Clarity

We have just migrated over from Project Central to CA PPM, where in Project Central, the PM could create Local Resources on their projects.

Definition of a Local Resource - a resource which is used to identify who is working on a Task, but is not being monitored by by the organisation as they are 'local' to just that project.  These generally are an external vendor.

Though there can be a formal process to create these Resources and/or Company, the value at this time is not justified as the PMO does not have the capacity to undertake, and they are not being monitored (at this time) across the organisation.

How are others handling this in CA PPM?

There are a few options in CA PPM, but my recommendation is to capture against a role. i.e. "External Resource".

This allows allocations and estimates to be entered, generate cost plans off them or even rename this role "locally".

You can aggregate these estimates or enter per individual

We'd need to expand on the use case, but in principle should work for you. Get in touch if you need more information.

Create a role

add to the project

we can then enter allocations (or estimates)

We can rename "locally"

Close, but Clarity doesn't support Actuals against a Role.  For example, in MS Project you mark the task as 50% completed, MS Project will initially show the proportion being Actuals (Act.Work) the remaining as Work, but when pushed back to Clarity, the Actuals are lost.

We currently have created several Resources under a Local Resource Role, which then can retain the 'Actuals'.

Just trying to find a better option if available.

If you take Andrew's approach but make it a non-labour resources (with a unit cost of $1), you can manage the costs against the "external resource". You could get more specific by each external party.

The only caution going down this approach is that it forces you to manage your team plan allocations in hours so that you have quantities against the non-labour resource.

Watch out with non-labour resources, there is a difference in the way populate from assignment and populate from allocation works. 

Because of this I would recommend you stick with labour resources.

Good call Chris on the hours.

if you do decide to allocate in days the system always uses the default calendar, so you'd have to have a rate of 1/8  (for a 8hr day)

Hi Roland,

Really depends on your financial setup. You can see actuals and forecast at transaction level fairly easily.

(Allocations held at role, actual transactions on a generic resource, reporting to show breakdowns)

I agree the setup isn't very elegant and i'd love to see a better method for forecasting and tracking external costs. (I.e. buying hardware user story)

We have built custom solutions for this. Get in touch if that's what you are thinking

Andrew