Create a Project

Prerequisites:

  • Core project data such as results, codes, calendar structures, rate structures, and resource structures must be defined before you create a new project. See Setup Project Data. Codes are project unique. Calendar, rate, and resource structures are unique to each project or they are global structures projects can share.
  • Enter or import the WBS for the project. See Create a Code Structure or Import a Code Structure.

These steps assume you are doing a basic project setup where the defaults are accepted for the ENS Values, Standard Docs, Milestones, Cost Codes, and Cost Report Groups tabs. Once the project is created, you can modify the content or settings in the tabs as needed. See Project Setup Options for a list of common update activities for the various tabs such as adding user defined codes or enabling the workflow function. For more details about each of the tab windows, see Manage Projects.

  1. Select Project Data > Projects in the Navigation Menu. The Manage Projects tab window displays.
  2. Click New in the Ribbon Menu. Notice the top tabs within the Manage Projects tab window as you move through the process to create a new project. Click Next or Back to move forwards or backwards through the tabs. You can modify any of your settings before you click Save in the Ribbon Menu.
  3. Name tab. Enter a Name and Description and click Next.
  4. Contract tab. Fill in the applicable Contractor, Representative, Contract, and Project information for the new project. Reports and workflow forms use this information. Click Next.
  5. Fields tab. Accept or update the data entry prompts and identify the project's WBS code structure.

    1. Assignment Field 1. Accept the default "WBS" text for the Prompt and select the WBS Code Structure for the project from the dropdown.

      Tip:

      Typically the project's work breakdown structure (WBS) is assigned to this field. You can change the prompt text to match your business environment. The code structure assignment determines the hierarchy used for the main EVMax window.

    2. Work Package Field. Either accept the default "WP" text for the Prompt or change it to match your business environment.
    3. Click Next.
  6. Structures tab. Identify the project's resource structure and available resources.
    1. Select the Resource Structure for the project from the dropdown. The resource structure may be project specific or a global resource structure. Notice the Rate Structure and Calendar are auto populated. This reflects the Resource Structure assigned Rate File and Rate Structure assigned Calendar.

    2. Optional. Click Set Available Resources if you want to narrow the list of resources that can be assigned to work packages. The Set Available Resources window displays. Expand the resource structure hierarchy as needed. Click on the check box for each resource you want to include as an available resource and click OK to return to the Structures tab.

      Tips:

      Clicking a resource structure summary level check box selects all the related child resources. You can change your available resource settings at any time.

      When you have added user defined fields to your resource structure, recommend selecting the available resources from the resource structure. Selecting the available resources in this tab ensures the Resource dropdown is enabled in the main EVMax window.

    3. Click Next.
  7. ENS Values tab. For a new project, this tab is empty unless you have already created enterprise level user defined codes or fields (see Add ENS User Fields). Use is optional and can be updated later. Click Next.
  8. Settings tab. There some items in this tab you may want to set initially. These settings can be updated as needed.
    1. Select the anticipated Start Date and End Date for the project from the dropdowns. This determines the period of performance and range of calendar periods in the main EVMax window.
    2. Select the Default Spread from the dropdown. Typically "Linear" is the best option as the default. Users can change this default when they define their work packages. The source for the dropdown options is the shared set of defined spread curves (Admin > Spreads).
    3. Select the Adv Cal Delete Forecast option you want from the dropdown. When it is set to "All," the complete set of existing estimate to complete values are cleared every time the calendar is advanced. When it is set to "Current," just the current reporting period estimate to complete values are cleared since they are replaced with the current period actual costs. Recommend selecting "Current."
    4. Optional. If you intend to use standard documents for users to enter text for a control account or work package and want to track changes to those documents, click the Document Auditing check box. This option is related to the Standard Docs tab. You can always set this option later as needed.
    5. Optional. If you intend to use bills of material (BOMs) for your project, click the Allow Qty Time Phasing check box. This is related to the Grid view in the main EVMax window. When enabled, you can enter or update the time phased BOM quantities in the Grid view. Use the Grid view Properties tab to set the options to show the BOM Qty values.
    6. Optional. Click the Show Labor by Cost Code, Show BOM Qty by Cost Code, and Show BOM UOM check boxes if you would like to include these fields as columns in the main EVMax window (right click to display the Column Chooser).
    7. Optional. Select which Breakout Results you would like to include as columns in the main EVMax window (right click to display the Column Chooser). Click the applicable Results check boxes. At a minimum, you may want to select the HOURS result.

    8. Optional. The Resource Filter option is only enabled when you have added one or more user defined codes or fields to the project's resource structure (see Add Resource User Fields). Click the check box for the resource codes or fields you would like to apply filters to when you assign the resources to a work package in the main EVMax window.

      Tip:

      Recommend selecting at least one user defined code or field. Otherwise, be sure to Set Available Resources in the Structures tab (Step 6 above).

    9. Click Next.
  9. Standard Docs tab. For a new project, this tab is empty. Use is optional and can be updated later. Click Next.
  10. Milestones tab. For a new project, this tab is empty. Use is optional and can be updated later. Click Next.
  11. Cost Codes tab. Accept the default settings in this tab. Click Next.
  12. Cost Report Groups tab. Accept the default settings in this tab.
  13. Click Save in the Ribbon Menu.
  14. Optional. Close the Manage Projects tab.

What to Do Next