Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release

Transcription

1 Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release (August 2015) Advanced Opportunity Management The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Opportunity functionality has been extended with Assistance PSA functionality. Enter a Budget for an Opportunity Budget Amount Enter a Forecast for an Opportunity Estimated Revenue A Budget for an Opportunity is entered in the same way as with a Project except that there are no Project Items. In the field Budget amount an amount can be entered, but as soon as you start entering Budget lines, Assistance PSA will auto populate this field with the total amount of all Budget lines. A Forecast for an Opportunity is entered in the same way as for a Project except that there are no Project Items. In the field Est. Revenue an amount can be entered, but as soon as you start entering Forecast lines, Assistance PSA will auto populate this field with the total amount of all Forecast lines. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 1 of 18

2 Define Hourly Rates for an Opportunity Convert the Opportunity into a Project Hourly Rates specific to an Opportunity are entered in a section of the Opportunity form (from the navigation dropdown menu). The Hourly Rates that you enter for an Opportunity are added to the Hourly Rates in Assistance PSA and can be consulted in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PSA Settings, Hourly Rates. Assistance PSA has an out-of-the-box Business Process Flow 'Opportunity to Project'. You can make it your default process or choose to switch to this process during the course of the Opportunity. At the Close stage click on 'Next Stage', and then 'Create'. This brings you to the Project form to create a new Project. The following Opportunity information is copied to the new Project: - Originating Opportunity - Account - Contact (becomes Principal Contact of Project) - Legal Entity - Currency - Hourly Rates - Budget (amount is copied to first active Project Item) - Forecast If you do not wish to make the Business Process Flow Opportunity to Project your default Business Process Flow, then you can use the button 'More Commands' and choose the option 'Switch Process' when you are in the Close stage. This allows you to switch from the current Business Process Flow 'Opportunity Sales Process' to the 'Opportunity to Project' Business Process Flow. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 2 of 18

3 Budget Changes in Budget Entry The column Regarding of the Budget lines presents the user with Budget Types based on the Project Item Type. The following table describes the options for each Project Item Type: Item Type Available Budget Types T&M (Hourly Rate) - n.a. - Employee* T&M (Day Rate) - n.a. - Employee* Fixed Fee - n.a. - Employee* Expenses Billable - n.a. - Equipment - Equipment Type - Fee - Price List (Product) Expenses Fixed Fee - n.a. - Equipment - Equipment Type - Fee - Price List (Product) Products - n.a. - Price List (Product) Recurring - n.a. - Price List (Product) * Initially only Employees (CRM Users) belonging to the Legal Entity of the project can be selected. But you can search for Employees of other Legal Entities. Recalculate Budget button When you click this button rate changes are applied to the Budget. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 3 of 18

4 Refresh button The Refresh (Retrieve Records) button retrieves all budget lines, so new budget lines will be displayed as well. Update from Gantt includes Equipments When using the button Update from Gantt, in addition to hours, planned Equipments will be added to the Budget as well. Forecast Changes in Forecast Entry The column Regarding of the Forecast lines presents the user with a Forecast Type based on the Project Item type. The following table describes the options per Project Item Type: Item Type Available Forecast Types T&M (Hourly Rate) - n.a. - Employee* T&M (Day Rate) - n.a. - Employee* Fixed Fee - n.a. - Employee* Expenses Billable - n.a. - Equipment - Equipment Type - Fee Expenses Fixed Fee - n.a. - Equipment - Equipment Type - Fee * Initially only Employees (CRM Users) belonging to the Legal Entity of the project can be selected. But you can search for Employees of other Legal Entities. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 4 of 18

5 Overall Forecast - In the Overall Forecast (in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PSA, Forecast) ) a link is available which will open the Forecast or Opportunity of the selected Project in a new window and allow direct update. - With a button the user can choose to view the Forecast data in a chart. The same button will be used to show and hide the Forecast chart. Forecast Scope The Forecast Scope setting in the PSA User record determines which projects the PSA User is allowed to view in the overall Forecast. For a description of the settings, see the section PSA User of this document. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 5 of 18

6 Gantt Chart Plan Equipments Project Equipments were introduced in Assistance PSA 2015 Service Update 1 (March 2015). Consult its Release Notes here: rvice_update_march_2015.pdf Equipments can be scheduled on Project Items of Item Type Expenses Billable and Expenses Fixed Fee. They are recognized by the tool icon In the (Project) Gantt Chart, in the graphical display on the right, the color for an expense item is dark brown, the color for an Equipment is light brown. In the Equipment details in the Gantt Chart the combination of the values in the fields Equipment and Rate Type determine the Budget and Forecast amount. The Quantity value in the Budget lines is determined by the number of days from Start Date to End Date of the Equipment including weekends. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 6 of 18

