Use this screen to establish the Cobra Database connection, to define output file paths, to select a project mapping method, and to enter default templates. You can also view the last fiscal year, period, and subperiod for when the Compute Cobra Burden Costs process was last executed.
The Cobra database connection information is used for Lookup when initializing the Cobra Program Mapping, the Maintain Cobra Charge Templates, the Maintain Cobra Budget Element Templates, the Maintain Cobra Cost Templates, and the Cobra Extraction Parameters screens. The data available in Lookup simplifies the mapping of Cobra Programs and other cost elements to Costpoint projects and cost elements. The information in the Cobra Database Connection group box in this screen allows this transfer of information to occur. However, it is optional and is not required if the Cobra database is not available. Once you have mapped projects and cost elements, you can extract actual costs from the Costpoint system to the Cobra database where it can be used in Earned Value Management (EVM) analysis. The output file paths entered in this screen are used during the extraction process.
You must set up the Cobra Database Connection information in this screen before you will have access to the data in the Cobra database, which is used to map Costpoint projects and other cost elements to Cobra Programs and cost elements.
You must establish the output file paths and select a project mapping method before you can schedule the extraction from Costpoint to Cobra. You can schedule the extraction of data from the Costpoint database in the Interface Configuration and Scheduler screen in the Product Interfaces menu.
You can enter information in the fields in the Default Templates group box only after the templates have been set up in the Maintain Cobra Charge Templates, the Maintain Cobra Budget Element Templates, and the Maintain Cobra Cost Templates screens.
Use the fields in this group box to establish connection parameters for the interface. The data in this group box is used to obtain data from the Cobra database for use in the mapping of Costpoint to Cobra Programs and for use in populating the Lookup tables used in this process.
Use this drop-down list to select the Database Management System (DBMS) Type for the Cobra system. The valid options are Oracle and SQL Server.
User this field to enter the name of the SQL server that holds the Cobra database. Use this field only when the DBMS Type is SQL Server.
Use this field to enter the name of the database.
Use this field to enter a valid user ID for the Cobra database. You must obtain this information from the Cobra System Administrator to connect to the Cobra database to retrieve information for Lookups and project structure.
Use this field to enter a valid password for the Cobra database. You must obtain this information from the Cobra System Administrator to connect to the Cobra database to retrieve information for Lookups and project structure. The password will be masked.
Use this field to enter the Cobra executable path. Use the Select button to locate the path for Cobra.exe.
Use this button to test the Cobra connection. This process will test the values entered in the User ID and Password fields to ensure that they are valid for the database and that the database is a Cobra database. When you select this button, a message automatically displays indicating whether or not the connection information is valid.
Use the fields in this group box to establish a path for the output files that are created during the extraction and upload process.
Use this field to enter a location where you want to store the batch file. A batch file is created during the extraction process and is placed in the location that you enter in this field. Use the Select button to help identify the path where you want to store the batch file. Cobra uses the batch file to identify the processes to be run in batch. The integration process uses a batch process to load the actual costs from Costpoint into Cobra.
Use this field to enter the location of the export file. This is the file where all of the information Costpoint sends to Cobra will be stored. Use the Select button to help identify the path where you want to store the export data. The batch file and export file can be stored in the same folder.
Use this field to enter the location where you want to store the error log generated by Cobra during the import process. Once generated, you can print the log from this location. The error log contains information that describes the errors generated during the Cobra Import Actuals process. Use the Select button to help identify the path where you want to store the error log.
Use the fields in this group box to select the method you want to use for mapping Costpoint projects to Cobra Programs.
Select this option if the top-level Costpoint project and the Cobra Program name are the same. You must be sure that the top-level of the Costpoint project does not exceed the eight character maximum length of the Cobra Program. An error message displays if the value in the Length field in the Project Segment Lengths group box of the Project Settings screen exceeds eight. This option is recommended as a best business practice.
You can use the mapping tables in the Cobra Program Mapping screen to enter any exception projects.
Select this option if the Costpoint project numbers and the Cobra Program numbers are not the same.
You must be sure to map all Costpoint projects that have been set up as Cobra Programs. You can set up a project as a Cobra Program by selecting the Cobra Program check box in the Maintain Project Master screen. An error message displays during the export process if a Cobra Program cannot be found for a Costpoint project that has been set up as a Cobra Program. Use the Cobra Program Mapping screen to map Costpoint to Cobra Programs.
Use the fields in this group box to select the default charge template, BE template, and cost templates that are most commonly used during the export process.
You can set up multiple templates for each template type, but you should select the one that is used for the export process most often. The templates selected here will automatically display in the Cobra Extraction Parameters screen but can be changed in that screen if necessary.
Use this field to enter, or use 
to select a charge template
to use as a default in the Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You
can change this default in the Cobra Extraction Parameter screen before
you save the parameter if necessary. You must set up a charge template
in the Maintain Cobra Charge Templates screen before you can select it
as a default in this screen.
A charge template contains mappings that link Costpoint elements to Cobra key fields or codes. For example, the Costpoint project ID may map to the first cost account key field in Cobra or a code on the cost account. You may also use a combination of elements to uniquely identify the mapping such as the Costpoint project ID plus the organization maps to the Cobra cost account key field 1 and 2, where these fields represent the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) for your Cobra Program. Costpoint project IDs may also map to codes on the Cobra cost account or work package as long as these codes uniquely identify the cost account. If you store actual costs at the work package level in Cobra, the Costpoint project ID may map to either the Cobra work package or to a code on the work package.
Use this field to enter, or use to select a BE (Budget
Element) template to be used as a default in the Cobra Extraction Parameters
screen. You can change this default in the Cobra Extraction Parameters
screen before you save the parameter if necessary. You must set up
a BE template in the Maintain Cobra Budget Element Templates screen before
you can select it as a default in this screen.
A budget element template contains mappings that link Costpoint General Labor Categories (GLC) or Project Labor Categories (PLC) and accounts to Cobra budget elements. Best business practice is to link GLCs to Cobra budget elements in a one to one link, and many accounts to one Cobra budget element.
Use this field to enter, or use to select a cost template
to be used as a default in the Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You
can change this default in the Cobra Extraction Parameters screen before
you save the parameter if necessary. You must set up a cost template
in the Maintain Cobra Cost Templates screen before you can select it as
a default in this screen.
A cost template contains mappings that link Costpoint's direct and indirect costs to Cobra results in the budget element calculation. Best business practice is to link the multiple overhead accounts into a single result called overhead.
Use this group box to view the last fiscal year, period, and subperiod for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost was last run. When you enter this screen for the first time, the fields in this group box will be blank. They will be populated when you execute the Compute Cobra Burden Cost process for the first time. These fields are for reference only and are used during the export process to determine for which fiscal year, period, and subperiod data should be retrieved.
This non-editable field displays the fiscal year for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost was last executed. This field will be referenced during the export process to determine for which fiscal year data should be retrieved.
This non-editable field displays the period for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost was last executed. This field will be referenced during the export process to determine for which period data should be retrieved.
This non-editable field displays the subperiod for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost was last executed. This field will be referenced during the export process to determine for which subperiod data should be retrieved.
Changes to this screen update the CB_SETTINGS (Cobra Settings) table.