Planning Troubleshooting

If you encounter a problem using the Planning application, you may find it helpful to review frequently asked questions.

Accordion Calendar

Why is there only one time frame displaying on the accordion calendar grid?

The Configuration settings may be incorrect. Set up additional time frames on the Accordion Calendar. Go to Options > Accordion Calendar Format. Click Copy to open a new row on the grid, adjust the settings in the new row, and click Save. The settings for dates and scales will not vary from one tab to another.

Why are amounts displaying in the Overflow column?

A date on the accordion calendar grid goes past the designated end date. Whenever an action pushes a row's end date past the designated end of the calendar, the amounts in those periods are moved to the Overflow period. Reconfigure the calendar to allow enough periods to handle the overflow.

Why can't I compare actuals to planned numbers?

The date ranges for periods do not match the plan. Go to Configuration > Planning > Accounting Calendar to set up the Accounting Calendar with enough periods to cover your organization's planning requirements. Date ranges for periods and plans should match your organization's true accounting periods.

Why aren't my Accounting Calendar labels displaying correctly?

The Top Scale selection is Accounting Period, and the Accounting Calendar does not contain enough entries to cover the Planning Periods. Go to Configuration > Planning > Accounting Calendar and select a different option for the Top Scale. Or, go to Configuration > Planning > Accounting Calendar and set up the Accounting Calendar with enough periods to cover your organization’s planning requirements. Date ranges for periods and plans should match your organization’s true accounting periods.

My plans have different accordion calendar settings. How can I have consistent settings throughout all plans?

Either change all plan settings manually, or have Deltek create a custom script to change the settings.

Actuals

Even though a plan has no assigned employees, actuals still display. Are the actuals associated with the employees?

Yes, regardless of the timeframe, once an employee is inserted, he or she is associated with the actual time. You must refresh the plan to see the actuals if they fall within the accordion calendar of that plan.

How do I know when actuals are unmatched?

Any unmatched actuals cause the task row description to display in red text.

How do I know when actuals are not posted?

If the Show unposted actual labor or Show committed PO expenses option on the General tab is checked, then any unposted actuals on this grid (and summary values that are in part unposted) display with a text color of dark cyan.

Why aren't the actual labor hours/cost displaying or being updated in a mapped project plan?

Either the Plan Retrieval Mode is not set correctly, or the ETC/JTD date selected is not correct.

Make sure that in Options Plan Retrieval Mode, the Retrieve All Data option is selected. Also, make sure in Options ETC/JTD Basis, to change the date setting as needed so that it is later than the date of the actual hours posted.

Alerts

Why is the EAC Exceeds Baseline alert not firing correctly?

If the EAC Exceeds Baseline alert is selected in Configuration, General, System Alerts, but is not working as expected, check the Default WBS Mapping options. In Project Planning, open the plan and select Options Default WBS Mapping from the toolbar menu. Next to the appropriate WBS level, select the Match JTD option. Click OK to save your changes and return to the plan.

Committed Expenses

Why aren't committed expenses displaying in the plan even though the Show Committed PO Expenses option is selected?

The Enable Expense Planning option is not selected in Planning Configuration. Go to Configuration Planning Plan Settings General tab and select Enable Expense Planning.

Compensation

Are the Compensation fields on the Top Down and Analysis tabs in Project Planning dependent on the Compensation field on the Accounting tab of the Project Info Center?

The relationship between the plan and the project record is based on the settings on the Configuration Planning Plan Settings General tab. If you select the Synchronize fees from Plan to Project option, the compensation values for properly mapped rows update the coordinating project levels when you save the plan.

The fee entered on the Top Down Planning tab populates the Analysis tab, but not the Labor or Summary tabs. Upon saving, if the synchronize option is selected, the compensation values on the Labor tab are used to update the plan record. You can also synchronize the fields in the plan by going to Actions Refresh Analysis Compensation. This updates the Analysis tab with the Labor tab’s data.

When the Synchronize fees from Plan to Project option is not selected, the Project Info Center information is not updated.

Cost Rates and Amounts

Why aren't the cost rates and/or amounts displaying?

The Security settings are not set correctly. To check this go to Configuration Security Roles Accounting. Select the desired access right for the Labor Cost Rates/Amounts option.

