Working with Tasks and Delivrables

 

Tasks, Deliverables and Plans to Organize Project	Tasks
Assignments	Phases
Deliverables and Milestones	Managing Multiple Types of Deliverables
Plans	To Do's

 

Tasks, Deliverables and Plans to Organize Projects

To better understand and monitor a project, it is generally split into several phases, which contain activities (tasks) and products (deliverables). These phases can be sequential or parallel. The length of a phase time elapsed between the earliest and the latest date of all tasks and deliverables contained in the phase.. Each phase should end with a deliverable (or milestone) that can be of technical, financial or other nature. Deliverables are necessary for the control of a project since they act as check points. A deliverable must be visible, measurable and tangible.

In order to achieve a project’s objectives, the project leader relies on the support of his /her project members. Even though the project leader is not always a specialist in the project domain, the project leader must have a clear understanding of the deliverables to be produced, the tasks required delivering them and the resources best qualified to successfully perform the work.

To help organize the project and ensure that the project leader is in control of it at all times, he/she creates a chart of tasks and deliverables spanning across the intended project timeline. It is then the project leader’s job to assign these tasks to the project team members. If tasks are too complex for single people to complete them on their own, tasks can be split into several smaller ones and assigned to different individuals. This way, the project leader can delegate the responsibilities between the different working groups.

A "Task" document is created for each task. This document contains all of the characteristics and parameters defined for a single work activity. It includes the:

• Name of the task
• Name of the individual who created and scheduled the task (the requester)
• Assigned resources
• Cost
• Duration
• Start and end dates
• Description of the task
• Other relevant information

Similar to a task, a document is also created for deliverables to describe its parameters. A "Deliverable" document includes the:

• Name of the deliverable
• Name of the resource responsible for the deliverable
• Resources that need to approve the deliverable
• Expected delivery and approval dates
• Phase it should be delivered in

The Gantt chart, named after its inventor, Henry Laurence GANTT, is the ideal tool for successful communication of a project’s plan. It is a graphical representation of phases, activities (tasks), project timeframe, as well as milestones (deliverables). The Gantt chart is used for the definition of tasks, to display their duration and links, and for communication between the different implicated parties.

The first way to plan a project with Geniusproject is to create Phase, Deliverable and Task documents manually. Very small or unique projects, such as ones grouping administrative tasks, may be planned this way. In all other cases the Genius Planner Gantt chart should be used (see next chapter).

 

Tasks

A task is created to define work that needs to be done, to report the time spent working on it and to capture all incurred costs related to it. A task includes the list of all of its assignments as it can be assigned to one or more resources.

A single "Assignment" record is created per resource assigned to a task. Be careful not to confuse an "Assignment" with the "Task" itself. A task document can be created manually by navigating to the Create menu and selecting Task, or it can be created using the Genius Planner Gantt chart. See "Planning" below.

 

Create a Task

Typically a task is created using the Genius Planner Gantt chart tool. However, it is also possible to create a task "manually". In such case, if there is only one Gantt chart in the project, the new task will automatically be loaded in it. In the rare case where several Gantt charts have been created in the same project, the task can be loaded afterwards in the plan of your choice.

To create a new task:

• From the Projects tab navigate to the Task & plans view.
• Click New task from the contextual navigation menu.

• Directly in Genius Planner if the task was created or uploaded into a Gantt Chart.
• Directly from the task document. Click "Delete" on the menu action bar.
• From a view. Select the task(s) to be deleted and click "Delete" on the view menu action bar. 

 

In order to avoid repetitive actions, Geniusproject allows users to update certain values for multiple tasks at once. The values that can be updated in bulk are:

• Status
• Activity type
• Constraint
• Requester
• Priority

To do so:

• Select the tasks to be updated from the view.
• Click the Actions menu on the Action menu bar and select Modify the tasks…

• A dialog box will be displayed.

 

• Select the field to modify.
• Select the new value.
• Click OK.

 

Assignments

For each assignment made to a "Task", an "Assignment" record is created. This record includes all information about the task related to the assigned resource. "Assignment" records are created automatically by the system when a resource is assigned to a task. 

 

Assignment Header

Same as task header. 

