The example below shows a project containing tasks that can be used for Scheduling and Earned Value integration with Cobra.

 

Each task for Cobra Integration must contain a Work Package ID, and accounting codes that determine roll ups (Parent levels) for reporting such as Control Account, Control Account Manager (CAM), Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS), Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Contract Line Item Number (CLIN).  Many more codes can be entered for Earned Value integration tasks then the ones mentioned here as Cobra has many Code fields used for reporting and data summation.

 

In this example, The tasks on rows 15, 17 - 23 and 25 are examples of "one-to-one" Work Packages, meaning that one task is traceable to one Work Package (WP) in the Earned Value Management System (EVMS) by their Work Package ID, or WP ID in the example.  Notice also that rows 28 - 30 all have the same WP ID for many-to-one traceable to a WP in the EVMS.  SSI Tools enables One-to-one and Many-to-one traceability but additional coding, naming and performance measurement consequences must be considered when using a Many-to-one approach.

 

This example uses the following project fields for Traceability to an EVMS:

Work Package Description: Task Name can be used for One-to-One Work Packages.  However, in the case of a Many-to-One WP such as rows 28-30, only the first task's name will be recorded in the Activity import file for Cobra importing.

Work Package: WP ID is a custom field name in this example project given to one of the project's text or outline code fields.  WP ID is traceable to Work Package in the EVMS.  These can be One-to-One relative to tasks in a project like the items between rows 15 and 25 or they can be Many-to-One like the items on rows 28-30.

CA1, CA2 and CA3 are Primary EV reporting roll ups in Cobra.  This example is using Control Account as CA1 and OBS as CA2.  In this example, CA3 is not used. Again, these are custom field names in this example project given to text or outline code fields.

Code 1 through Code 9 provide additional EV reporting roll ups and summation of data in in Cobra.  In this example, none of these codes are used.

CAM is the Control Account Manager in the EVMS.  CAM is a custom field name in this example project given to one of the project's text or outline code fields

EVM is the method used to claim performance of an in progress work package.  Sometimes this is referred to as PMT for Performance Measurement Technique.  In this example, the custom field named PMT/EVT is used and Cobra Letter codes are entered to establish an EVM for each work package.  The letter "E" is the Cobra EMV for a 50/50 Earned Value Method where 50% of a work packages baseline value is taken when it starts and the remaining 50% can only be claimed when the work package is completed.

 

Below this example from Microsoft Project is the Setup for creating Activity import data for Cobra on the tab named Setup - Export Act.  See more details about these settings here.

Additional Setups are included for Creating Time Phased Baseline and Remaining resource Exports, Status Exports for reporting the performance of work packages and WBS Descriptive exports that create hierarchical (parent/child) code structures for various reporting needs.

 

 

Setup for creating Activity import data for Cobra