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Options for Importing from Microsoft Project

Before you import data from Microsoft Project, you must make some decisions and perform some set-up steps that control how data is imported.

Identifying the Link

Before importing data into Cobra, you must define how you want to link activities to control accounts and work packages in Cobra. You usually use the WBS 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.

You can assign the following to the activities in the project that correspond to the various Cobra items such as control accounts, work packages, and milestones:

  • WBS
  • Activity ID
  • Text fields
  • Outline controls

Avoid using the Activity ID in Microsoft Project because Activity IDs automatically renumber when you insert an activity. You can copy the WBS number to a text field before importing data into Cobra; if you reorder the activities in Microsoft Project or indent an activity, the WBS number is automatically changed by Microsoft Project. If you use a text field to link with Cobra, you do not have to worry about Microsoft Project automatically changing the link values.

You can also use text fields to identify the progress technique and the class. You can use number fields to identify the milestone weight. You can also import the task work, cost, or BAC values as milestone weights.

Outline controls in Microsoft Project only store the lowest level data. If you are importing into a Cobra project that has a validating code file that is punctuated significant, Cobra determines the parent information and enters the entire code. If you are creating the code file or importing into a field that is not validated using a code file, Cobra imports only the local portion or lowest level found in the Outline code.

Resources and Rates

Cobra imports only the standard rate for the default cost rate table. If the rate for the resource is greater than one and a calculation template is not used, Cobra creates resources with the result of HOURS and DIRECT, for which 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.

Using Template for Resource Calculations

If you choose 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 use this option, you can select a resource file in Cobra that is used to define how resources 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, create a resource called WORK, MATERIAL, or any value that you enter as the material label. Cobra creates the calculations for these resource types using the same calculation as in the template file.

Resource-loaded Schedule

When Cobra links with a resource-loaded schedule, it uses the resource assignment (work field) from the schedule as the value for the base. For material and cost resources, Cobra uses the cost field from the schedule as the base.

In Microsoft Project, you can save time-phased data in the database. If you save time-phased data, Cobra retrieves the data from the database and spreads it into the calendar periods.

Cobra retrieves the data from the database and spreads it using the dates and values in Microsoft Project. If your Cobra calendar is not month end, there is a difference in the spread because Cobra has to spread the values into fiscal periods. If you have a month end calendar in Cobra, there can be a slight variation in the spread because Microsoft Project does not always store the records using a month end date. Regardless of the calendar, the total work is always the same in Cobra after importing, but the exact monthly spread can vary a little.

Microsoft Project Fields Imported

The following Microsoft Project fields are imported:

  • Schedule Dates: The Start and Finish dates are retrieved.
  • Baseline Dates: The baseline Start and Finish dates are used.