Hello,


I entered the labor resources into resource sheet including their rates. And when I assign resources the cost column shows the total cost, but that is the total cost column, not just labor. If I had a fixed cost, the cost column would reflect the total of fixed cost plus the cost calculated from assiginng the labor resource. I could not find the column that would show me the cost for labor only. Which column is that?

Hello ketanco,

You are correct, the Cost field is actually Total cost - including Fixed costs. You can create a custom formula in one of the spare Cost fields (Cost1 for example) to calculate the costs minus fixed cost.

[Cost] - [Fixed Cost]

Ensure the calculation for task or group summary rows is set to sum.

Julie

So there is no ready column to just show labor cost? (for the costs obtained from the labor resources i entered in the resource sheet and then asigned to activities i mean)

also, when i do this calculation using fixed cost, it works because cost column alrady takes fixed cost column into account. however when i made another cost column for another type of cost, say cost1, and said labor = cost -cost1, this time when i add something into cost1, labor cost decreased. because "cost" column wasnt taking cost1 into account and i had said labor = cost - cost1. how can i tell ms project that the cost column also needs to include cost1 column?

Correct.

Correct.

No. The field called Cost by project has no idea of the Cost1 field. The Cost1 field is a custom field that you can either enter data into or use to perform calculations.

I have no idea what you have entered into your Cost1 field so I cannot tell if your labor costs are accurate. You cannot make the Cost field calculated based upon some other entries. It is defined by Microsoft and is:

Fixed Cost+ (Work * Standard Rate) for each resource + Material Costs + Cost resources.

So, if you have used material costs or cost resources they are also included in the cost field.

Fixed Cost+ (Work * Standard Rate) for each resource + Material Costs + Cost resources.

on the above, for material costs which column do you mean?

and for cost resources which column do you mean?

so if th ecost column will never calculate cost1,2,3 etc.. then those custom cost fields are for making calculations independent of cost column then?

Material costs comes from assigning resources defined as Material resources in the Resource Sheet View.

Cost resources are also a type of resource defined on the Resource Sheet view.

Project calculates the Cost field. The other cost fields (Cost1 through Cost10) are custom fields that you may use to perform calculations of store other cost information outside of the calculated Cost field.

ok so fist of all I understand that cost 1 2 3 are totally independent of cost column and they are there for us to make any other calculation we want, but we can not alter the formula of cost column to include these correct?

second, I am confused about the formula you wrote for cost column still. (i tried to look for formula of cost column myself but couldnt figure out how). you are saying cost column includes the rates x work which we enter the rates in the resource sheet but then you are also saying it includes cost resources which we also enter in resource sheet so arent they the same thing? I am a little confused about that formula.

Correct.

You may only see formulas for custom fields. To understand more about the Cost field, look in help under field references.

Cost resources are a specific type of resource. When you assign cost resources, you specify the cost associated for that particular cost resource. Cost resources do not perform work, so there is no calculation of cost as there is for work resources. Yes, cost resources are included in the the Cost field as well as work and material resource.

ok. i understand the fixed cost and work x standard rate part ...

now for the material, i went into my resource sheet and saw that there is a material type there. when i did that i can only enter value to standard rate. a single lump sum value for that material. so this means, material may only be a lump sum entry correct?

for the cost resource type however when i changed the type to cost, all fields just closed for entry. i can not enter any value anywhere. Or do i need to insert a certain column?

No. You can define material resources per unit. For example gallons of paint. You then define the cost per gallon.

You may then assign 5 gallons of paint to a task, and Project will calculate units * rate to show cost for that material resource for that task.

You enter the cost for the cost resource when you assign it. Click on a task, click the assign resources button and you'll see a cost field in the assign resources dialog.