Project configuration steps - Estimation

Estimations are a key tool in order to manage a project. An estimation may contain the figures concerning budget, balance and estimation at completion of working days and financials (to manage financials, the FM - Financial Management module is required).

Estimations can be managed from the Estimation section of the project. Every estimation refers to a spefic Estimation Date which influences the data shown. Actually, data are those calculated at the Estimation Date (e.g. only the timesheets occurring before the date are considered). The key input data managed in an estimation are budget and estimation to complete figures. All other figures are calculated based on them and on balance data which, on turn, derive from timesheets or cost occurrences.

Project estimation screen.

Basic settings

As a first step, it is recommended to check and update the basic settings of the estimations. This can be done with the QUICK ACTIONS command, choosing the Settings selection from the choices available.

Period Estimation Mode

This setting enables the structure of the estimation referring to time. The possible choices are; "Per Project", "Per Year" and "Per Month". "Per Project" means that the estimation data are referring to all the project duration. "Per Year" means that the estimation will be structured in different sections where to plan (e.g. budget) per each year (the numbers of years available will depend on project dates (in particular Internal Operational Start Date and Internal Operational End Date in General section). "Per month means that the estimation will be structured in different sections where to plan for each months. Again, the number of months will depend on project dates.

Detailed Estimation Mode

This setting enable to choose at what level are estimations made. "Per Resource" means that planning data (e.g. budget) are entered with the maximum detail level of the resource. "Per Activity and Resource" means that planning data will be entered at a higher detail level, per activity (according to the work breakdown structure of project activities) and per resource.

Available Sections

This setting allows to define which sections will be present in the estimation. Sections can be included by setting the corresponding checkbox. The available sections are: "Effort", "Expenses" and "Cost Items". "Effort" section allow to manage data concerning working days of resources. "Expenses" sections allow to manage data concerning expenses of resources (e.g. hotel, travel expenses). Finally, "Cost Items" expenses allow to manage specific cost occurrence for the project (e.g. the need to purchase goods or services).

Managed information

The rows of the estimation are automatically built based on data entered in other sections, in particular: Activities for project activities if Detailed Estimation Mode is set to "Per Activity and Resource", Resources for resources added to the project with On Budget property set to "True" and General/Project/Cost Occurrence Categories for cost occurrences.

Columns are predefined but their position can be changed bu drag&drop of their headers. Columns can also be added or hidden by means of the Displays menu to choose visible columns (last right icon of the bottom grid bar).

Available columns are described below.

Field	Description	Comment
Task Name	This is the name.	Mandatory.
Description	The full textual description of the project activity.
Mother Activity	The hierarchical superior project activity.	This field is edited in cards and automatically managed by the system in gantt and tree views based on the position given in the work breakdown structure.
Start Date	The start date of the project activity.	Mandatory.
End Date	The end date of the project activity.
Priority	The priority of the project activity.	The list of available priorities can be managed in General/Projects/Activity Priorities. This categorization is useful for scheduling aims.
Type	The type of the project activity.	The list of available types can be managed in General/Projects/Activity Types. This categorization is useful for reporting purposes.
Budget	The number of working days (all resources) budgeted.	This information is read only. It is actually edited in the Estimation tab of the project.
Balance	The number of working days (all resources) spent.	This information is read only and deriving from the resources' timesheets. It depends on the date of reference which is set from the Estimation tab of the project.
ETC	The number of working days (all resources) estimated to complete the project.	This information is read only. It is actually edited in the Estimation tab of the project.
EAC	The number of working days (allresources) estimated at the completion of the project (Balance plus ETC).	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
% Complete	The percentage (Balance / EAC) of work completed of the project.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Planned % Complete	The percentage of work theoretically planned to be completed of the project. This is the Plan to date work divided the Budget work multiplied 100.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Earn	This is a key performance indicator representing the efficiency of the work. It is calculated as Budget work divided Estimation at Completion work. If minor than one the efficiency (work spent) is lower than expected. Higher on the contrary.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Earned Value	The value, in working days, of the work done. It is calculated as Budget divided Estimation at Completion multiplied Balance.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Assigned Resources	Resources assigned to the project activity.
Activity Predecessors	Project activities linked as predecessors of the current one.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
Milestone Predecessors	Project milestone(s) linked as predecessors of the current project activity.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
Activity Successors	Project activities linked as successors of the current one.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
Milestone Successors	Project milestone(s) linked as successors of the considered project activity.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
External Activity Codes	Alternative identifiers for the project activity.	These can be identifiers used in an external tool, such as an accounting system.
Deliveries	The project deliveries linked to the current project activity.	The usual meaning of this relationship is that the project deliveries are outputs of the project activity.
Comments	A section enabling to enter one or more textual comments referring to the project activity.
Issue/Risk	A section enabling to add existing or new project issues and or project risks related to the project activity.
Messages	A section enabling to view and manage messages related to the project activity.