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Deltek Cobra Managing Rate Changes on In-flight Projects July 30 th , 2014 Neil Smith – Ten Six Consulting

Deltek Cobra - Ten Six Consulting Cobra supports multiple rate files. You can create additional rate files and apply them to specific cost classes in Deltek Cobra. You can then recalculate

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Deltek Cobra Managing Rate Changes on In-flight Projects

July 30th, 2014

Neil Smith – Ten Six Consulting

Agenda • Introduction • Common questions concerning rate changes • Software steps – how to change rates in Deltek

Cobra • Summary and questions

Introduction • Speaker: Neil Smith

– EVM system implementer & trainer – 10 years experience with Deltek Cobra – Main contributor to The Cobra Guy blog -

http://www.tensixconsulting.com/blog/

• Company: Ten Six Consulting – Providers of Project & Earned Value Management

consulting and training services in U.S. and Europe

Introduction • Company: Ten Six Consulting Specialize in…

– Established 2010 – Project & EVMS implementation services in U.S. and Europe – Integrated software and process development for DoD and

DoE EVMS certification – Software system and process training services for all aspects

of earned value management – Pioneers in highly cost-effective live online training courses

and self-paced video training courses – Veteran staff and associates with typically 20+ years

experience in the project controls industry

Rate Change – Common Questions

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Rate Change - Common Questions

Can rate changes be funded from MR? Yes, provided that the change has been formally

approved and documented through your baseline change management process.

Rate Change - Common Questions

Can baseline rates be retroactively changed in the EVM baseline? No. History cannot be changed in the EVMS.

Changes should/will be reflected only in future periods.

Rate Change - Common Questions

Should rate changes be applied to the baseline Budget or Forecast? Prior to formal approval, rate changes can be

modeled in the forecast. Upon formal approval, rate changes can be

applied to the budget for future periods only.

Rate Change - Common Questions

How do I change rates in Deltek Cobra? Deltek Cobra supports multiple rate files. You can create additional rate files and apply

them to specific cost classes in Deltek Cobra. You can then recalculate the cost class to see the

impact of the new rates.

Project

Rate File Structures

Cost Class

Current Rates (Project Default)

Resource Calculations

Presenter
Presentation Notes
For any project, there is a default rate file that was defined during project setup. All cost classes use this rate file unless you define an alternative in the Classes tab of the Project Information dialog.

Project

Rate File Structures

Cost Class

Current Rates (Project Default)

Resource Calculations

2016 Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
For any project, there is a default rate file that was defined during project setup. All cost classes use this rate unless it you refine an alternative rate file in the Cost Class tab.

Project

Rate File Structures

Cost Class

Current Rates (Project Default)

Resource Calculations

2017 Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
For any project, there is a default rate file that was defined during project setup. All cost classes use this rate unless it you refine an alternative rate file in the Cost Class tab.

Creating a new Rate File

Creating a new Rate File

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The first step in the process is to create a new rate file. We can do this by opening the original rate file in the Rates tab of the Cobra Explorer.

Creating a new Rate File

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The File | Save As… option is used to create a copy of the existing rate file.

Creating a new Rate File

Presenter
Presentation Notes
A name and description of the new rate file is entered in to the save as dialog. The new rate file must have a unique name.

Updating a new Rate File

For smaller changes, rates can be adjusted manually in the Value column

of the selected rate set.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
For smaller changes, the necessary rates can be adjusted manually in the Value column of the new file, and then saved. This file is now ready for integration with the in-flight project.

Updating a new Rate File

For larger changes to multiple rates, export the rate file using the Export

Rates report.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
For larger changes, use the Export Rates report to create an Excel spreadsheet.

Updating a new Rate File

This allows you to modify the rates using convenient Excel functions for faster results.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Make your adjustments in the Excel spreadsheet, then save and close the file.

Updating a new Rate File

Finally, you can update your new rate file using the Ancillary data option of the

Integration Wizard to import the modifications from the spreadsheet.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Import the modification you have made in the spreadsheet using the Integration Wizard’s Ancillary data option.

Updating a new Rate File

Select the (*.xlsx) option in the Open dialog for the Ancillary data file: field; then select your

updated spreadsheet file.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
You can import the Excel file directly using the *.xlsx option. This saves you the step of creating a CSV file.

Updating a new Rate File

Set the remaining fields to the appropriate options for your rate file.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Set the remaining fields in the dialog to the appropriate values, including Action: Update.

Updating a new Rate File

Map your columns

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Use the ‘File contains a header row’ option to have Cobra read the column headers. Note that in the case of the Export Rates headers, you will need to map the Description field because the report names the column ‘Rate Description’, but the map field is just ‘Description’.

