click here. |
In each section you see buttons that have similar functions.
- Column Chooser - By clicking on this button, a window will appear that allows you to choose which columns that you would like to see in your different sections.
- Refresh - Refreshes the currently loaded data.