 

Assignment Description Tab

Assigned to	The assigned resource. Computed from the task.
Delegated to	Delegates the assignment to another resource, if necessary. The project leader, the project leader substitute as well as the assigned resource has the option to delegate the assignment. Note: It is not possible to delegate the assignment to a resource already contributing to the task.
Priority	The task priority (urgent, low, etc.). The list of choices comes from the "Keywords & Labels" setup document.
Activity type	This field is used to categorize a task based on its activity type (for example: administration, building, supervision, etc.). The list of choices comes from the "Keywords & Labels" setup document. This activity type can be used in two places: In the budget structure, if activity type is defined as a budget axis. (see: Budget management). In the case of multi-rates management, different rates can be attributed to the resources based on activity type. See Budget & Cost Tracking for more information.
Start	Planned: The planned start date, inherited from the task. The default planned start date is the creation date. Not editable. Actual: The value comes from the entries made by the assigned resources in their timesheets or directly here.
End	Planned: The planned end date, inherited from the task. The default planned end date is one day after the creation date. Not editable. Actual: The value comes from the entries made by the assigned resources in their timesheets or directly here.
Workload	Indicates the total planned, actual, remaining and EAC (Estimate At Completion) workload, the workload unit is specified in the "General" setup document. If the planned work is "0", the remaining work is always equal to '0'.
Costs	Indicates the planned, actual, remaining and EAC (Estimate At Completion) cost. The currency is specified in the "General" setup document. The cost is obtained by multiplying the resource's rates by her/his workload. See Budget & Cost Tracking for more information. These fields are displayed in either of those cases: The user belongs to the project team and has the "View Costs" role. The user is NOT part of the excluded resources for financial information, as set in the "General" setup document. The user is an application manager (i.e. has the "COP_MANAGERS" role).
Billable	Only visible if "Billing mode" is set to "Time spent". Indicates the planned, actual, remaining and EAC (Estimated At Completion) billable cost. The billable cost is obtained by multiplying the resource's billable rate by her/his workload

 

Phases

The Phase records are auxiliary records displayed in views, to represent the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and provide a better insight into the phase/tasks relationship for the projects. These documents are for reference only. They are created automatically when using a planning tool, provided the project has phases.

The agent "Update the project dates" updates the phase record using the tasks, deliverables and assignments to compute the planned and actual start and end dates, the planned, actual, remaining and re-estimated workload and cost, the progress as well as the status of the phase.

Phase records can be opened from the "Project description" where they are listed in the "Phases" section.

Header	Phase	Phase name
	Project	The name of the project the phase belongs to.
Progress	Status	Indicates the status of the phase. This value is updated when the agent "Update the project dates" runs. The following rules apply when computing status (records in the "Cancelled" status are ignored): •"Completed" if all tasks and deliverables are completed. •"In progress" if at least one task has a status of "Completed" or "In progress", or at least one deliverable has a status of "In progress", "To be approved" or "Completed". •"Requested" as long as there is at least one task that has a status of "Requested" (deliverables are never requested). •"Stand-by" otherwise.
	Labor	The percentage of progress for labor, based on time spent on tasks belonging to the phase. It is defined by the ratio between the actual work and the sum of the actual work and the remaining work: [Actual Work] / ([Actual Work] + [Remaining Work]). This value is updated when the agent "Update project dates" runs and comes from all the tasks belonging to the phase.
	Physical	Only visible if all tasks in the phase have the option "Physical progress" set to "Used for the earned value calculation". It is defined according to the following formula: Σ(initial cost * physical progress) / Σ(initial cost) This value is updated when the agent "Update project dates" runs and comes from all the tasks belonging to the phase.
	Start	Initial: Very first initial planned start date of all tasks in the phase or very first planned initial delivery date of all deliverables in the phase. Planned: Very first planned start date of all tasks in the phase or very first planned delivery date for all deliverables in the phase. Actual: Very first actual start date of all tasks in the phase or very first actual delivery date of all deliverables in the phase. These values are updated when the agent "Update project dates" runs.
	End	Initial: Very first initial planned end date of all tasks or very first initial planned delivery date of all deliverables. Planned: Very first planned end date of all tasks or very first planned delivery date of all deliverables. Actual: Very first actual end date of all tasks or very first actual delivery date of all deliverables. These values are updated when the agent "Update project dates" runs.
	Workload	Indicates, in the workload unit defined in the General setup document, the following total workloads of all tasks belonging to the phase: •initial workload, •planned workload, •actual workload, •remaining workload, •estimated workload at completion (EAC). These values are updated when the agent "Update project dates" runs.
	Costs	Indicates, in the project currency, the following total costs for all tasks belonging to the phase: •initial cost, •planned cost, •actual cost, •remaining cost, •estimated cost at completion (EAC). If the project currency is different from the reference currency defined in the [Projects] module, the second row of costs displays the values computed in the reference currency. These values are updated when the agent "Update project dates" runs.

