Outline, cost rollups

[Miaplacidus]

I have an RFP which outlines a number of reviews, schedule for the reviews,
Major tasks under each review and documents to be provided for Major task.
The Documents are mostly engineering documents.

I entered the tasks in project so that the documents roll up to the Major
tasks, and major tasks rollup to the reviews. The revies roll upt to the
phase and program level.

The RFP also gives a defined WBS structure. This is an engineering WBS such
that tasks roll up to components, components to subsystems, then to the
deliverable system. However the Engineering WBS also has other work like
reilability, safety, logistics that don't logically flow up to a deliverable
item. However, these tasks have documents that are called out in the reviews.

So, after I entered all the tasks reports and reviews that are required, I
opened an outline code field and used it to assign my tasks to the reqired
WBS.

Now I can sort by the Project Generated WBS or the RFP required WBS.

But, when I sort by the RFP required WBS the costs no longer roll up
correctly.

Aside from dismantling all my precedents and undoing the outlining manually,
then sorting by the Required WBS and then redoing the outline and precedents,
how can I change the way the costs roll up?

 

[John]

I have an RFP which outlines a number of reviews, schedule for the reviews,
Major tasks under each review and documents to be provided for Major task.
The Documents are mostly engineering documents.

I entered the tasks in project so that the documents roll up to the Major
tasks, and major tasks rollup to the reviews. The revies roll upt to the
phase and program level.

The RFP also gives a defined WBS structure. This is an engineering WBS such
that tasks roll up to components, components to subsystems, then to the
deliverable system. However the Engineering WBS also has other work like
reilability, safety, logistics that don't logically flow up to a deliverable
item. However, these tasks have documents that are called out in the reviews.

So, after I entered all the tasks reports and reviews that are required, I
opened an outline code field and used it to assign my tasks to the reqired
WBS.

Now I can sort by the Project Generated WBS or the RFP required WBS.

But, when I sort by the RFP required WBS the costs no longer roll up
correctly.

Aside from dismantling all my precedents and undoing the outlining manually,
then sorting by the Required WBS and then redoing the outline and precedents,
how can I change the way the costs roll up?

Miaplacidus,
In Project, rollup only occurs to the normal outline structure, which of
course also follows the WBS structure. To get a rollup with a custom
field, such as one of the custom outline code fields, you can do it one
of two ways. First, you can use VBA to do the rollup for you. Second,
use Project's grouping function (Project/Group By). In your case try
grouping on the custom outline code field you used.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Miaplacidus]

Well, what I really need to do is sort according to my custom wBS and then
reset the outline numbering.

You can't sort according to the custom WBS unless you turn off the outline
structure.
If you turn off the outline structure then you can't change it by
re-ordering taskes or changing indentation.

Apparently there is no way to edit or renumber the outline field other than
by manually reordering all the tasks. BAH!

And, in order to do that I'm gong to have to take out most of the precedences.


I didn;t understand about the grouping, but I'll take a look at it.

After I rebuild this entire project. GRR.

 

[John]

Well, what I really need to do is sort according to my custom wBS and then
reset the outline numbering.

You can't sort according to the custom WBS unless you turn off the outline
structure.
If you turn off the outline structure then you can't change it by
re-ordering taskes or changing indentation.

Apparently there is no way to edit or renumber the outline field other than
by manually reordering all the tasks. BAH!

And, in order to do that I'm gong to have to take out most of the
precedences.


I didn;t understand about the grouping, but I'll take a look at it.

After I rebuild this entire project. GRR.

Miaplacidus,
I'm not sure why you need to sort or re-structure your file. Your
original post sounded like you wanted to be able to show cost rollup
either with the standard Project WBS or with your RFP WBS. Grouping will
give that to you.

However, as an aside, if your project file is supposed to represent a
customer WBS, I would think your file structure would follow that WBS in
the RFP. In my experience, that is how the project will be funded and
tracked financially. If that requires you to re-structure your file to
match that WBS, then you are better off doing it now than after you get
the contract and start work.

John
Project MVP

 

[Miaplacidus]

No, the problem was that they gave me a statement of work, with milestones
and deliverables, which is what I put in project.

They also gave me a standard WBS that has almost no relationship to the
statement of work. So, once I got the required milestones and deliverables in
Project I went back and tried to rationalize where they might fit in the
given WBS. Since that WBS was allout of order with respect to the
deliverables and required schedule, it would have been very difficult to use
their WBS from scratch.

I'll look at the grouping again.

 

[John]

No, the problem was that they gave me a statement of work, with milestones
and deliverables, which is what I put in project.

They also gave me a standard WBS that has almost no relationship to the
statement of work. So, once I got the required milestones and deliverables in
Project I went back and tried to rationalize where they might fit in the
given WBS. Since that WBS was allout of order with respect to the
deliverables and required schedule, it would have been very difficult to use
their WBS from scratch.

I'll look at the grouping again.

Miaplacidus,
If the customer supplied WBS has no relationship to the SOW, then I'd
say they screwed up. Did you discuss their WBS with them to find out
what they were thinking? It sounds like some communication is in order.

John
Project MVP