Labor Tab of the Projects Form

The Labor tab on the Projects form (in Plan mode) provides a summary of the project plan's labor details and the ability to drill down to the resource level. In the grid, you can add or update resource assignments and the related planned hours and amounts.

Changes that you make to a plan are saved automatically. However, until you publish the plan, you can use the Revert option on the Actions menu to discard all unpublished changes and restore the plan to its most recent published version.

Use the options on the Labor tab on the Plan Settings dialog box to specify labor cost and billing rates and multipliers for the plan. To display that dialog box, click Plan Settings on the Actions menu.

The amounts on this tab display at billing or cost, depending on the option you select in the upper-right corner of the form. Whether both options are available depends on the budget type selected for the project plan. If both Billing and Cost options are available, you can switch between them, and the tab's information will update accordingly.

If your firm uses multiple currencies, the currency in use is indicated next to the Billing or Cost option. The project cost currency is always used when viewing projects and plans at cost. A configuration setting that your system administrator selects determines whether project cost currency or billing currency is used when you view projects and plans at billing.

When you select the Cost option, some information may not display if your security role does not provide access rights to labor cost rates and amounts.

About job-to-date (JTD) date: If the Accounting module or Time & Expense module is activated, the JTD date is the current date. If neither of those modules is activated, the JTD date is normally the date of the latest JTD record in the database, but your system administrator can specify a different JTD date temporarily.

Contents: Above the Grid

Field Description
Show Select Hours or Amounts in this field to control whether hours or amounts display in the calendar columns in the grid.

If the plan date range includes more than 50 calendar periods, based on your selection in Scale, you must use this date range selector to display some of those periods. Click or in the date range selector to load earlier or later sets of calendar periods. (You can also click the earliest or latest date in the date range selector to load a new set of periods.)

For example, if you click in the date range selector, DPS retains the most recent 25 of the currently loaded calendar periods and loads the next 25 later calendar periods so you can scroll them into view as well.

If 50 or fewer calendar periods exist in the plan date range, you can view all of them by scrolling the grid horizontally, so the date range selector does not display on the toolbar.

Contents: Left Grid Section

This section of the grid displays the work breakdown structure (WBS) elements at each level of the WBS for the selected project. For the lowest-level WBS elements, it also displays the resources assigned to that element.

To change the width of the left grid section, position the mouse pointer over the dividing line between the left grid section and the middle grid section, and drag the line.

Field Description
Row status icons One of the following icons may display to the left of a WBS element:
  • : You cannot edit plan information for the row because the plan is checked out to someone else, it is not published, or you do not have the necessary access rights to edit plan information for the WBS element.
  • : You can edit plan information for the row because the plan is checked out to you.

Click the icon to display an explanation.

Level/Resource

This column displays the WBS elements for the selected project and, for each lowest-level WBS element, the currently assigned resources. (Employees with no planned hours but with JTD hours charged to the WBS element are assigned automatically.)

Click and to expand or collapse the work breakdown structure levels.

To add a resource assignment for a WBS element, click the WBS row, and click + in the Level/Resource field in the row to display the Add Resources to Project dialog box. (If displays in this field where + normally does, the WBS element is not active. You cannot add new assignments for an inactive or dormant element or any elements under it in the WBS, but you can edit, delete, reassign, or reschedule existing assignments.)

If an assigned resource is an employee, click the employee name to display information about the employee in the Employee Card dialog box. If the assigned resource is a generic resource, click the resource name to display information about the resource in an info bubble.

By default, only names display for WBS elements, but you have the option to display WBS numbers along with the names. Click next to the upper-right corner of the grid, and select the Show Project Numbers check box on the Column Settings & Selections dialog box.

Show less and Show more

Use these links at the top of the Level/Resource column to hide or show the summary columns you have selected for display in the middle section of the grid. Hiding those columns provides space to display more detail columns.

If the summary columns are visible, click Show less to hide them. The link then changes to Show more. Click that link to display the summary columns again.

