Multiple rates for resources across projects

[MarkH]

Hi, we are in the process of switching to Microsoft Project 2003. We are a
consulting firm that charges different rates for our consultants depending on
the project. We want to be able to enter different rates of pay for the
employees (resource) depending on the project. Our issue is that you can only
have one rate per employee across all projects whereas we need to change it
for some projects. Is there any way to do this? We would like to be able to
look at total hours as well as total $$$.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Project allows 5 different cost rates per resource. Please see my series on
Microsoft Project in the TechTrax ezine, particularly #13 - Costs, at this
site: http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[MarkH]

Okay I should explain more. Your answer seems to only applie to a stand alone
project not on EPM. I forgot to mention that we are using Enterprise Project
Management where the rate is set in the resource pool rather than in a
specific project. But different projects need different rates.... we would
like to be able to change the rate depending on the project... does my
question make sense?

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Mark,

I don't have a server - try posting on the server newsgroup. Please see FAQ
Item: 24. Project Newsgroups. FAQs, companion products and other useful
Project information can be seen at this web address:
http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

Don't know if this will help, but as Previously mentioned Project allows for
5 dirrent rate tables for each resource. When you double click on an
assignment in either the Task Usage view or the Resource Usage view, you can
select which of the resource's rate table should apply to that particular
task. Granted, it's awkward at best!

It is exactly this issue that leads me to often say the MSP should NOT be
used for client billings! The rates for your consultant staff should not be
what you bill the client for their services ... it should be YOUR cost of
employing them to service your clients. You pay him $75 per hour on your
payroll - you might bill his services to your clients at $100 to $150 per
hour depending on the client and the project but Project is not the proper
tool to use to track those billings and rates. MSP doesn't know about or
care about any revenues you realize or profits you might make - it's only
concerned with your own direct internal costs of doing those projects for
your clients. It should be a separate accounting package that handles time
and billing and revenue accounting with Project's numbers becoming only one
of many inputs into that system. Project's function is to help you manage
what you need to do in order to complete the project and how much you have
to spend from your own coffers to do it - it could care less if you actually
make any money at it <grin>.