Assigning a new Rate File

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Now we have a modified rate file, there are various ways to use it.

Rate File Assignment Options • Unapproved:

– assign only to forecast classes for ‘What-if’ analysis and manage to EAC

• Approved: – Assign the new rate file to the entire project – Assign the rate file to only selected budget cost

classes In all cases, recalculate only future periods

Presenter
Presentation Notes
If new rates are currently unapproved by the customer, then assign the new rates to a forecast class for management purposes. Once the rate changes are approved, you can assign them to either the entire project using the Project Information Files tab, or assign them to selected classes in the Classes tab.

Project Rate File

Presenter
Presentation Notes
In Cobra the default rate file used by all the cost classes is defined in the Classes tab of the project information dialog. All cost classes will use this rate unless defined otherwise.

Rates and Cost Classes

Presenter
Presentation Notes
In Cobra the relationship between Cost Classes and the Rate file it uses is established in the Classes tab of the Project Information dialog. With no rate file defined in the Rate File field, the selected class is using the default Project Rate file.

Rates and Cost Classes

Presenter
Presentation Notes
If we wish to use an alternate rate file for a particular class, we need only define it in the Rate File field; rather than change it for the entire project.

Rates and Cost Classes

Presenter
Presentation Notes
You can change the rate file a class uses by clicking on the ellipse field of the Rate File field, and then selecting the new rate file in the Rate File Lookup dialog. Any rate file listed in the Rate File field will override the Project Rate file.

Rates and Cost Classes

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Having changed the rate file used by the class, you will need to recalculate the class within the project.

Using the new Rate File Forecast Update Example

For Unapproved Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The following section discusses the use of the new rate file to update an existing forecast class.

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Having updated the rates for the F1 Forecast class, we will need to recalculate the class to see the effect of the changes.

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Using the Recalc feature, the forecast class will be recalculated. In this example no selections are used in the Options dialog for Recalc.

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
In the Classes dialog, the F1 class is selected.

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
All periods after the current period will be selected.

Using the New Rates

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Always a good idea to Update Totals after recalculating to be sure that the figures in the table area are correct.

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Now take a look at the EAC field. Prior to recalculation, the BAC and the EAC matched.

Using the New Rates

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Now you can see the affect the increased G&A value has had on the project’s EAC.

Using the New Rates

Original G&A value for 2016-01-31 = 16.17

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Here’s the time-phased budget that is using the original Rate file.

Using the New Rates

New G&A value for 2016-01-31 = 17.16

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The G&A rate increase can be seen in the time-phased table of the Engineer’s F1 forecast assignment.

Using the new Rate File Budget Update Example

For Approved Rates

Rate File Assignment Options • Unapproved:

– assign only to forecast classes for ‘What-if’ analysis and manage to EAC

• Approved: – Assign the new rate file to the entire project – Assign the rate file to only selected budget cost

classes In all cases, recalculate only future periods

Presenter
Presentation Notes
In this example we look at your options for updating the budget class. If you’re calculating any portion of the actual costs (other than FTE) in Cobra, then you will need to update any actual or accrual classes too.

Change the Project’s Rate File

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The following section discusses the use of the new rate file to update an existing forecast class.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Before you recalculate budget classes, you will need to set ‘Allow changes to scope for an in-progress CA/WP’ in the Preferences tab of the Project Information dialog.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Check your project’s settings. Before you can recalculate budget classes, you will need to set ‘Allow changes to scope for an in-progress CA/WP’ in the Preferences tab of the Project Information dialog for in-flight work packages and control accounts.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Open the Project Information dialog.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
In the Files tab, click the ellipse button to change the project Rate file.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Select the new Rate file.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Click OK to apply the new Rate file to all the classes in the current project.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The next set is to recalculate the necessary classes. Changes to the rate file will not take affect until this step is performed.

Using the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The G&A rate increase can be seen in the time-phased table of the Engineer’s F1 forecast assignment.

Project Rate File - Outcome

Viewing the New Rates for Budget Class

Presenter
Presentation Notes
We can now see the budget class reflecting a sharper increase in the G&A calculation in periods from 2016-01-31.

Summary • Unapproved rate changes can be modeled in

the Forecast classes. • Approved rate changes can be made globally to

all classes, or to selected classes depending on your requirements.

• Use Save As… feature in Cobra to create a copy of existing Rate file.

• Use Export Rates report to create a modified import file.

Questions? Neil Smith

[email protected] (703) 910-2600