You can pin individual columns if you want them to display even when you click Show less. To do that, click next to the upper-right corner of the grid, and select the check box for those columns on the Column Settings & Selections dialog box.

+ To add a resource assignment for a WBS element, click the WBS row, and click + in the Level/Resource field in the row to display the Add Resources to Project dialog box.

If displays in this field where + normally does, the WBS element or resource is not active. You cannot add new assignments for an inactive or dormant element or any elements under it in the WBS, but you can edit, delete, reassign, or reschedule existing assignments.

Contents: Middle Grid Section - Billing View Columns

You can display any of the following columns in the middle section of the grid in Billing view. Click next to the upper-right corner of the grid to select the columns you want.

Note that as you make entries in calendar period columns, columns in this middle section of the grid that contain calculated values based on the calendar period entries, such as planned billing amounts, are not updated immediately. Instead, DPS displays those values with a strikethrough to indicate that they are no longer current. When you move to another grid row or otherwise move off of the current row, all grid cells with out-of-date values are automatically recalculated, and the strikethrough removed.

Field Description
Assignment Start

For a WBS row, this column displays the start date for the earliest resource assignment for the WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the start date for that resource's assignment for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the resource row has no planned hours, a message displays asking if you want to move the assignment end date also to preserve the same number of days between the two dates.

If you change this date and the resource row has planned hours, the Reschedule Labor Assignments dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the assignment is rescheduled.

If you change this date in a way that places any part of the assignment date range outside of the plan date range for the parent WBS row, a message displays asking if you also want to change the plan date range. Click Change Dates to have DPS adjust the plan dates to include the complete assignment date range. It is possible that plan dates at higher levels of the WBS may also be changed so that they include all plan dates below them in the WBS.

Assignment End

For a WBS row, this column displays the end date for the latest resource assignment for the WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the end date for that resource's assignment for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the resource row has planned hours, the Reschedule Labor Assignments dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the assignment is rescheduled.

If you change this date in a way that places any part of the assignment date range outside of the plan date range for the parent WBS row, a message displays asking if you also want to change the plan date range for that row. Click Change Dates to have DPS adjust the plan dates to include the complete assignment date range. It is possible that plan dates at higher levels of the WBS may also be changed so that they include all plan dates below them in the WBS.

Baseline Billing This column displays the sum of the planned labor amounts, at billing, that is saved in the baseline for the selected WBS row. The baseline acts as a snapshot of the plan at a certain point in time. To save a baseline, click Actions and click Save Baseline on the Actions menu.

You can have only one baseline version for any plan. Any changes you make to the existing baseline will overwrite the previous baseline data. After a baseline exists, you can only change the baseline if your role has appropriate access rights.

Baseline Hours This column displays the sum of the planned labor hours that is saved in the baseline for the selected WBS row. The baseline acts as a snapshot of the plan at a certain point in time. To save a baseline, click Actions and click Save Baseline on the Actions menu.

You can have only one baseline version for any plan. Any changes you make to the existing baseline will overwrite the previous baseline data. After a baseline exists, you can only change the baseline if your role has appropriate access rights. See the Planning Toolbar online help topic for more information.

Calculated % Complete This column displays the percent complete for the WBS elements and resources, as of the JTD date: (JTD hours / EAC hours) x 100.
Contract This column displays the labor contract amount, at billing, for the WBS element.
Contract Less EAC Billing

This column displays the variance between the labor contract amount and the estimate-at-completion (EAC) labor amount for the WBS element, at billing, as of the JTD date. Negative amounts display in red.

Calculation: Labor contract amount - EAC labor amount

Contract Less JTD Billing

This column displays the variance between the labor contract amount and the JTD labor amount, at billing, for the WBS element as of the JTD date. Negative amounts display in red.

Calculation: Labor contract amount - JTD labor amount

EAC Billing This column displays the sum of the JTD labor amount and the estimate-to-complete (ETC) labor amount for the WBS element at billing.

