Printed column totals are incorrect

[LindaC]

I am using the Task Usage view and showing only Fixed Costs in the timephased
portion of the screen. I have turned on the option in Page Setup (View tab)
to Print column totals; since Fixed Costs don't roll up, this is the best way
to get my total Fixed Cost per month or quarter. But on some (not all) of my
project plans, the printed column total is inaccurate. It seems to randomly
ignore some of the Fixed Cost entries in the column. Can anyone explain this,
or better yet, tell me how to fix it?

FYI - we are using Project 2003.

 

[John]

I am using the Task Usage view and showing only Fixed Costs in the timephased
portion of the screen. I have turned on the option in Page Setup (View tab)
to Print column totals; since Fixed Costs don't roll up, this is the best way
to get my total Fixed Cost per month or quarter. But on some (not all) of my
project plans, the printed column total is inaccurate. It seems to randomly
ignore some of the Fixed Cost entries in the column. Can anyone explain this,
or better yet, tell me how to fix it?

FYI - we are using Project 2003.

LindaC,
Are some of your files by chance master files with inserted subprojects?
I haven't actually looked into this but it may be that the column total
does not work for master projects.

Just a guess.

John
Project MVP

 

[LindaC]

No, they are not master files. They themselves are inserted into a master
file, but I can't see why that would matter. Both the one that works and the
one that doesn't are inserted into a master file.

It appears that the tasks that don't get included in the column total were
perhaps copied from another project plan rather than created in the current
plan, but I don't know that for sure and I don't know how to identify them
all or fix the problem.

 

[John]

No, they are not master files. They themselves are inserted into a master
file, but I can't see why that would matter. Both the one that works and the
one that doesn't are inserted into a master file.

It appears that the tasks that don't get included in the column total were
perhaps copied from another project plan rather than created in the current
plan, but I don't know that for sure and I don't know how to identify them
all or fix the problem.

LindaC,
It shouldn't matter if the problem files are inserted into a master. I
was strictly addressing it from the master viewpoint.

It also shouldn't matter if the tasks in question were copied from
another file. Once they are copied, they will be the same as any new
task in the file.

It seems to work fine for me but that doesn't help much since you only
have the problem with certain files. Why not try this. Instead of using
the page setup to get column totals for fixed costs, try using a formula
in a custom field. Designate a spare cost field and insert this simple
formula:
Cost1=[Fixed Cost]
Then check the option to rollup task and group summary lines as a sum.
Does that give the correct result for all your files?

John
Project MVP

 

[LindaC]

John,
What you suggested (designating a custom field to roll up) does work for the
entire Fixed Cost over the life of the project. But what I am trying to get
to is the Fixed Cost per month or per quarter, which is the column total in
the time phased part of the screen.

I think I am going to create new tasks to attach the Fixed Costs to, and
remove them from the old tasks. I'm guessing that will solve the problem.
--
LindaC

No, they are not master files. They themselves are inserted into a master
file, but I can't see why that would matter. Both the one that works and the
one that doesn't are inserted into a master file.

It appears that the tasks that don't get included in the column total were
perhaps copied from another project plan rather than created in the current
plan, but I don't know that for sure and I don't know how to identify them
all or fix the problem.

LindaC,
It shouldn't matter if the problem files are inserted into a master. I
was strictly addressing it from the master viewpoint.

It also shouldn't matter if the tasks in question were copied from
another file. Once they are copied, they will be the same as any new
task in the file.

It seems to work fine for me but that doesn't help much since you only
have the problem with certain files. Why not try this. Instead of using
the page setup to get column totals for fixed costs, try using a formula
in a custom field. Designate a spare cost field and insert this simple
formula:
Cost1=[Fixed Cost]
Then check the option to rollup task and group summary lines as a sum.
Does that give the correct result for all your files?

John
Project MVP

 

[John]

John,
What you suggested (designating a custom field to roll up) does work for the
entire Fixed Cost over the life of the project. But what I am trying to get
to is the Fixed Cost per month or per quarter, which is the column total in
the time phased part of the screen.

I think I am going to create new tasks to attach the Fixed Costs to, and
remove them from the old tasks. I'm guessing that will solve the problem.

LindaC,
Sorry, I didn't understand that you wanted rollup of timescaled values.
You said so in your original post, but it didn't click. You are right, a
formula only works with the static (i.e. non-timescaled) data.

Your idea of attaching the fixed costs to their own task is probably a
good one although it works fine for me when I add fixed cost to tasks
that also have labor resources. If creating the separate tasks for fixed
costs doesn't work, let me know and we'll make arrangements for me to
look at your file directly.

John
Project MVP

No, they are not master files. They themselves are inserted into a master
file, but I can't see why that would matter. Both the one that works and
the
one that doesn't are inserted into a master file.

It appears that the tasks that don't get included in the column total
were
perhaps copied from another project plan rather than created in the
current
plan, but I don't know that for sure and I don't know how to identify
them
all or fix the problem.

LindaC,
It shouldn't matter if the problem files are inserted into a master. I
was strictly addressing it from the master viewpoint.

It also shouldn't matter if the tasks in question were copied from
another file. Once they are copied, they will be the same as any new
task in the file.

It seems to work fine for me but that doesn't help much since you only
have the problem with certain files. Why not try this. Instead of using
the page setup to get column totals for fixed costs, try using a formula
in a custom field. Designate a spare cost field and insert this simple
formula:
Cost1=[Fixed Cost]
Then check the option to rollup task and group summary lines as a sum.
Does that give the correct result for all your files?

John
Project MVP

:

I am using the Task Usage view and showing only Fixed Costs in the
timephased
portion of the screen. I have turned on the option in Page Setup
(View
tab)
to Print column totals; since Fixed Costs don't roll up, this is the
best
way
to get my total Fixed Cost per month or quarter. But on some (not
all) of
my
project plans, the printed column total is inaccurate. It seems to
randomly
ignore some of the Fixed Cost entries in the column. Can anyone
explain
this,
or better yet, tell me how to fix it?

FYI - we are using Project 2003.

LindaC,
Are some of your files by chance master files with inserted
subprojects?
I haven't actually looked into this but it may be that the column total
does not work for master projects.

Just a guess.

John
Project MVP