Project management system with automated schedule and cost integration

Claim 1

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit which includes a beginning of an activity at a particular point in time and specifies a duration which said activity is to continue; configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST defining a type of work breakdown structure (WBS) element including a work package, cost account or planning element, said WBST specifying a work package WBST when said first portion of said customized data includes scheduled start and completion dates and a budget for said activity; and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a method to calculate a budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) for said work package and said EVMT being of the type to specify an X/Y EVMT when said X/Y EVMT includes an "X" percentage of a budget for said work package earned upon starting said work package and a "Y" percentage of said budget earned upon completion of said work package; and said generating step comprises the steps of: detecting activity work unit records that are characterized as having said work package WBST and said X/Y EVMT, and forming a PMT data record which includes start and complete milestone data elements therein for work unit data records having said work package WBST with said X/Y EVMT.

Claim 2

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit which includes a beginning of an activity at a particular point in time and specifies a duration which said activity is to continue; configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST defining a type of work breakdown structure (WBS) element including a work package, cost account or planning element, said WBST specifying a work package WBST when said first portion of said customized data includes scheduled start and completion dates and a budget for said activity; and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a method to calculate a budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) for said work package and said EVMT being of the type to specify an X/Y EVMT when said X/Y EVMT includes an "X" percentage of a budget for said work package earned upon starting said work package and a "Y" percentage of said budget earned upon completion of said work package; and said generating step comprises the steps of: detecting activity work unit records that are characterized as having said work package WBST and said X/Y EVMT, and forming a PMT data record which includes start and complete milestone data elements therein for work unit data records having said work package WBST with said X/Y EVMT.

Claim 3

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating by said NST said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit when said work unit data records include a beginning of an activity at a particular point in time and include a particular duration which said activity continues; configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to identify a work breakdown structure element with which said work unit data records are to be associated; and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST being of the type to specify one of a milestone or a work package WBST so that an activity work unit in said NST may correspond to either of a milestone or a work package in said PMT.

Claim 4

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating by said NST said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit when said work unit data records include a beginning of an activity at a particular point in time and include a particular duration which said activity continues; configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to identify a work breakdown structure element with which said work unit data records are to be associated; and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST being of the type to specify one of a milestone or a work package WBST so that an activity work unit in said NST may correspond to either of a milestone or a work package in said PMT.

Claim 5

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST; configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST specifying one of a milestone WBST, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying that arbitrary milestone weights are to be used in computing earned value and said EVMT specifying that one of a plurality of predetermined X/Y computation algorithms is to be used in computing earned value; and said generating step comprises the steps of: forming a milestone record for said PMT when a work unit record is described as a milestone WBST, said milestone record having a milestone weight data element, said milestone weight data element being determined in response to said second portion of said customized data; and writing said milestone weight data element to a temporary file.

Claim 6

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST; configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST specifying one of a milestone WBST, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying that arbitrary milestone weights are to be used in computing earned value and said EVMT specifying that one of a plurality of predetermined X/Y computation algorithms is to be used in computing earned value; and said generating step comprises the steps of: forming a milestone record for said PMT when a work unit record is described as a milestone WBST, said milestone record having a milestone weight data element, said milestone weight data element being determined in response to said second portion of said customized data; and writing said milestone weight data element to a temporary file.

Claim 9

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, configuring a portion of said second portion of said NSD in said work unit data records to describe a completed percentage of said NST work unit, configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a percent complete EVMT, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a type of percentage to use in performing earned value calculations, said type of percentage indicating a work-accomplished type and said type of percentage indicating a time-line type; and said generating step comprises the step of forming a status data record for said PMT, said status record having a percent complete data element when one of said work unit data records indicates said percent complete EVMT, said percent complete data element containing said second portion of said NSD if said second portion of said customized data does not specify that said type of percentage is a work-accomplished type.

Claim 10

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, configuring a portion of said second portion of said NSD in said work unit data records to describe a completed percentage of said NST work unit, configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a percent complete EVMT, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a type of percentage to use in performing earned value calculations, said type of percentage indicating a work-accomplished type and said type of percentage indicating a time-line type; and said generating step comprises the step of forming a status data record for said PMT, said status record having a percent complete data element when one of said work unit data records indicates said percent complete EVMT, said percent complete data element containing said second portion of said NSD if said second portion of said customized data does not specify that said type of percentage is a work-accomplished type.

Claim 12

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) EVMT, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a BCWP amount for said PMT; and said generating step comprises the step of forming status data records for said PMT that include said BCWP amount in response to work unit data records that indicate said BCWP EVMT.

Claim 13

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) EVMT, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a BCWP amount for said PMT; and said generating step comprises the step of forming status data records for said PMT that include said BCWP amount in response to work unit data records that indicate said BCWP EVMT.

Claim 14

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being configured to identify summarized work units and non-summarized work units, configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a first spread code for said PMT to use in allocating resources, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a second spread code for said PMT to use in allocating resources; and said generating step comprises the step of forming data records for said PMT that include a spread code data element, said spread code data element being configured to correspond to said first spread code in response to work unit data records indicated as being non-summarized work units.

Claim 15

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, wherein: said collecting step comprises the steps of: associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being configured to identify summarized work units and non-summarized work units, configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a first spread code for said PMT to use in allocating resources, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a second spread code for said PMT to use in allocating resources; and said generating step comprises the step of forming data records for said PMT that include a spread code data element, said spread code data element being configured to correspond to said first spread code in response to work unit data records indicated as being non-summarized work units.

Claim 17

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: before said collecting step, the step of periodically updating said NSD and said customized data wherein said first transferring step is repeated in response to said updating step, and said generating step comprises the steps of: constructing a baseline configuration for said second portion of said NSD and said PMD in response to a first iteration of said first transferring step; and revising said baseline configuration to form a revised baseline configuration when start or complete dates for said project contained in said second portion of said NSD have diverged from said baseline configuration, said revising step performed in response to a second iteration of said first transferring step.

Claim 18

A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system; first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer; generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data; storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: before said collecting step, the step of periodically updating said NSD and said customized data wherein said first transferring step is repeated in response to said updating step, and said generating step comprises the steps of: constructing a baseline configuration for said second portion of said NSD and said PMD in response to a first iteration of said first transferring step; and revising said baseline configuration to form a revised baseline configuration when start or complete dates for said project contained in said second portion of said NSD have diverged from said baseline configuration, said revising step performed in response to a second iteration of said first transferring step.