The General setup document allows for the definition of the general settings and certain defaults for the 'Projects' database. It is divided into seven sections.
General
The 'General' tab includes general settings.
Field | Use |
Workload unit | Workload unit used for assignments and task management. Must be defined at setup and cannot be modified once projects and tasks have been created. |
Hours by day | The number of hours in a working day. Must be defined at setup and cannot be modified once projects and tasks have been created. |
Reference currency | The symbol for the reference currency. This is the default currency that will appear in all multi-project views and amounts in the database.
Mono-project views will show amounts in the project currency.
The options come from the currencies defined in the 'General' setup document of the 'Portfolio' database. Mandatory field.
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Default currency | Symbol for the default currency. The default currency appears in all new projects and requests and can be modified per project. The options come from the currencies defined in the General setup document of the 'Portfolio' database. Mandatory field. |
Other currencies | The list of currencies that can be used in the Projects database (in the Project description and in Cost documents). The options come from the 'Other currencies' field in the 'General' setup document of the 'Portfolio' database. The default currency is automatically added to the list. |
Multi-rates management | If 'Yes', a resource can have several rates depending on the activity type. Costs of tasks performed by the resource will use the rates corresponding to the activity type defined in the task, if any. See Costs and budget tracking for more information. |
Billing mode | The default billing mode for newly created projects. Single selection field. Possible values include:
- Not billable: Nothing is billed.
- Fixed price: Billing price is fixed in advance.
- Time spent: Billable amount is based on time spent.
Billing mode can then be changed per project and per task. |
Project natures | Project classifications, e.g., "Standard" or "Help Desk" |
Name codification | Defines how projects are identified. Documents will be categorized in views according to this identifier. Choices include: - Only name: Project name as unique identifier.
- Only code: Project code as unique identifier.
- Code & name: Combination [Code]-[Name] as identifier. - Customized: Other combination specified in the field 'Name format'. |
Name format | Allows definition of name format only when 'Customized' is selected in 'Name codification'. Codes include:
- %C = Code of the project.
- %N = Name of the project.
Example: '%C-%N', which is equivalent to 'Code & name' in the field above. |
Code generation | Specifies whether project codes are generated automatically or manually. Automatic codes cannot be edited. With 'manual' codes, the field is editable but the code must be unique; otherwise an error message will prevent saving the project description document. |
Code format | Visible if 'Advanced format' is unchecked. Defines a simple code format. Codes include: %A: User abbreviated name (4 characters). Created by the server.
%U: User external ID (as defined in Resource document).
%S[1-9]: Sequential number (1 to 9 digits).
%X: Unique value based on the current date/hour. Created by the server.
%Y[2/4]: Year, in 2 or 4 digits. Default is 4.
%B: Replica ID of the current database.
Example: 'MI.%U.%S3'. This will give a code like 'MI.JOSM.001'.
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Advanced format | Can only be checked for automatic code. Allows definition of advanced code and key formats. |
Advanced Code format | If "Advanced format" is checked, it enables advanced code/key formate using @Formulas.
Example: '@Right(@Text(@Year(@Now));2) + \".\" + @Right(@Unique;\"-\")+\"%S6\' will give something like '10.84CJ4Q000005'.
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Key format If "Advance format" is unchecked. Allows for the definition of a simple key format using same codes as "Code format". Example: '%B%Y4'. This will give a key like 'C 12576B7:005426B82010'.
The key is used in the 'Locks & Numbers' database to hold incremental numbers if '%S' is part of the code.
If "Advance format" is checked, the advanced key format enables use of @Formulas to compute the key.
Key example: '@ReplicaID + @Text(@Year(@Now)'. This will give the same results as the simple key '%B%Y4', i.e. something like 'C 12576B7:005426B82010'. The key is used in the 'Locks & Numbers' database to hold incremental numbers if '%S' is part of the code.
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Tasks & Deliverables
Field | Use |
Possibility to modify the ‘actual’ dates of the tasks | Determines the behavior of the ‘actual’ date field when changing the status of a task (actual start date or actual end date). Possible values: - Yes: It is possible to modify the ‘actual’ date; the current date is proposed.
