Establishing Supporting Data

To establish supporting data, use the Department Budget Source (BC_PRBUD_FLT), Priority (PPK_PRIORITY_UPD), Initiative Type (PPK_INITYPE_TBL), Milestone (PPK_MILESTONE), Risk Elements (PPK_RISK_ELEMENT), and Measures and Dimensions (PPK_MSRS_DIM) components.

This section provides overviews of milestones and measures and dimensions, and discusses how to:

Define budget record data.
Define project request priorities.
Define initiative types.
Define milestones.
Define risk elements.
Define measures and dimensions.

Pages Used to Establish Supporting Data

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Department Budget Source	BC_PRBUD_FLT	select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Department Budget Source	Indicate which database records contain budget data. This information is used to determine the departmental budget amount that is allowed for project requests.
Priorities	PPK_PRIORITY_UPD	select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Priorities	Establish priority ratings to assign to project requests.
Initiative Type	PPK_INITYPE_TBL	select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Initiative Types	Set up unique identifiers that map different types of project requests to specific project owners.
Milestone	PPK_MILESTONE	select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Milestones select Project Portfolio Management, then select Project Requests, then select Project Requests, then select Milestones Click Create New Milestone.	Establish milestones.
Risk Element	PPK_RISK_ELEMENT	select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Risk Elements	Establish risk elements.
Define Measures/Dimensions	BC_PRJ_KPI_RULE	select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Measures/Dimensions	Establish the data that is available to use when you are analyzing project portfolios.

Understanding Milestones

Milestones represent a significant task or activity in a project that must be accomplished on time or the project may be delayed or at risk. You define and maintain milestones independently from project requests and store them in a shared library by using the Milestone page. This enables an owner to be associated with each milestone that can differ from the project request owner. After a milestone has been defined, only the individual that is specified as the milestone owner can modify it. Two types of milestones exist:

Standard milestones.
Risk milestones.

Standard Milestones

This type of milestone provides a measurement of the progress of a project request. Typically, these milestones are used to indicate certain key tasks that must be achieved by a given date, and the person who is responsible. You associate these milestones with a project request by using the Project Request - Milestones page.

Risk Milestones

This type of milestone is used to track and measure identified risks (risk elements) that are associated with a project request. Their primary function is to affect the net score for the primary risk score group by considering the probability that they will occur on time and their status. You associate a risk milestone with a risk element by using the Project Requests - Risk Elements page. Risk elements are associated with the individual risk categories that make up the risk score group that indicates a project's relative risk.

You can define the level of confidence that a risk milestone will be completed on schedule as a percentage value between 0 and 100; this percentage is used when the system computes the project's net relative risk score. Optionally, you can have the system automatically update the probability that a risk milestone will occur based on changes to its status, start date, and due date by running the Update Milestone Probabilities Application Engine process. This option is set individually for each risk milestone when you establish the milestone.

Understanding Measures and Dimensions

The project request data that you can analyze by using the Portfolio Analysis component is determined by definitions that are established for measures and dimensions. These dimensions and measures are the data that is available to use for the various elements of portfolio analysis. Measures and dimensions are established at implementation and stored in a shared library that is available to all users. However, security is enforced when you are using the Portfolio Analysis component, and as a result, users view only the data to which they have been granted access. Also, you must specify how the system should aggregate (roll up) amounts at the summary node levels on the project portfolio tree.

Measures

Measures are numerical data that can be used in the Portfolio Analysis component. The data source for a measure must be a key performance indicator (KPI); either use the KPIs that are delivered with Project Portfolio Management, or define your own KPIs.

The Portfolio Analysis component uses a project portfolio tree to determine the project request data to view. When defining a measure, you must specify how the system should compute the values for summary nodes on the project portfolio tree by aggregating the values within a subordinate child node. Options are to either compute a weighted average of the values of the subordinate nodes (child nodes), or sum together the values of the subordinate nodes. If you use the weighted average method, you need to specify on which field the weighting is based; typically, implementations use estimated cost to evaluate the measure relative to a project request's costs.