Calculation: JTD labor amount as of JTD date + ETC labor amount from day after JTD date forward

ETC Billing This column displays the ETC labor amount, at billing, for the WBS element. This is the planned labor amount required from the day after the JTD date through the end of the plan to complete the project, phase, or task.

Calculation: Planned labor amount at billing from day after JTD date forward

EAC Hours This column displays the EAC hours for the WBS elements and resources: JTD hours as of the JTD date + ETC hours from day after JTD date forward.
ETC Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all ETC hours for the resources assigned to that WBS element. The ETC hours are planned hours for dates in each assignment range that are later than the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays that resource's total ETC hours for the WBS element.

You can enter hours in this field for any WBS element at any level of the structure if that element has resources assigned. When you do, DPS allocates the hours to resources and to future calendar periods for that assignment row. If you enter total ETC hours for a parent WBS element and then expand the WBS structure in the grid to display assignment rows at lower levels, DPS further allocates the hours to each calendar period for each lower-level row, including the resource rows. Likewise, if you change the scale of the calendar period columns (from Weeks to Months, for example), DPS reallocates the hours for the new scale.

If you enter hours in this field for a resource, DPS allocates the hours to the future calendar periods for that resource assignment.

How the hours are allocated to resources and to calendar period grid columns depends on whether or not ETC hours have already been entered in calendar period columns for the affected assignments:
  • If none of the affected resource assignments currently has any ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource and calendar period in proportion to the number of work days remaining for them. (Effectively, the hours are spread equally among all work days for all resources.)
  • If one or more of the affected resource assignments currently has ETC hours, the hours you enter are allocated to each resource and calendar period in proportion to its current number of ETC hours. Resources and calendar periods that currently have no ETC hours receive no allocation.

If the assignment date range for the row includes no more work days that are later than the JTD date, you cannot enter hours in this field.

JTD Billing This column displays the JTD labor amount, at billing, for the WBS element, as of the JTD date.

Calculation: Sum of actual posted and unposted labor charges

JTD Hours <JTD date>

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of the posted and unposted JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element by assigned resources, as of the JTD date. The JTD date displays as part of the column heading.

For a resource row, this column displays the JTD actual hours that resource charged to the WBS element, through the JTD date.

If you use the API or the Historical Labor import to bring in hours charged to projects, JTD hours are automatically updated, just as they are if you enter the time in DPS. Updating JTD hours, in turn, also affects ETC and EAC calculations. If you enter time for a project, or if the import process or API imports a labor transaction for a project, and no assignment exists for the employee for the WBS element to which the labor is charged, a new assignment is created with JTD hours but no planned hours.

Notes Click in this column to enter notes related to the WBS element.

Be aware that a note is attached to the WBS element, not to the plan. If you save the baseline, the current version of the note is not saved as part of the baseline. If you publish the plan, the current version of the note is not part of the published plan. If you revert plan changes, changes you made to a note are not reverted.

The plan notes are also displayed in an info bubble, along with other information for a WBS element, when you click on the WBS element in any of the planning grids in the Projects hub or in Resource Management.

This option is not available for resource rows.

Plan Start

For a WBS row, this column displays the plan start date for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date. When you enter this plan date, the corresponding plan date on the Expenses and Consultants tabs is updated also.

If you change this date and the WBS row has no planned hours, a message displays asking if you want to move the plan end date also to preserve the same number of days between the two dates.

If you change this date and the WBS row has planned hours, the Reschedule Plan Dates dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the plan is rescheduled.

If you select a date that is earlier than the plan start date for any higher-level WBS elements in the same branch, those plan start dates are adjusted accordingly. If you select a date that is later than either the plan start dates for any lower-level WBS elements or any assignment start dates in the same branch, those start dates are adjusted accordingly.

Plan End

For a WBS row, this column displays the plan end date for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date. When you enter this plan date, the corresponding plan date on the Expenses and Consultants tabs is updated also.

