Entering values in Budget Cost & Budget Work in msp2007

[John from NY]

I have the columns set up in my Resource Sheet, next to cost and work, but am
not able to enter values in either Budget Cost or Budget Work columns, and I
don't understand why. Also, is there a way of linking those cells, or at
least simply copying the data from Work to the Budget Work, and likewise for
copying cost to Budget Cost?

 

[JulieS]

Hello John,

You should be showing those fields in the Resource Usage view, not the
resource sheet. See the help topic "Create a budget for your project"
for step by step information.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[John from NY]

Okay, I seem to be a little further along... ON the Task Useage view, at the
top I have the various budget resources, and can enter values up there.

Maybe what want to achieve is better achieved usiing Baseline cost and
Baseline Work, so that I have that broken down task by task; and for each
resource assigned to each of the tasks.

 

[JulieS]

Hello John,

I personally think using named resources and assigning them to tasks
and then baselining is a more accurate way of developing both work and
cost budgets.

Julie

 

[John from NY]

Hi Julie,
I tried working in the Resource Useage and Task Useage, and can set values
up at that top level only.

From a job cost accounting perspective, I want to see the budget, actual and
variance, task by task, and summary task by summary task.

I am thinking that comparing to a baseline may be a better way to get what I
want.
The budget utilities in MSP2007 may be able to do more than I see happening.
I'd welcome more coaching.

I am thinking ahead. I've been doing some Tracking Gantt charts, really
just 'reporting', based on information provided to me, on a project for Ralph
Lauren, that is probably running over a year behind, and at least $1 million
more than it would have cost with what I label 'comprehensive project
management'. I don't have the authority to do comprehensive project
management on the job, but I do get to see a lot of major very poor planning,
and poor project management. Many of the problems are up at architect &
engineering levels, above and out of the control of the GC who has me prepare
the updated Gantt Charts which have become a prerequiste for progress
payments.

I just uploaded a website to promote my project management services,
www.projectmanagerpros.net. I'd welcome your feedback.

Today is my first day using this discussion list, so I am new to it, and
have so much to learn. Then, I have a passion for, and thrive on (L)Earning
new skills.

Thanks for your help,

 

[JulieS]

Hello John,

My comments are inline.

Hi Julie,
I tried working in the Resource Useage and Task Useage, and can set
values
up at that top level only.

[Julie] The advantage of creating and assigning resources at a task
level is then each individual task has work, cost, and duration. The
summary tasks will summarize the information of their subtasks.

From a job cost accounting perspective, I want to see the budget,
actual and
variance, task by task, and summary task by summary task.

[Julie] By assigning resources at the task by task level, then saving
a baseline and tracking, Project will show you budget (baseline),
actual (through tracking) and variance on a task by task basis for
bothh work and cost. Project will also show start and finish variance
(date information) as well as duration variances if you baseline
before tracking.

I am thinking that comparing to a baseline may be a better way to
get what I
want.
The budget utilities in MSP2007 may be able to do more than I see
happening.
I'd welcome more coaching.

I am thinking ahead. I've been doing some Tracking Gantt charts,
really
just 'reporting', based on information provided to me, on a project
for Ralph
Lauren, that is probably running over a year behind, and at least $1
million
more than it would have cost with what I label 'comprehensive
project
management'. I don't have the authority to do comprehensive project
management on the job, but I do get to see a lot of major very poor
planning,
and poor project management.

[Julie} Sadly, it's fairly common.

Many of the problems are up at architect &
engineering levels, above and out of the control of the GC who has
me prepare
the updated Gantt Charts which have become a prerequiste for
progress
payments.

I just uploaded a website to promote my project management services,
www.projectmanagerpros.net. I'd welcome your feedback.

Today is my first day using this discussion list, so I am new to it,
and
have so much to learn. Then, I have a passion for, and thrive on
(L)Earning
new skills.

[Julie] Well, you are most welcome here and I'm glad you found the
newsgroup. There are plenty of people more than happy to give help
and advice particularly to folks who like to learn

Thanks for your help,

[Julie] You're most welcome John. Glad to have helped and do post
back with more questions as the needs arises.

 

[John from NY]

So, as far as project is concerned, is baseline about the same as budget,
with the budget utilities enabling to summarize into 'groupings'.

I just discovered the Pert Entry Sheet which looks useful. Is there a way
to have a Gantt or Tracking Gantt chart show the three levels, optimistic,
expected, pesimistic?

A few minutes ago I went into my dinningroom, and looking at my observation
beehive, which I guess I made in 1999, I remember setting up a project plan
in TimeLine for it, before I shifted over to MicroSoft Project in 2000. So
many projects where I was fully in charge of the construction, I used a
'formal' project plan, and I get a lot of compliments for our work going
smoothly. Who said: "plan yor work, and then work your plan"?

Last month I did a tiny segment of construction on that Lauren job, and my
project plan was something like 114 lines, including summary tasks. It made
it so easy. I think no task was more than a day, and some tasks were as
little as 10 minutes, like order 'dead sand"... small task, but vital. Have
to order it before it will be delivered, and it has to be delivered before it
can be used.

I often tell people it is a lot easier to put your shoes on before putting
your socks on, saying is smoothly, and many people agree, without paying
attention to what is said.
--
John from NY

Hello John,

My comments are inline.

Hi Julie,
I tried working in the Resource Useage and Task Useage, and can set
values
up at that top level only.

[Julie] The advantage of creating and assigning resources at a task
level is then each individual task has work, cost, and duration. The
summary tasks will summarize the information of their subtasks.

From a job cost accounting perspective, I want to see the budget,
actual and
variance, task by task, and summary task by summary task.

[Julie] By assigning resources at the task by task level, then saving
a baseline and tracking, Project will show you budget (baseline),
actual (through tracking) and variance on a task by task basis for
bothh work and cost. Project will also show start and finish variance
(date information) as well as duration variances if you baseline
before tracking.

I am thinking that comparing to a baseline may be a better way to
get what I
want.
The budget utilities in MSP2007 may be able to do more than I see
happening.
I'd welcome more coaching.

I am thinking ahead. I've been doing some Tracking Gantt charts,
really
just 'reporting', based on information provided to me, on a project
for Ralph
Lauren, that is probably running over a year behind, and at least $1
million
more than it would have cost with what I label 'comprehensive
project
management'. I don't have the authority to do comprehensive project
management on the job, but I do get to see a lot of major very poor
planning,
and poor project management.

[Julie} Sadly, it's fairly common.

Many of the problems are up at architect &
engineering levels, above and out of the control of the GC who has
me prepare
the updated Gantt Charts which have become a prerequiste for
progress
payments.

I just uploaded a website to promote my project management services,
www.projectmanagerpros.net. I'd welcome your feedback.

Today is my first day using this discussion list, so I am new to it,
and
have so much to learn. Then, I have a passion for, and thrive on
(L)Earning
new skills.

[Julie] Well, you are most welcome here and I'm glad you found the
newsgroup. There are plenty of people more than happy to give help
and advice particularly to folks who like to learn

Thanks for your help,

[Julie] You're most welcome John. Glad to have helped and do post
back with more questions as the needs arises.