You must also check that the selected rate table has effective dates entered. To do this, check the Configuration Planning Rates tab to see if the Effective Dates option is selected. If it is, check the rate table. If the employee being used in the plan is referenced in that rate table with an effective rate, then the cost rate will not display in the plan. Because there can be multiple rates used to calculate the plan cost or plan bill, displaying one specific rate would be misleading. Instead, Vision does not display a rate.

Create New Plan

The Compensation Fee, Consultant Fee, and Reimbursable Allowance fields are not being copied from the Project level to the corresponding Task level. Why?

The Compensation Values by Row and Period option is not selected in Planning Configuration. Go to Configuration Planning Plan Settings and select Compensation Values by Row and Period.

Dates

Why can't I change the start date on the Labor tab to match the start date on the General tab?

The start date set on the Accordion Calendar is set later than the date to which you are attempting to change. Go to Options Accordion Calendar Format and change the start date so it is the same as or prior to the start date selected on the General tab.

When creating a plan from a project, the start and end dates do not save. Why?

The Accounting Calendar does not contain data for the selected period. Go to Configuration Planning Accounting Calendar and set up the time frame to cover all possible ranges.

Vision changed all start dates throughout the plan. Why?

The option to Collapse Start/End Dates is turned on. Go to Options Collapse Start/End Dates before saving the plan, and make sure that it is not checked.

Estimate at Completion Values

Is there a way to pull out Estimate at Completion values for a particular plan (for example, is there a central lo cation where Estimate at Completion values for plans are stored)?

No. Estimate at Completion is calculated on a plan-by-plan basis when the plan/report is opened. This value is not stored in the database.

Estimate to Completion and Job to Date Numbers

Why aren't the Estimate to Completion and Job to Date numbers displaying in the plan?

The ETC/JTD option is not selected or the date entered does not span the proper range to encompass actuals that have been posted.

Go to Options ETC and JTD Date Basis on the toolbar. Select the correct date options on the Estimate to Completion and Job to Date basis form.

Expenses and Purchase Orders

Can costs derived from both Expenses and Purchase Orders be accounted for in a project plan and in the Estimate at Completion values?

The submitted and final PO will show as spent in the Planning Module when you select the Show Committed PO Expenses option on the General tab in Project Planning. After you reload the plan, the Job to Date Actuals display in a different color to represent the committed expenses.

Note that the proper expense accounts must be entered as resources for committed expenses to display.

Generic Resources

Why won't generic resources copy into the plan?

The Copy Generic Resources into the Plan option on the Create New Plan dialog box is not selected. Select this option to maintain mapping between the plan elements and a generic resource record. When you select this option, you must also select a category table on the Rates tab of Project Planning to set up the mapping for the generic resource.

(The generic resources available in Planning are taken from the labor category billing rate tables or the labor code billing rate tables specified in the Billing application. This option is available only if at least one billing rate table record is marked Available for Planning. See Labor Category Tables Overview or Labor Code Tables Overview in the Billing help for related information.)

Why don't generic resources have cost rates when the Rate method is set from the Employee Provisional rate?

Either the Generic table is not populated on the Rates tab, or the generic resources are not properly referenced in the selected Generic table. Also, the Billing Labor Category Table may not be set up to include Cost Rates. You must set up a Billing Labor Category Table or a Billing Labor Code Rate Table. Make sure that the proper resources are referenced in that table, and then select that table of the Rates tab in the appropriate Generic Table field. Refresh the rates on the Rates tab so that Vision pulls the cost rate into the plan.

Import/Export

Can I create multiple plans in Vision when importing a Microsoft Project file containing multiple projects?

No, you must divide the Microsoft Project into several files. One Microsoft Project file will create one plan. However, you can have one Vision Plan and map it to multiple projects.

Is it possible to import Project Planning data to User Defined Planning fields in Data Import?

Yes, User Defined Planning fields can auto-populate when created from an Opportunity or Project Info Center record if the proper mapping setup exists in User Defined Setup.

Why can't I find the exported Vision file?

The Copy Generic Resources into the Plan option on the Create New Plan dialog box is not selected. Select this option to maintain mapping between the plan elements and a generic resource record.

When you select this option, you must also select a category table on the Rates tab of Project Planning to set up the mapping for the generic resource. (The generic resources available in Planning are taken from the labor category billing rate tables or the labor code billing rate tables specified in the Billing application. This option is available only if at least one billing rate table record is marked Available for Planning. See Labor Category Tables Overview or Labor Code Tables Overview in the Billing help for related information.)

