Those of you who do project management with Merlin on your Mac and have checked our post series explaining how to create custom templates for Merlin reports, know by now…
- How to modify existing reports
- How to edit description or report template names
- How to create your own report templates
- How to localize a Merlin report template
- Further tips for localizing an xslt report template
- How to add an option in an xslt report template
- How to add an option in a python / wbl report template
- How to add a property into an existing xslt report
- How to add a property into an existing python /wbl report template
Now let’s do some magic with the reports.
- Map a status or flag information to a graphic file
- Define the size of the project image over the options
- List overdue tasks along with the next activities, in “Next Due Activities” report
- Report planned, actual and planned vs actual work per phase in a chart
- Report expected work costs per role for your resources
- Report expected work costs per resources’ group
- Report the project’s name in the Next Due Activities report
- Modify the “Milestone Trend Report” to show the WBS in the table and in the chart
- Report expected or actual resources’ work per phase
- Report resources work cost per phase
- Report cash flow for expected cost or approved budget
- Report billable costs entered on elements
- Report element costs by type
- Report issues
- Report Events
- Output Project’s WBS
- Resources Time allocation to various tasks and subtasks
- Calendar View
- Working hours distributed in time per resource and assignment
- Work Chart
- Information report with hierarchy
- Complete vs Expected Complete % Analysis
- Resource Groups’ or Roles’ Units Utilization Distribution
- URLs report
- Resources Groups’ or Roles’ Work as distribution in time
- Cost report: Planned, Expected, Actual, Remaining actual cost
Cost report: Planned, Expected, Actual, Remaining actual cost
We’ve been asked in Merlin support, how to output planned, expected, actual cost along with the remaining actual cost. Merlin provides columns for the first 3 values in its views (View – Show View Options – Columns). There is however no column calculating a remaining cost.
One possible way to realize this, would be to activate the above mentioned columns, copy the rows (or export as a csv file), use the date in Excel (or Numbers, or what ever:-) ) and let it calculate the balance row-wise based on the value of expected and actual cost.
Another way would be to create a report (as for example this one) and let it do the required calculation.