By setting up a coding system and assigning codes to your project, you can display project data at a summary level, a detailed level, or any level within the project. A good coding system provides clear and concise information.
Code files can be a flat file representing a list of managers, for example, or they can have parent-child relationships or a hierarchical structure defining a work breakdown structure (WBS). After creating a code file, you can assign that code file to your project and the codes become a "pick list' of valid codes during data entry. Codes are used for roll-up reporting, filtering, and processing, among others.
If your code file has parent-child relationships or hierarchy, you are often allowed to select a level of the code file for reporting summaries or filters. It is helpful to create related codes at the same level. For example, the codes of cost (such as labor, material, and ODC) should all be at the same level of your resource file. Defining related codes at the same level allows you to easily report or filter on labor, for example. When you run a report, you can select Resources and then a level of the code file as a section criteria, or as a filter for reporting or processing your project.
Most projects have at least two code file structures. One structure represents the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) codes and another represents the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) codes.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) — The WBS is a product-oriented code file consisting of hardware, software, services and project-unique tasks that organize and define the product to be produced. In addition, the WBS identifies the scope of work to be accomplished. A WBS code may be an identifiable product, a set of data, or a service. Creating a standard WBS used across all projects enables cross-project reporting and provides a method for obtaining data from previous projects to help determine trends that can improve your project estimating/bidding process.
Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) — An OBS is a functionally oriented structure indicating organizational relationships. The OBS serves as the framework for the assignment of work responsibilities. The organizational structure is progressively detailed downward to the lowest levels of management.
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) — The RBS is the parent code of the resource file. Typically, the lowest-level codes in the RBS have calculations defined and are used to add budget, actual costs, and forecasts to your project.
Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) — The CBS is another term used to describe the RBS.
As many as nine additional codes can be linked to a Cobra program at both the cost account level and the work package level for a total of 18 codes. The assigned codes can be based on either breakdown structure files or code files and are available for sorting and filtering purposes during reporting. Cobra allows you to control how the codes will be validated against an associated breakdown structure or code file with the following options:
Yes — The code is required, that is, Cobra will not allow you to store a record without a valid code in the field.
Yes/Blank — The code is validated conditionally, that is, Cobra allows you to leave the code field blank, but requires a valid code if one is entered.
No — No validation is performed
Find control accounts or work packages that are not progressing according to plan
View explanation of variance for a control account or work package
View time phased resource data for a control account or work package