- Manual: No date is proposed; the user must input the date manually
- No: The ‘actual’ dates are automatically set to the current date and cannot be changed.
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Possibility to modify the ‘actual’ dates of the deliverables | Determines the behavior for the ‘actual’ date field when changing the status of a deliverable (actual delivery date or actual approval date). Possible values: - Yes: It is possible to modify the ‘actual’ date; current date is proposed.
- Manual: No date is proposed; the user must input the date manually.
- No: The ‘actual’ dates are automatically set to the current date and cannot be changed.
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Status for the completed Used to indicate the task's status once all associated assignments are assignments completed. Options are:
'To control': requires approval before being marked complete.
'Completed': The task is directly marked as completed.
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Physical progress | Indicates whether physical progress can be tracked for tasks. This is the default value for newly created projects. Possible choices are:
- Not managed: No physical progress can be entered on tasks.
- Used for the earned value calculation: Physical progress can be entered on tasks and will be used for the earned value calculation in the Project overview documents.
- Entered but not used: Physical progress can be entered on tasks but will only be displayed in the views.
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Use the initial dates | When this option is set to 'Yes', the initial dates of a task are used, instead of the planned dates, to calculate the scheduled progress of the task. This value is only used to calculate the value of the 'BCWS' field in the 'Earned value' tab of the 'Project overview' document. |
Documents
Field | Use |
Database for the templates | Document templates can be centralized in a single repository. The database in which the centralized document templates are stored must be specified. |
Last modified | Cerri Project can store the last modified documents. This parameter specifies how many day in the past Cerri Project will check to document modifications to display them in the "Last modified documents list".
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Send notifications for the delayed documents | If set to "Yes," Cerri Project will send an email notification when a document is delayed in a workflow. |
Reference No
All default values are "No" (unchecked).
Field | Use |
Manage an automatic reference number | If "Yes," Cerri Project will automatically create a reference # for each new document, according to the parameters described below. |
New code after conversion | If "Yes," when converting a deliverable into another type of document, a new reference number will be computed. |
Advanced format | Specify if the format is simple or not, see below. |
Code format | If "Advanced format" = No. The following tags may be used to build the code:
%A = User abbreviated name (4 characters). Created by the server.
%U = User external ID (as defined in Resource document).
%S[1-9] = Sequential number with 1 to 9 digits..
%X = Unique value based on the current date and hour, created by the server.
%Y[2/4] = Year, in 2 or 4 digits (default is 4). %B = Replica ID of the current database.
Example: 'MI.%U.% S3' will generate a code like MI.JOSM.001
IF "Advanced format" = "Yes", it is possible to use @Formulas to compute the code. It is also possible to use the code %S[1-9] for a sequential number from 1 to 9 digits.
Example: '@Right(@Text(@Year(@Now));2) + \".\" + @Right(@Unique;\"-\")+\"%S6\' will generate a code like '10.84CJ4Q000005'. |
Key format | If "Advance format" = No. Allows for the definition of a simple key format.
The following codes might be used to build the key:
%A: User abbreviated name with 4 characters. Created by the server.
%U: User external ID (as defined in Resource document).
%S[1-9]: Sequential number with 1 to 9 digits.
%X: Unique value based on the current date and hour, created by the server.
%Y[2/4]: Year, in 2 or 4 digits (default is 4).
%B: Replica ID of the current database.
Example: '%B%Y4' will generate a key like 'C12576B7:005426B82010'.
If "Advance format" = Yes. In advanced key format, it is possible to use @Formulas to compute the key.
Example: '@ReplicaID + @Text(@Year(@Now)' will give the same results as the simple key '%B%Y4', such as 'C 12576B7:005426B82010'.
The key is used in the 'Locks & Numbers' database to hold the incremental number if '%S' is used in the code.
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Change requests
Field | Use |
Display snapshots If "Yes," two tabs will be added to the change request:
- One to display the project’s "Earned value" data before change request implementation.
- One to display the project's "Earned value" data after the change request implementation.
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Interface tab (only for on-premise installations)
The 'Interface' section contains settings concerning the general interface (database path).
