Project Creation and Processing: Configuration Prerequisites

Before starting to create a project, you must be sure that the system has been configured properly and that all required entities have been created, as described in the following sections.

Enabling the Needed Features

On the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, the Projects feature must be enabled.

Configuring Project Identifiers

The PROJECT segmented key on the Segmented Keys (CS202000) form defines the identifier of the projects. By default, this segmented key specifies that the project identifier is an alphanumeric string of up to 10 characters. For the key, you can define how many segments it is to have, what values may be used, whether these values should be validated, and whether auto-numbering should be used in one of the segments. You can also divide item identifiers into segments with specific values. For more information on configuring segmented keys, see Segmented Identifiers.

Configuring the System

Before you enter any new project, you must ensure that the following are configured:

  • On the Projects Preferences (PM101000) form, the basic project accounting settings have been specified: numbering sequences, non-project code, visibility settings, and posting settings. The actual combination of settings you need to specify depends on the processes in your organization and on the features enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. For an example of configuring basic project settings, see Basic Project Configuration: Implementation Activity.
  • On the Account Groups (PM201000) form, the account groups that will be used in the project have been created. Account groups make it possible to transfer financial and non-financial information between project management forms and other functional areas by associating any transactions posted in other areas with the related project. For an example of configuring an account group, see Account Groups: General Information.
  • Optional: On the Rate Tables (PM204200) form, each rate table that you will assign to a project task has been created, and the rate table has been configured on the Rate Tables (PM206000) form. The rate tables define pricing models in which price may differ depending on different sets of factors. For details, see Billing Rates: General Information.
  • Optional: On the Billing Rules (PM207000) form, each billing rule that you will assign to a project task has been created. These rules define which transactions should be used for billing and which accounts should be used to record the transactions that are generated in the billing process. For details, see Billing Rules: General Information.
  • Optional: On the Allocation Rules (PM207500) form, each allocation rule that you will assign to a project task has been created. If your project uses a complex cost accrual model, you must specify appropriate allocation rules to correctly track project expenditures and future revenues. For an example of defining allocation rules, see WIP Costs in Cost-Plus Projects: Implementation Activity and WIP Costs in Fixed-Price Projects: Implementation Activity.