Prior period timecards in Costpoint define past charges and their links. A distributed mechanism is needed to define valid charges and their links going forward. CPMRS has been chosen for this task. There are a number of reasons for this decision.
Managers are already using this tool to describe how employees will charge their time in future periods;
There are over 100 active CPMRS user accounts spread through out the enterprise establishing it as a distributed tool.
Daily, CPMRS is reviewed for new forecast data. When new linkages are found or employees are added to a vehicle forecast, the data is imported into WebET. For instance, several profit centers might be linked to a Project String. These profit centers become the only valid department that may charge time against the Project String.
CPMRS is this tool used to define the connection or linkage between Project Strings and profit centers and between Project Strings and PLCs. For example, by forecasting that employees will charge the two profit centers while working on 05590.0002.4002.1ABA, a manager is defining the linkage that will be used to validate charge number entries in WebET.
Using Project String 05590.0004.S005.2055, the only valid PLCs that may be charged are in part listed below. A project manager has forecast within CPMRS that employees will charge these PLCs while working on 05590.0004.S005.2055.
WebET uses a Vehicle Level Workforce. Once a link between a Project String and Org Abbrev. or Project String and PLC has been established any employee forecast against the vehicle may use that link. For WebET purposes it is not necessary that each employee be forecast exactly as the work will be executed.
It is not necessary to establish links for indirect charges and leave because all Org Abbrev. are linked with these Project Strings. In addition, only work breakdown structures are needed for B&P/IR&D projects. It is not necessary to establish linkages. B&P, IR&D, Indirect, Leave and Suspense Project Strings are grouped in public folders in the Lookup dialog box.