Cobra 8.3 Help System

Using the Help Search
Using the Help Search
  • Phrase:Returns all topics that contain the exact phrase in the search criteria. Use quotation marks around the phrase.
    Ex."system administration"
  • And:Returns all topics that contain all the words in the search criteria, in any combination. Insert a plus sign between all words in the search criteria.
    Ex.system + administration
  • Or:Returns all topics with any combination of words in the search criteria. This is the default.
    Ex.system administration
For more information:Searching Online Help

General Tab of the Project Properties Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to modify the project description, enter project dates, and specify reporting options, spread weight options, and EVMS Acceptance options.

Some of the values in the fields on this tab, such as the project dates, were added when you created the project using the New Project wizard.

Project Information

Field Description
Name This field displays the name of the project. You cannot modify the project name.
Description This field displays a brief description of the project. You can modify the project description in this field.

Project Dates

The Project Dates group box displays the various dates used in the project.

Field Description
Status Date This field displays the status date of the project. You cannot change the status date displayed on the General tab.
Synchronize If you click Synchronize, Cobra synchronizes the status date with the date labeled as TODATE in the fiscal calendar set 18 in the project calendar. To set the date to a specific period, label the status date with TODATE in the calendar set 18, and click Synchronize.
Baseline Start The baseline start date defines the initial status date for the project. The default for this date is the status date in the calendar. You can change the baseline start date in this field.
Baseline Finish The baseline finish date defines the last date of the project. The default for this date is the latest date defined in the project calendar. You can change the baseline finish date in this field.
Forecast Finish This date is used only for reporting purposes, and defaults to the latest date defined in the project calendar. Normally, you adjust this date with the latest forecast finish date of the project each time you enter the status. You can change the forecast finish date in this field.
Contract Definitization This refers to the date the contract was made definite. This is an optional field and is used in the IPMR Format 3 reports.
Planned Completion The planned completion date for the project. This is an optional field and is used in the IPMR Format 3 reports.
Over Target Baseline A baseline which results from formal reprojecting of an overrun, used only with the approval of the customer. This is an optional field and is used in the IPMR Format 3 reports.

Reporting

The Reporting group box displays the following fields:

Field Description
Currency Symbol Use this field to enter the currency symbol to be used in the project (for example, $ for dollars and € for Euros). By default, this field displays the currency symbol that was entered when the project was created. The currency symbol is used in Project views and reports.
Show the symbol on the right Select this option to instruct Cobra to display the currency symbol to the right of any currency amount used in the project. By default, the currency symbol appears to the left of the currency amount.
Scale Factor Use this field to enter the scale factor that will be used to report currency amounts. For example, if the scale factor is 1,000, a value of 5,000 would be interpreted as 5. By default, this field displays 1,000 as the scale factor.
Caption Use this field to enter the caption for the scale factor that appears in the reports. For example, a caption might read All Costs in $. By default this field displays Thousands of $.
Note: To assure proper data is submitted, the currency unit caption should conform to the UN/CEFACT standard terminology which is Dollars.

Spread Weight Options

These options are used to select how Cobra should treat working and non-working days when spreading the budget.

Field Description
Linear weight This option places equal budget amounts into each period between the start and finish dates.

For example, assume that the work package schedule dates are 06/25/15-07/31/15, the work package has a budget of 200 hours, and the fiscal calendar attached to the project has 176 and 168 working hours for June and July, respectively. Using the Linear weight option, Cobra will enter 100 hours for June and 100 hours for July.

Weight using hours This option weighs the budget spread according to the hours found in the calendar and the start and finish dates.

For example, assume that the work package schedule dates are 06/25/15-07/31/15 and the work package has a budget of 200 hours. Using the Weight using hours option, Cobra will enter 34.65 hours for June and 165.35 hours for July.

Weight using working days This option takes into account how many working days fall within the start and finish dates, taking holidays into account.

For example, assume that the work package schedule dates are 06/25/00-07/31/00 and the work package has a budget of 200 hours. Using the Weight using work days option, Cobra will enter 40 hours for June and 160 hours for July.

EVMS Acceptance

Field Description
EVMS Acceptance This option controls the acceptance of an Earned Value Management System (EVMS). Cobra uses this information when exporting to wInsight and in the headers of the Cost Performance Report (old format) and Integrated Program Management Report (new format) produced in Cobra.
  • Blank: This indicates that the project does not contain any information about EVMS acceptance.
  • No: This indicates that an EVMS has not been accepted for the project. Select the disapproval date in the Approval/Disapproval Date field.
  • Not Applicable: This option indicates that an EVMS is not applicable to the project.
  • Yes: This option indicates that an EVMS is accepted for the project. Select the approval date in the Approval/Disapproval Date field.
Note:

Yes and No are the only allowable values for the UN/CEFACT XML.

The value you set in this field is included in the Deltek Common Data Exchange (DCDE) or Integrated Program Management Data Analysis Report (IPMDAR) file when you run the Cost Data wizard.

Approval/Disapproval Date This option indicates the approval or disapproval date of an EVMS for the project. If the EVMS Acceptance field is set to blank or Not Applicable, this option is disabled.
Note:

The value you set in this field is included in the DCDE or IPMDAR file when you run the Cost Data wizard.