General Tab of the Classes Tab
This tab displays general information about the selected class.
Contents
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Description | This field contains a description of the selected class. Cobra displays this field for all classes. You can modify the class description. |
| Type | This field describes the type of class. There are four types of classes:
Cobra displays this field for all classes. You cannot modify the class type. |
| Level | This field describes the level at which costs are entered for the class. There are two levels:
Cobra displays this field for all classes. You cannot modify this field once the class has been created. It is good practice to enter costs for the forecast and actual class types at the same level at which actual costs are captured for the project. Earned class types can only be defined at the work package level since earned value is taken at the work package level. |
| Calendar Set | This field displays the calendar set used in spreading the costs associated with the class. You can change the calendar set by clicking
 and selecting another calendar set on the Calendar Set Lookup dialog box.
A calendar set assigned to a budget class must contain at least one flagged period prior to the first period of the project, and at least one flagged period after the latest control account or work package finish date. All periods must have fixed ($) flags. Cobra displays this field only for the Forecast and Budget classes. |
| Rate File | Use this field to assign an alternate rate file when calculating costs for the class. Actual and Budget classes use the rate file assigned to the project, but if a rate file is specified in this field, the class uses that file instead of the project rate file when calculating costs.
You can change the rate file by clicking
Cobra displays this field only for Forecast, Actual, and Budget classes. This is a required field for Forecast classes. |
| Forecast Dates | Use this field to specify whether the forecast spread will be based on early, forecast, or late dates. You can choose from the following options:
Cobra displays this field only for the Forecast class. |
| Forecast method | Use this field to select the method that will be used to calculate forecasts for the forecast class. You can choose from the following forecast methods:
Cobra displays this field only for the Forecast class. |
| Performance factor level | Use this field to specify the level at which calculations of SPI (Schedule Performance Index) and CPI (Cost Performance Index) should be made. Your options are Levels 1 to 20, Control Account, Project, and Work Package.
This field is only available if you selected any of the following in the Forecast method field:
Cobra displays this field only for the Forecast class. |
| Obtain budget from | Use this drop-down list to specify the source of the budget. Your options are:
Cobra displays this field only for the Budget class. This is a required field if the Budget class is included in totals. |
| Budget Dates | Use this drop-down list to specify alternative budget dates for the project. Your options are:
Cobra displays this drop-down list only for the Budget class and only if the Include in Budget option is not selected. This drop-down list defaults to Baseline, unless you specify pending dates on the Class Settings page of the New Class wizard. Attention: For more information on pending dates, see the Budget Planning help topic.
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| Prevent editing Time Phased Grid | Select this check box to prevent users from making changes to the selected class in the Time-phase Detail pane of the Project view. |
| Include in totals | This check box indicates if the selected class is included in the project’s actual, budget, forecast, or earned totals. You cannot change the setting of this field for the Actual and Budget classes after the class has been created. The setting for Earned classes is determined by the classes included in the Earned cost reporting set. The setting for Forecast classes is determined by the classes included in the EAC cost reporting set. |
| Suppress calculation of source results | Select this check box to instruct Cobra not to recalculate source results when a derived result is changed on Budget and Forecast classes. For example, if this check box is selected, Cobra will not recalculate Hours if FTE is updated. By default, this check box is not selected; Cobra calculates all source and derived results. |