This part of the product is concerned with the set up and maintenance of data that is used elsewhere in the system. All other parts have common data — they process the same projects and have the same users and resources. However, certain data may be only used in specific parts of the product and so may not be required when that processing does not apply.
Administration functions are organized by sub-menu so you will maintain data of different types:
- Business Entities define how you record and report data
- Financial sets cost and charge rates and determines how they are analyzed
- Security identifies users and defines what they do
- Skills are used to match resources with tasks
- Tools has a process for converting incorrect record codes.
The business entities that you can maintain here are part of a structure. Certain records reference other data while your System Administrator may set restrictions that, for example, allow some resources to be used only on specified projects.
You can also maintain logins for which you are responsible.
Access to all these records depends on the set up permissions specified on your login profile.
The broken lines cover relationships that have no restrictions applied. However, in these cases:
- Cost Centers can be defined for any Resource
- each Resource may have one or more Roles specified.
The double-headed arrows indicate that relationships apply in each direction. Thus, a project may only utilize certain resources while a resource may only be selected for specific projects.
Setting the various relationship restrictions improves the way the system operates. For example, when processing a project you can only choose those activities and resources that are relevant, and can then only select appropriate cost and charge rates for a particular resource. These restrictions therefore reflect the actual situation, since only certain resources are suitable for a given project and are paid and charged at specific rates.
Audit Trails
An Audit trail of changes is recorded. This appears on the Audit tab and identifies the field and data change made.
The Audit tab appears on the entity once it is Saved and audit data can also be accessed for Reporting.
Note that where a field contains selection lists that have changed, the audit records the field has been changed but doesn’t detail each specific add, delete or amendment to the list.