If you change this date and the WBS row has planned hours, the Reschedule Plan Dates dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the plan is rescheduled.

If you select a date that is later than the plan end date for any higher-level WBS elements in the same branch, those plan end dates are adjusted accordingly. If you select a date that is earlier than either the plan end dates for any lower-level WBS elements or any assignment end dates in the same branch, those end dates are adjusted accordingly.

Planned Billing

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all amounts, at billing, for planned hours (past and ETC hours) for the resources assigned to that WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the sum of all amounts, at billing, for planned hours (past and ETC hours) for that resource's assignment for the WBS element.

Planned Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all planned hours (past and ETC hours) for the resources assigned to that WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the sum of all planned hours (past and ETC hours) for that resource's assignment for the WBS element.

Planned Less EAC Billing

For a WBS row, this column displays the difference between the total planned labor amount, at billing, for that WBS element and the EAC amount, at billing, for the WBS element as of the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays the difference between the planned labor amount, at billing, for that resource's assignment for the WBS element and the EAC amount, at billing, for that resource's assignment for the WBS element as of the JTD date.

Planned Less EAC Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the difference between the total planned hours for that WBS element and the EAC hours for the WBS element as of the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays the difference between the planned hours for that resource's assignment for the WBS element and the EAC hours for that resource's assignment for the WBS element as of the JTD date.

Planned Less JTD Billing

For a WBS row, this column displays the difference between the total planned labor amount, at billing, for that WBS element and the amount, at billing, for the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element as of the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays the difference between the planned labor amount, at billing, for that resource's assignment for the WBS element and the amount, at billing, of the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element for the resource as of the JTD date.

Planned Less JTD Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the difference between total planned hours for that WBS element less the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element as of the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays the difference between the planned hours for that resource's assignment for the WBS element less the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element for the resource as of the JTD date.

Contents: Middle Grid Section - Cost View Columns

You can display any of the following columns in the middle section of the grid in Cost view. Click next to the upper-right corner of the grid to select the columns you want.

Note that as you make entries in calendar period columns, columns in this middle section of the grid that contain calculated values based on the calendar period entries, such as planned cost amounts, are not updated immediately. Instead, DPS displays those values with a strikethrough to indicate that they are no longer current. When you move to another grid row or otherwise move off of the current row, all grid cells with out-of-date values are automatically recalculated, and the strikethrough removed.

Field Description
Assignment Start

For a WBS row, this column displays the start date for the earliest resource assignment for the WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the start date for that resource's assignment for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the resource row has no planned hours, a message displays asking if you want to move the assignment end date also to preserve the same number of days between the two dates.

If you change this date and the resource row has planned hours, the Reschedule Labor Assignments dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the assignment is rescheduled.

If you change this date in a way that places any part of the assignment date range outside of the plan date range for the parent WBS row, a message displays asking if you also want to change the plan date range. Click Change Dates to have DPS adjust the plan dates to include the complete assignment date range. It is possible that plan dates at higher levels of the WBS may also be changed so that they include all plan dates below them in the WBS.

Assignment End

For a WBS row, this column displays the end date for the latest resource assignment for the WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the end date for that resource's assignment for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date.

If you change this date and the resource row has planned hours, the Reschedule Labor Assignments dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the assignment is rescheduled.

If you change this date in a way that places any part of the assignment date range outside of the plan date range for the parent WBS row, a message displays asking if you also want to change the plan date range for that row. Click Change Dates to have DPS adjust the plan dates to include the complete assignment date range. It is possible that plan dates at higher levels of the WBS may also be changed so that they include all plan dates below them in the WBS.

Baseline Cost This column displays the sum of the planned labor amounts, at cost, that is saved in the baseline for the selected WBS row. The baseline acts as a snapshot of the plan at a certain point in time. To save a baseline, click Actions and click Save Baseline on the Actions menu.

You can have only one baseline version for any plan. Any changes you make to the existing baseline will overwrite the previous baseline data. After a baseline exists, you can only change the baseline if your role has appropriate access rights.

