PRJ98: Cost Field Value Is Less Than Expected Value

ID: q180914

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Project 98 for Windows

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.

-or-

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.

Additional query words:


Keywords          : kbdta projwin 
Version           : WINDOWS:98
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: July 14, 1999