Service Manager - Projects

Overview

Projects are used to manage at a high level - days rather than hours. 

Projects support three indented levels as follows

• Level 1 (grey) - Project Phase or Major Deliverable

  • Level 2 (blue) - Key Activities or Work Packages

    • Level 3 (green) - Specific Tasks or Actions

Projects can be used to generate

• Quotations - Transaction Items are created from the Root level Items on the Project

• Progress Invoices - Transaction items are created from Components based on their Completion % and the difference between the Completion percent on the last invoice.

Actions 

• Add Project Templates

• Batch Update

• Update Start and End Dates 

• Set start-to-finish Dependency (SF)

• Clear Dependency

• Delete - delete multi-selected items

Fields

• Level - The indentation (level) is represented by the grey, blue and green icons. 

• Status - The Status list is derived from the Template. Multiple Templates can be added to a Project, each with their own Status list.

• Description

• Groups - Groups are mostly used for filtering and reporting. Right-click to Add/Remove Groups to the selected item.

• Constraint - Select aa valid option from the dropdown list

• Resource - Select from the dropdown list.

• Billing - Select from None, Fixed, Variable. Applies to first level only.

• Required - The Required date,

• Start - The Start date

• End - The End date

• Days - The expected duration - decimals and negative values are not supported. 

• Hours - The hours estimated to complete the Task - used for costing purposes.

• Note - Right-click an item to View/Edit Note

Project Resources

List of your company's Resources including Departments, Work Centres and Staff. 

The Hourly Rate is used for Costing purposes, for instance, when you generate a Quotation from the Project.

Resources can be applied to

• Level 1 - for Quoting/Costing purposes - ideally a generic Resource will be applied - eg. Consultant.

• Level 3 - for assigning Tasks.

Components

An ordered list of Components can be integrated into the Project Plan. 

Components can be added directly in the Project or imported from the Items of a transaction linked to the Project and linked to the Transaction Setting > Transaction used for Quotations.

Components can be used to generate Progress Invoices using the Total and Completion %.

Component Example (Joinery):

• Groups: Floor 1, Floor 2

• Components: Wardrobe, Bar Cabinets, Kitchen Units 

Project Templates

The Project Templates are linked to a Class and consist of Items and a Status list that can be appended to a Project.

The Items are a mini project that starts at Level 1 and can optionally contain Level 2 and Level 3 items. Multiple Level 1 items can be added to create a template that is effectively a complete project plan.

The Components field is used to enable a Component Placeholder and set the Level at which components will be merged. Options include:

• Don't Use - the template will not be merged with Components.

• Level 1 - The Component will replace the Level 1 item. 

• Level 2 - The Component will replace the Level 2 item. 

Notes

• When a template is added to a Project, the Items and Status list is copied to the SM so that changes to the template won't affect historic Projects.

• Only one Component Placeholder is allowed in a Template. 

Rules for updating the Project Start and End dates

Calculation is applied to Level 3 and rolled up to Level 2 and Level 3.

Update starts at bottom or top depending on Tracker constraint - ASAP - Top (Start Date on Tracker) - Alap - Bottom (Required)

Weekend Days and Holidays are considered when updating Days and End dates. For instance, if a Task takes two days and starts on a Friday, the End date will be set to Monday.

Item Updates

• Start - Updates End

• End - Updates Start

• Days - Updates End

Constraints

Level 1

• Fixed - The Start, End and Days is fixed in all the descending items.

• ASAP - As Soon As Possible

• ALAP - As Late As Possible

Level 2, 3

• None

• Fixed - Start, End and Days are fixed.

NB. If an Item is Fixed with blank Start and End dates, the cascading Items will not be scheduled.

Dependencies

• Dependencies can be applied at the same level in the same group only

• Dependencies are cleared when the Dependency is below the item (after moving item or dependent item) or the Constraint is set to Fixed.

Settings

Transaction Settings > Service Manager 

• Transaction used for Progress Invoices - (Can add multiple settings)

• Transaction used for Quotations (Can add multiple settings) - Used to import Components and to generate Quotations from the Project.