Adding a Baseline Curve for Cash Flow by Summary CBS or CBS

To add a Baseline curve for cash flow by Summary CBS or CBS:

  1. Go to the project/shell tab that contains the cash flow and switch to User mode.
  2. In the left Navigator, select Cost Manager, and then select Cash Flow, the start point for all cash flow operations.
  3. In the Cash Flow log:
    1. Select a cash flow.
    2. Click the gear menu ( ) and select Properties.
  4. In the General pane of the Cash Flow Properties window, select any of the following options from the Detail Level drop-down list:
    • Summary CBS (for summary CBS codes)
    • CBS (for cash flow by individual CBS codes)
  5. In the Curves pane of Cash Flow Properties window, select Baseline from the Curves drop-down list.
  6. In the Baseline window, select the cash flow properties for a Baseline curve. For more details, see the tables below.

You can cost-load a schedule sheet by assigning roles and resources to project-related activities. When you associate a CBS code with an activity in the schedule sheet, the system can distribute its cost over a period of time based on activity dates and the calendar. You will be able to view this distributed cost along with other cash flow curves related to the project.

You can create another Baseline curve by selecting a Cost Sheet as the source for cost or create a Forecast, Spends, and Custom curve. In all these cases, the list of CBS codes will be from the cost sheet and will not be filtered by the schedule sheet.

The cash flow will pull distribution data (Linear, S-Curve, On Start and Finish) from a schedule sheet.

Cash Flow Properties Setup For a Baseline Curve by Summary CBS

When you select the Summary CBS option in the Detail Level drop-down list (General pane) and in the Curves pane you add Baseline curve (from the Curves drop-down list), proceed to set up the following parameters:

Property

Description

Cost

Note: You can choose the cost column when creating a curve in a project/shell but not in templates.

Select your cost source as one of the following options:

  • Manual: Select this option if you want to manually enter amounts for each period. You can enter cost information in the Total field on the worksheet. This option is available if you select Manual in the Distribution drop-down list.
  • Distribute amount from Cost Sheet Column: Select this option if you want to use the default distribution profile. This option is available if you select Auto in the Distribution drop-down list. For example, columns such as Approved Budget Revisions, Approved Commitment Changes, Approved Contracts.

Schedule

Define the range of dates to use for plotting the cash flow data. These are the dates you specify to start the curve and end the curve.

Note: If you choose to take dates from the schedule sheet elements, then the Master schedule sheet is used for the project/shell.

Select one of the following options:

  • Manual: Select this option if you want to manually enter the date in the cash flow worksheet.
  • Use dates from Schedule Sheet: Select this option if you want to select dates from a schedule sheet. Select a specific sheet from the Select schedule sheet list, and proceed to enter dates in the From Date and To Date fields to plot the cash flow curve from the selected schedule sheet. For example, Actual Start Date and Actual Finish Date.
    Selecting Use dates from Schedule Sheet option allows you to access the individual Schedule Sheet.
    The CBS (or Summary CBS) code shows the dates of the actual CBS (or Summary CBS) related activities.
  • Use dates from Activity Sheet: Select this option if you want to select dates from an activity sheet. Select a sheet from the Select Activity Sheet window, and proceed to specify the Project Type, From Date, To Date, and Periods for Cost Distribution to plot the cash flow curve from the selected activity sheet.

 

 

Project Type

If you chose the Schedule as Use Dates from Activity sheet, select the project as either Baseline or Current.

From Date

If you chose the Schedule as Use Dates from Activity Sheet, select the start date to use for plotting the cash flow curve.

To Date

If you chose the Schedule as Use Dates from Activity Sheet, select the end date to use for plotting the cash flow curve.

Distribution

Distribution profiles are used to distribute data automatically in the cash flow worksheet. Select a distribution profile to use as the default distribution profile for the curve. Select any of the following options:

  • Manual: Select this option if you want to enter values in each field manually.
  • Auto: Select this option if you want to specify a default distribution profile for initial display and calculations in the cash flow worksheet. If you change the distribution profile from the worksheet, the default profile is also updated to reflect the current selection.
    To specify a default distribution profile:
    1. Click the CBS Profile Distribution button.
    2. In the Distribute by default profile CBS window:
      1. Select a predetermined distribution method (at the Company Level or Project Level) from the Set Profile drop-down list.

