Overview
Compare Cost Classes lets you select a specific cost class from each of two projects and compare them resource assignment by resource assignment. The grid shows your WBS hierarchy down to the resource assignment level, with one column for each cost class and a Difference column.
The most common use case is comparing a project’s Budget against its Actual cost. But you can compare any two cost classes from any two projects; including cross-project benchmarks.
URL: /Reporting/CompareCostClasses/Index
Prerequisites
- Select two projects and a cost class from each, then click Compare. The grid does not load until all four selections are made and Compare is clicked.
- The cost class dropdowns are project-specific; each dropdown lists only the cost classes available for the project selected in the corresponding project filter.
Filters
| Filter | What It Controls |
|---|
| Project 1 | The first project to include in the comparison |
| Cost Class 1 | Which cost class to use from Project 1 (e.g., Budget). Options update when Project 1 is selected. |
| Project 2 | The second project (can be the same project as Project 1) |
| Cost Class 2 | Which cost class to compare from Project 2 (e.g., Actual). Options update when Project 2 is selected. |
| Currency Divisor | Display values in base dollars, thousands (K), or millions (M) |
The cost class dropdowns only populate after a project is selected. If you change Project 1, the Cost Class 1 dropdown reloads with the new project’s cost classes.
Reading the Grid
Hierarchy
The grid is organized hierarchically:
WBS Level 1
└── WBS Level 2
└── WBS Level 3 (and deeper levels if configured)
└── Work Package
└── Resource Code
└── Resource Assignment
Columns
Fixed identifier columns (left side):
| Column | Description |
|---|
| WBS Level 1–3 | WBS group columns, visible by default |
| WBS Level 4–9 | Hidden by default; add via the column chooser |
| Work Package | Work package group column |
| Resource Code | Resource code group column |
| Resource Assignment ID | Hidden by default; add via the column chooser |
| Resource Code Description | Hidden by default; add via the column chooser |
| Resource Assignment Description | Hidden by default; add via the column chooser |
| Resource Type | The type classification for this resource |
| Resource Result | The result type (e.g., Labor Hours, FTEs, Travel) |
| [Project 1] Start Date | Start date for the Project 1 resource assignment. Column header shows the actual project name. |
| [Project 1] Finish Date | Finish date for the Project 1 resource assignment |
| [Project 2] Start Date | Start date for the Project 2 resource assignment |
| [Project 2] Finish Date | Finish date for the Project 2 resource assignment |
| Column | Description |
|---|
| [Project 1] ([Cost Class 1]) | Cost from Project 1 using Cost Class 1. Column header shows the actual project and cost class names, plus the divisor label (e.g., ($K)). |
| [Project 2] ([Cost Class 2]) | Cost from Project 2 using Cost Class 2 |
| Difference | Cost Class 2 minus Cost Class 1. A negative value means Cost Class 2 is lower than Cost Class 1. |
| View | Opens the time-phased RA Detail pivot grid for this row (see below) |
Time-Phased RA Detail
Click the View button on any resource assignment row to open the RA Detail pivot grid. This shows the cost comparison broken down by period.
Modal header: “Resource Assignment ID: [ID from Project 1] / Compared to: [ID from Project 2]”
Pivot structure:
- Rows: Resource Assignment ID and Resource Result type
- Columns: Fiscal Year → Quarter → Month (hierarchical; expand a year to see quarters, expand a quarter to see months)
- Values: Cost for each period
- Grand totals: Shown for both rows and columns
Use this view to identify exactly when in the project timeline a budget-versus-actual divergence occurred.
When to Use This Report
Use Compare Cost Classes when you need to:
- Budget vs. Actual analysis: see where actual costs deviated from the approved budget at the resource assignment level.
- Cross-period comparison: compare cost classes that represent different snapshots in time (e.g., Original Budget vs. Current Budget).
- Cross-project benchmarking: compare the cost profile of one project’s cost class against a different project’s cost class.
- Identify timing of variances: use the View button to drill into the monthly breakdown and find when a variance first appeared.
Saved Views
Compare Cost Classes supports named saved views that preserve your column layout, grouping, and filter settings. Use the view selector in the toolbar to save and reload your own named views.
When viewing a system view, the message “Currently viewing a system view. Changes will not be saved.” appears at the top right of the grid.
Grid Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|
| Expand/Collapse All Groups | Link above the grid. Toggles all group rows at once. |
| Column chooser | Add hidden columns: WBS Level 4–9, Resource Assignment ID, Resource Code Description, Resource Assignment Description |
| Search panel | Free-text search across all visible columns |
| Filter row | Per-column filter inputs; click Apply Filters to apply |
| Header filter | Click any column header for value-based filtering |
| Filter panel | Shows active filter criteria and allows clearing them |
| Group panel | Drag columns to add additional grouping levels |
Exporting
Click the Download icon and select Export as Excel. The file is saved as CompareCostClass.xlsx with the grid data on a sheet named Compare Cost Class.
