Baseline budget cost fields

The Baseline Budget Cost fields display the originally planned budget for budget cost resources. Budget resources are assigned only to the project summary task. The Baseline Budget Cost fields show the total costs budgeted for the project. The timephased versions of these fields show these same costs distributed over time. You can use the Baseline Budget Cost fields to compare the baseline budgeted costs with the current budgeted costs and planned costs for the project.

There are several categories of Baseline Budget Cost fields.

Baseline Budget Cost (task field)

Data Type    Currency

Entry Type    Calculated or entered

How Calculated    When you assign a cost resource that is a budget resource to a project summary task, and then enter a cost for the resource in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, Microsoft Office Project 2007 rolls up the total amount to the project summary task. The Baseline Budget Cost field contains $0.00 until you set a baseline for the project. When you then save a project baseline, this value is saved in the Baseline Budget Cost task field.

Best Uses    In a task sheet, show the project summary task and add the Baseline Budget Cost field and the Budget Cost field to compare the original planned total budget costs against the currently scheduled or actual budget costs. Reviewing variances, you can see how budget costs are changing throughout the life of the project.

Example    Work started on your project two months ago, when you first saved the project baseline. Now you want to compare the Baseline Budget Cost field with the current Budget Cost field. In the Task Sheet, you show the project summary task, and then add both the Baseline Budget Cost and Budget Cost fields to analyze your budget cost variances and determine whether you're on track or need to make any adjustments.

Remarks    The Baseline Budget Cost field shows information for cost resources, but not for work resources or material resources. To see baseline budget work information for work or material resources that have been assigned to the project summary task, add the Baseline Budget Work field to the task sheet.

To show the project summary task, on the Tools menu, click Options. On the View tab, select the Show project summary task check box.

To save a baseline plan, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Set Baseline. Make any adjustments in the dialog box if necessary, and then click OK.

After you save a baseline, you can still edit baseline budget cost. However, edited baseline values do not cause any recalculation of baseline budget cost fields. The purpose of saving a baseline is to capture a "snapshot" of the project plan at a moment in time. Editing baseline values can change the integrity of your information and result in misleading conclusions from variance analyses.

Baseline Budget Cost (resource field)

Data Type    Currency

Entry Type    Calculated or entered

How Calculated    When you assign a cost resource that is a budget resource to a project summary task, and then enter a cost for the resource in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, Microsoft Office Project 2007 copies this amount into the Budget Cost resource field. The Baseline Budget Cost field contains $0.00 until you set a baseline for the project. When you then save a project baseline, this value is saved in the Baseline Budget Cost resource field.

Best Uses    Add the Baseline Budget Cost field to a resource sheet when you want to review the originally planned total budget costs. If you also add the Budget Cost field, you can compare your original plan against the currently scheduled budget costs. Reviewing variances, you can see how the budget costs are changing throughout the life of the project.

Example    Work started on your project two months ago, when you first saved the project baseline. Now you want to compare the resource Baseline Budget Cost field with the current Budget Cost field. In the Resource Sheet, you add both the Baseline Budget Cost and Budget Cost fields to analyze your budget cost variances and determine whether you're on track or need to make any adjustments.

Remarks    The Baseline Budget Cost field shows information for cost resources, but not for work resources or material resources. To see baseline budget work information for work or material resources that have been assigned to the project summary task, add the Baseline Budget Work field to a resource sheet.

To save a baseline plan, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Set Baseline. Make any adjustments in the dialog box if necessary, and then click OK.

After you save a baseline, you can still edit baseline budget cost. However, edited baseline values do not cause any recalculation of baseline budget cost fields. The purpose of saving a baseline is to capture a "snapshot" of the project plan at a moment in time. Editing baseline values can change the integrity of your information and result in misleading conclusions from variance analyses.

Baseline Budget Cost (assignment field)

Data Type    Currency

Entry Type    Calculated or entered

How Calculated    When you assign a cost resource that is a budget resource to a project summary task, and then enter cost for the assignment in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, Microsoft Office Project 2007 copies this amount into the Budget Cost assignment field. The Baseline Budget Cost field contains $0.00 until you set a baseline for the project. When you then save a project baseline, this value is saved in the Baseline Budget Cost assignment field.

Best Uses    Add the Baseline Budget Cost column to the Task Usage or Resource Usage view when you want to review the originally planned budget cost. If you also add the Budget Cost column, you can compare your original plan against the currently scheduled budget cost. Reviewing variances, you can see how the budget cost values are changing throughout the life of the project.

Example    Work started on your project two months ago, when you first saved the project baseline. Now you want to compare the Baseline Budget Cost assignment field with the current Budget Cost assignment field. In the Task Usage view, you show both the Baseline Budget Cost and Budget Cost columns in the sheet portion of the view to analyze your cost variances and determine whether you're on track or need to make any adjustments.

Remarks    The Baseline Budget Cost field shows information for cost resources, but not for work resources or material resources. To see baseline assignment budget work information for work or material resources that have been assigned to the project summary task, add the Baseline Budget Work field to the sheet portion of the Task Usage or Resource Usage view.

To save a baseline plan, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Set Baseline. Make any adjustments in the dialog box if necessary, and then click OK.

After you save a baseline, you can still edit baseline budget cost. However, edited baseline values do not cause any recalculation of baseline budget cost fields. The purpose of saving a baseline is to capture a "snapshot" of the project plan at a moment in time. Editing baseline values can change the integrity of your information and result in misleading conclusions from variance analyses.

