Primary and Secondary Formulas
A metric can be made up of a primary, secondary, and tripwire formula.
Primary Formulas
The primary formula is the formula used to calculate the primary result calculated in an Acumen analysis. Primary formulas can return any type of numeric or text-based result. Primary formulas are applied to groupings of activities, work packages, or control accounts (depending on the ribbon, phase or intersection context).
- Step 1 — Define inclusions. These are overarching filters that specify which activities, control accounts, or work packages get included in the search by type/status/phase.
- Step 2 — Define filters. These are the next level of filters further filtering out specific activities, control accounts, or work packages. Many metric definitions can be completed by just using exclusions and filters (for example, Critical activities).
- (Optional) Step 3 — Create a formula. If additional advanced criteria definition is needed, then select the Advanced mode and define the function using the advanced metric editor.
Secondary Formulas
After the primary metric formula is created and successfully tested, you have the option to create a secondary formula. The secondary formula is the second of two results that can be displayed for a metric after running an analysis. Typically (although not limited to), the secondary metric is used to show the primary formula as a percentage (for example, cost as a percentage of total project cost). The secondary formula is an optional attribute of a metric. If it is not defined, it will not display in the analyzer windows.
The syntax for the secondary formula is similar to that of the syntax for the primary formula. The difference is that the secondary formula is usually stated as a ratio, a percentage, or a portion of the total vs. the discrete number in the primary formula.
- Percentage of Primary Formula — If the secondary formula is representing a percentage of the primary formula, then there is no need to manually create formulas to create this result. Instead, select the relevant exclusions and filters (in order to define the population against which you are going to divide the primary formula in order to calculate the percentage) and then set the mode to Percentage of Primary Formula. A simple percentage secondary formula can be auto-calculated in this mode irrespective of whether the primary formula has been defined in basic or advanced mode.
- Advanced — If the required secondary formula is not a simple percentage of the primary formula, then set the mode to Advanced and define the exclusions, filters and advanced formula manually.