7 Overall Gantt Chart - In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PSA, Gantt Chart the overall Gantt Chart displays Project Item Activities with Employees as Resource, grouped by Resource (examples below: Consultants and David Brown) and, under each resource, the project related to the Project Item Activity (some examples below: Training prep, High design and Initial configuration). - The Resource can be an Equipment as well, in that case the owner of the activity is SYSTEM - In the Overall Gantt Chart, in the graphical display on the right, the color for an Equipment is dark brown, the color for an planned activity is light brown. - Note!: the Overall Gantt Chart does not display Project Item Activities with no Resource (with for example only Hour Type) - In the header of the overall Gantt Chart a series of fields allows filtering based on Project information; e.g. you can select to display Project Item Activities of the Legal Entity and Department of your projects. - The selected Gantt Chart Scope In the PSA User record of the current user determines which projects are listed - It is not possible to edit records here, except for the start and end dates of Equipments, which you will need to save if modified. - The Context Menu (right mouse click on a Project Item Activity) however will provide you with the following capacities: Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 7 of 18

8 - Activity information : opens the tab General of the Activity Information form of the Gantt Chart of a single project - View Record in CRM: opens the CRM form of a Project Item Activity - View Project in CRM: opens the CRM form of the project of the Project Item Activity - View Project Gantt Chart: opens the Gantt Chart of the project of the Project Item Activity Lag Time In the details of a Project Item Activity a lag between Predecessor and Successor can be configured in the Successor. A number of days can be set. Gantt Chart Scope The Gantt Chart Scope setting in the PSA User record determines which projects the PSA User is allowed to view in the overall Gantt Chart. For a description of the settings, see the section PSA User of this document. Utilization Sheet Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 8 of 18

9 Appointments are displayed In the filter Show the option Appointments can be selected. This option displays CRM Appointments related to a project as well as not related to a project. In both cases, if the the appointments are created in Microsoft Outlook, they must be tracked in CRM in order to appear in the Utilization Sheet. - Non-recurring and Recurring appointments have a distinct icon, respectively and - Appointments that are not related to a Project are grouped under the label Appointments not related to a Project of the resource - Appointments have the same utiliziation colors as Project Item Activities - The filter option Show All (Project Item Activities and Appointments) is expected to be functional in a next release - The displayed Hour Type is the Employee s default Hour Type as configured in the PSA User record Utilization Sheet Scope The Utilization Sheet Scope setting in the PSA User record determines which activities the PSA User is allowed to view in the Utilization Sheet. For a description of the settings, see the section PSA User of this document. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 9 of 18

10 Update Work Hours When the Work Hours of an Employee change, the Utilization Sheet can be updated with the new work hours. After you have updated the Work Hours in the CRM User record, click on the button Update Utilization Sheet in the ribbon of the User form. In the screen that appears you select the period to update. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 10 of 18

11 Hours Hourly Rate End Date An Hourly Rate End Date can be entered for any Hourly Rate. - In the case of a Project Rate, after the End Date the Project Rate is no longer applied. Assistance PSA will then use the Hourly Rates hierarchy as defined in the Hourly Rate entity. - Note!: In the case of an End Date on an Hourly Rate for only an Employee or Hour Type, the rate after the End Date is a zero rate (0.00). - End dates on Hourly Rates are not applied to Budgets and Forecasts. Fields Alias and Reference in Hourly Rates The field Alias of an Hourly Rate is a text field where the user can enter a description that will be added to an hour entry where the rate is applied. The description can be used on an invoice report. An example is an alternative description for the Hour Type. The field Reference is the same type of field that is intended to enter a customer s reference. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 11 of 18

12 Project Project Status Report At Project level a financial Status Report* is available. It displays Project KPI s and includes Export to Excel and an interactive chart. * Not to be confused with the Status Report Solution that can be installed on top of the Assistance PSA Solution! Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 12 of 18

13 Program Program Status Reports At Program level a financial Status Report* is available. It displays Program KPI s and includes Export to Excel and an interactive chart. * Not to be confused with the Status Report Solution that can be installed on top of the Assistance PSA Solution! PSA Settings Weekends are Workdays In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PSA Settings, in the PSA Settings record, in the section Hours, the option Weekends are Workdays can be activated. If activated, Weekend Days are Work Days in the Gantt Chart; i.e. hours are planned on Saturdays and Sundays (these days are not skipped). Note!: This option has no influence on planning Equipments. In the case of Equipments weekends cannot be excluded. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 13 of 18