Baseline Budget Cost (task-timephased field)

Data Type    Currency

Entry Type    Calculated or entered

How Calculated    When you assign a cost resource that is a budget resource to a project summary task, and then enter a cost for the assignment in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, Microsoft Office Project 2007 rolls down the total cost to the task-timephased level. The Baseline Budget Cost field contains $0.00 until you set a baseline for the project. When you then save a project baseline, this value is saved in the Baseline Budget Cost task-timephased field.

Best Uses    In the Task Usage view, click Detail Styles on the Format menu. To show the Baseline Budget Cost field on the timesheet portion of the view, move the Baseline Budget Cost field to the Show these fields box. This shows the breakdown of baseline budget cost for the project summary task spread out over time. If you also show the Budget Cost field in the view, you can compare the originally planned timephased budget cost information against the currently scheduled budget cost information.

Example    Work started on your project two months ago, when you first saved the project baseline. Now you want to compare the timephased Baseline Budget Cost field with the current Budget Cost field on the project summary assignment. In the Task Usage view, you add the Baseline Budget Cost field to the timesheet portion of the view.

Remarks    The Baseline Budget Cost field shows information for cost resources, but not for work resources or material resources. To see baseline timephased budget work information for work or material resources that have been assigned to the project summary task, add the Baseline Budget Work field to the timesheet portion of the Task Usage view.

To save a baseline plan, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Set Baseline. Make any adjustments in the dialog box if necessary, and then click OK.

After you save a baseline, you can still edit baseline budget cost. However, edited baseline values do not cause any recalculation of baseline budget cost fields. The purpose of saving a baseline is to capture a "snapshot" of the project plan at a moment in time. Editing baseline values can change the integrity of your information and result in misleading conclusions from variance analyses.

Baseline Budget Cost (resource-timephased field)

Data Type    Currency

Entry Type    Calculated or entered

How Calculated    When you assign a cost resource that is a budget resource to a project summary task, and then enter the cost for this assignment in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, Microsoft Office Project 2007 rolls down this amount to the resource-timephased level. The Baseline Budget Cost field contains $0.00 until you set a baseline for the project. When you then save a project baseline, this value is saved in the Baseline Budget Cost resource-timephased field.

Best Uses    In the Resource Usage view, click Detail Styles on the Format menu. Show the Baseline Budget Cost field in the timesheet portion of the view to review the planned budget cost information spread out over time. If you add the Budget Cost field as well, you can compare your original plan against the currently scheduled budget cost information.

Example    Work started on your project two months ago, when you first saved your project baseline. Now you want to compare the timephased Baseline Budget Cost field with the current Budget Cost field by cost resource on the project summary assignment. In the Resource Usage view, you show both the Baseline Budget Cost and Budget Cost fields to analyze your budget cost variances and determine whether you're on track or need to make any adjustments.

Remarks    The Baseline Budget Cost field shows information for cost resources, but not for work resources or material resources. To see baseline timephased budget work information for work or material resources that have been assigned to the project summary task, add the Baseline Budget Work field to the timesheet portion of the Resource Usage view.

To save a baseline plan, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Set Baseline. Make any adjustments in the dialog box if necessary, and then click OK.

After you save a baseline, you can still edit baseline budget cost. However, edited baseline values do not cause any recalculation of baseline budget cost fields. The purpose of saving a baseline is to capture a "snapshot" of the project plan at a moment in time. Editing baseline values can change the integrity of your information and result in misleading conclusions from variance analyses.

Baseline Budget Cost (assignment-timephased field)

Data Type    Currency

Entry Type    Calculated or entered

How Calculated    When you assign a cost resource that is a budget resource to a project summary task, and then enter cost for the assignment in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, Microsoft Office Project 2007 rolls down this amount to the assignment-timephased field. The Baseline Budget Cost field contains $0.00 until you set a baseline for the project. When you then save a project baseline, this value is saved in the Baseline Budget Cost assignment-timephased field.

Best Uses    In the Task Usage or Resource Usage view, click Detail Styles on the Format menu. To show the Baseline Budget Cost field in the timesheet portion of the view, move the Baseline Budget Cost field to the Show these fields box. You can now review the plan for budget cost. If you also add the Budget Cost field, you can compare your original plan against the currently scheduled budget cost information.

Example    Work started on your project two months ago, when you first saved the project baseline. Now you want to compare the timephased Baseline Budget Cost field with the current Budget Cost assignment-timephased field. In the Task Usage view, you show both the Baseline Budget Cost and Budget Cost columns in the timesheet portion of the view to analyze your budget cost variances and determine whether you're on track or need to make any adjustments.

Remarks    The Baseline Budget Cost field shows information for cost resources, but not for work resources or material resources. To see baseline timephased budget work information for work or material resources that have been assigned to the project summary task, add the Baseline Budget Work field to the timesheet portion of the Task Usage or Resource Usage view.

To save a baseline plan, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Set Baseline. Make any adjustments in the dialog box if necessary, and then click OK.

After you save a baseline, you can still edit baseline budget cost. However, edited baseline values do not cause any recalculation of baseline budget cost fields. The purpose of saving a baseline is to capture a "snapshot" of the project plan at a moment in time. Editing baseline values can change the integrity of your information and result in misleading conclusions from variance analyses.