creating custom fields with graphical indicators

[ghostme]

Hi,
I have a baseline cost field and a cost field in my project plan. Now what i
have to do is to create an enterprise custom field that compares the baseline
cost, cost and cost variance with graphical indicators. I now i will have to
write some formulas for this but i can seem to find any tutorials that guides
on this.

Basically, the formular should be able to compare the baseline cost whether
or not is greater than the cost field and the cost field whether it is
greater than the baseline field.

Thanks

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

You don't need to do any direct comparisons with [Baseline Cost] or [Cost]
because [Cost Variance] already does that for you.

At the task formula, you can create a custom cost field called "CVar" and
the formula can be =[Cost Variance]
Then under the graphical indicators section specify conditions like "if
greater than" 0 then Red Circle and "if less than 0" then Green Circle.

You might want to look at baseline finish in order to specify that the task
doesn't have a baseline. To do this you can make the formula =IIF([Baseline
Finish]>55000,"-9999", [Cost Variance]/[Baseline Cost]). This will give
you -9999 if there is no baseline and otherwise will give you a percentage
variance if there is a baseline set. You can then set your graphical
indicators that if the value equals -9999 then you show a White Flag or
something that represents "No Baseline". For other values you set the
graphical indicators as you see fit based on the percentage and your
organizanal thresholds. If greater than 10% variance from baseline then
Yellow, if greater than 25% variance from baseline then Red, etc. You might
even want to show yellow or red if you are negative variance against
baseline cost as that money should be re-allocated to other projects if the
project is costing less and they do not need all the funds the originally
were funded for.

Jonathan

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

I forgot to mention that if you are using MSPS 2007 then you will probably
want to create this custom task field locally on a plan first as it is
easier to test and debug. Once you are happy with your results you can use
the "Add Field to Enterprise..." button on the Tools>Customize>Fields...
form.

Jonathan

You don't need to do any direct comparisons with [Baseline Cost] or [Cost]
because [Cost Variance] already does that for you.

At the task formula, you can create a custom cost field called "CVar" and
the formula can be =[Cost Variance]
Then under the graphical indicators section specify conditions like "if
greater than" 0 then Red Circle and "if less than 0" then Green Circle.

You might want to look at baseline finish in order to specify that the
task doesn't have a baseline. To do this you can make the formula
=IIF([Baseline Finish]>55000,"-9999", [Cost Variance]/[Baseline Cost]).
This will give you -9999 if there is no baseline and otherwise will give
you a percentage variance if there is a baseline set. You can then set
your graphical indicators that if the value equals -9999 then you show a
White Flag or something that represents "No Baseline". For other values
you set the graphical indicators as you see fit based on the percentage
and your organizanal thresholds. If greater than 10% variance from
baseline then Yellow, if greater than 25% variance from baseline then Red,
etc. You might even want to show yellow or red if you are negative
variance against baseline cost as that money should be re-allocated to
other projects if the project is costing less and they do not need all the
funds the originally were funded for.

Jonathan

Hi,
I have a baseline cost field and a cost field in my project plan. Now
what i
have to do is to create an enterprise custom field that compares the
baseline
cost, cost and cost variance with graphical indicators. I now i will have
to
write some formulas for this but i can seem to find any tutorials that
guides
on this.

Basically, the formular should be able to compare the baseline cost
whether
or not is greater than the cost field and the cost field whether it is
greater than the baseline field.

Thanks

 

[ghostme]

Hi,
thanks for the quick reply, however i don't know what i am doing wrong
however i created a custom field as u said called "project budget" for the
entity and type attributes i chose project and cost respectively. For the
custom attribute i chose formula, in the formular box i typed in the formula
[Cost Variance]. For the values to display i chose graphical summary and i
inserted the test condition as u said. But when i view the project summary in
the project center no graphic indicator is display under the project budget
field

I forgot to mention that if you are using MSPS 2007 then you will probably
want to create this custom task field locally on a plan first as it is
easier to test and debug. Once you are happy with your results you can use
the "Add Field to Enterprise..." button on the Tools>Customize>Fields...
form.