You also need to define how the system should determine the assessment of KPIs at summary node levels of the project portfolio tree. The following options are available:

Best.

The assessment for a summary node is the highest-ranked assessment of the child node.
Most Often.

The assessment for a summary node is the most commonly returned assessment of the child node.
None.

No assessments are available for summary nodes.
Rollup Score.

The assessment for a summary node is the highest-ranked assessment that is received in the subordinate (child) node.
Worst Case.

The assessment for a summary node is the lowest-ranked assessment that is received in the subordinate (child) node.

If you use the Rollup Score option, you must complete the assessment grid to indicate the assessment rules to use. If you select Most Often, you need to indicate how to determine the assessment in the event that no particular assessment was received more frequently than any other.

Dimensions

Dimensions are non-numerical (character-based) data that can be used in the Portfolio Analysis component. The data source for a dimension must be one of the following columns from the project request database record: KPI assessment, investment type, owner/manager, project request ID, status. Dimensions enable you to analyze project requests by grouping them according to their dimension value. For example, you can view project requests by their initiative type, status, or any of the other valid dimensions.

To define an assessment-based dimension, which returns assessment results for a KPI, you also must specify the KPI for which to analyze assessments and the method by which the system determines the assessments at each summary node of the project portfolio tree.

Department Budget Source page

Use the Department Budget Source page (BC_PRBUD_FLT) to indicate which database records contain budget data.

This information is used to determine the departmental budget amount that is allowed for project requests.

Navigation

select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Department Budget Source

Image: Department Budget Source page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Department Budget Source page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Budget Data

Record (Table) Name

Select the database record that contains the budget ledger data.

Amount Field

Select the field within the budget ledger record that contains the budgeted cost amounts. Typically this is the account field.

Delete Department Budget Source

Click to delete the currently defined budget source.

Budget amounts are shown on the Variance Analyzer page and enable you to compare department budget amounts to estimated project costs.

(Optional) Filter Criteria

Complete the fields within the filter criteria grid to specify criteria by which to limit the accounts used for budget amounts. If you leave this grid blank, all accounts are used to generate the budgeted cost totals. However, the system selects only budget amounts that have a Project ID specified.

You should define your filter criteria to select the budget accounts that your organization uses for budgeting project-related expenses, such as labor, materials, travel, and so on.

Priorities Page

Use the Priorities page (PPK_PRIORITY_UPD) to establish priority ratings to assign to project requests.

Navigation

select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Priorities

Image: Priorities page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Priorities page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

To define priorities, insert rows as needed and enter a priority number and description for each priority. Five priority levels and their corresponding descriptions are delivered. The data that you define in this page is used as the source for the valid priorities that appear in the Priority drop-down list box on the Project Request page.

Initiative Types

Use the Initiative Type page (PPK_INITYPE_TBL) to set up unique identifiers that map different types of project requests to specific project owners.

Navigation

select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Initiative Types

Image: Initiative Type page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Initiative Type page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Initiative Type ID

Specify a unique identifier for the initiative type. Initiative types are categories that are used for the purpose of classifying the various types of projects within your organization. When you use the portfolio analysis page, you can analyze project requests based on their initiative type.

Owner ID

Select the individual that is associated with this initiative type.

When you create a project request that is associated with an initiative type, the system automatically populates the project request's Project Owner and Approver fields with the owner ID of the individual who is specified as the owner of the assigned initiative type.

Milestone Page

Use the Milestone page (PPK_MILESTONE) to establish milestones.

Navigation

select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Milestones
select Project Portfolio Management, then select Project Requests, then select Project Requests, then select Milestones

Click Create New Milestone.

Image: Milestone page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Milestone page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Milestone Definition

Owner

Select the individual who is primarily responsible for this milestone. After a milestone is defined, only the owner can update it.

Status

Select the milestone's current status. Options are: Not Started, In Progress, Completed, and Canceled. When the Update Milestone Probabilities process runs, it evaluates the status.