 

Deliverables and Milestones

The deliverable generally marks the end of a project phase and allows for the approval of the project's key elements. The deliverable can have a material existence (file) or not (meeting), but it is a mandatory checkpoint which requires an approval in order to carry out the subsequent phases and tasks. It is the equivalent of a milestone. The deliverable can be converted into a record of any type as defined in the "Keywords & Labels" setup document, still being identified as a deliverable.

Why are there various types of deliverables? Simply because when you deliver or produce different products for your project, they are almost always of a different nature or kind, for example, specifications, a test plan, or a study. The unique ability of Geniusproject to manage several types of deliverables optimizes processes by manipulating objects and their channels for approval or revisions.

 

Creating a Deliverable

A deliverable is typically created as part of a Gantt chart (Genius Planner), but it also possible to manually create a deliverable, independent of a Gantt, and to promote it to the project’s Gantt chart at a later time.

To create a new deliverable:

1.  Navigate to the Projects tab.

2.  Click Create from the Action menu bar and select Deliverable from the dropdown list

3.  A dialog box will open where you need to specify the project and phase the new deliverable belongs to

4.  Click OK to confirm

 

Deliverable Header

 

Scheduling a Deliverable - Description Tab

The description of a deliverable varies depending on whether it is a standard deliverable or one converted into a generic document. However in all cases, excluding costs, the planning section is present.

Delivery date	Initial	Visible only if the deliverable is originated from Genius Planner (Gantt). The initially planned delivery date. Computed.
	Planned	The planned delivery date. Mandatory. Can be modified: If the deliverable was created from a planning tool. In this case, it is defined from the planning tool directly. If the deliverable has a status of Completed. If the deliverable has a status of Cancelled
	Current	If the deliverable is pending: current date = planned date. If the deliverable is NOT pending: current date = actual date.
	Actual	The actual delivery date of the deliverable. It is editable only if the status is "To be approved", "Denied" or "Approved" and the option "Possibility to modify the actual dates of the deliverables" in the General setup document is NOT set to "No". If the option "Possibility to modify the actual dates of the deliverables" in the "General" setup document is set to "Yes", it is automatically set to the current date when the status of the deliverable is set to "To be approved". If the option "Possibility to modify the actual dates of the deliverables" in the "General" setup document is set to "Manual", then the field just becomes editable when the status of the deliverable is set to "To be approved".
Approval date		If an approval workflow is attached, approval dates are driven by the workflow. They are not directly editable.
	Planned	The expected approval or validation date. By default, same as planned delivery date.
	Current	If the deliverable is pending: current date = planned date. If the deliverable is NOT pending: current date = actual date.
	Actual	Date of the approval, according to the workflow.
Plan	Plan	If the deliverable was created from a plan, the title of the plan is displayed, and the field is a shortcut that opens the corresponding Plan document. Otherwise, the field label is "Upload into", and the field value is "- Select a plan –", which is a hyperlink allowing for the selection of the "Plan" the deliverable should be uploaded into. Until the upload has been done, the label "Upload into" remains a shortcut allowing for the cancellation of the upload

 

Attaching Files to a Deliverable - Attachment Tab

This section allows users to attach of external files to the deliverable form. See "Manage file attachments" for more details.

Users can attach files to the deliverable form to store any additional information that applies to it. It is however recommended to store each significant file attachment as single document in Geniusproject. This will allow users to distribute, publish, or manage access rights for any particular attached file independently.

 

Other Deliverable Tab

The Other tabs in the deliverable form are determined by the type of the deliverable. The standard deliverable form includes a Contents tab with a rich text field for the description of the deliverable.

 

Approving, Reviewing and Managing Deliverables

The basic life cycle of deliverables could be described as follow:

• The project leader must plan the deliverables; possibly link them together, and then follow-up on them.
• Each individual responsible for a deliverable must ensure that it is completed by the planned date. A deliverable can be converted into any type of Generic document, and will still be identified as a deliverable.
• The deliverable approvers must confirm that the deliverables correspond to what was expected. The project leader and deliverable approver can be one and the same.

This corresponds to the standard deliverable default workflow. This basic deliverable life cycle can be modified as needed through the workflow definition. If the deliverable has been converted to any of the "Generic documents", then it will inherit the workflow applied to the specific document type. The deliverable revision and approval process is managed using Geniusproject’s standard workflow engine.

