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Work Cost

To calculate the total project cost you need to specify the cost of separate project items (human and material resources). Then, basing on the data and amount of time (necessary to complete each task) the needed calculations are done. The cost of both any part of the project and any resource(s) can be calculated.

For successful project completion we need to define expenses as precisely as possible. ConceptDraw Project allows to control expenses on any task and any resource, which will help to define the project cost with maximum accuracy.

• Resource cost
• Baseline and Real task costs
  • Baseline
  • Real cost
• Currency display settings

Resource cost

Cost of resources is specified in dialog Resource. Cost of human resource is specified per 1 working day, material resource – per a unit (for instance, an item or a weight unit).

Dialog is called by one of the following steps:

1. Use Edit Resource in menu Workspace.
2. Use button Edit Resource on the toolbar Workspace.

In the line Cost, in the left field a resource cost is specified per a unit (selected with the help of the arrows or entered manually), in the right – units: hours, days, weeks or months.

Closing the dialog, do not forget to press OK, to save changes.

Task: Call the dialog and specify the resource cost:

Organizer – $50 / a day
Administrator – $50 / a day
Accountant – $45 / a day
Foods – $0.20
Tents – $70
Equipment – $5

Besides, the cost can be specified in the document itself, in the resource list mode. For this you need to:

1. Select the needed cell.
2. Activate edit mode (double-click on the cell).
3. Enter the needed value with the help of the arrows on the right or manually.

Task: Enter the following data into the document:

Assistant 1 – $40 / day
Assistant 2 – $40 / day
Transport – $10

Baseline and Real task costs

Cost of task is specified in dialog Task Information, on tab General, in section Costs. In field Baseline expected task cost is specified; in field Total the program derives the real task cost.

Baseline

Dialog Task Information with open tab General can be called by one of the following steps (do not forget to select the task first):

1. Use Task Information in menu Tasks.
2. Use button Task Information on the toolbar Tasks.
3. Call the task context menu and use Task Information.

Task: Specify the expected cost of the task "Buy food" $120.

Closing the dialog, do not forget to press OK, to save changes.

Real cost

Cost is calculated basing on the cost of the resources involved:

For human resources the cost of the employee’s work per one unit (day, for example) is multiplied by the number of units, at that, the occupancy degree in other projects is considered.
For instance, if a doer is occupied with the given task 2 working hours a day out of 8, then at his cost $40.00 per day for completion of the task he is given $10.00 (8/2 = 40.00/10.00).

For material resources, the cost of 1 unit is multiplied by the number of units, used for completing the given task. For instance, the cost of 1 trip by the transport is $10.00. For the task "Buy food" we need 2 trips: to go for food on the first and on the second day. On assigning a resource in dialog Task Information in the field Units the number of resource units is specified, in our example – 2. Basing on this data the program will derive real cost of the task.

Task:

Call dialog Task Information with open tab Resources. (menu Task / Assign Resources to Task) for the task "Buy food" and in the field Units; for resources Assistant 1 and Assistant 2 specify the occupancy degree 20%, for resource Transportation – the number of trips 2, Foods – 300 units. Press Apply.

In dialog Task Information switch to tab General to see the real cost. On the program’s calculations it makes $112.

Currency display settings

In the program currency symbol setting can be done for the whole document: currency symbol, location of figures, denoting cost – before the defining symbol or after it and the number of decimal digits.

All these settings can be done in dialog Workspace Properties on tab General.
This dialog can be called by one of the following steps:

1. Use Workspace Properties in menu Workspase.
2. Use button Workspace Properties on the toolbar Workspace.

In both cases dialog Workspace Properties will open with open tab General.

In this dialog the following parameters are set:

• Currency Symbol – currency type
• Currency Position – currency symbol location: before or after the figures
• Decimal Digits- the number of decimal digits

The other parameter is not connected with the currency settings.

Closing the dialog, do not forget to press OK, to save changes.

Task: Call dialog Workspace Properties with open tab General and set currency format in accordance with your national currency.

Resume: So, in this Lesson we have learned how to edit chart, work with calendar, assign milestones and deadlines, define the degree of task completion, task cost and work with resources. Now, let’s move to the next Lesson, where we will learn about different ways of converting and sharing of our document.

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