Field | Use |
Type of database | Indicates the type of database. Possible values are:
- Resources
- Projects
- Archiving
- Consolidation
- Timesheets
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Database path | Used for referencing within the message. Applicable only for on-premise installations. |
Security tab
The 'Security' tab contains the default security settings for project documents.
Default access rights for project descriptions
Field | Use |
In reading Indicates the default reading access rights upon creation of a project description. Possible options are:
- Distribution: A set distribution list
- Private: Only the document author
- Project: Only the project team
- Public: All users
- Resources: Defined resources in the system
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In modification Indicates the default modification access rights upon creation of a project description. Possible values are:
- Distribution: A set distribution list
- Private: Only the document author
- Project: Only the project team
- Resources: Defined resources in the system
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Default access rights for documents
Field | Use |
In reading Indicates the default reading access rights upon creation of any document. Possible options are:
- Distribution: A set distribution list
- Private: Only the document author
- Project: Only the project team
- Public: All users
- Resources: Defined resources in the system
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In modification Indicates the default modification access rights upon creation of
a project description. Possible values are:
- Distribution: A set distribution list
- Private: Only the document author
- Project: Only the project team
- Resources: Defined resources in the system
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Defines access rights to project financial information including: Budget, Billing plan, Billing milestone, Cost , Purchase order.
Field | Use |
Creation | Indicates who is allowed to create project financial documents (Budget, Billing plan, Billing milestone, Cost, Purchase order) within a project. Possible values are: - All project members (default): All members can create financial documents in the project. - Restricted: Only resources in the specified ‘participants’ fields are allowed to create financial documents. |
Authorized participants | Visible only if 'Creation' is set to 'Restricted'. Specifies which project participants have access to financial information. Only project team members belonging to the selected groups will be able to create financial documents for the project. |
Unauthorized participants | Visible only if 'Reading' is set to 'Restricted'. Allows the selection of unauthorized participants. Resources in the selected group will not be able to read financial information for the project. |
Access rights to the Resource document
Field | Use |
Editable by the resource? If 'Yes', resources can modify their own 'Resource' document (e.g., change their distribution profile or rates). After modifying this parameter, it is mandatory to publish the resources from the 'Resources' database again for the new parameter to take effect. |
Document locking management
Field | Use |
Lock the documents? If set to 'Yes', documents will be locked while being edited. This prevents conflicts when multiple people edit the same document simultaneously or on two different servers. |
Delay tab
The 'Delay' section contains settings to define when documents are considered delayed.
Tasks
Field | Use |
Delayed Indicates after how many days an assignment is considered delayed, and the calculation mode to apply.
(Note: A task is delayed as soon as one of its assignment is delayed.)
Possible values for the calculation mode are:
- 'days behind scheduled progress'
- 'remaining working days beyond remaining duration'.
Default value: '0 days behind scheduled progress'.
Delayed documents appear in the various views with a bomb icon.
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Risk of delay Indicates how many days before an assignment is considered at risk of being delayed, and the calculation mode to apply.
Possible values for the calculation mode are:
- 'days behind scheduled progress' (only available when 'Delayed' is set to 'remaining working days beyond remaining duration')
- 'days before delay'
Default value: '5 days before delay'.
Documents with a risk of delay appear in the various views with a bell
icon.
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Other documents
Field | Use |
Delayed Indicates the number of days after a deadline that a document (excluding assignments and tasks) is considered delayed. Default value: '0 days after deadline'.
Delayed documents appear in the various views with a bomb icon.
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Risk of delay Indicates the number of days before a deadline that a document (excluding assignments and tasks) is considered at risk of being delayed. Default value: '0 days after deadline'.
Documents with a risk of delay appear in the various views with a bell
icon.
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To ensure notifications for delayed documents functions as intended, it is mandatory to enable the 'Management of delayed documents' agent in the Projects database:
- Navigate to the 'Agents tab'
- Enabled the require agent from the list
It is also necessary to select the 'Delayed documents' option from the 'Distribution' tab of each resource document.
The agent runs daily and determines if the assigned resources for each delayed document should receive notifications. Each resource gets a single email summarizing the delayed documents, including: A link to each document, a short description (e.g., document type, project name, phase, and subject), and the database title in the email subject.