        The distribution profiles for this field are defined in the following locations:

        • Go to the Company Workspace tab and switch to Admin mode. In the left Navigator, select Standards & Libraries, select Cash Flow, and then select Distribution Profiles.

        or

        • Go to the project/shell tab and switch to User mode. In the left Navigator, select Cost Manager, and then select Cash Flow. From the toolbar, click Actions, and then select Manage Distribution Profiles.
      2. Select one or more WBS codes from the list, and click Update.

 

 

Periods for Cost Distribution

This field displays only if you have selected the Schedule option as Use Dates from Activity Sheet, and Distribution as Auto.

Select any of the following options to specify how to distribute the costs based on the activity schedule:

  • Consecutive Periods: Select this option to distribute costs based on the profile from the earliest start to the latest finish dates across activities for each CBS or Summary CBS code. This is the default option for new or existing curves if you selected Schedule as Use Dates from Activity Sheet.
  • Exclude Gap Periods: Select this option to distribute costs by honoring gaps between activities if there are multiple activities for the same CBS Code.
  • Honor Working Days: Select this option to distribute costs based on the working days of activities.

Variance

For Summary CBS, typically, the Variance is set to Inflow for a Baseline type curve. This value is used to calculate variances against the Outflow type curves. Your choices are:

  • Inflow
  • Outflow

Cash Flow Properties Setup For a Baseline Curve by CBS

When you select the CBS option in the Detail Level drop-down list (General pane) and in the Curves pane you add Baseline curve (from the Curves drop-down list), proceed to set up the following parameters:

Property

Description

Bring Baseline Data From

Specify the source of your baseline data. Select any of the following options:

  • General: Select this option if you want to bring data from a general CBS code.
  • Schedule Sheet: Select this option if you want to choose a schedule sheet and view the cost distribution information by CBS.
    To use data from schedule sheet, click the select icon to open and select a schedule sheet in the Select Schedule Sheet window.
  • P6 Summary Sheet: Select this option if you want to use cost and dates information from P6 Summary Sheet (spread), based on the P6 Data Sources.
    Proceed to specify the Data Type.
    The P6 Data Sources are listed in the Cashflow Data Sources window. (To access this window, go to the Company Workspace tab and switch to Admin mode; in the left Navigator, select Standards & Libraries, select Cash Flow, and then select Data Sources.)
  • Activity Sheet: Select this option if you want to use cost and dates information from an activity sheet.
    Proceed to specify the Sheet Name, Project Type, Cost and Schedule & Distribution.

Note: Cash flow worksheet data will not show accurate amounts when multiple CBS Codes are associated with a single resource. If you assign a resource to multiple activities with multiple CBS codes in the Activity Sheet and the cash flow curve has Baseline selected as the Project Type, the curve data will be incorrect.

 

 

Data Type

This field displays if you chose to Bring Baseline Data From a P6 Summary Sheet. Select any of the following values:

  • At Completion: Select this option if you want to draw the Baseline curve using the At Completion Cost spread.
  • Planned: Select this option if you want to draw the Baseline curve using the Planned Cost spread.

Sheet Name

If you chose to Bring Baseline Data From an Activity Sheet, select an activity sheet.

Cost

Note: You can choose the cost column when creating a curve in a project/shell but not in templates.

Select your cost source as one of the following options:

  • Manual: Select this cost option if you want to manually enter amounts for each period. This option will be available if you selected the Distribution as Manual. This allows you enter cost information in the Total field on the worksheet.
  • From Activity Sheet Column: This cost option displays if you chose to Bring Baseline Data From an Activity Sheet. Select a column from the Activity Sheet such as At Completion Cost, Planned Cost, or Remaining Cost, and so forth.
  • From Cost Sheet Column: Select this cost option if you if you chose to Bring Baseline Data From an Activity Sheet., and want to use a default distribution profile. This option is available if you selected the Distribution field value as Auto. From the drop-down list, select a column name such as Approved Budget Revisions, Approved Commitment Changes, Approved Contracts, and so forth.

