Portfolio Intelligence
The on-demand project portfolio management solution for executives and managers who want to bring more value to their organizations. PI allows you to organize, control and communicate the benefits of your work efforts simply and effectively.
FAQs, Tips & Techniques
General Information
What is the correct format for entering dates?
All dates must be entered as MM/DD/YY or the system will treat your input as a blank.
Example of proper entry: 01/07/07
Example of improper entry: 010707
Example of proper entry: 01/07/07
Example of improper entry: 010707
Why did my project disappear?
When you move a project through its life cycle,it will move from tab to tab such as from Pipeline to Project after you run the project initiation wizard. When you think your project has "disappeared," it has probably just moved to a different tab.
What do the close and refresh buttons do?
The primary purpose of the close and refresh buttons is to keep your data up to date as you move from screen to screen in Portfolio Intelligence. These buttons do not save any changes you may have made as you leave that screen (i.e. the business rules tab of the admin area and the project plan tab on project detail).
Remember to hit the save button first after making changes and then hitting close and refresh. Upon hitting close and refresh, your prior screen will be updated to take into account your data changes.
Remember to hit the save button first after making changes and then hitting close and refresh. Upon hitting close and refresh, your prior screen will be updated to take into account your data changes.
How do I use HTML tags to format text?
Most of the text fields in Portfolio Intelligence do not have formatting associated with them. Consequently, text entered or copied/pasted into the boxes will appear as a single string of information. However, you can use some basic HTML tags to improve the format of the text. Below are some examples:
BOLD = <b>text</b>
UNDERLINE = <u>text</u>
ITALICS = <i>text</i>
BIG = <big>text</big>
SMALL = <small>text</small>
BULLETED LIST = <li>text 1</li> <li>text 2</li> <li>text 3</li> <li>text 4</li>
CARRIAGE RETURN = text<br>
BOLD = <b>text</b>
UNDERLINE = <u>text</u>
ITALICS = <i>text</i>
BIG = <big>text</big>
SMALL = <small>text</small>
BULLETED LIST = <li>text 1</li> <li>text 2</li> <li>text 3</li> <li>text 4</li>
CARRIAGE RETURN = text<br>
How do I use the time sheet solution?
This optional module provides an integrated time-entry and tracking solution with the portfolio management capabilities of Portfolio Intelligence. The time sheet solution follows our non-complex approach and provides a seamless work flow and data capture in the context of existing PI functionality and views.
As an existing customer of Portfolio Intelligence, you can optionally choose to activate this module within any of your existing portfolios if you want to add time entry and tracking. All of your existing subscribers will be able to begin entering time. With the activation of this module, you will also be able to add new, time-entry-only subscribers. These fall under a different pricing schedule.
Here is a link to a more detailed description of our time sheet solution. Please contact Bethany Daniel at 800-753-5821 ext. 8 or e-mail bdaniel@edctechnology.com if you are interested in learning more about or enabling the time sheet solution for any of your portfolios.
As an existing customer of Portfolio Intelligence, you can optionally choose to activate this module within any of your existing portfolios if you want to add time entry and tracking. All of your existing subscribers will be able to begin entering time. With the activation of this module, you will also be able to add new, time-entry-only subscribers. These fall under a different pricing schedule.
Here is a link to a more detailed description of our time sheet solution. Please contact Bethany Daniel at 800-753-5821 ext. 8 or e-mail bdaniel@edctechnology.com if you are interested in learning more about or enabling the time sheet solution for any of your portfolios.
How do I use parent and child relationships for projects?
Relationships allow for the association of multiple parent and child projects to a single project. Defining these relationships for projects in your portfolio provides a better perspective of how projects relate to one another. This knowledge enhances the strategic management of the portfolio and improves the decision-making process. Relationship functionality is integrated throughout the life-cycle states for maintenance, dashboard visualization, sorting, filtering and reporting. Click this link to view full details of PI relationships.
Glossary of Terms
A
% Complete
Actual Cost to Date
Actual Roll Out Date
Ad Hoc Project
Add User/Date
A progress indicator of a project phase or task.
Actual Cost to Date
A dollar amount representing the known cost expenditures to date on the project. This figure is used in budget health calculations in comparison to the Approved Budget for a project. It should also be used as a baseline for evaluating the overall quality of a project during the Post Validation Quality Review.
Actual Roll Out Date
The date when the project roll out was complete. This date is before and independent of the validation date. It should be used as a baseline for evaluating the overall quality of a project during the Post Validation Quality Review.
Ad Hoc Project
An Ad Hoc is a project which takes very little time to accomplish, doesn't require detailed project planning or management, but whose visibility has value. An Ad Hoc project follows its own unique work flow. A project is identified as being Ad Hoc during the Request Approval process/wizard. Upon approval of the request the Ad Hoc project will be immediately statused to Needing Validation on the Measure tab bypassing the Pipeline and Project process steps altogether. Upon Validation the Ad Hoc project will go immediately to the Project Archive on the Measure tab bypassing all measurement process steps.
Add User/Date
The actual user of the system that initially created the project entry and entered the first project characteristics and the date on which this happened.
Alignment MetricA configurable project characteristic which, typically, with multiple non-numeric values. Alignment metrics enable the Dashboard to segment the portfolio for portfolio-wide and comparative analysis.
All Qualified RequestsThe official list of projects which are in the Pipeline but have not been initiated. In order for a project to justify resource investment it, typically, needs to show it's relative merit against it's competition - the other projects in the Pipeline.
Approved BudgetA dollar amount representing the financial funding received from senior management to execute a given project. This number should only be used to track the initial budget identified at a project's inception. This figure is used in budget health calculations in comparison to the Actual Cost To Date and Current ETC for a project. It should also be used as a baseline for evaluating the overall quality of a project during the Post Validation Quality Review.
Archived ProjectsThe project repository and listing, on the Measure tab, which houses all projects which have been Validated and have completed all review wizards (Quality and/or Business Success) which were required to be run for that project.
B - C
Budget Health
A component of a project's health, displayed via a stop light metaphor of red, yellow, and green, which is automatically determined based on the project's anticipated plus actual costs as they compare to its approved budget and the project's tolerance for cost over/under runs which are defined at project initiation time. These cost values need to be maintained throughout the life of the project in order for Health Budget value to be accurate.
Budget SourceThe customer or customer organization providing the funding for the project. This field is a free-form text field and is not configurable.
Business ObjectiveA section of the project charter which describes the purpose of the project written from the point of view of how the results of the project will benefit the business either as eliminating a problem or seizing an opportunity or business advantage.
Business Success ReviewA measurement step where an enterprise can define the actual benefits and results that a project actually delivered. This measurement step may take a long time from when the project was validated, and typically might, in order to allow the necessary clarity of vision to review the project's results with accuracy. These results can be compared against the original, anticipated, benefits used to score the project while it was in the Pipeline in order to assist the enterprise in refining its project scoring methods.
Business UrgencyA project characteristic which represents the submitter's view of the need to make a project's impact immediate.
CancelThe deletion of a project because an enterprise has no desire to ever execute the business idea. A project can be canceled at any life cycle state between Request and Project (inclusive) but not Measure. Once canceled the project remains in your database and is retrievable using the Reports tab.
