Deltek Cobra Fundamentals Training

Duration: 2 days

Prerequisites: None, apart from a burning desire to learn new skills and a basic grasp of earned value management principals.

This training class offers not just detailed instruction on the Deltek Cobra software system, it also provides context to the way the system supports a real world earned value management system. The curriculum and content are written and delivered by consultants with years of experience implementing Cobra as part of a complete earned value management system (EVMS). Our consultants bring a level of expertise to the classroom experience unmatched by our competitors. Students will learn how to set up Cobra, integrate with the project’s master schedule and manage the system to meet ANSI 748 standards.

During this class you will…

• See an overview of Cobra 5 and the navigation system • Learn how to set up a new program with WBS, OBS, Calendars, codes • Learn how to set up and calculate rates and resources • Create the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) in Microsoft Project • Learn how to use Level of Effort • Learn how to load the IMS with budgets into Cobra • Go throughout the monthly update cycle • Calculate the earned value and forecasts • Load actual costs into Cobra managing errors and warnings • Understand how to run Cobra EVM reports

Course Contents

Lesson 1 – Introduction

Ø Training course introduction Ø Learning objectives Ø The PMI’s project management lifecycle

Deltek Cobra Fundamentals Training

 

Lesson 2 – Navigating Cobra

Ø Cobra’s architecture Ø Navigating Cobra’s interface Ø Controlling and formatting the data columns in table windows Ø Opening projects and other data tabs

Lesson 3 – Setting Up a new Program

Ø Creating the work breakdown structure (WBS) in an ancillary code file Ø Loading a WBS from a CSV formatted file Ø How to define and apply thresholds Ø Create the OBS Ø Creating a fiscal calendar

Lesson 4 – Rates and Resources

Ø Creating a rate table Ø Loading rates from a CSV file Ø Defining Full Time Equivalent rates Ø Creating a resource calculation file Ø Loading resources and calculations from a CSV file

Lesson 5 – Building the Cobra Project

Ø The purpose of creating a shell project Ø Building a new shell project in Cobra Ø Creating a backup of the shell project

Lesson 6 – Adding Control Accounts

Ø Earned Value Technique (EVT) for work packages explained Ø The meaning of the term Level of Effort in earned value systems Ø Creating control accounts and work packages Ø Loading resources onto work packages to build the budget values

Lesson 7 – Microsoft Project/ Primavera P6 Integration

Ø Creating mapping fields in the schedule for Cobra integration Ø Setting a baseline in the IMS Ø Methods for saving the IMS to an XML project file Ø Loading the IMS using the integration wizard Ø Running a Control Account Plan (CAP) report Ø Starting the Cobra audit log to baseline the project Ø Entering contract information

Lesson 8 – Managing the Forecast

Ø The general concept of Cobra forecasting

 

Ø The types of forecasts available in Cobra Ø Forecast classes Ø Adding new forecast classes Ø Initializing a forecast Ø Verifying your new forecast class data

Lesson 9 – Monthly Updates

Ø Updating the IMS to get ready for the monthly update process (Microsoft Project and/or P6) Ø Backing up the current Cobra program Ø Advancing the calendar Ø Loading and updating work package status from Microsoft Project and/or P6)

Lesson 10 – Monthly Calculations

Ø Understanding when the system is ready for earned value calculations Ø Calculating earned value

Lesson 11 – Loading Actual Costs

Ø Types of actual costs that can be loaded into Cobra Ø Loading actual cost data from a CSV file Ø Calculating forecast after actual costs are loaded Ø How and when to update/modify Calendar Set 19 for CPR Format 4 reports Ø Cost sets and how they are used for reporting and displaying data

Lesson 12 – Reporting

Ø The standard reports that ship with Cobra 5 Ø Running CPR reports Ø Working with Filters Ø Time-phased Reporting Ø Creating a custom Calendar Set for time-phased reporting Ø Using the Analyze feature to drill down and explore your data Ø Configuring a new batch report Ø Exporting the program to a wInsight XML formatted file Ø Loading the wInsight XML file into wInsight Administrator

Lesson 13 – Final Exercise and Report Analysis

Ø Exercise to practice running the periodic EVM cycle

To learn more about this class, please contact Ten Six Consulting (703) 910-2600 or email us at training@tensix.com