Schedule & Distribution

If you chose to Bring Baseline Data From an Activity Sheet, select a column for the Schedule & Distribution method.

Schedule

Define the range of dates to use for plotting the cash flow data. These are the dates you specify to start the curve and end the curve.

Note: If you choose to take dates from the schedule sheet elements, the system uses the Master schedule sheet for the project/shell.

Select one of the following options:

  • Manual: Select this option if you want to manually enter the date in the cash flow worksheet.
  • Use dates from Schedule Sheet: Select this option if you want to use a schedule sheet from the Select schedule sheet list. Proceed to enter dates in the From Date and To Date fields to plot the cash flow curve using the selected schedule sheet.
    If these dates are changed on the selected schedule sheet, the changes are reflected on cash flow after the next refresh of the curves.
  • Use dates from Activity Sheet: Select this option if you want to use an activity sheet from the Select Activity Sheet window. When you select this option, you will need to also specify the Project Type, From Date, To Date, and Periods for Cost Distribution.

 

 

Project Type

If you chose to Bring Baseline Data From an Activity Sheet, select the project as either Baseline or Current.

From Date

If you chose the Schedule as Use Dates from Schedule Sheet or Use Dates from Activity Sheet, select the start date to use for plotting the cash flow curve.

To Date

If you chose the Schedule as Use Dates from Schedule Sheet or Use Dates from Activity Sheet, select the end date to use for plotting the cash flow curve.

Distribution

Distribution profiles are used to distribute data automatically in the cash flow worksheet. This option lets you select a distribution profile to use as the default distribution profile for the curve. Select any of the following options:

  • Manual: Select this option if you want to enter values into each field manually.
  • Auto: Select this option if you want to specify a default distribution profile for initial display and calculations in the cash flow worksheet. If you change the distribution profile from the worksheet, the default profile is also updated to reflect the current selection.
    To specify a default distribution profile:
    1. Click the CBS Profile Distribution button.
    2. In the Distribute by default profile CBS window:
      1. Select a predetermined method for distribution (at the Company Level or Project Level) from the Set Profile drop-down list.

        The distribution profiles for this field are defined in the following locations:

        • Go to the Company Workspace tab and switch to Admin mode. In the left Navigator, select Standards & Libraries, select Cash Flow, and then select Distribution Profiles.

        or

        • Go to the project/shell tab and switch to User mode. In the left Navigator, select Cost Manager, and then select Cash Flow. From the toolbar, click Actions, and then select Manage Distribution Profiles.
      2. Select one or more WBS codes from the list, and click Update.

Note: The Auto option is selected by default, if you selected the Schedule option as Use Dates from Activity. Additionally, if you also selected the Periods for Cost Distribution option as Honor working days, then Auto displays as a read-only field, and you can no longer select a default distribution profile.

 

 

Periods for Cost Distribution

This field displays only if you have selected the Schedule option as Use Dates from Activity Sheet, and Distribution as Auto.

Select any of the following options to specify how to distribute the costs based on the activity schedule:

  • Consecutive Periods: Select this option to distribute costs based on the profile from the earliest start to the latest finish dates across activities for each CBS or Summary CBS code. This is the default option for new or existing curves if you selected Schedule as Use Dates from Activity Sheet.
  • Exclude Gap Periods: Select this option to distribute costs by honoring gaps between activities if there are multiple activities for the same CBS Code.
  • Honor Working Days: Select this option to distribute costs based on the working days of activities.

Variance

For CBS, typically, the Variance is set to Inflow for a Baseline type curve. This value is used to calculate variances against the Outflow type curves. Your choices are:

  • Inflow
  • Outflow

Related Topics

Baseline Curve

Adding a Baseline Curve for Cash Flow by Project or Shell

Adding a Baseline Curve for Cash Flow by Business Process (Commitments)

Transaction Currency in Baseline Curve for Cash Flow by Business Process (Commitments)


Last Published Wednesday, July 2, 2025