Article ID: 180914
Article Last Modified on 1/22/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Project 98 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q180914
SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Project 98, you may find that the Cost field for one or more
tasks does not equal the sum of the costs assigned to it; for example,
given a task that is 50% complete and has a $10 fixed cost assigned:
Expected:
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Cost $2.50 $2.50 $2.50 $2.50
Actual:
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Cost $1.25 $1.25 $1.25 $1.25
CAUSE
This problem occurs when the option Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project is turned off and a task's % Complete is greater than zero.
When you turn this option off, Microsoft Project will not automatically
increase actual costs. The Cost field is calculated following the equation:
Cost = Actual Cost + Remaining Cost. Because actual cost is not increased
when the % Complete is increased, the cost may seem incorrect.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:
- Assign actual costs to tasks.
- Turn off the Actual costs are always calculated by
Microsoft Project option. (Click Options on the
Tools menu, and then click the Calculation tab).
NOTE: When
Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project is turned off and actual costs are assigned, the actual costs are assigned over the completed portion of the task. However, the remaining cost is distributed across the whole task. Therefore, the costs may not appear evenly distributed across the task when viewed in the timescale portion of a usage view.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft
Project listed above.
Keywords: kbbug kbpending KB180914