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Calculation/Indicator
SmartColumn options
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Each
Calculation/Indicator SmartColumn has two sections of Properties
settings. The first is the calculation to-be-performed, and the second
controls the optional graphical indicators.
This article will refer to the
calculations available on the "Calculations" tab one-by-one, while also
referring throughout to the "Graphical Indicators" tab. These and
all other settings discussed below can be accessed by either inserting a
new Calculation/Indicator SmartColumn, or by
double-clicking the heading of an existing calculation column |
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Possibilities
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Make a calculation between two columns and
show
the resulting values
The most basic function of a
Calculation/Indicator SmartColumn is to perform a simple
arithmetic operation between two columns:
The two columns used can be Values
SmartColumns, Duration SmartColumns, and either
Baseline or Normal Date SmartColumns;
however, both columns being used in the calculation need to be of the
same type. In the example below, the Values column "Cost" is being
subtracted from the Values column "Budget."
The column headed "Budget minus Cost" is
the Calculation/Indicator SmartColumn which is simply
displaying the results with no indicator symbols.
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Make a calculation between two columns and
show
results with symbols, text or colors
Continuing with the example above, you
can add:
- An indicator symbol with the
numerical result
On the Graphical
Indicators tab, choose the current Calculation/Indicator
SmartColumn as the "Column to compare." This means the
result of the calculation and the indicator symbol driven by that result
will appear in the same column together. In this case, the option
"Display numerical value also" has been checked, and the indicator
symbol will be aligned to the left:
The indicator conditions are
chosen in the drop-down menu below the Column to compare
settings. To activate an indicator, select "Pick indicator
symbology based upon the following conditions" and choose from the list:
First select your indicator
symbol...
...then set the condition
for that indicator to appear. In this case, the green stoplight
selected above will be displayed if the calculated value is greater than
zero:
On the Graphical Indicators tab, make sure to uncheck
"Display numerical value also." Then, continue activating indicators
as normal.
In this example, we've checked the box "Fill cell with symbol
color instead of drawing symbol," and added Indicator
Text in lieu of displaying the calculated value:
...to get the following result:
Convert the
numerical result to a percentage and show a % Complete Indicator:
On the Graphical Indicators
tab, you can check (or not) the "Display numerical value also"
box. Then, instead of selecting "Pick indicator symbology
based upon the following conditions," select "Interpret value
from compare column as a % and use the Percent symbol."
Then, the values driving the
percentage should be either between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0.5, 0.75, etc) or
whole numbers up to 100...
In the example below, the calculation
between two Values SmartColumns - "Units Sold"
divided by "Total Units" - results in the
Calculation/Indicator SmartColumn "Item Sales." The results
are being interpreted as percentages and then displayed with a
% Complete Indicator...
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Column times Percent Complete,
Not Complete, or % of duration to current date
In addition to performing calculations
between two columns, you can use a Calculation/Indicator
SmartColumn to multiply a Values column by:
In this instance, using a Budget
column in the calculation will provide the Budgeted Cost of Work
Performed, i.e. Earned Value (BCWP).
Again, using the same Budget column,
but in this case multiplying by Percent-not-completed, you can
obtain the dollar value of the budgeted cost of remaining work.
- % of Duration to Current Date
Finally, multiplying a Budget column
by the % of Duration to the Current Date will give the dollar value
of the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled, i.e. Planned Value
(BCWS).
Indicator Only, based on the values in another column
It is frequently necessary to display
just an indicator, which may be based on the value in a different
column. In that case, select "Indicator Only" in the
Calculation Properties:
Then, in the Graphical Indicators section
of the Calculation/Indicator SmartColumn Properties,
select any Values column as the "Column to Compare."
In the first example below, the "Budget
Minus Cost" calculation column is being used to drive the "Variance
Indicator" column. In the second example, a user-entered "Project
Stage" Values SmartColumn is driving the indicator in the "Manager"
column. In this case, the indicator is simply filling the cells
with a given color, while overlaying the text of the Manager's name:
Use a
calculation result in another calculation
Using
Calculation/Indicator SmartColumns, you can link a chain of two
calculations together. In the example below, the "Units (x) $ per
Unit" is a calculation column multiplying "Units Sold" by a hidden "$
per Unit" column. Then, a further calculation is being performed
to determine the variance between the "Target Sales" column and the
"Units (x) $ per Unit" Calculation SmartColumn.
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