Classes Tab of the Project Properties Dialog Box

Use this tab to display classes associated with the project and to define different classes for tracking specific project information.

For example, you can use different budget classes to separate the different funding sources for the project, or you can use a different earned class to segregate the project's earned value from the replanned earned value.

The Classes tab has two sections.
  • The top section displays a grid that identifies all the classes currently used in the project.
  • The bottom section displays information about these classes.

Classes Grid of the Classes Tab

This section displays all available classes used in the project.

Note: When you select Budget or Forecast, you have the option to recalculate only derived results by selecting the Suppress calculation of source results checkbox on the General tab of the Classes tab.
Field Description
Budget This is a required budget class and cannot be deleted. However, the description, calendar set, and rate file of the class can be modified.
Actual This is a required actual class and cannot be deleted. However, the description, rate file, and included budget classes (shown in the bottom section of the Classes tab) for this class can be modified.
Earned This is a required earned value class and cannot be deleted. However, the description and included budget classes (shown in the bottom section of the Classes tab) for this class can be modified.
OTB This is a required budget class specifically used for over target baseline (OTB) costs. This class cannot be deleted but the class description can be modified.
Replanned This is a required budget class specifically used for budget costs following a replan. This class cannot be deleted. The description, calendar set, and rate file for this class can be modified.
Forecast This is a required forecast class and cannot be deleted. However, the user can modify the description, forecast method, and the included budget and actual classes (shown in the bottom section of the Classes tab) for this class.

Tabs of the Classes Tab

The bottom section of the Classes tab has four tabs:

  • General
  • Included Earned Classes
  • Included Budget Classes
  • Included Actual Classes

Cobra uses Included Classes to calculate earned values and forecasts, and to analyze the cost of one class against other classes. For example, if earned class EV is associated with the budget class CB, Cobra will look at the budget for class CB when calculating earned value for class EV. Reports also show this association among classes.

The type of information displayed in any of these panes depends on the class type selected in the Classes grid. For example, if you select the Earned class on the Classes grid, only the General and Included Earned Classes tabs in the bottom section will be available.