Following is the list of documents that can be delayed, and how the delays are computed:
Document | When it is delayed |
Task | A task is delayed if its status is 'Stand-by', 'Requested', 'In progress,' or 'To control' and at least one of its assignments is late (see below). Note: Tasks marked as 'Never delayed' are excluded. |
Assignment | An assignment is delayed if the task’s status is 'Stand- by', 'Requested', 'In progress,' or 'To control' and the assignment has no actual end date. Calculations are done according to the setup. An assignment is late if:
- Assignment not started, and planned start date is in the past.
- Assignment is started, and planned end date is in the past.
- Task is started, and planned end date is still in the future, but:
- The setup for delayed tasks is x 'days behind scheduled progress' and less work has been done on the task than planned, OR
- The setup for delayed tasks is x 'remaining working days beyond remaining duration' and there is not enough remaining duration to complete the task.
Note: Assignments from tasks marked as 'Never delayed' are also 'Never delayed.' Example A: To compute this example, it is considered that work is being done on the assignment regularly throughout its entire duration. Therefore if on the Xth day the progress percentage is less than it should be, the assignment is late (according to the threshold defined in the setup). Scenario: Assignment with a duration of 5 days and a workload of 3 days. The default threshold was kept, that is 0 days.
We are on day 4, and the actual workload is 2 days. So, the remaining workload is 1 day, for a remaining duration of 1 day. But the assignment is delayed anyway, here is why:
Actual progress percentage: 2/3 = 66.67%
Planned workload per day: 3/5 = 0.6 days of workload each day (week-ends included).
Planned progress percentage on day 4: (0.6*4)/3 = 80 %
The actual progress is less that the planned percentage, so the assignment is delayed. In other words, on day 4, we should have done 80% of the workload, but did only 66.67%.
The formula returns a date:
actualDate = assignment.PlannedStartDate + (assignment.PlannedEndDate - assignment.PlannedStartDate) *assignment.Percent
So here the actual date should be 1 + ((5 - 1) * 66.67%) = 3.
But it is 4, so the assignment is 1 day behind planned schedule.
Example B: To compute this example, the remaining working days are multiplied by a factor of 7/5 to consider week-ends. Let us consider the same assignment as above with a duration of 5 days and a workload of 3 days. The threshold is 0 days.
We are on day 4, and the actual workload is 2 days. So, the remaining workload is 1 day, for a remaining duration of 1 day. The assignment is delayed because:
The formula returns a date:
actualDate = assignment.PlannedEndDate - (assignment.RemainingWork * factor)
So here the actual date should be 5 - (1 * 7/5) = 3.
But it is 4, so the assignment cannot be completed within the remaining duration.
Note: If in both cases the threshold for delayed tasks was 1 day or more, then this assignment would not be considered as delayed.
If actualDate < (Today - taskLateGap): 3 < 3 would not be verified
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Document | When it is delayed |
To Do | A To Dos is delayed when its due date is at least x days past, x being the threshold defined in the setup of the 'Delay' section in the 'General' setup document.
Default: x=0, so the To Do is delayed the day after the due date.
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Deliverable | If status is 'To deliver' or 'In progress', the deliverable is delayed when the planned delivery date is at least x days past, x being the threshold defined in the setup of the 'Delay' section in the 'General' setup document. If status is 'To be delivered', the deliverable is delayed if the planned approval date is at least x days in the past. Default: x=0, so the deliverable is delayed the day after the planned delivery date. |
Reply request | When the request is pending, it is delayed when the due date is at least x days in the past, x being the threshold defined in the setup of the 'Delay' section in the 'General' setup document.
Default: x=0, so the request is delayed the day after the due date. As soon as a reply is given, the request is no longer delayed. |
Document | When it is delayed |
Document in a workflow A document in any status (other than the final status) with an overdue reply delay is delayed when the planned reply date is at least x days in the past, x being the threshold defined in the setup of the 'Delay' section in the 'General' setup document.
Default: x=0, document is delayed the day after the planned reply date.
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Planning tools tab
Field | Use |
Status of assigned tasks | Defines the default task status when a task is created with one or more assigned resources.
