Merlin Project: Additional Costs
Are you already planning your projects with Merlin Project and know the advantages of dependencies for dynamic planning? Then find out in this article how the clever usage of dependencies may also support you with individual specifications.
How can Merlin Project, for example, map cost plans that contain a dynamic factor which is dependent on unplanned delays?
Merlin Project offers you more flexibility than the basic functions would suggest. Below you will find a possible step-by-step guide for your own implementation.
Specifications
Construction site of a craft business is planned with a work performance of 40 hours, corresponding to 5 days of work for one resource at 8 hours of work per day. At the same time, the business incurs additional fixed costs of 500 Euros per week.
Preparation
Use an existing project or create a new, empty project first.
Creating Resources
Now switch view to Resources > Entry and
- Create a resource R1
- Create a resource Additional Costs
Entering resource cost rates
- Select the resource R1
- From inspector choose Resource: Costs
- Enter within fields Standard Rate value 50
=> Fields now contain an hourly rate of 50,00 €/hour - Select the resource Additional Costs
- From inspector choose Resource: Costs
- Enter within fields Standard Rate value 500/w
=> The fields now contain a weekly rate of 500,00 €/week
Creating Tasks
Switch to the view Work Breakdown > Entry and establish the following items:
- Activity by the title Construction Site
- Activity by the title Additional Costs
- Milestone by the title Completion
Planning
Specifying the Work and Assigning Resources
- Select activity Construction Site
- Within inspector, set Work to 5 days
- Assign resource R1
- Select the activity Additional Costs
- Within inspector, delete the value from field Work
=> The activity has now neither work nor duration and is displayed in red. You can ignore this warning for the time being. - Assign resource Additional Costs
Creating Dependencies
For creating the following dependencies, we recommend using the mouse or trackpad.
- Link the start of Construction Site with the start of Additional Costs
- Link end of Construction Site with the start of milestone Completion
- Link the end of Completion with the end of Additional Costs
Merlin Project supports you and prevents from inadvertently planning loops.
If you have already linked the start points of two activities, you cannot additionally link their end points, as this would result in a loop.
Your Project and the Result
Cost Overview While Meeting Specifications
Switch to view Work Breakdown > Cost Expectation. According to the cost specifications of your project 2000,00 € in labor costs for 5 days of work plus 500,00 € in additional costs for the first week are expected.
Impact of a Delay
Now switch back to view Work Breakdown > Entry.
- Select activity Construction Site
- Within inspector, switch to Activity: Actual Values
- For Remaining Work enter 2 weeks
=> This prolongs both activities; Construction Site and Additional Costs
- Switch to view Work Breakdown > Cost Expectation
=> Weekly fixed costs and the labor costs of the construction delay are both up-to-date
Merlin Project on the Mac or iPad offers you more flexibility than the basic functions suggest. Many everyday challenges can be realized with a clever combination of the functions offered.
