Fixed costs disappear from timephased view

[LindaC]

I am tracking Fixed Costs in Project. It's important for me to keep track of
which quarter the cost falls into, so I'm using the timephased portion of the
Task usage screen. It works great until I mark the task complete, then the
Fixed Cost disappears from the timephased columns. If I set the task back to
0% complete, it reappears. Why is this? Is there a way to turn it off?

 

[John]

I am tracking Fixed Costs in Project. It's important for me to keep track of
which quarter the cost falls into, so I'm using the timephased portion of the
Task usage screen. It works great until I mark the task complete, then the
Fixed Cost disappears from the timephased columns. If I set the task back to
0% complete, it reappears. Why is this? Is there a way to turn it off?

LindaC,
What do you mean it disappears from the timescaled data? Does it
disappear completely? Which timescaled fields are you displaying? What
type of fixed cost accrual are you using? I'm not sure how this could
cause what you are seeing, but is this task linked to another task?

If a task with fixed cost is set up for prorated accrual and it in fact
spans multiple quarters, then updating the % Complete progress on that
task should have no effect on the timescaled values for Fixed Cost. The
Actual Cost values will of course change as the task progresses but the
values should not "disappear" when the task is 100% complete.

John
Project MVP

 

[LindaC]

I am displaying only the Fixed Cost field in the timescaled area. I have the
Fixed Cost Accrual set to Start. I'm showing quarters in the timescale and my
task began on 1/22/07 so the Fixed Cost shows in the 1Q07 column. But if I
change the % complete to anything other than 0%, the Fixed Cost in the 1Q07
column changes to $0, even though the correct amount is still in the
(non-timescaled) Fixed Cost field. When I change % complete back to 0%, the
full Fixed Cost amount again appears in the 1Q07 timescaled column. I don't
have any of the settings checked under Tools - Options - Calculate. I'm
running Project Professional 2002 SP1 but my co-workers are seeing the same
thing with Project 2003 SP2.

 

[John]

I am displaying only the Fixed Cost field in the timescaled area. I have the
Fixed Cost Accrual set to Start. I'm showing quarters in the timescale and my
task began on 1/22/07 so the Fixed Cost shows in the 1Q07 column. But if I
change the % complete to anything other than 0%, the Fixed Cost in the 1Q07
column changes to $0, even though the correct amount is still in the
(non-timescaled) Fixed Cost field. When I change % complete back to 0%, the
full Fixed Cost amount again appears in the 1Q07 timescaled column. I don't
have any of the settings checked under Tools - Options - Calculate. I'm
running Project Professional 2002 SP1 but my co-workers are seeing the same
thing with Project 2003 SP2.

LindaC,
The "secret" is the fact that you are not having Project calculate costs
(i.e. Tools/Options/Calculation tab). With that option turned off,
Project will initially show the fixed cost in the timescale data as a
placeholder. However, once you indicate that any progress has occurred
on the task, Project then basically resets and waits for the user to
enter values in the Actual Cost field. As a matter of fact, at that
point it doesn't matter if you have set the fixed cost accrual at start,
prorated or end, the user can enter timescale values for actual cost for
any time period, including those outside the task's scheduled start and
finish dates.

Note that if you display the Cost field in the timescaled data, it will
track the actual cost entries.

I admit, what you are seeing seems a little weird, but that's the way it
works.

John
Project MVP

 

[LindaC]

Thanks for your response. It does seem weird to me, but since I know that's
the way it's intended to work, I'll be able to deal with it.

 

[John]

Thanks for your response. It does seem weird to me, but since I know that's
the way it's intended to work, I'll be able to deal with it.

LindaC,
You're welcome. You're surprised that Project does some weird things?
Boy, you ain't seen nothing yet

John