Access

Information

  • In this module, the planning data of the portfolio planning objects can be simulated.

Simulation means the playing through and comparison of different planning scenarios concerning dates and resource utilization, in order to, e.g., optimize them..

  • Furthermore, the completed simulations in this module can be
    • copied,
    • printed,
    • exported to Microsoft PowerPoint,
    • deleted, and
    • defined as a road map if the simulated data is to be considered a benchmark for planning. The key data of the road map is then displayed parallel to the live data of the planning objects in the Project Core Data and/or Proposal Core Data modules, so that the project manager can use it for orientation.

Notes

  • The data displayed in this module is a copy of the data from the frozen planning object statuses and have no relation to live data.
  • Any adjustment in this module only causes the copied status report data to be changed. These changes do not affect live data and data of the status reports themselves.

Carry Out Simulation

Define Simulation Header Data

Procedure

  • Allocate a name for the simulation in the field with the -Please enter a name- entry.
  • Define the required simulation period in the from and to fields.

Details on Period

  • The period defined here
    • defines the date scale in the Simulation module and the time axis of the utilization diagrams in the Simulation: Utilization module (for information on the module, see further below), and the print preview.
    • has an influence on the Overload in the period overload traffic light. The traffic light is only red if there are overloads in the defined period.
    • has no influence on the overload traffic light Total overload, i.e. if a department has no overload in the defined period but outside the period, the traffic light turns red.
  • The period is set from the first day of the previous quarter up to the end of the 18th month (calculated from today) by default.
  • The time axis of the utilization diagram is not only defined by the simulation period but also by the periods.
    • If the end of the simulation period is, e.g., 06/30/19, but the periods of the department end on 12/31/18, the time of the utilization diagram only extends up to 12/31/18. In such a case, the date scale in the Simulation module does not match the time of the utilization diagram.

Note

  • Please note that at a particular point an extension of the period in the Simulation module will no longer be reflected in the utilization diagram in the Simulation: Utilization module, since the length of the utilization diagram is restricted.

Simulate Data

Information

  •  How and what is simulated depends on the objective. For example:
    • the existing resource overloads can be resolved by shifting projects to periods in which fewer or no projects are running, or by increasing the available capacity through additional resources.
    • the distribution of the utilization of the projects can be made more even by postponing the projects or extending the project duration or by manually distributing the effort within the planned duration
    • etc.
  • Below you will find descriptions of change/simulation options which can be used individually or in combination to change the existing utilization situation. Check how the utilization situation has changed in the Simulation: Utilization module by clicking on the Show utilization diagram button for the required department in the Departments area.

Procedure

  1.  Change the dates or the duration of the planning objects
    • either by moving both dates (start and end) 
      • To do so, move the bar in question in graphical view in the Dates area by dragging it with the mouse as required.
        • If a planning object is postponed, the originally planned monthly expenses are automatically moved to the next month and are not changed in the process Accordingly, moving the bar by less than one month does not result in a shift in expenses. You can see the distribution of expenses over months if you first expand the desired planning object and then the desired resource(s) in the Planning objects tabular view.
    • or by extending or shortening the duration
      • To do so, click on the - or + buttons either in the Simulation: start or Simulation: End button in the Planning objects tabular view This will change the duration by steps of one month.
        • Unlike in moving, the distribution of effort is not automatically changed when extending or shortening the duration and must be manually adjusted to the changed duration. You can see the distribution of expenses over months if you first expand the desired planning object and then the desired resource(s) in the Planning objects tabular view.
          • When you extend the runtime, new month fields are created in which you can enter the effort. 
          • When reducing the runtime of a project, the effort values in the month fields which lie outside the new runtime dates are retained and must be distributed manually to the months within the new (simulated) runtime. The month fields which lie outside the simulation period which are thus cleared are deleted after refreshing the view. 
          • Efforts that fall outside the simulation period due to an extension or shortening of the project duration are highlighted by a red traffic light. The traffic light also appears on the corresponding simulation date and signals the existence of the efforts that lie before the start of the simulation or after the end of the simulation. 
  2. Change the effort of the planning objects
    • The distribution of the effort of the planning objects can either be simulated separately or they may have to be adjusted if the dates of the planning objects have been changed (simulated).
      • To do so, unfold the line of the required planning object and then the line of the required resource. Adjust the effort distribution as desired or adjust it to the new schedule situation. See above.
  3. Change the priority of the planning objects
    • This influences the loading sequence of the planning objects in the department chart. Projects with low priority are the first to create overload, hence they are virtually piled up in the charts "top down".
  4. Change the available capacities of the resource 
    • Unfold the record of the required department in the Departments area.
      • The monthly available capacities of the department are displayed and can be adjusted as required.

