A snapshot is a picture of the data at a certain point in time. PM Compass uses a combination of the snapshot data, the data in the change request, and the current data to produce the BCR Analysis report.
Snapshots are only created when the workflow type uses a budget class for the change class. You can see these settings on the Change Details on Form tab in Workflow Type Configuration. The snapshot database resource file and calendar file come from the project specified in the Workflow Type Template Project field on the Change Details on Form tab.
If you cancel a workflow, the system deletes the associated snapshots.
In order for PM Compass to produce a BCR Analysis report, you need to create a snapshot database.
The following snapshots are created for the BCR Analysis report:
Properties Snapshot: This includes the change number, status, source project, start and finish dates, control accounts from the workflow form, and activities from the associated schedule. This snapshot is created when the sandbox is created and updated when the stage changes.
Original Snapshot: This is created when the sandbox is created and before any changes are made. The control accounts selected on the workflow form are copied from the live project to the snapshot database. The activities linked to these control accounts in the baseline selected in the Project Form View are copied to the snapshot database. PM Compass uses this data to calculate the requested costs.
Before Snapshot: This is the data in Cobra and Open Plan before the change request is added to the live project. It is created when the sandbox is created and is updated using data from the live project when control accounts are added to the workflow, whenever you click Refresh, and just before the Complete step. The control accounts selected on the workflow form are copied from the live project to the snapshot database. The activities linked to these control accounts in the baseline selected in the Project Form View are copied to the snapshot database. The data in this snapshot is used in the Cobra Before Change Request and Open Plan Before Change Request columns in the report.
This is helpful when you have multiple workflows with the same control account. For example, if you have two workflows with the same control account, when you complete the first one, the budgeted hours change because the data is updated with the change request. When you complete the second workflow, the Before Snapshot includes the updated budgeted values from the first workflow.
Requested Snapshot: This is created from the sandbox data when the workflow is started and is updated each time the workflow advances. PM Compass uses this data for the Change Request columns in the report. The sandbox project in Cobra and the activities linked to these control accounts in the change baseline are copied to the snapshot database.
After Snapshot: This is the data in Cobra and Open Plan after the change request is added to the live project. The control accounts selected on the workflow form are copied from the live project to the snapshot database. The activities linked to these control accounts in the baseline selected in the Project Form View are copied to the snapshot database.