Why is Vision displaying an error message when I attempt to import data?

The prerequisites for import/export were not completed. Complete the following steps:

• Install and run Microsoft Project on your workstation. Refer to your Microsoft Project documentation for details.

• Configure the Internet Explorer Security options.

Vision displays an error message when attempting to export to Microsoft Project.

More than one resource is assigned to a task. Even though Vision allows the same Resource to be assigned to a task multiple times, each with a different rate, Microsoft Project only allows a resource (employee or unit) to be assigned to a task once. Change task assignments so that each resource is only assigned once.

Why do I receive an error message when I save an imported plan?

The task description contains double quotes. Remove the double quotes and attempt to save again.

Plan Mapping

When I created a project from a plan in the Project Info Center, no project was created.

The plan’s Project, Phase, and/or Task ID are not mapped. In the plan, go into the Project field in the planning grid, and enter a project number. Vision prompts you to Create Mapping for this plan. Select Yes. You must make a corresponding entry for the WBS element in the Project, Phase, Task, or Labor Code field, as appropriate. Remember that every WBS element must contain an identifier or the plan will not map correctly to the project. And, when mapping to an existing project, you must enter an identifier that matches the identifier of the existing project record.

Also, in order to have the Phases and Tasks (WBS levels 2 and 3, respectively) created at the same time as the project, they must be entered into the plan, and you must click the Row Indentation icon to be able to set them to the proper WBS level and enter the appropriate ID.

Why can't I change the actual hours and/or amounts on a plan?

The plan is mapped to a project that has been posted. You cannot change actual hours within Planning; the hours pull directly from the postings for the mapped project. If the mapped project is not the desired project, you can delete the project to remove the mapping. After the plan is refreshed, the actual hours and/or amounts are removed. At this point, you can either create a mapping for a new project or map a different project that already exists.

When I created a new plan from a project, there were tabs, fields, grids, and or mappings that I couldn't enter. Why?

Vision carries over user-defined information from projects into new plans. You must "unmap" the plan you are creating. Go to the Labor tab and delete the project number from the Project field before proceeding. This will remove the associated actual hours, but any other fields must be manually changed. To prevent user defined fields from auto populating in the future, go to Configuration GeneralUser Defined Setup and review the options on the Mapping tab.

Planned Revenue

Why aren't revenue amounts from a plan showing on the Labor Resource Forecast report for a project?

The date range for the report does not span the entire range of the plan. Planned revenue amounts and revenue amounts on the Labor Forecast report are not required to match. The revenue on the Labor Forecast report looks forward to the end of the job from the Start Date, and projects in the future based on the total time frame. The planned revenue numbers are for the entire plan.

Planning and Summary Grids and Accordion Calendar

Phases, Tasks, or Labor Codes are not available on the Planning grid. Why?

The phase, task, and/or labor code are set to zero in Vision Configuration. Go to Configuration General System Settings Numbering and change the phase, task, and/or labor code settings so they are not zero. This enables the Options Default WBS Mapping dialog box in Planning. Use this dialog box to create the WBS structure.

Why are the wrong columns displaying on the Planning or Summary grids?

Perhaps incorrect column options were selected. Check the following:

• Go to Configuration Planning Planning grids or Configuration Planning Summary grids. Select the appropriate tab and grid columns that you wish to display on the tab.

• In Planning, go to Options Configure Planning Grids or Configure Summary Grids. Options on these tabs only display if the corresponding options are selected in Configuration Planning.

Why are the wrong columns displaying on the Accordion Calendar?

Perhaps incorrect grid options were selected. Go to Configuration Planning Accordion Calendar. Select one, two, or three rows from the corresponding tab on the Planning Grid Configuration dialog box. To change the default time frames, see Configure an Accordion Calendar Grid.

Why are the wrong columns displaying on the Planning Grid Configuration dialog?

The Configuration settings are incorrect. Go to Configuration Planning Planning Grids and select the necessary options. For example, select Enable Unit Planning to enable the units feature in Project Planning.

Rates

Why aren't the Planned Billing rates displaying?

There are two possible reasons:

• The Configuration settings may be incorrect. The System Administrator must select the Enable reporting at billing rates option on the Configuration Accounting System Settings General tab to turn on billing rates.

• Your system is set to use effective dates and the start date on the accordion calendar is not within the calendar range. If this is the case, change the start date so that it is within the accordion calendar range. When using effective dates, no rate from a rate table will display because there could be multiple rates.