CharterA documentation of the business case for the project and a measure of its rationale or justification. The charter is issued by senior management, usually written by the project manager and sponsor, and ultimately provides the Project Manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
ComplexityA project characteristic determined by the service provider which is an indication of the difficulty and execution risk that may become realities for this project. The complexity can also be used to determine the general duration of the project, which along with the estimated start date, can be used by the customer for planning purposes.
Current ETC - Estimate To CompleteA dollar amount representing the remaining known/estimate costs to complete a project. This figure is used in budget health calculations and should be used as a baseline by the Project Manager when controlling the project.
Current Roll Out DateA snapshot documenting the roll out date currently understood by the entire project team as defined in the project plan. It should be used as a baseline for evaluating the overall quality of a project during the Post Validation Quality Review.
Customer SatisfactionA qualitative measure of a customer's overall experience with the project team and the project's deliverables. Customer Satisfaction is an important metric during the Post Validation Quality Review process. For an explanation of Customer Satisfaction's role in scoring a project's Quality Rating see "Overall Quality Rating".
CustomerAny person or any group of people who receive or use the service or good delivered by the resource pool being managed in this enterprise portfolio. This value is defined by you and used throughout the system as a business metric.
D - I
Defect Level
A qualitative measure of a project's deliverables based on the frequency and materiality of a solution's defects soon after roll out. Defect Level is an important metric during the Post Validation Quality Review process. For an explanation of Defect Level's role in scoring a project's Quality Rating see "Overall Quality Rating".
Deliverable ExpectationsIn the landscape document a selectable list of methodology steps that are expected to be part of a project's deliverables communicated to a Project Manager from his management when a project is initiated. This list contains: Scope Statement, Design Documents, Test Scenarios, Implementation Plan, Post Validation Quality Review, Business Success Review, and whether or not the project is a feasibility study or prototype only.
DepartmentA user-defined grouping of resources typically defined by an organizational unit of a similar skill set or skill sets.
DocumentsData files that can be uploaded into a project's library so project members can access them. These documents or files can be any type of data file including project plans, word processing files, spreadsheets, presentations, pdf, or html.
Enhancement (Type)A project characteristic representing the type of project whose business objective is to improve an existing business process. This type of project is commonly justified with cost reductions.
Estimated Start DateA tentative date in the future defined by the service providing organization, based on resource availability and other factors, which, along with other factors such as complexity, allows the customer to plan a general timeframe for when the project will be rolled out.
External VendorAn attribute of a resource which defines whether or not that resource is outside resource to the company. Flagging a resource as an external vendor is informational only is intended for information only and is available in resource listings and reports.
Group CodeA user-defined code used to associate projects with each other. This code can be used throughout the system to focus any project list on the projects which are grouped together. This code can be very useful when planning release bundles, feasibility projects that lead into larger initiatives, projects which are phased in using large, discrete project phases, or any financial, resource, or customer group indicator.
Hard Due DateA yes/no flag that defines the business urgency of the requested due date. This flag is intended to bring visibility to due dates which are outside the control of the company, such as customer driven or regulatory driven due dates, and not be an indicator of the company's perception of the project's business urgency.
ImplementationA formal document, needing approval, which is used as a guide on project roll out execution. The primary uses of the Implementation plan are to document the necessary steps required to roll out a project solution as well as roll back if necessary and to facilitate communication among all customers and stakeholders.
In ProgressA term used to describe projects which have been initiated but not rolled out, put on hold, or canceled and thus are being actively worked.
Initial Cost EstimateA project characteristic representing the earliest qualitative view of a project's cost measures as either high, medium, or low.
K - M
Key Resource
A project characteristic representing the resource around which the capacity planning should be based for this project.
LandscapeA documentation of the overall project team environment, specifically cultural assessments, visibility assessments, and project health tolerances, usually assessed by the service provider's senior management and communicated to the Project Manager as the project is initiated in order to better position the Project Manager to lead the project and its team.
Life Cycle StateThe high-level process steps of 3 Olive Solutions' project methodology. A project will be in one life cycle or another at a time as it proceeds through the portfolio. The life cycle states essentially map to the navigation tabs in Portfolio Intelligence with a few additions. Projects can be selected in the Dashboard and Reports areas by Life Cycle State. The Life Cycle States are: Request, Pipeline, Project, Measure, Archived, and Canceled.
LoadAn attribute of a project roster member representing the percentage of their time that they will be working activities on this project relative to their overall capacity.
MeasureA tab area which collects all of the company's projects which have been rolled out. There are three review gates in Measure: Validation, Quality Review, and Business Success Review.
MetricSee Alignment metric and Quantitative metric.
Milestone Coming Due ThresholdUser configured value, in weeks, which defines the amount of time the system looks out to include milestones in the Milestones Coming Due list in the Project tab area.
Milestone HealthA component of a project's health, displayed via a stop light metaphor of red, yellow, and green, which is automatically determined based on the project's milestone completion performance and the project's tolerance for missed milestones which are defined at project initiation time. These schedule values need to be maintained throughout the life of the project in order for Health Milestone value to be accurate.
MilestoneA significant and highly visible point in time during a project's task schedule. Milestones are typically used to identify control points during the project or major deliverables.
Mod User/DateThe actual user of the system who last made a change or addition to the project or its characteristics and the date on which this happened.
My Parked RequestsThe personalized project listing, on the Request tab, which contains all of the requests which, when closing the Add Request Wizard, the "Park" option was chosen. This list is in direct contrast to those requests which had "Submit" chosen for them at the completion of the Add Request wizard. Only the login ID which ran the Add Request wizard in which this request was parked is able to view this request in the My Parked Requests box list view. Parked Requests cannot be extracted using the Report utility.
O - P
On Hold
The act of completely stopping work towards the completion of a project. When a project is put on hold it is no longer visible in the Project tab. It is visible in the Top Initiatives project list in Pipeline. From there it can be either re-initiated or canceled. In order to be re-initiated it should be re-scored against the other top initiatives in order to justify its resource investment requirements.
Original Roll Out DateA snapshot documenting the roll out date as defined at the beginning of a project based on the initial project plan. It should be used as a baseline for evaluating the overall quality of a project during the Post Validation Quality Review.
Overall Quality RatingAn overall assessment of a project's execution based on 4 metrics: Performance to Cost, Performance to Schedule, Customer Satisfaction and Defect Levels. The rating is a yes or no score as to whether or not the project was done in a quality fashion. The assessment is performed by the project manager's management with input from the customers and the project manager. The intention of this rating is to be able measure and upwardly trend the overall quality delivered by the service provider. The formula for calculating this overall rating is based on the four individual scoring metrics. The unit for scoring is as follows:
1 $ - Expected Quality Delivered
2 $$ - Quality exceeded expectations and materially affected the company's benefits of the project
3 $$$ - A severe condition where the quality not only exceeded expectations but did so in an unusually adverse environment
1 negative $ - Expected Quality Not Delivered and impacted the results of the project
2 negative $$ - Expected Quality Was Not Delivered and severe issues to the success of the project were created as a result
3 negative $$$ - An extremely severe condition where the Expected Quality Was Not Delivered and the entire project was unsuccessful as a direct result of this lack of quality
Overall Formula: The Sum of the Green Ratings minus 4 times the sum of Sum of the Red Ratings
If the result is >=0 then the Overall Quality Rating is Yes - Quality Was Delivered
If the result is <0 then the Overall Quality Rating is No - Quality Was Not Delivered
PM (Project Manager)1 $ - Expected Quality Delivered
2 $$ - Quality exceeded expectations and materially affected the company's benefits of the project
3 $$$ - A severe condition where the quality not only exceeded expectations but did so in an unusually adverse environment
1 negative $ - Expected Quality Not Delivered and impacted the results of the project
2 negative $$ - Expected Quality Was Not Delivered and severe issues to the success of the project were created as a result
3 negative $$$ - An extremely severe condition where the Expected Quality Was Not Delivered and the entire project was unsuccessful as a direct result of this lack of quality
Overall Formula: The Sum of the Green Ratings minus 4 times the sum of Sum of the Red Ratings
If the result is >=0 then the Overall Quality Rating is Yes - Quality Was Delivered
If the result is <0 then the Overall Quality Rating is No - Quality Was Not Delivered
The professional responsible and accountable for the project's deliverables. The quality of these deliverables is eventually defined in the Measure section against schedule, cost, deliverable defects, and customer satisfaction. Although there can be many members of a project roster there is only PM who is responsible and accountable for the project.
