WBS and Project Budget - IMP Point

If the WBS is defined for the project and also for the same the Budget is also defined, then tracking of project can be done from the WBS as well as Budget. However there is a very minute and important catch here, which if not taken into consideration, the WBS and the Project Budget values will not match.

Whenever the WBS is created, it automatically creates the 'Activities'. However if there are sub-activities or sub-tasks, then the 'Header Activity' has NO 'Category' assigned to it, as seen in the screenshot below.

WBS Planning View

If the same WBS is imported to create a Project Budget, then the Budget is created for the 'Categories' in the WBS.

Project Budget Balances

However when the project transactions are created for the project, then the 'Activity' drop down displays the 'Header Activity' as well against which no 'Category' is assigned to it in WBS.

Hours Journal

Hence when the journal is posted, the 'Budget' is not updated but the WBS tracking / progress is updated and hence both seem to be out of sync.

See below the screenshots for 'Project Budget Balances' after the project transaction (Hour Journal) is posted for the SUB activity for whom the category is assigned in WBS.

WBS Tracking View

Project Budget Balances

See below the screenshots for 'Project Budget Balances' after the project transaction (Hour Journal) is posted for the Header activity for whom the category is NOT assigned in WBS.

WBS Tracking View

Project Budget Balances

Hence the only precaution to be taken is to make sure that while posting the project transaction, the selected 'Activity' is NOT the header activity.

Thanks

Sarang

Importance of 'Active in Journals' and 'Stocked Product' control WRT Project Supplier Invoice

Direct Supplier invoice (without a PO) that is to be created for the project can make use of items as well as procurement categories. In that case, items as well as the procurement categories should be linked to a project category. To setup and link a procurement category to a project category, refer the post Procurement Categories and related setup.

Please refer below for the two main configuration items that can frustrate you if you are trying to create a supplier invoice directly without a PO.

Importance of 'Active in Journals'

Very often it is required to create a supplier invoice for the project and in that case the item that is to be used in the supplier invoice should be linked to the project category. You think that the steps to that are very simple, which actually are, but with a small catch. You think you will create a project category and you will create a released product and then link it, which is correct as well. While linking the same, you need to navigate the 'Manage Project' fast tab of the Item record and select the project category from the drop down. However when you look for the desired project category, recently created, for the item, you cannot see it and then you get baffled as to why other item categories are being seen and why not the one which was recently created. You know that you have missed some setup, but there seems to be no clue. I faced the same situation and was frustrated to the core about it, until finally i found out that issue, which after fixed, the project category started appearing in the drop down and i could link the item to the project category. The frustrating toggle switch (as called in AX7 aka Dynamics 365) is called the 'Active in journals' in the 'Project Categories' window, which when turned to 'Yes', the category started showing in the drop down in the 'Manage Project' fast tab of the Item record.

Importance of  'Stocked Product' checkbox

After the released product is linked with the project category, as mentioned above, the task is still not over, as that item should be visible in the 'Item number' drop down of the supplier invoice. The items that are visible in that drop down are the ones for which are of type 'Non stocked'. Hence for all the items, for which supplier invoice needs to be created, without the PO, make sure that in the 'Item model group' of the item, the 'Stocked' checkbox (as seen in the screenshot below) should be unchecked or else the item will not be visible in the 'Item number' drop down of the supplier invoice.

Thanks
Sarang