14 Chart of Accounts In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PSA Settings, Chart of Accounts replaces Ledgers. In addition to Ledger Code and Description the following fields have been added for PSA Financials: - Ledger Type - Ledger Group - Currency - Tax Group - Project Ledger - Budget If you have not installed PSA Financials, then the values in these fields are only informative. The grid in the form displays financial transactions in PSA Financials. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 14 of 18

15 Day Rate Settings Day Rate Settings determine how Day Rate amounts are calculated. A Day Rate is set by using a Project Item with Item Type 'T&M (Day Rate)' and an Hourly Rate marked as 'Day Rate'. Hours Hours are entered in units of hours. In the case where the applied Rate is a Day Rate, then the total Hours amount is calculated on the basis of the Day Rate setting in the general settings record PSA Settings in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PSA Settings. The options are: - One full Day Rate per Hour Booking - Calculate back to Hourly Rate based on Hours per Day setting in PSA Settings - Calculate back to Hourly Rate based on Hours per Day setting in User Settings Example scenario: - The Day Rate in the Hourly Rates table is Number of hours booked: 2 - Hours per Day Employee (in CRM User record) setting: 8 - Hours per Day in PSA Settings: 6 Hours Amount Calculated amount if the setting 'One full Day Rate per Hour Booking' is used: Calculation: no matter how many hours are booked on a day, the fixed Day Rate is used. Calculated amount if the setting 'Calculate back to Hourly Rate based on Hours per Day setting in PSA Settings' is used: Calculation: 1000/6 = * 2 = Calculated amount if the setting 'Calculate back to Hourly Rate based on Hours per Day setting in User Settings' is used: 250. Calculation: 1000/8 = 125 * 2 = 250. Budget Amount Budgets are entered in quantities. This means that a Budget entry on a Project Item with Item Type 'T&M (Day Rate)' is calculated as a quantity of days. So the calculated amount is the number of days * Day Rate. Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 15 of 18

16 Forecast Amount Forecasts are entered in numbers of hours. The Forecast uses the setting 'Calculate back to Hourly Rate based on Hours per Day setting in PSA Settings'. So in the above scenario the rate would be When updating Budget and Forecast from Gantt Chart When the Budget lines are created, the number of hours is converted into days if the Project Item's Item Type is 'T&M (Day Rate)'. For this purpose the setting in 'Hours per Day' in PSA Settings is used. The calculation of the amounts is as described as above (Budget and Forecast). PSA User 3 additional Scope Settings in the PSA User record that determine which information a PSA User can view Gantt Chart Scope: Access to view Overall Gantt Chart data is given to PSA Users with following settings: - None - Own Projects (projects that belong to the Legal Entity and Department of the current PSA User and where he or she is the Project Manager) - Projects in Own Department (projects that belong to the the Department of the current PSA User) - Projects in Own Legal Entity (projects that belong to the Legal Entity of the current PSA User) - All Projects Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 16 of 18

17 Utilization Sheet Scope: Access to view Utilization Sheet data is given to PSA Users with the following settings: - None - Own Activities (activities of which the current PSA User is the resource, i.e. owner of the Project Item Activity record) - Activities in Own Department (activities of Resources (Employees), i.e. owners of the Project Item Activity records, that belong to the same Department as the current PSA User) - Activities in own Legal Entity (activities of Resources (Employees), i.e. owners of the Project Item Activity records, that belong to the Legal Entity of the current PSA User) - All Activities Forecast Scope: Access to view Overall Forecast data is given to PSA Users with following settings: - None - Own Projects (of which you are the Project Manager) - Projects in Own Department (projects that belong to the Department of the current PSA User) - Projects and Opportunities in Own Legal Entity (projects and opportunities that belong to the Legal Entity of the current PSA User) - All Projects and Opportunities Bug Fixes/Changes/Improvements Project - Unchecking Project Account in Copy Project does not function - Forecast Export to Excel does not function - Creating Projects from a Program in CRM 2015 not possible - Error Project Item Activity with ID <id> does not exist when deleting a Project Item Activity in the Gantt Chart if it is the only one for a Project Item - Database field names are displayed instead of values in Budget and Forecast lines after a change in CRM 2015 Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 17 of 18

18 Hours Expenses - Hours Analysis Export to Excel does not support accented characters - Cases for Contacts are not available to select in Timesheet - Incorrect Hour Types picklist when changing user, not containing those related to user on whose behalf time is entered - Expense entries timestamp set to noon instead of midnight prevents time zone issues - Delegate PM Approver can not approve Expenses Release Notes Assistance PSA 2015 Summer Release August 2015 Page 18 of 18