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Resource Components

Resources are made up of several distinct components.

Resource Hierarchy

When creating a resource file, you typically define a hierarchical structure of resources for roll-up reporting purposes, and to aid in selecting the resource when adding an assignment to a work package. The most common resource roll-up is to have the elements of cost at the top level: Labor, Material, and Other Direct Costs (ODC). However, there is no limit to how you structure your resource hierarchy. By using different levels or the codes on the codes, you can also roll up the resource information by subcontractor, division, and more.

This type of roll-up is useful when analyzing cost variances to determine the cause of the variance. For example, if your organization is divided into functional groups, you should build your resource hierarchy to group the resources into functional groups. You will then be able to produce reports at a level of the resource hierarchy and analyze the rate or efficiency variances of the different functional groups.

You can use this resource structure to roll up resource codes at the name level in the schedule to a skill level using standard rates in Cobra when loading data from the schedule. This is done by creating the resource structure down to the name level used in the schedule, then defining the calculations at the skill level in the resource file in Cobra.

Codes on the Resource Hierarchy

Similar to supporting codes on codes, Cobra supports codes on the resource codes. The first code is a dedicated code to store the Element of Cost. The Elements of Cost are: Labor, Material, Other Direct Costs, and Subcontractor. The Element of Cost are used for Earned Value Analysis System (EVAS) which is passed using the Cost Data Export.

You can also have 9 other codes on the resource codes allow you to enter and report on other information such as location and vendor name.

Notes

The notes on the resources allow you to enter text information associated with documenting the resource codes. Examples could be the specifications of a material item or more detail associated with the standard rate calculation associated with the resource.

First Result

The first result is the base unit for the resource calculation. For example, the Engineer resource might have a first result of hours. The first result can be anything (for example, hours, dollars, linear feet, or tons.)

If you are integrating Cobra with a resource-loaded schedule, the first result uses the same units as the resources in the schedule (typically hours).

Rate Files

The rate file contains the group of rates used in calculating derived costs. Cobra allows multiple rate files within a project by allowing you to assign a different rate file for each cost class. This allows you to have a completely different set of rates for budgets and forecasts, for example.

Rate Sets

Rate sets supply Cobra with the rates to generate derived costs. For example, 20 labor hours (first result) times $25/hr (labor rate) equals a derived cost of $500.

Rates may have rate escalation. In other words, the rate may vary over time. Thus, the group of rates and their dates are called a Rate Set.

Calculations

At any level of the resource structure, you define how each derived cost is calculated for that resource and what rate set is to be used. This information for the resource is entered on the calculation tab. When viewing the resource structure, codes that have a calculation defined have an icon of a person next to the code.

Derived Results

The first result is a special result because the total value is stored on the assignment record, allowing that result to be respread. Derived results are calculated using the rate and a source result. Common derived results are overhead and General and Administrative (G&A) costs.

Some industries call derived costs burden costs. However, this term typically only pertains to overhead, G&A, and cost of money. Cobra allows a flexible definition of derived results to allow you to calculate other items such as Full Time Equivalents (FTE), the cost in foreign currencies based on exchange rates, and much more.

Because each resource can have many derived costs, you can exactly model the business of your company and calculate a variety of results.