Baseline Hours This column displays the sum of the planned labor hours that is saved in the baseline for the selected WBS row. The baseline acts as a snapshot of the plan at a certain point in time. To save a baseline, click Actions and click Save Baseline on the Actions menu.

You can have only one baseline version for any plan. Any changes you make to the existing baseline will overwrite the previous baseline data. After a baseline exists, you can only change the baseline if your role has appropriate access rights. See the Planning Toolbar online help topic for more information.

Calculated % Complete This column displays the percent complete for the WBS elements and resources: (JTD hours / EAC hours) x 100.
Contract This column displays the labor contract amount, at cost, for the WBS element.
EAC Cost This column displays the sum of the JTD labor amount and the ETC labor amount for the WBS element, at cost.

Calculation: JTD labor amount as of JTD date + ETC labor amount from day after JTD date forward

EAC Hours This column displays the EAC hours for the WBS elements and resources: JTD hours as of JTD date + ETC hours from day after JTD date forward.
EAC Overhead This column displays the EAC overhead amount for the WBS element as of the JTD date: JTD overhead amount + ETC overhead amount.

JTD overhead = Overhead that has been allocated to the WBS element + Estimate of overhead for JTD labor for the WBS element that has not yet been allocated.

ETC overhead = Overhead % for the plan x ETC cost amount for labor for the WBS element.

EAC Profit This column displays the EAC profit amount for the WBS element, which is calculated using cost amounts. Negative amounts display in red.

Calculation: Labor contract amount - JTD labor amount - ETC labor amount - EAC overhead

EAC Overhead = JTD overhead + ETC overhead

JTD overhead = Overhead that has been allocated to the WBS element + Estimate of overhead for JTD labor for the WBS element that has not yet been allocated.

ETC overhead = Overhead % for the plan x ETC cost amount for labor for the WBS element.

EAC Profit % This field displays the EAC profit percentage for the WBS element, which is calculated using cost amounts. Negative percentages display in red.

Calculation: EAC profit amount / Labor contract amount) x 100

ETC Cost This column displays the ETC labor amount, at cost, for the WBS element. This is the planned labor amount required from tomorrow through the end of the plan to complete the project, phase, or task.

Calculation: Planned labor amount, at cost, from tomorrow forward for plans in utilization

ETC Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all ETC hours for the resources assigned to that WBS element. The ETC hours are planned hours for dates in each assignment range that are later than the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays that resource's total ETC hours for the WBS element.

You can enter hours in this field for any WBS element at any level of the structure if that element has resources assigned. When you do, DPS allocates the hours to resources and to future calendar periods for that assignment row. If you enter total ETC hours for a parent WBS element and then expand the WBS structure in the grid to display assignment rows at lower levels, DPS further allocates the hours to each calendar period for each lower-level row, including the resource rows. Likewise, if you change the scale of the calendar period columns (from Weeks to Months, for example), DPS reallocates the hours for the new scale.

If you enter hours in this field for a resource, DPS allocates the hours to the future calendar periods for that resource assignment.

How the hours are allocated to resources and to calendar period grid columns depends on whether or not ETC hours have already been entered in calendar period columns for the affected assignments:
  • If none of the affected resource assignments currently has any ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource and calendar period in proportion to the number of work days remaining for them. (Effectively, the hours are spread equally among all work days for all resources.)
  • If one or more of the affected resource assignments currently has ETC hours, the hours you enter are allocated to each resource and calendar period in proportion to its current number of ETC hours. Resources and calendar periods that currently have no ETC hours receive no allocation.

If the assignment date range for the row includes no more work days that are later than the JTD date, you cannot enter hours in this field.

JTD Cost This column displays the JTD labor amount, at cost, for the WBS element.

Calculation: Actual posted and unposted labor charges as of the JTD date

JTD Hours <JTD date>

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of the posted and unposted JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element by assigned resources, as of the JTD date. The JTD date displays as part of the column heading.