Jonathan

You don't need to do any direct comparisons with [Baseline Cost] or [Cost]
because [Cost Variance] already does that for you.

At the task formula, you can create a custom cost field called "CVar" and
the formula can be =[Cost Variance]
Then under the graphical indicators section specify conditions like "if
greater than" 0 then Red Circle and "if less than 0" then Green Circle.

You might want to look at baseline finish in order to specify that the
task doesn't have a baseline. To do this you can make the formula
=IIF([Baseline Finish]>55000,"-9999", [Cost Variance]/[Baseline Cost]).
This will give you -9999 if there is no baseline and otherwise will give
you a percentage variance if there is a baseline set. You can then set
your graphical indicators that if the value equals -9999 then you show a
White Flag or something that represents "No Baseline". For other values
you set the graphical indicators as you see fit based on the percentage
and your organizanal thresholds. If greater than 10% variance from
baseline then Yellow, if greater than 25% variance from baseline then Red,
etc. You might even want to show yellow or red if you are negative
variance against baseline cost as that money should be re-allocated to
other projects if the project is costing less and they do not need all the
funds the originally were funded for.

Jonathan

Hi,
I have a baseline cost field and a cost field in my project plan. Now
what i
have to do is to create an enterprise custom field that compares the
baseline
cost, cost and cost variance with graphical indicators. I now i will have
to
write some formulas for this but i can seem to find any tutorials that
guides
on this.

Basically, the formular should be able to compare the baseline cost
whether
or not is greater than the cost field and the cost field whether it is
greater than the baseline field.

Thanks

 

[ghostme]

Ok i think i figured it out now, thanks

Hi,
thanks for the quick reply, however i don't know what i am doing wrong
however i created a custom field as u said called "project budget" for the
entity and type attributes i chose project and cost respectively. For the
custom attribute i chose formula, in the formular box i typed in the formula
[Cost Variance]. For the values to display i chose graphical summary and i
inserted the test condition as u said. But when i view the project summary in
the project center no graphic indicator is display under the project budget
field

I forgot to mention that if you are using MSPS 2007 then you will probably
want to create this custom task field locally on a plan first as it is
easier to test and debug. Once you are happy with your results you can use
the "Add Field to Enterprise..." button on the Tools>Customize>Fields...
form.

Jonathan

You don't need to do any direct comparisons with [Baseline Cost] or [Cost]
because [Cost Variance] already does that for you.

At the task formula, you can create a custom cost field called "CVar" and
the formula can be =[Cost Variance]
Then under the graphical indicators section specify conditions like "if
greater than" 0 then Red Circle and "if less than 0" then Green Circle.

You might want to look at baseline finish in order to specify that the
task doesn't have a baseline. To do this you can make the formula
=IIF([Baseline Finish]>55000,"-9999", [Cost Variance]/[Baseline Cost]).
This will give you -9999 if there is no baseline and otherwise will give
you a percentage variance if there is a baseline set. You can then set
your graphical indicators that if the value equals -9999 then you show a
White Flag or something that represents "No Baseline". For other values
you set the graphical indicators as you see fit based on the percentage
and your organizanal thresholds. If greater than 10% variance from
baseline then Yellow, if greater than 25% variance from baseline then Red,
etc. You might even want to show yellow or red if you are negative
variance against baseline cost as that money should be re-allocated to
other projects if the project is costing less and they do not need all the
funds the originally were funded for.

Jonathan


Hi,
I have a baseline cost field and a cost field in my project plan. Now
what i
have to do is to create an enterprise custom field that compares the
baseline
cost, cost and cost variance with graphical indicators. I now i will have
to
write some formulas for this but i can seem to find any tutorials that
guides
on this.

Basically, the formular should be able to compare the baseline cost
whether
or not is greater than the cost field and the cost field whether it is
greater than the baseline field.

Thanks