Ten Six Consulting

Enterprise project management and earned value management

703-910-2600

Deltek Cobra Fundamentals

Deltek Cobra Training – Using Deltek Cobra in the Real World

Duration: 2 Days
PDU Credits: 14 PDUs

Prerequisites: None, apart from a burning desire to learn new skills and a basic grasp of earned value management principals.

Deltek Cobra Fundamentals Training

This training class offers both detailed instruction on the Deltek Cobra software system, and it provides context to the way the system supports a real world earned value management system. The curriculum and content are written and delivered by consultants with years of experience implementing and using Deltek Cobra as part of a complete earned value management system (EVMS). Our consultants bring a level of expertise to the classroom experience unmatched by our competitors. Students will learn how to set up Cobra, integrate with the project’s master schedule and manage the system to meet ANSI 748 standards.

Deltek Cobra Software Versions

There are two major versions of Deltek Cobra available; Deltek Cobra version 5.1 and Deltek Cobra version 8. While these two versions are fundamentally the same in terms of functionality, they are aesthetically different with some navigation and feature improvements in version 8.

We recommend that you take the Deltek Cobra 8 training class. Once you have learned how to use Cobra 8, it will be easy to go back and work with Cobra 5.1. You probably won’t want to as Cobra version 8 is proving to be a true improvement over its earlier 5.1 counterpart!

During this class you will…

•    See an overview of Deltek Cobra and the navigation system
•    Learn how to set up a new program with WBS, OBS, Calendars, codes
•    Learn how to set up and calculate rates and resources
•    Create the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) in Microsoft Project
•    Learn how to use Level of Effort
•    Learn how to load the IMS with budgets into Deltek Cobra
•    Go throughout the monthly update cycle
•    Calculate the earned value and forecasts
•    Load actual costs into Deltek Cobra managing errors and warnings
•    Understand how to run Deltek Cobra EVM reports

Deltek Cobra 8 Open Class Dates

LocationDatesAvailability
Chantilly, VAJune 4-5Available
Chantilly, VASeptember 10-11Available
Chantilly, VANovember 5-6Available

Deltek Cobra 8 – $1,900

Costs and Registration

The class costs $1,900 per person with discounts for multiple attendees. Please contact us if you have more than 3 people wishing to attend to enjoy an additional discount. To register, simply click here to register online or contact us by phone at (703) 910-2600 or email.

This course is also available as an on-line class. Click here for more details

Earn Valuable PDUs To Maintain Your PMP Certification

Ten Six is a PMI Global Registered Education Provider. Individuals who attend our training courses can earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) to maintain their PMP credential. This class earns 14 PDUs.

Open Classes

In addition to delivering this class on-site and on-line, you can enjoy taking the class in Chantilly, Virginia.

Course Contents

Lesson 1 – Introduction

  • Training course introduction
  • Learning objectives
  • The PMI’s project management lifecycle

Lesson 2 – Navigating Cobra

  • Cobra’s architecture
  • Navigating Cobra’s interface
  • Controlling and formatting the data columns in table windows
  • Opening projects and other data tabs

Lesson 3 – Setting Up a new Program

  • Creating the work breakdown structure (WBS) in an ancillary code file
  • Loading a WBS from a CSV formatted file
  • How to define and apply thresholds
  • Create the OBS
  • Creating a fiscal calendar

Lesson 4 – Rates and Resources

  • Creating a rate table
  • Loading rates from a CSV file
  • Defining Full Time Equivalent rates
  • Creating a resource calculation file
  • Loading resources and calculations from a CSV file

Lesson 5 – Building the Cobra Project

  • The purpose of creating a shell project
  • Building a new shell project in Cobra
  • Creating a backup of the shell project

Lesson 6 – Adding Control Accounts

  • Earned Value Technique (EVT) for work packages explained
  • The meaning of the term Level of Effort in earned value systems
  • Creating control accounts and work packages
  • Loading resources onto work packages to build the budget values

Lesson 7 – Microsoft Project/Primavera P6 Integration

  • Creating mapping fields in the schedule for Cobra integration
  • Setting a baseline in the IMS
  • Methods for saving the IMS to an XML project file
  • Loading the IMS using the integration wizard
  • Running a Control Account Plan (CAP) report
  • Starting the Cobra audit log to baseline the project
  • Entering contract information

Lesson 8 – Managing the Forecast

  • The general concept of Cobra forecasting
  • The types of forecasts available in Cobra
  • Forecast classes
  • Adding new forecast classes
  • Initializing a forecast
  • Verifying your new forecast class data

Lesson 9 – Monthly Updates

  • Updating the IMS to get ready for the monthly update process (Microsoft Project and/or P6)
  • Backing up the current Cobra program
  • Advancing the calendar
  • Loading and updating work package status from Microsoft Project and/or P6)
  • Understanding when the system is ready for earned value calculations
  • Calculating earned value

Lesson 10 – Loading Actual Costs

  • Types of actual costs that can be loaded into Cobra
  • Loading actual cost data from a CSV file
  • Calculating forecast after actual costs are loaded
  • How and when to update/modify Calendar Set 19 for CPR Format 4 reports
  • Cost sets and how they are used for reporting and displaying data

Lesson 11 – Reporting

  • The standard reports that ship with Cobra 5
  • Running CPR reports
  • Working with Filters
  • Time-phased Reporting
  • Creating a custom Calendar Set for time-phased reporting
  • Using the Analyze feature to drill down and explore your data
  • Configuring a new batch report
  • Exporting the program to a wInsight XML formatted file
  • Loading the wInsight XML file into wInsight Administrator

Lesson 12 – Optional Exercise and Update Process Cheat Sheet

  • Exercise to practice running the periodic EVM cycle
  • Cheat sheet to help you learn and use the steps for a reporting cycle update

Customer Testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it. Read what former attendees to Ten Six training courses have to say about their experiences. Click here to read them

Learn More

To learn more about this class, please contact us at training@tensix.com

This was an excellent class and Neil Smith is an excellent instructor who not only showed how the system worked, but also was able to provide real world examples which was extremely helpful. I can only say that this was one of the best training classes I have ever taken and it feels so good to walk away truly understanding the material! I look forward to using Ten Six in the future for any additional consulting and training needs my organization may have. Thanks for a terrific training class!
Loretta ChanceL3