PM StatusA component of a project's health, displayed via a stop light metaphor of red, yellow, and green, which is used as a qualitative, manual setting for the times when a project factor other than budget or milestone performance is affecting the overall health of the project. This value is editable in the "Costs and Dates" section of the project's Plan tab.
PhaseA high level project activity which typically can be broken down into several discrete tasks.
PipelineA tab area which collects all of the company's project ideas which now must via for resources in order to be initiated and executed. This is the tab area where projects are scored and the start of top initiatives are planned for. This is the only place where a project can be formally initiated. Once a project has been initiated the project will now be visible in the Project tab and no longer visible in the Pipeline tab.
PlanA formal, approved document used to guide both project execution and project control. The primary uses of the project plan are to document approved resource, cost, and schedule baselines and to facilitate communication among stakeholders. A project plan may be summary or detailed.
PortfolioA set of projects executed by a common set of resources. A portfolio provides views across multiple projects and an environment by which to manage the projects and the resources.
Post Validation Quality ReviewA measurement step where a service providing organization has the opportunity to document the quality of its deliverables. This action may only be taken after a project has successfully been validated. A quality review should include cost, defect, schedule, and customer satisfaction metrics. Once projects have been quality reviewed trending can be established to measure the increase or decrease in the overall quality of the service provider's deliverables.
Project AssumptionsA section in the project charter to identify any key factors, normally outside the control of the project manager, which must be in place for the project to be a success. This is also an area to list any agreements between customer and service provider that are fundamental to the project or its team structure.
Project ConceptA section of the project charter, which describes the project usually written from the point of view of the desired or future state but does not necessarily presuppose solution design or approach.
Project DependencyDescription of projects or events which must be completed before this project can begin or may impact a project's timeline or scope. Project Dependency may be searched across the entire portfolio using the Reports tab to generate lists of projects impacted by the same event or project.
Project Health Indication TolerancesProject specific thresholds that indicate when Project Health Indicators should change their status from Green to Yellow or Red. There are tolerances for Budget and Milestone Completion metrics. The Budget Tolerances are entered as percentages such as flagging 101% of approved budget as yellow and 105% of approved budget as red. Milestone Tolerances are integers indicating the number of consecutive milestones missed on a project such as 1 for Yellow and 2 for Red.
ProjectA unique and discrete amount of work that has a definite beginning condition and end condition that is usually driven by a business need. Projects have their own specific and documentable requirements and can usually be broken down into work steps which are executed by specific resources. Project is also the name of a tab area which collects all of the company's project which are actively being worked towards delivery. This is the tab area where project health is monitored and problems are anticipated. This is the only place where a project's final state, whether rolled out, put on-hold, or canceled can be formally dispositioned. Once a project has been rolled out the project will now be visible in the Measure tab and no longer visible in the Project tab. If a project has been put on hold the project will now be visible in the Pipeline tab and no longer visible in the Project tab. If a project has been canceled it is only visible via reporting in the Reports tab.
Q - R
Qualified Requests
A list of projects which have been received into the Pipeline but not yet initiated into the project execution phase. These projects can be viewed in the Pipeline tab.
Quantitative MetricA configurable project characteristic which models numeric data. Quantitative metrics enable the Dashboard to present numerical data for analysis and comparison. Typical quantitative metric values are "Level of Effort", "New Revenue", and "Cost Savings".
Regulatory CriteriaA section in the project charter to list external conditions or requirements that affect the project which are outside the control of the project team and the company. This type of criteria are typically seen as non-negotiable or unyielding and must be met by the project.
RequestA tab area where project ideas are first documented which haven't officially been agreed for inclusion into the company's Pipeline yet as they need to be compared for redundancy and feasibility. Once a project has been approved for inclusion into the project Pipeline the project will now be visible in the Pipeline tab and no longer visible in the Request tab.
Requested Due DateA project characteristic representing the submitter's desired roll out date for the project.
Resource UtilizationA resource characteristic which summarizes the project loads for a resource across all in-progress project rosters. This value is dependent on the accuracy and completion of project schedules entered or imported into the system.
ResourceA resource is something that contributes to the progress of a project. Although resources are typically thought of as people, they can be systems, hardware, or conference rooms. A resource is anything needs to have it's utilization managed for use on a project or whose involvement or association with a project requires visibility. Resources are user defined.
Roll OutThe act of moving a project and it's final deliverables from a development and test environment to a business or production environment. This moment in the project's life doesn't mean that it is finished or completed. Once a project has been rolled out it then needs to have it's customer validate it in the proper business context against the agreed upon requirements.
Roster End DateAn attribute of a project roster member representing the latest date on which a roster member has been assigned a task on the project.
Roster MemberIndividual resource entries on a project's roster in the project's Plan area. Typical roster members would include the project's sponsor, stakeholders, and business process subject experts as well as the Project Manager and the full service providing development team.
Roster Role/SkillA roster member's area of responsibility for a particular project. The choices for this value are taken from the configured list of skill sets defined by your Administrator.
Roster Start DateAn attribute of a project roster member representing the earliest date on which a roster member has been assigned a task on the project.
RosterThe complete listing of all resources that are on a project team. This would include sponsor, stakeholders, and business process subject experts as well as the Project Manager and the full service providing development team. Individual entries on the roster are referred to as roster members.
S
Scope Statement
A documented basis for making future project decisions and for confirming or developing common understanding of project scope among the stakeholders. As the project progresses, the Scope Statement may need to be revised or refined to reflect approved changes to the scope of the project.
ScoreThe overall qualitative evaluation, system calculated, based on a proven weighted average methodology, which uses the seven scoring elements defined in the system: revenue generating, cost reducing, project cost, strategic fit, mission criticality, business risk, and technical risk.
Scoring StandardA user defined description which provides context to the qualitative scoring of a project. For each of the qualitative scoring metrics a scoring standard can be set up which describes how to determine a scoring value (from 1-10) for that metric. This provides scorers context when scoring a project in an attempt to provide consistency during scoring.
Service ProviderAn attribute of a resource which controls whether or not that resource will appear in the Resource Utilization views on the Pipeline tab. A resource flagged as a service provider should regularly be working tasks which are delivered to the customers of the portfolio.
Skill SetUser-defined resource characteristic typically used in conjunction with the project characteristic, key resource, during resource capacity planning and project timing estimations.
SponsorA customer with the proper authority to make a formal request to spend the required resources on the project. There is only one sponsor per project.