For a resource row, this column displays the JTD actual hours that resource charged to the WBS element, as of the JTD date.

If you use the API or the Historical Labor import to bring in hours charged to projects, JTD hours are automatically updated, just as they are if you enter the time in DPS. Updating JTD hours, in turn, also affects ETC and EAC calculations. If you enter time for a project or the import process or API imports a labor transaction for a project, and no assignment exists for the employee for the WBS element to which the labor is charged, a new assignment is created with JTD hours but no planned hours.

Labor EAC Cost Multiplier This field displays the labor EAC multiplier for the WBS element. It is calculated using cost amounts and represents the cost value of hours worked as of the JTD date and the remaining planned hours.

Calculation: Labor contract amount / EAC labor amount

Your security role's access rights to labor cost rates and amounts determines whether or not labor EAC multipliers display.

Notes Click in this column to enter notes related to the WBS element.

Be aware that a note is attached to the WBS element, not to the plan. If you save the baseline, the current version of the note is not saved as part of the baseline. If you publish the plan, the current version of the note is not part of the published plan. If you revert plan changes, changes you made to a note are not reverted.

The plan notes are also displayed in an info bubble, along with other information for a WBS element, when you click on the WBS element in any of the planning grids in the Projects hub or in Resource Management.

This option is not available for resource rows.

Plan Start

For a WBS row, this column displays the plan start date for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date. When you enter this plan date, the corresponding plan date on the Expenses and Consultants tabs is updated also.

If you change this date and the WBS row has no planned hours, a message displays asking if you want to move the plan end date also to preserve the same number of days between the two dates.

If you change this date and the WBS row has planned hours, the Reschedule Plan Dates dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the plan is rescheduled.

If you select a date that is earlier than the plan start date for any higher-level WBS elements in the same branch, those plan start dates are adjusted accordingly. If you select a date that is later than either the plan start dates for any lower-level WBS elements or any assignment start dates in the same branch, those start dates are adjusted accordingly.

Plan End

For a WBS row, this column displays the plan end date for the WBS element. You can enter or select the date. When you enter this plan date, the corresponding plan date on the Expenses and Consultants tabs is updated also.

If you change this date and the WBS row has planned hours, the Reschedule Plan Dates dialog box displays so you can specify how you want the hours distributed when the plan is rescheduled.

If you select a date that is later than the plan end date for any higher-level WBS elements in the same branch, those plan end dates are adjusted accordingly. If you select a date that is earlier than either the plan end dates for any lower-level WBS elements or any assignment end dates in the same branch, those end dates are adjusted accordingly.

Planned Cost

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all amounts, at cost, for planned hours (past and ETC hours) for the resources assigned to that WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the sum of all amounts, at cost, for planned hours (past and ETC hours) for that resource's assignment for the WBS element.

Planned Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the sum of all planned hours (past and ETC hours) for the resources assigned to that WBS element.

For a resource row, this column displays the sum of all planned hours (past and ETC hours) for that resource's assignment for the WBS element.

Planned Less JTD Cost

For a WBS row, this column displays the total planned amount, at cost, for that WBS element less the amount, at cost, of the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element as of the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays the planned amount, at cost, for that resource's assignment for the WBS element less the amount, at cost, of the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element for the resource as of the JTD date.

Planned Less JTD Hours

For a WBS row, this column displays the total planned hours for that WBS element less the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element through the JTD date.

For a resource row, this column displays the planned hours for that resource's assignment for the WBS element less the JTD actual hours charged to the WBS element for the resource as of the JTD date.

Contents: Right Grid Section

This grid section displays planned hours or amounts by calendar period for the selected project.

Field Description
Calendar period columns

Use the calendar period columns in the right grid section to view or enter planned hours for a resource or a WBS element by day, week, or month. You can also use the Hours/Amounts option above the grid to view either planned amounts or planned hours. When you view amounts, those amounts are either billing amounts or cost amounts, depending on your selection in Billing/Cost.

