Cobra 8.2 Help System

Prepare the Primavera Schedule

Use the information in this topic to prepare the Primavera schedule before exporting it to Cobra.

File Format

There are two methods for integrating with Primavera:

  • Use Cobra to read the Primavera database
  • Use the Primavera API

You must set up a data source name (DSN) to connect to the database regardless of the selected connection method for importing data. When using the API, the DSN connection allows you to select the fields in the Integration wizard.

Using the database is much faster than using the API; however, the resource data is spread linearly across the activity dates. Using the API to connect to Primavera provides daily time phased data and thus, the resources imported into Cobra closely match the resource spread in Primavera.

To use the API, first confirm that all of the demonstration applications that come with Primavera work while logged into the application tier of Cobra.
Attention: For more information on the location of the application tier based on the installation options, refer to the Cobra Installation Guide. Consult Primavera support if all of the demonstration applications are not functioning from the application tier.

After confirming that the demonstration applications are operational, click the New button on the Connection Selection page of the Integration wizard. On the New Connection dialog box, complete the following steps:

  1. Select the Load daily time-phased data check box.
  2. Enter the user name, password and location of the API.

    This location must be accessible to the application tier where the application is usually installed.

Note: You can use one connection file to import time phased data using the API and another connection file using a straight connection to the database to improve performance of the status updates.

Identifying the Link

Before importing data into Cobra, you must define how you want to link activities to control accounts and work packages. For example, you can use the Work Breakdown Structure field to identify the control account in Cobra and the activity ID to identify the work package. Alternatively, you can use a code on the activity to represent a work package in Cobra and use the activity ID as the milestone, or use one of the codes or user text fields of Primavera to identify the link.

The following fields are available link to Cobra fields as control accounts, work packages, and milestones:
  • Task Code
  • Work Breakdown Structure
  • Resp.Discipline
  • Activity codes – Global
  • User Defined Text fields
  • Resource Cost Account
These determine the fields that define the control account or work package to be
Note: Cobra displays only the codes with values in the selected project.
created or updated and identify the progress technique or the class. You can use user number fields to identify the milestone weight.
User Defined Text fields loaded from Primavera must have the following:
  • The data type should be Text .
  • The user defined fields should be under Activities.
  • The user defined field must have values assigned in the Primavera project selected in the Integration wizard.

Resources and Rates

In the import of resource rates, Cobra imports the escalated rates from the Primavera resource rates table. The fields imported are resource name, start date, and cost per quantity.

Load Resource Codes as non-significant

Under most circumstances, you must import the data into a non-significant structure so that you can indicate parent codes such as Labor and Material. Do not select this check box if you use periods in your resource codes to identify parent information.

Use template for resource calculations

If you indicate to create a new resource file or rate when importing from the schedule, you can use a template for resource calculations. This option is located on the Resources and Rates page of the Integration Wizard. If you select this option, you can select a resource file in Cobra that is used to define how resources being imported from the schedule are burdened or have multiple results in the calculation.

If a resource in the template resource file matches a resource name in the schedule, that resource is copied from the template file to the new resource file being created; otherwise, the resource type is used to determine what resource in the template is used to obtain the calculation.

To define the calculations for a resource, create a resource in the template file with the same name as the resource type. Examples are Labor or Nonlabor. Cobra creates the calculations for these resources using these units with the same calculation as in the template file.

Resource Assignments

When linking with a resource loaded schedule, the following are the options on the Resource Assignments page of the Integration Wizard for retrieving labor:
  • Budgeted Quantity — Values stored in the budgeted units (Target_qty) field are imported when importing a budget. Values stored in the Pending Remaining Units (Remain_qty) field are imported when importing forecast data.
  • Budgeted Cost — Values stored in the budget cost are imported when selecting to import from a budget. Values stored in the remaining cost are imported when you select a forecast.

Resource Definitions

If the rate for a resource is greater than one and a calculation template is not used, Cobra creates resources with the result of HOURS and DIRECT where the direct rate comes from the rate defined in the schedule. If the rate for the resource is equal to 0 or 1, Cobra creates the resource with a single result of DIRECT.