Forecast Class Page of the New Class Wizard

Use this page to select the forecast method, forecast dates, and other settings (if applicable) for the forecast class.

Contents

Field Description
Forecast Method Use this field to select the forecast method that will be used for the class.
Note: If you select PF=1, Manual Forecast (Retain ETC), Manual Forecast (Retain EAC), or Frozen Forecast, no other options are available.
Forecast Dates Use this field to specify whether the forecast spread will be based on early, late, or default forecast dates. The early and late dates are used for best- and worst-case forecast scenarios.
Note: This field is not available if you select Frozen Forecast in the Forecast Method field.
Performance Factor Level This field controls the level at which Cobra calculates the CPI and SPI.
  • Level 1 - 20: The levels represent the hierarchical structure of a code file. Selecting a level instructs Cobra to perform forecast calculation at that level for the selected code file.
  • Project
  • Control Account
  • Work Package
Note: This field displays when you perform one of the following actions:
  • You select a statistical forecast method in the Forecast Method field.
  • you select Coded Ranges in the Forecast Method field and one of the rows in the Coded Ranges grid is mapped to a statistical forecast method.
Code File This field displays when you select any of the levels from 1 to 20 in the Performance Factor Level field. Use this field to select a code file to calculate forecasts against.
Defined Relative Weighing These fields only display when you select Weighted Indexes in the Forecast Method field, or you select Coded Ranges in the Forecast Method field and one of the rows in the Coded Ranges grid is mapped to Weighted Indexes.

Enter the values for the a and b parameters in the PF=1/(a*CPI+b*SPI) method. By specifying the a and b factors, you can define a performance factor that reflects the cumulative CPI/SPI, where the relative weights of CPI and SPI are user defined. The combined relative weights of both fields must be equal to 1.

Coded Ranges Pane

This pane, where you can map a code or progress technique to an existing forecast method, displays when you select Coded Ranges in the Forecast Method drop-down list.

Field Description
Code Field Use this field to select a code to which you want to map an existing forecast method. This field only displays saved control account or work package codes.

Your options are:

  • Control Account Codes
  • Work Package Codes
  • Progress Technique

Your selections in this field are based on the Forecast Level that you select on the Class Settings page of the New Class Wizard. If Forecast Level is set to Control Account, this field displays the control account codes defined in the project. If Forecast Level is set to Work Package, this field displays the work package codes defined in the project and the list of progress techniques.

Coded Ranges Grid Use this grid to select a code and assign a forecast method to it.
Code Value Use this field to assign a value to the selected code. You can define up to three values for the selected code.
Forecast Method Use this field to assign a forecast method to the code value or other.

Your options are:

  • Manual Forecast (Retain EAC)
  • Manual Forecast (Retain ETC)
  • PF=1
  • PF=1/(a*CPI+b*SPI)
  • PF=1/(CPI*SPI)
  • PF=1/CPI Cum to date
  • PF=1/CPI Cum to date
  • PF=1/CPI for current period
  • PF=1/CPI for last 3 periods
  • PF=1/CPI for last 6 periods

You must also assign a forecast method to the "Other" row. Code values that are not mapped will use this forecast method.

Percent Complete Ranges Pane

This pane displays when you select Percent Complete Ranges in the Forecast Method field.

Field Description
Percent Complete Ranges Use this field to enter range values to instruct Cobra to calculate the performance factor according to the amount of work completed.

You can specify up to four ranges over which a particular forecast method takes effect. You cannot enter values directly in the first four rows of the first column of the Percent Complete Ranges section. Use the second column to enter the percentages. Cobra automatically adjusts the starting percentages in the first column as you enter percentages in the second column.

The value of the last row in the second column always equals 100%. You cannot enter a percentage value directly in this row.

Range Forecast Method Use this field to select the statistical forecast methods that you want to use for the percent complete ranges. The performance factor (PF) level defaults to the PF level used in the forecast class if you select one of the following options in the Range Forecast Method drop-down list:
  • PF=1/CPI Cumulative to date
  • PF=1/CPI for current period
  • PF=1/CPI for last 3 periods
  • PF=1/CPI for last 6 periods
  • PF=User input
  • PF=1/(a*CPI+b*SPI)
  • PF=1/(CPI*SPI)
  • Percent Complete Ranges