Adding Costs to Tasks

[kEyURi]

I have a project file containing fixed cost column. Due to some reason I need to add costs to different tasks but I am not able to get it done. I tried following some steps provided on few sites but it is not working for me. Can anyone here please let me know the perfect steps to do the same? Thank you.

[Taidje]

First of all, you will need to add a Cost field which will automatically capture both the Fixed and Variable Costs. Once done you will be able to move them up to summary level where you required it. I think this is the best way because if you type costs directly into the task Cost field, MSP will interpret this as Fixed Cost, which is any Cost that is associated with a task that does not come from resource costs.

[BartH]

Today I noticed this same problem - in column Fixed Cost, the values don't add up. I understand the explanation, but can't we do some scripting here to fix this?

Thanks for your good suggestion and explanation; it's all clear this way and I am happy with them.

By the way - are there more oddities like this that one is likely to encounter in MSProject?

[Taidje]

I don’t think there might be any problem because Cost sums them all up as Fixed Costs are entered in the Fixed Cost field and Variable Costs are entered in the Resource Sheet automatically. Isn’t it?

[BartH]

OK Thanx, I'll do that.

[marinasartor]

I wonder if you could help me. I would like to do as recommedned: create a new custom field equal to fixed costs so that these are added up in the summary tasks, but I cannot see how to do this. Can you please help? Thank you!!

[JulieS]

Add one of the custom Cost fields (Cost1 for example) to the table.

Once you have added the field, right click on the column heading to show the shortcut menu and select "Custom Field" or "Customize Field" if using Project 2007 or earlier.

In the Custom Field dialog, select Formula under custom attributes.

In the Formula dialog enter [Fixed Cost]. Click OK to return to the Custom Fields dialog.

Under "Calculation for task and group summary rows", select "Roll up" and Sum.

You may now enter your costs at the subtask level in the Fixed Cost field and the custom field will show the fixed cost entered and sum at the Summary Task level.

[marinasartor]

It worked - how exciting! Thank you very very much!!!!

[JulieS]

You are very welcome and thanks for the feedback.