You can create cash flow curve templates that can be used to create cash flow curves in projects and CBS-code based shells. If you are using programs or company-level cash flow, you can create roll-up curve templates. See Create Roll-up Templates.
Template creation methods are manual or copying an existing one. After creating a template, you can set refresh frequency and activate or deactivate curves.
Creating and setting up a template is essentially the same as setting up the curves manually in a project or shell. The major difference is you cannot select individual records in the template; these must be chosen from within the projects or shells. See Cash flow curves in the Unifier User Guide.
The detail curve creates a worksheet in the project or shell that can include several curves. You can create detail curves and detail curve templates at the following detail levels:
- Cash flow by project or shell: You can track the costs associated with an entire project or shell over time.
- Cash flow by CBS: The creation of a CBS detail curve is similar to cash flow by project/shell. Use this option if cash flow needs to be tracked at the CBS level as opposed to the project or shell level, by allowing you plot cash flow curves by specific CBS codes, or all codes, in the project or shell.
- Cash flow by Summary CBS: The creation of a Summary CBS detail curve is very similar to cash flow by CBS. Use this option if cash flow needs to be tracked by summary CBS codes. In order to select this option, the project/shell cost sheet must use a tree structure -- and therefore has summary CBS codes -- rather than a flat structure.
- Cash flow by commitment: This option allows you to plot and analyze cash flow data for an entire commit record (including base commit, any change commits, and related invoices). You can choose the specific business process commitment record within the project/shell, such as a purchase order or contract, and track the cost information over time.
- Note: You can set up the automatic creation of a cash flow curve when a base commit record is created and completed or reaches a particular step. This is done in the BP Setup for the business process. See Setting Up Auto-Creation of Cash Flow Curves from Contracts
To create a cash flow detail level curve in a template
- Go to the Company Workspace tab and switch to Administration Mode.
- In the left Navigator, do one of the following:
- To create a template, click Standards & Libraries > Cash Flow > Templates. This is a template users can select at run time.
- To create a detail curve in a project or shell template, click Templates. Open the project or shell template, then click Cost Manager>Cash Flow in the Navigator. This cash flow model can be copied during project or shell cloning.
The Cash Flow log opens.
- Click the New button. The Properties window opens.
Directions for completing the cash flow curve properties are in the Unifier User Guide.
- General tab: Define the name, description, detail level, time scale and period close settings.
- Curves tab: Define individual curves (Baseline, Forecast, Actual (or Spends), Portfolio Budget, Derived, and Custom curves) that will be part of the group of curves that make up the cash flow detail curve.
- Filters tab: Limit the cash flow data on your curve to a particular set of CBS codes or (if the cost sheet is tree structure) summary CBS codes. If you do not specify a filter, then all codes will be used for the data.
- Options tab: Define the format to use for the numbers displayed on the cash flow worksheet.
- Schedule tab: Enable automatic refresh of the cash flow curve, and set the refresh schedule.
- Summary tab: A Summary Cash Flow Curve displays selected cash flows from your project.