Editing a Staff Activity

To edit a staff activity in Projectal, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Staff Planner screen by clicking Planner on the left sidebar and then clicking Staff Planner.
2. Select the activity in the Staff Planner and click the Edit button on the Staff Planner screen toolbar, or simply double click on the activity in the Staff Planner.
3. This will display the Edit Activity screen.

Editing a Resource Activity

To edit a resource activity in Projectal, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Resource Planner screen by clicking Planner on the left sidebar and then clicking Resource Planner.
2. Select the activity in the Resource Planner and click the Edit button on the Resource Planner screen toolbar, or simply double click on an activity in the Resource Planner..
3. This will display the Edit Activity screen.

Lock

Turn on the Lock switch to stop any editing by users.  Turn off the Lock switch to allow editing by users.

Name

Enter the name of the activity.

ID

Enter an optional identifier of the activity.  It could be the short code for the activity.

Description

Enter the description of the activity.

Start Date

Enter the start date and start time of the activity.

Finish Date

Enter the finish date and finish time of the activity.

Fixed Duration

The fixed duration for the activity is the budgeted duration or awarded duration or bid duration for the activity.  This is typically the original estimated duration when the activity was first planned.  This is useful to compare against the estimated duration and actual duration as the activity is completed and changes occur to the original plan for the activity.

Enter the original estimated amount of time required for the activity.  You can use the following units to specify the time required:

• m - minutes.  Example: 30m = 30 minutes.
• h - hours.  Examples: 6h = 6 hours. 1.5h = 90 minutes.
• D - days.  Examples: 10D = 10 days. 3.5D = 3.5 days.
• W - weeks.  Examples: 3W = 3 weeks. 6.5W = 6.5 weeks. 
• M - months.  Example: 2M = 2 months. 1.25M = 1.25 months.
• Y - years.  Example: 1Y = 1 year.  2.5Y = 2.5 years.

Estimated Duration

Enter the amount of time required for the activity.  This is an estimate (or a guess or a prediction) of the time required for the staff or resource to complete the activity.  You can use the following units to specify the time required:

• m - minutes.  Example: 30m = 30 minutes.
• h - hours.  Examples: 6h = 6 hours. 1.5h = 90 minutes.
• D - days.  Examples: 10D = 10 days. 3.5D = 3.5 days.
• W - weeks.  Examples: 3W = 3 weeks. 6.5W = 6.5 weeks. 
• M - months.  Example: 2M = 2 months. 1.25M = 1.25 months.
• Y - years.  Example: 1Y = 1 year.  2.5Y = 2.5 years.

Actual Duration

Enter the actual amount of time that has been spent on completing the activity by the assigned staff.  This is the work effort by the assigned staff.  Click on Actual Duration to display the Edit Actual Duration screen.  

Enter the work effort into New Effort for each assigned staff.  Click the Commit button to save your entry.

Click the Clear Effort To Date button to remove the work effort from the assigned staff.

You can use the following units to specify work effort by the assigned staff:

• m - minutes.  Example: 30m = 30 minutes.
• h - hours.  Examples: 6h = 6 hours. 1.5h = 90 minutes.
• D - days.  Examples: 10D = 10 days. 3.5D = 3.5 days.
• W - weeks.  Examples: 3W = 3 weeks. 6.5W = 6.5 weeks. 
• M - months.  Example: 2M = 2 months. 1.25M = 1.25 months.
• Y - years.  Example: 1Y = 1 year.  2.5Y = 2.5 years.

Progress (%)

Enter the progress of the activity.  This value represents the percentage of work completed on the activity by the assigned staff.

Stage

Select the stage (or status) of the activity.  

Tip: The list of available stages for an activity are defined on the Stages screen via the Management screen. 

Color

Click the color swatch to set or clear the color for the activity.  The color can used in other screens to highlight items by activity.

Assigned Staff

Click the Assign Staff button to choose the staff that the activity belongs to. 

Assigned Resources

Click the Assign Resource button to choose the resource that the activity belongs to.

Fixed Cost

Enter the fixed cost of the activity.  The fixed cost is also called the awarded cost or the fixed budget of the activity.  If there is no fixed cost or budget for the activity, then leave it blank and the estimated cost will be used to determine overall costs for the project.

Tip: Click the arrow on the right hand side of the Fixed Cost label to view either the Fixed Cost Gross or Fixed Cost Net costs.  Gross costs are without rebates applied and Net costs are with rebates applied.

Currency

Select the currency of the costs for the activity.

Tip: You can change the list of currencies to match those used by your company using the Lists screen.

Estimated Cost

View the estimated cost to complete the activity.  The estimated cost to complete the activity is calculated by using the activity's estimated duration, the assigned staff's cost rate and assigned staff's utilization.  This provides a real-time cost metric to the estimated costs that will be incurred to complete the activity by the assigned staff.

Tip: Click the arrow on the right hand side of the Estimated Cost label to view either the Estimated Cost Gross or Estimated Cost Net costs. Gross costs are without rebates applied and Net costs are with rebates applied.

Actual Cost

View the actual cost of completing the activity to date.  The actual cost is calculated by using the activity's actual duration (or work effort completed by the assigned staff thus far) , the assigned staff's cost rate and assigned staff's utilization.  This provides a real-time cost metric to the actual costs that have been incurred to date to complete the activity by the assigned staff.

Tip: Click the arrow on the right hand side of the Actual Cost label to view either the Actual Cost Gross or Actual Cost Net costs. Gross costs are without rebates applied and Net costs are with rebates applied.

Rebates

Click the Add Rebate button to select the rebates that should be applied to the activity.  This will display the Rebates screen to allow you to choose the applicable rebates or tax incentives.  Rebates are used to determine the Gross and Net costs of activities within a project.

Notes

Click the Add Note button to add a note about the activity.  You can add as many notes as you like.  They are listed chronologically.