Strategic Mix GoalPercentages assigned to the three project types: Transformation, Enhancement, and Utility that describe the ideal project types mix an organization seeks when investing its resources. This goal is reflected back to the organization in the Pipeline tab area when analyzing the current mix of projects in progress as a step in deciding which project to initiate next.
SubmitterA specific customer, by name, who formally requested the work to be delivered by the service provider. This does not have to be the person who enters the project into the system.
Summarize PhaseSelect this option on each Task/Milestone within a phase if you would like the task's start and end dates and % complete values to actually affect the same values for its phase. This feature is optional and a user can choose to not include these automatic calculations. Search v3.12.7 release notes for more detail.
T - W
Task
The lowest level of a project's work schedule. Tasks belong to project phases. They typically have discrete start and finish dates and a resource associated with them. A special case of a task can be a milestone which is a single point in time and doesn't have a start date - only a finish date.
TitleShort descriptive identifier for the project which can be used conversationally by the enterprise.
Top Initiatives ThresholdUser configured value, an integer, which defines the minimum score by which the system will include a fully scored project in the Top Initiatives project list in the Pipeline (and Resource) tab area. This is an important consideration as the only way to initiate a project from the Pipeline tab area to the Project tab area is via the project initiation wizard in the Top Initiatives project list.
Top InitiativesA list of projects on the Pipeline tab which is subset of all of the projects in Pipeline which have either an overall qualitative score higher than the top initiatives threshold defined in the company's portfolio configuration, have been identified as a top initiative via the top initiative override check box, or have been previously initiated but have been subsequently placed on hold. This list is the only place in the system where the project initiation wizard can be invoked.
Transformation (Type)A project characteristic representing the type of project whose business objective is to strategically alter or support a shift in the strategic direction of the business.
UOMUnit of Measure. This is a configurable value for each quantitative metric set up in Administration. This field is used to combine like quantitative metrics as a histogram on the Dashboard.
User IDLogin id which relates to system that a given resource has an actual subscription to Portfolio Intelligence. It is this value which enables all of the personalized views contained within Portfolio Intelligence.
Utility (Type)A project characteristic representing the type of project whose business objective is to maintain the operating integrity of an existing business process. This type of project is sometimes justified as the cost of doing business.
Validation Authority/ValidatorThe business line manager, subject matter expert, or stakeholder who defines the deliverables of a project as meeting the stated/documented requirements of a project as agreed to by the customer and service provider. This field is a free-form text field whose entry is not constrained by the Resources defined in Administration.
Validation DateThe date that the customer/business accepted the project's deliverables as having met the agreed upon requirements documented in the scope statement.
ValidationThe process of measuring a project's deliverables against the stated requirements in an actual business operating context. This is a significant measurement step as it removes any ambiguity over the definition of complete; both the customer and the service provider are in agreement on the business operating context. If a project does not pass validation it must be rolled back to development to reconcile the omitted requirements.
Work Flow StateA system defined value associated with the life cycle of a project. A project will be in one state at a given time but will have many different states over the life of the project as it moves from Request to Measure. The states that a project can be in are: Parked, Needs Authority, Needs Scoring, Scored, On-Hold, Initiated, Rolled-Out, In Quality Review, In Business Review, Archived, and Canceled. A project's current work flow state can be viewed in the project's Charter tab Status area.
Dashboard
What does the portfolio status graph show me?
This graph is a snapshot of where all of your projects are in their life cycle. It organizes projects along these life-cycle states: request, pipeline, project and measure. It is best used to see the overall balance of projects in your portfolio by life-cycle state. Archived, canceled and parked projects do not appear on this graph.
What does the portfolio impact and alignment graph show me?
This graph shows a side-by-side comparative graphical view by project count for every metric defined for your enterprise and for the system-supplied customer metric. By selecting different or multiple life-cycle states and date ranges, this graph can be used to view relative activity anywhere in the project life cycle to compare current activity (project) with past activity (measure) or even future activity (pipeline).
What does the impact to business graph show me?
This is a stacked bar graph with multiple modes of operation. It will show the magnitude of the impact to the business that your projects are forecasted to make as well as the actual impact measured.
This can be important in communicating the portfolio's delivered value to the enterprise or in determining which projects to start next. Each of these graphs are clickable to show exactly which projects make up that graph segment. Each of the projects on these lists can be drilled into to display their project detail.
This can be important in communicating the portfolio's delivered value to the enterprise or in determining which projects to start next. Each of these graphs are clickable to show exactly which projects make up that graph segment. Each of the projects on these lists can be drilled into to display their project detail.
What does the portfolio throughput graph show me?
This graph shows four historical points in time from nine months ago to the present. It trends the project counts in these life-cycle states: request, pipeline and project. Analyzing the trend lines will provide insight into the balance between supply (resources) and demand (projects) for your portfolio.
Requests
What is the request tab?
The request tab is for reviewing the entry process of a request. It's also for the action of parking, submitting, canceling and approving requests. Finally, here you can sort, filter and graph your open-request list.
What is an ad-hoc project?
Portfolio Intelligence is great for managing your portfolio of larger projects, but what about projects that are short in duration or involve very few resources? For these projects, there is no need to score them, prioritize them or develop project plans. Organizations typically have many of these projects, but have no record of the number of them, who they were for or how they aligned with the organization.
Sometimes, these little projects can consume many resources over time and impair an organization's ability to bring real value to the company. Entering and keeping track of these projects is easy with Portfolio Intelligence by using the ad-hoc project feature. These projects are entered in the normal way using the "Add Request" wizard. They require approval using the "Approve Request" wizard.
This allows you to capture the basic information about a short-term project. On the second page of the "Approve Request" wizard, you can capture all the alignment information based on the metrics you have established. If the project is an ad-hoc project, simply check the ad-hoc box at the bottom of the second page of the approve wizard. This will fast forward the project past the pipeline and project phases directly to the measure tab. You can still validate the completion of the project.
The project then ends up in your archive of projects and reflects on your dashboard graphs. Keeping track of your ad-hoc projects can help you better understand how your resource capacity is being consumed. Because you are capturing metric information (such as who the project was for and other characteristics), you will be better positioned to know how to shift your focus onto more valuable projects.
Sometimes, these little projects can consume many resources over time and impair an organization's ability to bring real value to the company. Entering and keeping track of these projects is easy with Portfolio Intelligence by using the ad-hoc project feature. These projects are entered in the normal way using the "Add Request" wizard. They require approval using the "Approve Request" wizard.
This allows you to capture the basic information about a short-term project. On the second page of the "Approve Request" wizard, you can capture all the alignment information based on the metrics you have established. If the project is an ad-hoc project, simply check the ad-hoc box at the bottom of the second page of the approve wizard. This will fast forward the project past the pipeline and project phases directly to the measure tab. You can still validate the completion of the project.
The project then ends up in your archive of projects and reflects on your dashboard graphs. Keeping track of your ad-hoc projects can help you better understand how your resource capacity is being consumed. Because you are capturing metric information (such as who the project was for and other characteristics), you will be better positioned to know how to shift your focus onto more valuable projects.
Pipeline
What is the pipeline tab?
Within the pipeline tab, you can review your scorecard, top initiatives list, a risk/reward analysis bubble chart and your resource utilization table.
I submitted my request. Why isn't my project in the pipeline?