Your selection in Scale determines whether each calendar period column represents a day, week, or month. The number of calendar period columns depends on the scale you select and on the plan start and end dates. You may need to scroll horizontally to view later periods.

You can enter hours in a calendar period column for any WBS element at any level of the tree structure if that WBS element has resources assigned and if the calendar period includes at least one work day for those resources that is later than the current date. When you do, DPS allocates the hours to the assigned resources and to their individual work days. How the hours are allocated to resources depends on whether or not ETC hours already exist for the calendar period for the affected assignments:
  • If none of the affected resource assignments currently has any ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource in proportion to the number of work days remaining for them in the calendar period. (Effectively, the hours are spread equally among all remaining work days in the calendar period for all resources.)
  • If one or more of the affected resource assignments currently has ETC hours, the hours are allocated to each resource and to each work day in proportion to its current number of ETC hours in the calendar period. Resources that currently have no ETC hours in the calendar period receive no allocation.
If you enter hours in a calendar period column for a resource row, DPS allocates the hours to the work days in the calendar period that are later than the current date:
  • If the resource currently has no ETC hours for the calendar period, the hours are spread equally among all of the work days in the calendar period.
  • If the resource currently has ETC hours for the calendar period, the hours are allocated to work days in proportion to each day's current ETC hours.

On resource rows only, you can enter hours for calendar periods that are outside of the resource's current assignment date range, In that case, DPS adjusts the assignment dates to include that calendar period. You can also enter hours for a calendar period that includes no working days. If that calendar period currently has hours for the resource assignment, the hours that you enter are allocated to days in proportion to each day's current hours. If the calendar period has no hours for the resource assignment, the hours that you enter are allocated equally to each day in the calendar period.

If a calendar period date range includes some dates that are on or before the current date and some dates that are after the current date, you can enter planned hours for that calendar period. To do that, click in that calendar period field to display a drop-down dialog box that shows both the hours for past days in the period and the current ETC hours. You can enter or change the ETC hours. The grid cell then displays the updated sum of the past hours and ETC hours.

As you make entries in calendar period columns, columns in the middle section of the grid that contain calculated values based on the calendar period entries, such as planned cost and billing amounts, are not updated immediately. Instead, DPS displays those values with a strikethrough to indicate that they are no longer current. When you move to another grid row or otherwise move off of the current row, all grid cells with out-of-date values are automatically recalculated, and the strikethrough removed.

Note that when DPS updates all values after you have entered changes to some calendar periods and moved off of the row, you may see minor changes in the hours for other calendar periods that you did not edit. This occurs when the scale at which you make your changes is smaller than the scale at which the hours were previously saved (for example, if they were previously saved in monthly periods, and you change the hours for a weekly period). That, in turn, can change the number of hours to be spread and/or the number of periods over which they are spread, resulting in small differences for individual calendar periods.

To display the Labor Summary chart and the Labor Timeline chart for a WBS element, hover over or click the WBS row, and click this icon at the end of the row.

The charts display in the Labor Charts dialog box.

This icon displays at the end of the row when you click or hover over a grid row. Click the icon to select one of these actions for that row:
  • Reschedule: Use the Reschedule dialog box to change one or both assignment dates for a resource row with planned hours, or to change one or both plan dates for a WBS row with planned hours. In either case, you also indicate how to distribute the planned hours within the new schedule.
  • Reassign: Use the Reassign dialog box to reassign the all or part of the planned hours for a resource row to another resource. This option is only available for resource rows with planned hours.
  • Delete: Delete a single resource assignment.

    If the assignment has JTD hours or has been saved as part of the baseline plan, you cannot delete the assignment. In those cases, however, you can still use this option to delete all planned hours for the assignment.

Click this icon above the upper-right corner of the grid to display the Column Settings & Selections dialog box and do any of the following:
  • Indicate how to sort resource rows in the grid
  • Display WBS numbers along with names in the grid
  • Select the summary columns that display in the middle section of the grid