Cumulative Resource Curves

From Point:

Solution ID: prim26939

Can actual and remaining costs/units be displayed in a single cumulative curve in the activity/resource usage profile?


Status: Reviewed

Version(s): 4.0, 4.1, 5.0



Problem: Can actual and remaining costs / units be displayed in a single cumulative curve in the activity/resource usage profile?

Problem: Is it possible to show actual and remaining on one curve, with a different color for each, similar to the bars in the Gantt view, in the resource or activity usage profile?

Fix: This issue is an existing Enhancement Request. If you would like to add your company to this Enhancement Request, please select the "Send us your feedback and comments by creating a support incident here" link below.

Mark,

If you mean with actual and remaining that the values are stacked, than excel is your only option it think.

H.T.H.

Niek.

Mark,

You can display the cumulative resource curve of actual units plus remaining units on the activity usage profile defending on the earned value settings on your WBS level. Please follow the steps below.

1)     Open your project on activity window.
2)     Click Activity Usage Profile icon or select View-> Show on Bottom-> Activity Usage Profile on your P5 menu.
3)     On the Activity Usage Profile window (bottom right of your P5 programme window) right click and select Activity Usage Profile Options
4)     Tick Units, Labor and tick cumulative actual and Estimate at Completion - Labor Units then click apply an click OK.

You should have an Actual resource curve and remaining resource unit lying on the same line with different colors.
Note: Estimate at completion may not be the same if your earned value settings at WBS level is using productivity factor. To check select WBS icon or select Project-> WBS on your P5 menu. Select the Earned Value tab and tick ETC = remaining cost for activity.

If you are in doubt use the Activity Usage Spreadsheet as step below
1)     Click Resource Usage Spreadsheet icon or select View-> Show on Bottom-> Resource Usage Spreadsheet on your P5 menu.
2)     Right Click on Display: Activity Resource Assignment window and select Group and Sort by-> Customize
3)     Select Resource ID Name then tick Show Grand Total and Show Summaries Only
4)     Click Apply then OK
5)     Right Click on Resource assignment spreadsheet (bottom right of P5 window) then select Spreadsheet Fields-> Customize
6)     Under Cumulative-> Units select Cum Actual Units, Cum At Completion Units and Cum Remaining Early Units then click apply then OK.
7)     You can copy this spreadsheet into Excel by using Ctrl+”A” to select All then Ctrl+”C” to copy
8)     Open a blank excel spreadsheet and press Ctrl+”V” to paste.

Note: If Ctrl+”C” and Ctrl+”V” is not working on your computer you can use report and print it to extension CSV which convert it automatically in excel as step below.
1)     Select Report Icon and click Add icon on the right of report screen.
2)     Click Next on Report Wizard and Tick Time distributed data.
3)     Select Activity Resource and Role Assignment then click Next
4)     Click Group &Sort then select Resource ID Name and tick Show Grand Totals and Show Summaries Only then click OK then click Next
5)     Tick Time Interval and click Time Interval Fields (Note: you can specify the time scale by clicking timescale and set the periods of report)
6)     Select Cumulative-> Units
7)     Double Click Cum Actual Labor Units, Cum At Completion Labor Units and Cum Remaining Early Units
8)     Click Apply then OK then Click Next
9)     Click Next -> Run Report
10)     Tick ASCII text file and rename the report into extension csv (ex: Report.csv)
11)     Tick View when done and click OK

Note: Excel should automatically open with the exported summary data.

Hope this help,
Rodel

Thanks again Rodel.

The copy and paste didnt work. So I have gone via the report method and copied incremental (time unit) data and have created a graph in Excel.

This leaves me with 2 problems:

1. How do I put ina timeline in Excel graphs?
2. I have actual cumulative to this timeline but I cannot get the remaining to start from the timeline. The work around is the remaining repeats the actual data and thus starts from the timeline. Anyone have any ideas?

Cheers,

Mark

Mark,

1) When creating graphs in Excel, include the timeline on your range before clicking the graph icon. That should automatically recognize the timeline.
2) Why not used the At completion Units fields which is the total of Actual and remaining units vs actual units.

Note: When using the report you might need to adjust the timeline in the exported data. Sometimes when you did not change the default column it may contains start and finish date.

Hope this help,

Rodel

Hi Rodel,

I will email you but....

1) Timeline = Cutoff date
2) This is what I have done but I want actual to cutoff date and remaining from from cutoff date.

Cheers,

mark

Mark,

Yap, email me the exported data in excel and explain what you want to do so I can email back the solution.

Cheer,
Rodel

Thanks Rodel - your email back received. I had those cells blank initiallly then filled with zeros so I am not sure why this didnt work initially!

I tried changing your graph but couldnt even though I realised you had joined the new line to the graph so I ungrouped this. So I used mine and was able to replicate your changes. Why didnt I think of using drawing tools to add a timeline.

Cheers