There are two steps to submitting a project into the pipeline. The first step is to add a new project using the "Add Request" wizard on the dashboard or on the request tab. Upon submission, this will list the project in the "Requests Needing Approval" list on the request tab. The second step is for a pipeline authority to approve the request by using the "Project Approve" wizard.
How does the scoring process work?
Click here to review the purpose and advantages of the scoring process so you can apply a consistent standard of measurement. This allows for an even basis for comparison with respect to your business goals.
I scored something. Why isn't it in the top initiatives list and how does something get there?
Your administrator sets a minimum threshold that all projects must score in order to be considered a top initiative. If you have fully scored a project and it's not showing up in the top initiatives box, the project's score is less than this minimum threshold. The top initiatives list within the pipeline tab can only display a small number of projects. These are sorted by overall score.
In order to see all of the projects that are considered top initiatives, click the expand button in the upper right of top initiatives panel. A project must have all of its scoring dimensions scored in order to be eligible as a top initiative. The "Scored" column in the "All Qualified Requests" panel should be green. If it is yellow, then the project has only been partially scored. If it is white, then the project has not been scored at all.
In order to see all of the projects that are considered top initiatives, click the expand button in the upper right of top initiatives panel. A project must have all of its scoring dimensions scored in order to be eligible as a top initiative. The "Scored" column in the "All Qualified Requests" panel should be green. If it is yellow, then the project has only been partially scored. If it is white, then the project has not been scored at all.
How do the scorecard weights affect the top initiatives threshold?
Our project scoring formula takes into consideration both positive and negative aspects of doing a project. Therefore, the formula adds some scores together and then subtracts others. Whether a scoring element is added or subtracted is something your administrator will configure when the application is configured. As a result of the subtracting in the formula, the scoring range is not simply a 0-100 scale.
The scale will depend on what percentage of your scoring weight contributes to the positive and negative sides. For example, if 60% of your weights go to positive-contributing scoring elements and 40% go to scoring elements that subtract from the value, the overall scoring range will be from -400 to +600 with the overall range being 1,000 points. If you have a 70% (positive)/30% (negative) split, then your range is -300 to +700.
The top initiatives threshold value should be placed somewhere along your scale to represent your top project scores. We recommend starting your top initiatives threshold at 50% or 60% of your overall range and then adjusting it based on your results. So, if your overall scoring range is -300 to +700 (since you have allocated 70% of your scoring weights to positive-contributing scoring elements), then you should try setting the top initiatives threshold somewhere between +200 and +300.
The scale will depend on what percentage of your scoring weight contributes to the positive and negative sides. For example, if 60% of your weights go to positive-contributing scoring elements and 40% go to scoring elements that subtract from the value, the overall scoring range will be from -400 to +600 with the overall range being 1,000 points. If you have a 70% (positive)/30% (negative) split, then your range is -300 to +700.
The top initiatives threshold value should be placed somewhere along your scale to represent your top project scores. We recommend starting your top initiatives threshold at 50% or 60% of your overall range and then adjusting it based on your results. So, if your overall scoring range is -300 to +700 (since you have allocated 70% of your scoring weights to positive-contributing scoring elements), then you should try setting the top initiatives threshold somewhere between +200 and +300.
How does resource utilization work?
Click here to review the purpose and benefits of using resource utilization to maximize your resources and capitalize on scheduling opportunities.
Why is a resource's name not appearing on the resource utilization chart within the pipeline tab?
Only resources that are marked as "Service Providers" in their individual resource record in "Administration" will appear on the "Resource Utilization" chart within the pipeline tab. Ensure that the "Service Provider" box is checked on the individual's resource record in administration for the resource's name and respective work load percentage to appear on the resource utilization chart.
I just added a resource to a roster. Why didn't their availability change?
The default display for the resource utilization chart within the pipeline tab is based on project loads from projects. These are within the project tab only. To include projects from the pipeline tab, you need to check the "Include Loads From Pipeline" setting and then update the resource utilization chart.
This will then include all resource loads from projects in the pipeline that have been tagged to be included in the chart. For projects in the pipeline, each roster member record has the option to be included (or not) when the resource utilization chart is including projects from the pipeline in its display.
This will then include all resource loads from projects in the pipeline that have been tagged to be included in the chart. For projects in the pipeline, each roster member record has the option to be included (or not) when the resource utilization chart is including projects from the pipeline in its display.
Why are some resource availabilities displayed in red, some in black and some in green?
Your administrator sets a resource availability threshold value beneath which a resource's availability on the pipeline tab displays green to indicate that this resource may have availability to take on more tasks. Your administrator also sets a resource capacity ceiling threshold value above which a resource's availability on the pipeline tab displays red to indicate that this resource may have been overloaded. Between these two threshold values, the resource's utilization displays in black to indicate a proper level of loading.
How do I return a project from the pipeline tab to the request tab?
There is no process in Portfolio Intelligence that allows you to return a project from the pipeline tab to the request tab. Please contact customer service to perform this task for you.
How do I print the resource utilization chart directly from the pipeline tab?
On the pipeline tab, select expand in the upper-right corner of the resource utilization chart. To filter by department and/or skill set, select the black toggle arrow at the header level to expand the details of each resource. To print, right click on the screen and select "Print Preview". This prints best in landscape mode.
Project
What is the project tab?
Click here to review the project health status, full project status report, milestones coming due and project schedule graph.
How do I import Microsoft Projects?
Click here for detailed instructions on importing project rosters and plans from Microsoft Project. These instructions include the one-time configuration of export map templates in Microsoft Project as well as routine export/import steps.
How do I add baseline and note fields to a Microsoft Project schedule export template?
You can export from Microsoft Project the "Baseline Start," "Baseline Finish" and "Notes" fields. These fields must be added to your existing Microsoft Project schedule export map tempate.
To edit your template in Microsoft Project, open a project, select "File," select "Save As," name your file to include the word "Schedule," select the CSV file type and select "Next". Then open an existing map and select your schedule export map. On the task mapping, you should add the following fields below the "% Complete" and then save your map:
From/To:
Baseline Start = Baseline_Start
Baseline Finish = Baseline_Finish
Notes = Notes
To edit your template in Microsoft Project, open a project, select "File," select "Save As," name your file to include the word "Schedule," select the CSV file type and select "Next". Then open an existing map and select your schedule export map. On the task mapping, you should add the following fields below the "% Complete" and then save your map:
From/To:
Baseline Start = Baseline_Start
Baseline Finish = Baseline_Finish
Notes = Notes
How is the load percentage calculated when importing from Microsoft Project?
The formula for calculating the load percentage when importing from Microsoft Project and opting to calculate load using import file is:
(Load/Capacity) x 100 = Load %
Load = Work (from import file) / Hours per day (available for work from the resource record)
Capacity = number of work days in start/end range (weekdays including holidays)
Example:
Work = 120 hours
Start/End = Monday, 3/10/08 - Sunday, 3/23/08 => 10 work week days
Hours/Day = 6
Process to calculate:
1) Calculate Load (120/6) = 20
2) Determine Capacity = 10
3) Calculate Load % ((20/10) x 100) = 200%
(Load/Capacity) x 100 = Load %
Load = Work (from import file) / Hours per day (available for work from the resource record)
Capacity = number of work days in start/end range (weekdays including holidays)
Example:
Work = 120 hours
Start/End = Monday, 3/10/08 - Sunday, 3/23/08 => 10 work week days
Hours/Day = 6
Process to calculate:
1) Calculate Load (120/6) = 20
2) Determine Capacity = 10
3) Calculate Load % ((20/10) x 100) = 200%
How are the bars on the project schedule graph determined?
