PRJ: User-Entered Actual Cost Not Divided Among Resources (197539)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Project 2000
  • Microsoft Project 98 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q197539

SYMPTOMS

When you manually enter Actual Cost for a task, Microsoft Project may not distribute the actual cost entered evenly among all resources assigned to the task.

CAUSE

This behavior may occur when the following conditions are true:

  1. The option for Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project is turned off for the project. (To locate this option, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Calculation tab.)
  2. You manually enter any value in task Actual Cost.
  3. After manually entering task Actual Cost, you add one or more resources to the task.
When you add resources after manually entering task actual cost, Microsoft Project distributes the amount you entered among one or more of the assigned resources. How this distribution is made depends on whether any resources are assigned to the task before you make the Actual Cost entry, as follows:

Case 1: No Resources Are Assigned to the Task
When You Enter Task Actual Cost

If no resources are assigned to the task when you enter task Actual Cost, then when resources are later assigned, Microsoft Project will distribute all of the Actual Cost amount to the first resource assigned. (If the initial resource assignment includes multiple resources assigned at the same time, all of the task Actual Cost amount will be assigned to the resource with the lowest resource ID number.)

Subsequent changes to task Actual Cost will be distributed among all resources assigned at that time, but distribution proportions will be unequal.

Case 2: Resources Are Assigned to the Task
When You Enter Task Actual Cost

If resources are assigned to the task when you enter task Actual Cost, Microsoft Project will evenly distribute the Actual Cost amount entered among all the currently assigned resources.

If you later assign additional resources, task Actual Cost will not be redistributed to include the additional resources.

Subsequent changes to task Actual Cost will be distributed among all resources assigned at that time, but distribution proportions will be unequal.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Allow Microsoft Project to Calculate Actual Costs

To allow Microsoft Project to calculate Actual Costs, follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. In the Options dialog box, click the Calculation tab, and then click to select the Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project check box.
  3. Click OK.
NOTE: If you select this option, any manually entered Actual Cost values already in the project will be removed.

Method 2: Reenter Task Actual Cost to Redistribute
Evenly Among All Resources

To redistribute manually entered task Actual Cost among all resources assigned to a task, follow these steps:

  1. Remove task Actual Cost. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
    2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Cost.
    3. Click in the Actual column for the task you need to adjust, make a note of the current value, type 0 (zero), and then press ENTER.
  2. If you need to add or remove resources on the task, add or remove them before going to step 3.
  3. Reenter task Actual Cost. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Apply the Gantt Chart and Cost table as described in steps 1a and 1b.
    2. Click in the Actual column for the task you need to adjust, type the task Actual Cost you want to distribute, and then press ENTER.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

The option "Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project" is selected by default in all new projects, unless you set a different default. The effects of enabling or disabling the option are as follows:

  • With the option selected (checked), you cannot manually enter actual costs for either tasks or assignments on any task until the task is 100% complete. Edits to task Actual Cost after a task is complete are not distributed to assigned resources, but assignment Actual Costs can be edited individually for each resource.

  • With the option cleared (unchecked), you are required to manually enter all actual costs for both tasks and assignments. When you enter task Actual Costs, such costs will be distributed among resources as described in the "Cause" section of this article.
If you change the setting of the option while a project is in progress, the effects of changing the setting are summarized as follows:

  • If you change the option from checked to unchecked, any actual cost values already accumulated will not be removed, but additions or changes to task Actual Cost will behave as described in Case 2, in the "Cause" section of this article.

  • If you change the option from unchecked to checked, task and assignment Actual Cost amounts already manually entered will be removed and Microsoft Project will recalculate all Actual Costs.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/7/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbnofix KB197539
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