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Status of unassigned tasks | Defines the default task status when a task is created without any resource assignments. All project resources are allowed to log time on unassigned tasks that are in progress. |
Deletion rules | Guidelines for synchronization when a task or deliverable is deleted from the planning tool or when the 'Plan' document is deleted and the deletion rules apply. For each status, the following three options are available:
- Keep: Task or deliverable remains but will no longer be linked to a plan).
- Delete: Task or deliverable is permanently deleted.
- Mark (*): Task or deliverable remains but an asterisk (*) is added to the end of the subject to indicate it will no longer be linked to a plan.
New Deliverable documents (since version 5.00) use the generic status to determine the rule to apply.
In addition, there is another option for tasks with actual time:
Status: applies the rule for the corresponding status, even if actual time has been logged. Default values for tasks are:
- Start (Actual > 0): Keep
- Stand-by: Delete
- Requested: Delete
- In progress: Delete
- To control: Delete
- Postponed: Mark (*)
- Cancelled: Delete
- Completed: Keep
Default values for deliverables:
- To deliver: Delete
- In progress: Keep
- To be approved: Keep
- Postponed: Mark (*)
- Cancelled: Delete
- Approved: Keep
Note: It is recommended to keep tasks with actual time to avoid discrepancies, especially when using timesheets.
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Monthly reports tab
Cerri Project includes two types of project-level reports: ‘Project overviews’ and ‘Progress reports’.
These reports are managed in the ‘Monthly reports’ tab within the ‘General’ setup document, where their generation can be enabled, and threshold levels for calculations defined in the project overview.
Note: Enabling is recommended for the 'Project overview' documents to always be up-to-date.
Field Use |
Generation agent By checking any of the available options, the agent ‘Generation of monthly project reports’ will be enabled automatically. Options are:
- Overviews on the past
- Overviews on the future
- Progress reports
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The agent automates the creation of Project Overview documents. It runs daily starting at: 04:00 am. This is how the Agent generates a Project Overview Report:
If the project status is Stand-by (0) = "0" , only future overviews are generated.
Call GenerateProjectPeriodOverviews (project, future, True)
Else
End If
Call GenerateProjectPeriodOverviews (project, startPeriod, True)
Overviews on the past
Until the 5th of the current month, the agent creates/updates project overviews for both the previous month and the current month. From the 6th onward only the current month's report is updated. If the project status is "Stand-by" no overviews are created.
Overviews on the future
Generates project overviews for every month until "Planned End Date" of the project. The agent updates all documents monthly.
Project overviews
The ‘Project overviews’ report project health using traffic light indicators to provide a quick visual summary of monthly progress at both the labor and financial levels. The green traffic light indicates that everything is on track; orange indicates that attention might be needed and red indicates problem areas requiring attention.
The overviews group data together on a monthly basis, using the following documents:
- Project description
- Budget details
- Task
- Assignment
- Timeserver details
- Deliverable
- Cost
- Progress report
- Risk
- Issue report
Alert thresholds
Values set in the columns below define the thresholds for the different traffic light indicators. The indicators and their statuses are:
- Green: Good; values below the average value defined.
- Orange: Warning; values between the average and high thresholds.
- Red: Trouble; values greater than the high threshold.
Field | Use |
Planned budget overrun | Budget overrun is calculated by dividing the EAC budget by the budget. Default average value is 100%. Default high value is 120% |
Planned workload overrun | Workload overrun is calculated by dividing the EAC workload by the planned workload. Default average value is 100%. Default high value is 120% |
Number of opened issue reports | Total number of open 'Issue reports’.
Default average value is 0. Default high value is 3. |
Percentage of delayed tasks | Percentage of delayed tasks to total task.
Default average value is 10%. Default high value is 20%. |
Percentage of delayed deliverables | Percentage of delayed deliverables to total deliverables.
Default average value is 10%. Default high value is 20%. |
Progress reports
The ‘Progress report’ is manually completed by the project leader. It provides information beyond the automatic indicators found in the project overview.
The progress report allows the project leader to submit a personal assessment of the project’s health and give an account of any encountered problems and found solutions.