The project schedule gives a graphic representation of the general timing for all of your active projects including their duration and progress. Here's how project schedule works and why yours might not look perfect when you go into your project tab:
- The duration for the projects is calculated as the time between a project's actual start date and the current roll-out date as defined on the project's plan tab. Both of these dates can be edited in the costs and dates section of the project's plan tab.
- If you only have an original roll-out date without a current roll-out date, the project schedule graph will use the original roll-out date. The graph is sorted by current roll-out date. The nearest dates are at the top. In order to be sequenced properly, a current roll-out date needs to be specified.
- Project progress is based on the date of the last completed milestone. Without a defined plan, any milestones defined or any milestones completed, there won't be a progress bar for that project.
- Your project schedule graph may look strange when you first see it. Along with what's mentioned in the bullets above, there is a limited amount of space in the graph for project titles. One really long title will compress the look of the graph. So, shorten your project titles to less than 50 characters.
- If you only have an original roll-out date without a current roll-out date, the project schedule graph will use the original roll-out date. The graph is sorted by current roll-out date. The nearest dates are at the top. In order to be sequenced properly, a current roll-out date needs to be specified.
Why can't I add a phase to my project plan?
To add a phase, you must first have a resource added to your roster. This is required so you can assign responsibility to an individual for project plan phases and tasks. Once you have added a roster member (either via the "Add Roster Member" wizard or by retrieving a previously saved template), the add phase button will appear. You will then be able to assign the responsibilities of roster members in your plan.
Why are my health indicators changing or not changing colors?
For the milestone and budget health indicators to automatically monitor your project's health, the actual data for your project plan and budget need to be entered and maintained in the "Project Detail Plan" area. Click on a project's title to see its "Project Detail" pop up. Then click on the "Plan" tab. Every project has a configurable tolerance level for missed milestones and anticipated actual cost versus budget spent.
These trigger the health indicators. A project may have one missed milestone but the threshold for turning its milestone health measure yellow may be two missed milestones. To see a project's "Health Tolerance" settings, click on a project's title to see its "Project Detail" pop up. Then click on the "Landscape" tab.
These trigger the health indicators. A project may have one missed milestone but the threshold for turning its milestone health measure yellow may be two missed milestones. To see a project's "Health Tolerance" settings, click on a project's title to see its "Project Detail" pop up. Then click on the "Landscape" tab.
What does the "*" mean next to a person's name in the "Key Date Schedule"?
An asterisk ("*") next to a person's name in the "Key Date Schedule" indicates that person is the primary responsible party for the item. Each schedule item must have a primary responsible party and optional multiple secondary resources.
How do I return a project from the project tab to the pipeline tab?
To return an active project on the project tab to the pipeline tab, you need to put the project on hold. To put the project on hold, select the "Complete" wizard next to the project on the project tab. On the "Complete" wizard, select "On-Hold" from the "Project Result" drop-down box.
Input the reason the project is being put on hold, the name of the person authorizing the placement of the project on hold and select "Submit". This will move the project from the project tab back to the pipeline. On the pipeline tab, the project will be included in the "Total Pipeline" list on the left side of the screen as well as in the "Top Initiatives" section on the right side of the screen.
You will see an "HLD" indicator showing the project had previously been put on hold. The project will stay in the pipeline until reinitiated or cancelled. If reinitiated, we recommend rescoring the project first to verify alignment with current business objectives.
Input the reason the project is being put on hold, the name of the person authorizing the placement of the project on hold and select "Submit". This will move the project from the project tab back to the pipeline. On the pipeline tab, the project will be included in the "Total Pipeline" list on the left side of the screen as well as in the "Top Initiatives" section on the right side of the screen.
You will see an "HLD" indicator showing the project had previously been put on hold. The project will stay in the pipeline until reinitiated or cancelled. If reinitiated, we recommend rescoring the project first to verify alignment with current business objectives.
How does issue management work?
Issue management (included in release version 4.1.1 on Dec. 15, 2008) provides the ability to document and track the progress of issues associated with individual projects. Please view this PDF for a detailed explanation of the features. This functionality includes:
- Issues tab in the project folder
- Issues due summary view on the project tab
- Open issue reporting on the assigned project manager's task report
- An issue health tolerance orb on the project tab
- Open issue details on the full project status view
- Issue log reporting on the reports tab
Reports
What do the values in the "Work Flow State" column mean in the "Projects Report" area?
These values are work-flow states within Portfolio Intelligence as a project progresses from a request all the way to an archived project. These work-flow states are a lower level of granularity than the life-cycle state tabs of request, pipeline, project and measure.
The work-flow states pinpoint exactly where in the process a particular project is currently. Use these values to isolate a subset of projects that are all in the same state of progression or maturity.
Archived
The work-flow states pinpoint exactly where in the process a particular project is currently. Use these values to isolate a subset of projects that are all in the same state of progression or maturity.
Archived
The project has completed all of its validation and measurement work-flow steps and has been fully completed. These projects are now in the "Archived Projects" listing in the measure tab.
CanceledThis is the work-flow state for projects that have been canceled either in the request tab (via the "Complete" wizard in the project tab) or at any time via the "Charter" tab in "Project Detail".
In Business ReviewThis means a project has been validated and possibly had a quality review scored for it. The project can be seen in the "Projects Needing Business Success Review" list in the measure tab.
In Quality ReviewThe project has run through the "Validate" wizard and its next user-configured work-flow state is "Quality Review". This project will display in the "Projects Needing Post-Validation Quality Review" listing within the measure tab.
InitiatedThe project is currently an active project and is resident in the project tab.
Needs AuthorityThe project has been entered via the "Add Request" wizard, but the "Approve Request" wizard has not been completed for it. This project will be found on the request tab.
Needs ScoringThe project has been run through the "Approve Wizard" successfully and is in the pipeline tab. It has not been scored using the scoring wizard.
On HoldThe project is resident in the pipeline tab, but has a bit of history. The project has had the "Initiate" wizard run for it and was in the project tab at one time. The "Complete" wizard was run against the project and the result for the project was "On Hold". The project then moved to the pipeline tab where it can be seen in the "Top Initiatives" listing with the "HLD" tag.
ParkedThe project was parked via the "Add Request" wizard. This project is viewable by its author only within the request tab in the "My Parked Requests" listing.
Rolled OutThe project has had the "Complete" wizard run against it while in the project tab with a result of "Rolled Out" selected. This project is resident within the measure tab in the "Projects Needing Validation" listing.
ScoredThe project is in the pipeline tab and has been successfully scored via the "Scoring" wizard.
How do I obtain a resource utilization report and export to Microsoft Excel?
Select the reports tab and then select the roster cube in the upper-left corner. Query the data as needed to target the specific group of resources you want included in your report and select "Submit". From the "Column Selector" page, hold down your "Ctrl" key and select the items you want to appear on the report.
We suggest at least using "Project Title," "First Name," "Last Name" and "Project Load' amount. When done, select ">>MOVE>>" (with arrows pointing to the right) and then "Run Report". You can sort, print, save or export this data to Microsoft Excel for further use.