There are three ways to change the status of a deliverable:

• Within Genius Live!. See the chapter on Genius Live! for more information.
• From a grid view. The status can be changed directly in the view if the deliverable is listed there and the status is displayed in one of the columns. If the active user has the authority to change the deliverable status according to its workflow, a drop down arrow will appear next to the status. When clicking on the arrow a drop down list of choices will appear to change the status directly from the view.

• From the deliverable itself. If the active user has the authority to change the deliverable status according to its workflow, there will be a button in the deliverable header corresponding to the next status within the deliverable workflow. The user can take action directly from there.

 

Managing Multiple Types of Deliverables

As mentioned several times above, Geniusproject allows users to convert a deliverable into any type of generic document, cost document or billing milestone. As a result, project deliverables can all be modeled differently. For example, if in one phase there is a "market study" deliverable, and in another phase there is a "pre-engineering study" deliverable, they will not have the same format, and certainly not the same revision and approval cycle. In the context of Stage Gate, Geniusproject deliverables "Gate" (Gate review), will have a specific format (score card), and a specific workflow.

Within the Gantt (Genius Planner), deliverables can only be created as the standard deliverable type. However, it is possible to define other types for deliverables that are created manually outside of the Gantt. (See "Creating a deliverable")

It is also possible to transform any deliverable in its standard deliverable format into any other supported type. This operation is called "Converting a deliverable".

To convert a deliverable:

Open the deliverable in edit mode.

1.  Click Actions from the Action menu bar and select Convert into.

2.  A dialog box will be displayed.

3.  Select the desired target document type.

4.  If the desired type is not a cost document, you can also specify which document template to use.

5.  If the document type is "Cost", you will be able to choose a cost type but not a template. If the document type is not a cost, you will be able to select a template and will not need or be able to select a cost type.

6.  Click OK to validate.

The deliverable will automatically be converted into the selected document type. However the section on delivery dates and validations for the standard deliverable are automatically maintained.

 

Deleting a Deliverable

There are three possible ways to delete a deliverable:

• From the Genius Planner if it exists in the Gantt.
• Directly from the deliverable. Click "Delete" on the menu action bar.
• From a view. Select the deliverable(s) to be deleted from the view and lick "Delete" on the menu action bar for the view.

 

Plans

The Plan (Gantt chart) is used to organize tasks, deliverables and assignments. The project leader uses the Genius Planner Gantt chart tool to create the WBS and assign resources to the tasks. Once the plan is ready, the project leader saves the plan which pushes the planned data to the participants. 

Uploading Tasks and Deliverables into a Plan

It is possible to upload tasks and deliverables that were manually created outside of a plan, into the project plan after the fact. The following rules apply:

• If a phase does not already exist in the plan, it is created at the beginning of the plan, and the tasks and deliverable are uploaded into the phase.
• If a phase already exists in the plan, then the tasks and deliverables are uploaded into the phase above any already existing tasks and deliverables.

For more information, see The Plan and the Gantt Chart.

 

To Do's

A "To Do" is a simplified task. There is no notion of workload or duration and it can be only assigned to one resource. It can be linked to a reminder in your personal calendar (MS-Outlook, Lotus Notes or others). A "To Do" cannot be defined in a plan.

Header	To Do	The "To Do" title. Mandatory.
	Ref	Optional code for this deliverable. Depending on the application setup, can be automatically computed.
	Project	The name of the project the "To Do" belongs to
	Phase	The phase the "To Do" belongs.
	Project leader	The main project leader of the corresponding project
	Status	Indicates the "To Do" status. The possible values are: Stand-by: The "To Do" is planned, but not visible in the action list of the assigned resource. Requested: (by default) The "To Do" is planned and to be accomplished by the assigned resource. Completed: The "To Do" is completed and no longer visible in the assigned resource's "Personal" views.
	Deadline	Visual indicators: Red: deadline passed Orange: deadline will not be matched according to remaining workload Green: OK
	Version	Version of the "To Do"
	Modified on	Date and time of the most recent modifications. Click on the date to see the history of all modifications.
Description	Assigned to	The resource the "To Do" is assigned to. By default, the document author is the assignee. Single selection field. Can be assigned to project participants. Mandatory.
	End date	Planned end date
	Description	Rich text field available to describe what has to be done
Comments		Rich text to add any comments