Details on further parameters (by area)

AreaDescriptionParameter
Planning ObjectsIn this area, the planning objects available for simulation are displayed by their priority in descending order.
Below the projects, the respective department resources can be expanded. Below the departments, the respective monthly effort values are displayed and can be edited. The effort values serve as a basis for utilization diagrams.		Simulate: This parameter serves to deactivate planning objects for simulation. If a planning object is deactivated, its date bar will neither be displayed below the date scale area nor will the planning object itself be considered in the utilization diagrams in the Departments area. All projects are part of the simulation by default.
Color in simulation: This parameter determines the color of the planning object in the date scale and in the utilization diagram.
Actual values: The checkbox indicates whether there is already actual data (postings) in a planning object (activated checkbox). Here it is not possible to manually deactivate the checkbox.
Overload in the period: The traffic light indicates whether there is an overload for the respective planning object in the current simulation situation for the selected period.
Total Overload: The traffic lights show whether the respective planning object has overload in the current simulation situation as a whole.

DATESIn this area, date bars for the planning objects listed in the Planning objects area are displayed. For bar details, see legend under: The bars can be moved by dragging which changes the dates and/or durations of the planning objects in the simulation.


DEPARTMENTSIn this area, departments which themselves (or the resources of which) are planned in the planning objects which were considered in the simulation. In order to be displayed here, the respective department must additionally possess the Show in Utilization ≠ "no display" parameter.
Below the departments, the respective monthly availability data is displayed and can be edited. The available capacities serve as a basis for utilization diagrams.		Overload in period The traffic light indicates whether there is an overload for the department in the current simulation situation for the selected period.
Total overload The traffic light indicates whether there is an overload for the department in the current simulation situation as a whole.

Legend: Simulation

Symbol Meaning Color Comment
Requested datesRequested start and Requested end of a planning object in the simulation/road map. The dates stem from the status report which was used as a source for the simulation.
Simulated datesThe color of the bar is determined by the selection in the Color in simulation field.Changed (simulated) dates (Simulation: start and Simulation: end) of a planning object
Calculated datesCalc. start and Calc. end of a planning object in the simulation/road map. The dates stem from the status report which was used as a source for the simulation.
Actual datesThe bar is hatched in white. The background color is determined by the selection in the Color in simulation field.Actual start and Latest time recording date of a planning object in the simulation/road map. The dates stem from the status report which was used as a source for the simulation.

Notes

  • For "Other Projects" in the simulation, the following applies: Only data from projects which have a released status report are displayed. In the creation of a simulation, no automatic status reports are created for "other projects" if they do not possess them. This may cause different displays in portfolios for a department if it is, e.g., planned in two different projects which belong to different portfolios.
  • If a resource or department is planned for a period in which he/she has no availability (e.g. when he/she has not yet extended the periods), the effort of this resource is not considered in the utilization chart (see Simulation: Utilization) module.
  • If a project which has been considered earlier in the overload display is moved to period in the simulation in which there is no availability for the department, this project is no longer considered in the overload calculation.

Further Functions for Simulation

Information

  • Via the buttons in the header bar, the following actions can be carried out for the simulations created or opened in this module:
Click on theAction
Road mapconverts the simulation into a road map
  • A road map is the released and thus frozen version of a simulation and unlike simulations it cannot be changed.
Copy simulationcopies the selected simulation
  • This enables the creation of multiple variants of one simulation.
Open print viewopens a print version of the
Export to Microsoft PowerPoint module
exports the simulated dates to Microsoft PowerPoint and represents it in a previously defined road map
  • It is possible here to export planning object data in groups. After clicking on the button, there is a query asking you whether the data is to be exported as a group.
    • If you confirm the query with Yes, a dialog module will be opened in which the planning objects can be grouped by the required criterion. They will subsequently be exported to PPT in accordance with the selected grouping.
    • If you confirm the message with No, the planning objects will be exported in the order in which they are displayed in the simulation.


The PowerPoint template file must therefore be stored in the client. In the PLANTA standard delivery, a standard !PowerPoint template is already contained in the client and can be adjusted individually if desired. For further information, see the PowerPoint Export topic in the PLANTA customizer help area.

DeleteDeletes the simulation or road map