We suggest at least using "Project Title," "First Name," "Last Name" and "Project Load' amount. When done, select ">>MOVE>>" (with arrows pointing to the right) and then "Run Report". You can sort, print, save or export this data to Microsoft Excel for further use.
Are there any pre-configured reports?
Our reporting consists of pre-structured views of the data that are available throughout the product and unstructured data elements for users to create and save their own reports.
Examples of pre-structured views include the dashboard (all charts/graphs can be saved as images and used in PowerPoint or Word documents with a right click and then "Save Picture As"), lists of projects included in each quadrant on each life-cycle tab (i.e. a list of all open requests is on the request tab; these can easily be exported to Microsoft Excel by selecting the export button in the bottom left of each quadrant) and the "Full Project Status" view found on the project tab in the upper-right part of the top-left quadrant.
This is our version of a project status update. Select the black toggle arrow at the header level to expand details for each project. This report can be printed with a right click and then select "Print Preview". The report is best viewed in landscape mode.
Unstructured reporting can be found on the reports tab where all data elements are grouped into data cubes. Here you can create virtually any report of the data in your portfolio. First, select a cube. Second, query the data. Third, select the columns and data elements to appear on the report. Fourth, run the report. Fifth, print, save or export the results to Microsoft Excel.
Examples of pre-structured views include the dashboard (all charts/graphs can be saved as images and used in PowerPoint or Word documents with a right click and then "Save Picture As"), lists of projects included in each quadrant on each life-cycle tab (i.e. a list of all open requests is on the request tab; these can easily be exported to Microsoft Excel by selecting the export button in the bottom left of each quadrant) and the "Full Project Status" view found on the project tab in the upper-right part of the top-left quadrant.
This is our version of a project status update. Select the black toggle arrow at the header level to expand details for each project. This report can be printed with a right click and then select "Print Preview". The report is best viewed in landscape mode.
Unstructured reporting can be found on the reports tab where all data elements are grouped into data cubes. Here you can create virtually any report of the data in your portfolio. First, select a cube. Second, query the data. Third, select the columns and data elements to appear on the report. Fourth, run the report. Fifth, print, save or export the results to Microsoft Excel.
Do you have graphical reporting capabilities?
All charts and graphs can be saved as images and used in PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, e-mail, etc. Just right click on the chart or graph and click "Save Picture As".
Administration
Do you have a detailed guide for portfolio configuration elements in "Administration"?
Yes! Click here for our detailed administrtion guide.
How do I add a new portfolio?
A portfolio represents a collection of projects. Each portfolio has a set of rules that control the characteristics of the portfolio. The portfolio controls are in the administration area. Only account administrators and portfolio administrators have access to the portfolio administration area.
Before adding a new portfolio, determine if one or multiple portfolios are suitable for your application. If one portfolio is best for your business, then we suggest using filtering elements such as groups, metrics and sustomers to create subviews of a single portfolio. A new portfolio functions separately from any existing portfolios. There is no master consolidation view for multiple portfolios.
One Combined Portfolio vs. Multiple Portfolios
One combined portfolio would be appropriate if all groups share the same business rules, metrics, measurement criteria, resource pools, access control requirements and responsibilities for the projects. The benefits of one combined portfolio include reduced duplication of data entry and shared reporting.
If one portfolio is deemed best for your application, you have the option to filter the portfolio by groups to view and report on data separately for subareas. For example, all projects in one portfolio can be filtered by groups that represent departments. This allows you to view project lists, graphs and reports by department.
Multiple portfolios would be appropriate if all groups do not share the above criteria. The benefits of multiple portfolios include separation of data, unique metric characteristics, scoring criteria and access control of projects in each portfolio. If multiple portfolios are deemed best for your application, all portfolios will be in the same system with their own administration setup.
They are completely separate for data entry and reporting. For example, an employee of one department can have portfolio administrative rights to their respective portfolio but have view-only rights to the portfolio in other departments. To add a new portfolio:
Before adding a new portfolio, determine if one or multiple portfolios are suitable for your application. If one portfolio is best for your business, then we suggest using filtering elements such as groups, metrics and sustomers to create subviews of a single portfolio. A new portfolio functions separately from any existing portfolios. There is no master consolidation view for multiple portfolios.
One Combined Portfolio vs. Multiple Portfolios
One combined portfolio would be appropriate if all groups share the same business rules, metrics, measurement criteria, resource pools, access control requirements and responsibilities for the projects. The benefits of one combined portfolio include reduced duplication of data entry and shared reporting.
If one portfolio is deemed best for your application, you have the option to filter the portfolio by groups to view and report on data separately for subareas. For example, all projects in one portfolio can be filtered by groups that represent departments. This allows you to view project lists, graphs and reports by department.
Multiple portfolios would be appropriate if all groups do not share the above criteria. The benefits of multiple portfolios include separation of data, unique metric characteristics, scoring criteria and access control of projects in each portfolio. If multiple portfolios are deemed best for your application, all portfolios will be in the same system with their own administration setup.
They are completely separate for data entry and reporting. For example, an employee of one department can have portfolio administrative rights to their respective portfolio but have view-only rights to the portfolio in other departments. To add a new portfolio:
- Select the "Account" link in the upper-right corner and click the "Add a New Portfolio" link on the "Company" tab. It will ask you to name the portfolio and then select submit.
- Select the new portfolio name from the portfolio drop-down selection to chose the new portfolio.
- Select the "Administration" link to begin defining the new portfolio.
How do I add a new user or resource?
Users can only be added or deleted from your account through our customer service. All users have access to their "My Profile" area where they can manage their default views, password and other user profile settings.
To enter a new resource into your portfolio, contact a portfolio administrator. If you are an administrator, click on the administration area (located in the global navigation banner) and click on the resource tab. You can associate a resource to a user ID on the resource's profile.
To enter a new resource into your portfolio, contact a portfolio administrator. If you are an administrator, click on the administration area (located in the global navigation banner) and click on the resource tab. You can associate a resource to a user ID on the resource's profile.
How do subscriber access levels work?
Click here to review your options with user access levels. These determine the screen display and functionality available to subscribers. You can also learn about interface display and feature availability of the product for subscribers.
What are some alignment metric best practices and examples?
Click here for an explanation of alignment metrics, how to define them, where they are used in the product and sample customer metrics.
What are some scorecard best practices, instructions and examples?
Click here for scorecard best practices and instructions. Click here for scoring element examples.
What does "Service Provider" mean in a resources profile?
"Service Provider" is a profile attribute on the resources record in "Administration". Service providers provide services and carry a load capacity on projects. Resources marked as "Service Proders" are included in the "Resource Utilization" area within the pipeline tab.
What are some typical uses for the "Group Code"?
Group codes bring projects together that share a commonality. Most commonly, group codes represent programs, releases, divisions or departments in an organization. A group is a collection of individual projects. A single project can only belong to one group. You can use groups to query data in a portfolio when reporting, include them as an element on a report and use them to filter the portfolio for viewing.
When you apply a portfolio filter, data is reduced to projects included in your filter only. This shows you a miniature portfolio view of the data. Applied filters stay in place while you move from tab to tab (until you clear the filter). Each subscriber can create their own filter and save it so it's applied automatically at login.
When you apply a portfolio filter, data is reduced to projects included in your filter only. This shows you a miniature portfolio view of the data. Applied filters stay in place while you move from tab to tab (until you clear the filter). Each subscriber can create their own filter and save it so it's applied automatically at login.