Why aren't the Provisional rates displaying?

Provisional rates are not entered in the Employee Info Center. Go to each employee’s record in the Employee Info Center and, on the Accounting tab, enter data in the Provisional Rates for Resource Planning field.

Why can't I enter the Planned Billing amount on the Expenses tab?

The Calculate Expense Billing Amounts option is selected on the Rates tab of Project Planning. This option is visible when Project Planning is configured as follows:

• The Enable Expense Planning option is selected on Configuration Planning General tab.

• Security configuration settings are established on the Planning tab of Role Security.

Select Calculate Expense Billing Amounts to automatically calculate amounts for billing expenses. When selected, you may also enter a multiplier and select the rate method and rate table.

If you do not select this option, you must manually enter billing expenses. This enables you to spread billing amounts separately from cost amounts.

Why can't I view a plan that has a cost rate method based on employee provisional rates?

Your System Administrator must assign Full Access to Labor Cost Rates/Amount to your security role.

When the planning grids on the Labor tab of Project Planning are configured to show the Billing Rate column, some of the billing rates for planned hours are calculating for some line items and not for others. Why?

When Effective Dates are enabled, an employee can have more than one billing rate, depending on timing. Vision does not know which rate to use, so the field is left blank. The total hours and the total cost/billing amounts will reflect the correct amount entered. Switch the rate table that is referenced in the plan to a rate table that does not have effective dates entered.

Retrieving Plans

Why, when retrieving plans, does Vision only display planned data?

The Plan Retrieval Mode is set to the default Retrieve Only Planned Data. Go to Options Plan Retrieval Mode and select one of the following:

• Retrieve All Data: Retrieves all plan and actual data. This is the default setting.

• Retrieve Plan-Level Job to Date, Estimate to Completion, Baseline, and Planned Data: Displays only Job to Date, Estimate to Completion, baseline, and planned data at the Plan level for the Summary grid. This data is found on the Labor, Expenses, Consultants, and/or Units grids.

• Retrieve Only Plan Data: The Job to Date, Estimate to Completion, Estimate at Completion, and/or Baseline data are not retrieved or displayed anywhere in the plan.

When a user creates a new plan by copying an existing plan, Vision not display the plan? Why?

The user's security access is set to see only final totals for costs. Without access to all cost rates, the user cannot see the plan with costs from Employee Provisional rates. Give the user full access to cost rates.

Revenue Generation

When running Revenue Generation for a project that has a revenue method of Compensation * Planned labor pct complete@cost, Vision does not generate an entry. However, the labor percent complete is calculated correctly in the Project Plan record and compensation is specified in the project record. What is wrong?

The project plan record does not have Include in Utilization and Project Reports selected. Go to Planning General tab, search for the plan record, then select the Include in Utilization and Project Reports option.

Search and Replace

How do I clear out a planning field using the search and replace feature in Advanced Utilities?

Set the Update Method to SQL Expression and enter Null as the value.

Text Color

Why is data displaying in red?

• Resource Utilization: If any resource is assigned to work more hours then he or she is supposed to be working (utilization is more than 100%), the number of hours display in red. If hours display in blue, utilization is 100% or less.

• If an employee charges to a project but the employee is not in the plan, the task row in that plan displays in red.

• If the posted actual data in the Labor Ledger table has more phases, tasks, and/or labor codes than in the plan, the task row in the plan (for example, a summary row that has mismatched detail rows) displays in red.

Why is data displaying in blue?

Any unposted actuals on this grid, and summary values that are in part unposted, display in dark cyan.

Why are the Plan, Project, Phase, and Task names different colors?

• If the plan is not mapped to a project, the name and description are black.

• If a task row has children, the entire row is bolded.

• If actuals have been posted to a row that is not mapped, the parent row is red.

• Labor resources are green.

• Direct expense resources are green.

• Reimbursable expense resources are red.

• Unposted details are dark cyan.

Top Down Plan

Why is the Top-Down tab missing from Project Planning?

Access rights are not set for this tab. Go to Configuration Security Roles and open the role. Go to the Planning tab and select the Allow to Update Plan Labor option under the Top-Down Plan section.

Why is the Top-Down tab grayed out in Project Planning?

The Budget Type is set to Cost. Go to Planning Project Planning Rates tab and set the Budget Type to either Billing or Cost and Billing.