Good news! Deltek has just released Deltek Acumen 8.3 and here’s a sneak peak at what’s in it. There’s a combination of some very useful new features and enhancements as well as addressing a few known issues. Let’s take a look at the new features:
Merge a Metric Template Library Into An Existing Workbook
You can use the new Open command on the Metrics tab to merge a metric template library into an existing workbook. When you import a metric template library, Acumen performs the following actions:
Metrics
- Merges metrics based on the metric GUID (globally unique identifier). Imported metric definitions replace existing definitions if the metric already exists in Acumen.
- Adds metrics that don’t already exist in the current metric library.
- Leaves existing metrics if they don’t have an imported equivalent.
- Merges variables, project variables, and calculated fields based on the name of the item.
- Adds variables, project variables, and calculated fields that are in the file being imported that are not in the current metric library.
- Leaves current values for project variables unchanged after the merge. Project variable descriptions will be updated by the import.
- Updates variables (workbook variables) based on imported values
Metric Folders
- Merges metric folders based on the metric folder GUID. Imported folder definitions replace existing definitions if the folder already exists in Acumen. If the folder location is in a new location in the imported library, that new location is used.
- Adds folders that don’t already exist in the current metric library.
- Retains existing folders if they don’t have an imported equivalent.
Import Cost Data From a .CSV File
You can now import cost data from a .csv file. Previously importing was limited to Deltek Cobra and Work Authorization Documents. Acumen 8.3 includes a comma separated values (.csv) template file called CSV Template.csv and some sample EVAS files that are located in the Acumen Fuse » EVAS Samples folder.
Cost Fields Renamed
Acumen now imports cost data from files other than Cobra files, therefore the following fields on the Activities General tab (S1 // Projects and S3 // Risk) have been renamed:
- Original Cobra Path has been renamed to Original Cost Path
- Cobra Status Date has been renamed to Cost Status Date
In addition, the Deltek Cobra menu option in the S1 // Projects Get External Data From menu group has been renamed to Cost Data, and the Deltek Cobra field on the Deltek Acumen Options dialog box (Deltek tab) has been renamed to Deltek Cobra / Cost Data and WAD.
Cost Fields/Tabs Hidden When Deltek Cobra Option Unchecked
When you deselect the Deltek Cobra / Cost Data and WAD option on the Platforms (Deltek) tab of the Deltek Acumen 8.3 Options dialog box, the following cost-related fields and tabs are hidden:
- On the Activities General tab (S1 // Projects and S3 // Risk):
- Original Cost Path (previously titled Original Cobra Path)
- Cost Status Date (previously titled Cobra Status Date)
- Original WAD Path
- WAD Import Date
- Control Accounts / Work Packages tab
- Elements of Cost tab
- WAD tab
Risk Drivers Tornado Chart Heading
In the Risk Drivers Tornado Chart view, you now have the option to turn the graph heading on or off. Turning the header off allows the chart to fill a greater area of the pane for easier viewing.
Fuse Detailed Report Enhancements
In Acumen 8.3, when you publish the Fuse Detailed report, you can now filter on any column. Click the down arrow on the right side of any column and select the data by which you want to filter.
Count or Field Header
In Acumen Metrics, on the Detailed Report tab, you can specify whether you want a tripped metric to display an X or a specific field value on the Fuse Detailed Metric report. For example, you can set an activity metric to display an X so that you know it tripped, or you may want to display the budget associated with the activity or control account that caused it to trip.
When you run the Fuse Detailed Metric report, a new row indicates whether the metric is displaying as a count (X) or a specific field.
Metric Record Count
When you publish the report, you now have the option to include metric record counts. When you select this option, an additional header is added to the report labeled Record Count. This is the count of items in the metric after the filters and inclusions have been applied (that is, the record count of items that are eligible for the metric).
Risk Synchronized
When you select a project or a snapshot on the S1 // Projects tab and you click on the S3 // Risk tab, Acumen 8.3 now displays the same project or snapshot that you had when you were working on the S1 // Projects tab and vice versa.
Create Cost Estimate
The Generate From Schedule, Generate With Overlay and Generate Without Overlay menu options now include icons.
Locks Removed
Previously, when you create a cost estimate from the schedule, any locks on the schedule were copied and maintained. Now, when you create a cost estimate from the schedule, no locks are copied to or maintained in the cost estimate.
Acumen 8.3 Projects Tab Projects Pane Context Menu Enhancement
Previously, when you selected or deselected a product on one of the Platforms tabs in the Deltek Acumen Options dialog box, Acumen updated the Get External Data From menu to reflect that change but the S1 // Projects tab Projects pane context menu did not change. Now in Acumen 8.3, when you make a change on one of the Platforms tabs, the change is reflected on both the Get External Data From menu and the project pane context menu.
For example, if you deselect Asta Powerproject on the Deltek Acumen Options dialog box, the Asta Powerproject icon no longer displays on the Get External Data From menu or the S1 // Projects tab Projects pane context menu.
Acumen 8.3 Summary
We are huge fans of Deltek Acumen (see Neil Smith’s blog Why Using Deltek Acumen for Schedule Analytics is Recommended) and Acumen 8.3 only improves an already great product. In addition to the features listed above, a number of bug fixes are incorporated into this release. If you’re an Acumen user, upgrading is a no-brainer!