Start Date

Enter the date on which the milestone begins. When the Update Milestone Probabilities process runs, it evaluates this date.

Due Date

Enter the date on which the milestone should be completed. When the Update Milestone Probabilities process runs, it evaluates this date.

Delete

Click to delete the current milestone from the system. You can delete only milestones that are not associated with project requests.

Risk Milestone

Select this option if the milestone is a risk milestone. Only risk milestones can be associated with risk elements; non-risk milestones can be associated only with project requests.

Probability Automatic Update

Select this option to enable the system to update the milestone's probability, based on the current milestone status, when the Update Milestone Probabilities process runs. If the probability does change, it impacts the primary risk net score of the associated project request.

This field is available for entry only when Risk Milestone is selected.

Probability of Occurrence (%)

Enter a value that indicates the probability that the milestone will finish on time. This field is available for entry only when Risk Milestone is selected. The Update Milestone Probabilities application engine process can also update this field.

Project Requests that Use the Milestone

This grid lists the project requests to which this milestone is assigned.

Project Request

Click a project request ID to access the Project Request page, where you can view the project request definition.

Risk Elements

Use the Risk Element page (PPK_RISK_ELEMENT) to establish risk elements.

Navigation

select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Risk Elements

Image: Risk Element page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Risk Element page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Enter a description of the risk element. Risk elements are shared among all project requests. They categorize a type of a risk.

Defining Measures and Dimensions

Use the Define Measures/Dimensions page (BC_PRJ_KPI_RULE) to establish the data that is available to use when you are analyzing project portfolios.

Navigation

select Project Portfolio Management, then select Administration, then select Building Blocks, then select Measures/Dimensions

Image: Define Measures/Dimensions page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Define Measures/Dimensions page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Dimension and Source Dimension

Select Dimension to return the value from a project request field, and then specify which field by making a selection from the Source Dimension drop-down list box. You establish the dimensions that are available for selection by using the Analysis Dimensions page.

The Assessment dimension source returns the assessment results of the KPI that is selected in the Source Measure field. If you select Assessment, then you must also complete the Source Measure field. If you are defining a dimension based on any other dimension source, no other fields are required and the remaining fields are unavailable for entry.

Project Count

Select this option to return the number of project requests. When this option is selected, the only other required fields are Description and ID. The remaining fields are unavailable for entry.

Source Measure

Select the KPI that serves as the source of the data.

This field is required when you are defining a measure or when you are defining a dimension that uses Assessment as the source dimension.

Rollup Using

Indicate how the system calculates the totals on summary-level nodes of the project portfolio tree. Options are:

Average: Select to compute an average of the values from subordinate nodes.

Sum: Select to add together values from subordinate nodes.

Weighting: Select to compute a weighted average of the values from subordinate nodes. If you select this option, you must also complete the Weighted By field.

Weighted By

Select the KPI on which to base the weighted average for summary-level node totals that use weighting.

This field is available for entry only when the Rollup Using field is set to Weighting.

Assess Using

Indicate the method by which the system determines the assessments at each summary node of the project portfolio tree.

Tie Breaker

Specify the assessment to assign if the assessments for summary nodes are determined by the most common assessment result and no single assessment was received more often than any others. This field is available for entry only when the Assess Using field is set to Most Frequent. Options are:

Best Case: Select to use the best assessment result.

Worst Case: Select to use the worst assessment result.

Assessment Rules

For measures that are assessed based on their rollup score, complete this grid to define how the system determines assessments by designating the range of values that receive a particular assessment. This is required for measures when the Assess Using field is set to Rollup Score.

Sequence

Enter a number to associate with each target rule. The rules are evaluated in ascending order based on this sequence number, not their order in the list. The row that contains the first true condition is used as the assessment. Leave intervals between your sequence numbers so that you can insert additional rules later, if necessary, without having to renumber each row.

Operator

Select the type of comparison (greater than, less than, and so on).

% of Target (percentage of target)

Select the percentage of the KPIs target value to which this rule applies.

Assessment ID

Select the assessment ID that is used when the condition is true.