Negative Cost Values?

Question

We are using MSP 2007 Standard.  We have a project schedule that is minimized for “clarity”.  It has been dictated to us by a “superior force”.  The schedule’s only resources are Cost Resources represented by the four budget categories, “Engineering”, “Materials”, “Mechanical Construction”, & “Electrical Construction”.  In addition there have Cost Resources for “Variance 01”, “Variance 02”, “Var…” (not to be confused with the MSP Variance Field).

The Variance resources are variances (change orders) to the Baseline Budget.  This seems to work fine until there is a negative Variance (money was moved from one budget category to another).  The company I represent handles this with two Variances – one for adding money to a budget category, another for removing money from a different budget category.  The problem is that MSP2007 does not allow for negative costs in Cost Resources (nor possibly any resource).

I am looking for a work-around, or another place to post these costs (they are assigned to multiple Tasks). Can anybody shed some light on this?

Thanks, DLMcKirdy, Sr. Proj. Controls Spec.

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DLMcKirdy

Answer 1

Hello,

MS Project is not a great cost budgeting tool when used in this manner.  I recommend that you use another tool to track this type of information.  You can also search on "cost budgeting" in this forum to see other suggestions.

Hope this helps.

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Gregg D. Richie, PMP, MCTS; Author, Microsoft Project 2010, Microsoft Official Academic Course Series

Answer 2

Your only alternative is to subtract teh -ve value from an existing Assignment and add a note to teh task to explain. Not great, but it does work.

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Rod Gill

The one and only Project VBA Book

Rod Gill Project Management

Answer 3

Adding to Gregg and Rod, you can also try to store the in custom cost fields and then use them for calculation adding your custom formula. You have 10 Custom Cost fields in MS Project.

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Sapna S

Answer 4

Just to provide additional options:

 

1) Enter negative costs in the task Fixed Cost column.

2) You can create a material cost with negative standard rate and then assign

it to the task.  So create a material resource called "Change 1" and assign

it a standard rate of -10K.

 

You'll note that you can use material resources to emulate the functionality

of Cost resources.

 

 

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Andrew Lavinsky [MVP] Blog: http://azlav.umtblog.com Twitter: @alavinsky

Answer 5

Thank you Andrew, and everyone else for your input.  I will do some testing with your second suggestion to see if this approach fits our needs.

Doug

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DLMcKirdy