I’m often asked for examples of typical Deltek Cobra transaction (CSV) file formats that can be used for loading information such as actual costs, code file data, activity, rate, resource calculation and resource assignments. This blog provides some general information and some downloadable sample CSV files that might be useful for you.
Deltek Cobra’s integration wizard makes use of a wide variety of CSV file formats, to such an extent that you can easily build, load and status an entire project using just transaction files. There are several major benefit to this.
- Flexibility – you can load project data from any scheduling tool that is capable of producing CSV output.
- Visibility – you can see the data and therefore have greater control over what is being loaded.
- Health – when building out 18,000 line rate or resource calculation files, the fill-down, vlookup and macro capabilities of a spreadsheet will prevent shingles, cranial trauma and frequent trips the corporate counselor’s office.
While the standard integration functions for Open Plan, Microsoft Project and Primavera P6 work well in 99% of all situations, there are times when certain peculiarities to your schedule data or process may call for a more flexible and controllable approach to integration. This is when I turn to the Files option of the integration wizard. The ability to examine and modify the source CSV file’s contents can be invaluable when working with slightly less than standard project requirements.
The following are some CSV file samples taken from our training courses. These represent very typical formats for a CSV file. Use them as a starting point for creating your own transaction file templates.
Sample Download Files
Actual Costs Transaction File
These are sample CSV files used for loading the actual costs exported from a financial or time-sheet system.
PROJECT_CUM_AC 2010_10_31.CSV – sample of a Cumulative to Date Actual Cost file.
PROJECT_CUR_AC_2010_10_31.CSV – sample of a Current Period Actual Cost file. Note that the additional Cost Date column is optional. Current period actual costs will automatically load into the current reporting period.
Note: any columns of data not provided by your financial system, such as DIRECT, OVERHEAD or GANDA should be set to <ignore> in the File Field Mapper dialog. This causes Deltek Cobra to calculate the values for you during integration, rather than load zeros from the empty columns.
Codes Transaction File
Use these examples for loading any code structures into Deltek Cobra.
WBS.CSV – punctuated significant code format.
OBS.CSV – non-significant code format: includes a parent column required for non-significant codes (who’s ya’ Daddy).
Rates Transaction File
RATES.CSV – load rate data into a Deltek Cobra Rates file, one new row for each change in rate over time.
Resource Calculation Transaction File
RESOURCES.CSV – load resource calculations into a Deltek Cobra Resources file, one row for each result’s calculation.
Activity Transaction File
ACTIVITIES.CSV – builds control accounts and work packages into a Deltek Cobra project. ID code is an index record and must be included to align with a resource assignment record listed in the following resource assignments transaction file.
Resource Assignment Transaction File
RESOURCE_ASSIGNMENTS.CSV – fixed headers, do not change order or names, ID links the resource assignment to a work package referenced in the ACTIVITIES.CSV file.
Summary
Using these examples, you can replace the sample data in Deltek Cobra with real data from your own systems to build out a project’s required ancillary files, build its control accounts and work packages and then load actual cost data.
Please keep in mind these are minimal examples and many of the formats can have considerably more columns than are included here. You can determine other available column types to include in your CSV files by looking in the integration wizard’s drop down lists in the Activity File Field Mapper dialog.