What is the relationship between the alignment metric and the scorecard?
Alignment metrics are used for graphing, reporting, querying and filtering data. The scorecard is a measurement tool that allows users to evaluate projects on an even playing field.
Scoring projects helps to prioritize potential projects before you start them. This allows you to identify projects in your backlog that are going to bring the most value to your organization. Projects that score above your configured "Top Initiatives Threshold" will be placed in the "Top Initiatives" list within the pipeline tab.
Top initiatives are the projects you should focus on and determine when you can initiate them into active projects. There is no direct relationship between the two items but there may be several common elements represented in metrics and the scorecard. Scoring projects serves two purposes:
Scoring projects helps to prioritize potential projects before you start them. This allows you to identify projects in your backlog that are going to bring the most value to your organization. Projects that score above your configured "Top Initiatives Threshold" will be placed in the "Top Initiatives" list within the pipeline tab.
Top initiatives are the projects you should focus on and determine when you can initiate them into active projects. There is no direct relationship between the two items but there may be several common elements represented in metrics and the scorecard. Scoring projects serves two purposes:
- Prioritize project backlogs to identify the most beneficial projects for the organization.
- Visually compare projects based on qualitative and quantitative measurements.
Is it possible to create custom fields?
Our custom fields are everything in "Administration" that can be configured to represent an organization's language. These include metrics, scorecards, resources, groups, customers, etc. There are no custom fields beyond elements in "Administration".
What are unpublished configuration values?
Unpublished configuration values allow you to mark old or unused configuration elements. These can include departments, skill sets, qualitative and quantitative metrics, metric subvalues, groups, customers and time-sheet categories. Unpublished values no longer appear in drop-down selections throughout the portfolio.
They are still available for filtering, querying and reporting via the "Filter Tool" and "Reports" tab. This functionality is especially useful to our long-term clients whose business categorizations and measurements may have changed since their original implementation.
They are still available for filtering, querying and reporting via the "Filter Tool" and "Reports" tab. This functionality is especially useful to our long-term clients whose business categorizations and measurements may have changed since their original implementation.
What are inactive resources?
Inactive resources help you mark prior employees or previously used contractors as inactive. Inactive resources no longer appear in drop-down selections throughout the portfolio. They are still available for querying and reporting via the "Reports" tab. All resources in your portfolio reflect an active state.
To mark resources inactive, uncheck the "Active" box at the bottom of the individual resource record in "Administration". To report on inactive resources via "Reports," use the "Resources" cube and set the "Active" query element to "False".
To mark resources inactive, uncheck the "Active" box at the bottom of the individual resource record in "Administration". To report on inactive resources via "Reports," use the "Resources" cube and set the "Active" query element to "False".
Measure
Why didn't my project go into the "Quality Review" or "Business Success" box?
Whenever a project is initiated, the project authority sets what measurement methodology steps are required for that project. If the project authority does not select the "Quality Review" or "Business Success" methodology step, it's not required to perform one for that project. To see a project's "Review Expectation" settings, click on a project's title. This pops up its "Project Detail" and then click on the "Landscape" tab.
How do the "Quality Review" and "Business Success" reviews work?
Post Validation Quality Review
This is a measurement step where a service-providing organization has the opportunity to document the quality of its deliverables. This action may only be taken after a project has successfully been validated. A quality review should include cost, defect, schedule and customer satisfaction metrics.
Once projects have been quality reviewed, trending can be established to measure the increase or decrease in the overall quality of the service provider's deliverables.
Overall Quality Rating
This is an overall assessment of a project's execution based on four metrics: performance to cost, performance to schedule, customer satisfaction and defect levels. The rating is a "yes" or "no" score that determines whether or not the project was done in a quality fashion.
The assessment is performed by the project manager's management with input from the customers and the project manager. The intention of this rating is to measure and upwardly trend the overall quality delivered by the service provider. The formula for calculating this overall rating is based on the four individual scoring metrics. The unit for scoring is as follows:
1 $ - Expected quality delivered
2 $$ - Quality exceeded expectations and materially affected the company's benefits of the project
3 $$$ - A severe condition where the quality not only exceeded expectations but did so in an unusually adverse environment
1 negative $ - Expected quality not delivered with impact to the results of the project
2 negative $$ - Expected quality was not delivered and severe issues to the success of the project were created as a result
3 negative $$$ - An extremely severe condition where the expected quality was not delivered and the entire project was unsuccessful as a direct result of this lack of quality
Overall formula: the sum of the green ratings minus four times the sum of sum of the red ratings
If the result is >=0, then the overall quality rating is "Yes: Quality Was Delivered".
If the result is <0, then the overall quality rating is "No: Quality Was Not Delivered".
Business Success Review
This is a measurement step where an enterprise can define the benefits and results a project actually delivered. In order to allow the necessary clarity of vision to review the project's results with accuracy, this measurement step may take a long time from when the project was validated.
In order to assist the enterprise in refining its project scoring methods, these results can be compared against the original anticipated benefits that were used to score the project while it was in the pipeline.
This is a measurement step where a service-providing organization has the opportunity to document the quality of its deliverables. This action may only be taken after a project has successfully been validated. A quality review should include cost, defect, schedule and customer satisfaction metrics.
Once projects have been quality reviewed, trending can be established to measure the increase or decrease in the overall quality of the service provider's deliverables.
Overall Quality Rating
This is an overall assessment of a project's execution based on four metrics: performance to cost, performance to schedule, customer satisfaction and defect levels. The rating is a "yes" or "no" score that determines whether or not the project was done in a quality fashion.
The assessment is performed by the project manager's management with input from the customers and the project manager. The intention of this rating is to measure and upwardly trend the overall quality delivered by the service provider. The formula for calculating this overall rating is based on the four individual scoring metrics. The unit for scoring is as follows:
1 $ - Expected quality delivered
2 $$ - Quality exceeded expectations and materially affected the company's benefits of the project
3 $$$ - A severe condition where the quality not only exceeded expectations but did so in an unusually adverse environment
1 negative $ - Expected quality not delivered with impact to the results of the project
2 negative $$ - Expected quality was not delivered and severe issues to the success of the project were created as a result
3 negative $$$ - An extremely severe condition where the expected quality was not delivered and the entire project was unsuccessful as a direct result of this lack of quality
Overall formula: the sum of the green ratings minus four times the sum of sum of the red ratings
If the result is >=0, then the overall quality rating is "Yes: Quality Was Delivered".
If the result is <0, then the overall quality rating is "No: Quality Was Not Delivered".
Business Success Review
This is a measurement step where an enterprise can define the benefits and results a project actually delivered. In order to allow the necessary clarity of vision to review the project's results with accuracy, this measurement step may take a long time from when the project was validated.
In order to assist the enterprise in refining its project scoring methods, these results can be compared against the original anticipated benefits that were used to score the project while it was in the pipeline.
How do I return a project from the measure tab back to the project tab?
If a project isn't complete and needs to be returned to the project tab for more work to be done, then select the "Validate" wizard within the "Measure" tab. Then select "Roll-Back" from the drop-down menu, input the name of the person authorizing the roll-back action and the date it occurred. Select "Submit" and it will roll the project back to the "Project" tab.
Participant View
What does the participant view look like?
Click here for annotated screen captures of the participant user view. This illustrates the configurable abilities of editing and personalization as well as template retrieval and milestone e-mail notifications.
Portfolio Intelligence Pages
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