ECOS 5 TRAINING SELF-TRAINING MANUALemits.sso.esa.int/emits-doc/ECOS/ECOS_Training_Manual... ·...

©ESA – This training material is the property of ESA. It can be distributed within your organisation for the sole purpose of learning how to use ECOS. It cannot be used to propose paid training services. You may contact the ECOS Helpdesk([email protected]) to submit any request related to this training material.

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ECOS 5 TRAINING

SELF-TRAINING MANUAL

Issue 1

Rev 0

Issue/Rev date: 28/01/2013

mailto:[email protected]


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Table of Content

Introduction

Getting familiar with the Graphical User Interface

Exercise 1 - Defining your environment

Exercise 2 - Creating a Project

Exercise 3 - Develop PT/WBS and Define/Send ITT

Exercise 4 - Performing Data Entry

Exercise 5 - Entering Payment Plan and data entry control

Exercise 6 - Sending ITT files – Data entry at Sub-cos levels

Exercise 7 - Generating Tender files – Integrating sub-cos tenders

Exercise 8 - Advanced feature – Using Product Libraries

Exercise 9 - Advanced feature – User WBS numbering

Solutions

Report examples

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS



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Introduction This training manual has been developed to allow the ECOS Users to get familiar with ECOS 5. It is based a series of hands- on exercises that will allow the Users to progressively get familiar with the wide set of most commonly used features of the Application Software. ECOS 5 GUI has been totally revised with respect to previous versions so users of previous versions are invited to follow this training. In a self-training context, the training should take a normal working day (about 8 hours). After completion the trainees are deemed to have reached sufficient experience to be able to configure her/his own environment, to enter all data related to financial offers and handled by ECOS, to define and send ITT files to sub-contractors and to Select/Integrate tenders received from them in order to prepare an Integrated Tender to be sent to the upper tier. The training course will explain how to use ECOS in the most efficient manner in order to minimise time spent elaborating such files while guaranteeing high quality level in Price presentation. This training Manual should be kept for later re-use as a reference information in complement to the Integrated Help. We draw the attention of the reader on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) inserted at the end of this document. It contains very useful information that may significantly improve the ECOS experience. Trainees are invited to provide their feed-back in order to keep this document at its highest quality level. You may contact the ECOS Help Desk to do so ([email protected]).



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Getting familiar with the Graphical User Interface Here is a quick overview of the new ECOS layout implemented in this version 5

ECOS main screen organisation

Main menu level 1 options

NB: Some menu options may not be selectable (appear in grey text) depending on context



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Exercise 1- Defining your environment

After completion of this exercise, the trainee will be able to: Install ECOS / Activate ECOS Start ECOS Update ECOS Prepare work environment Creating Rate Files

ECOS Installation and activation If you have not yet installed ECOS 5, you may contact the ECOS Help Desk ([email protected]) that will provide you with all necessary instructions to download, install and activate the application.

ECOS 5 and ECOS 4 may coexist on the same computer since both applications are strictly independent In particular, program and data folders are different.

NOTE: You must be a registered ESA bidder in order to acquire an ECOS company code. This code will be necessary to activate the application and therefore be able to use it. This code identifies your organisation in all financial reports produced by ECOS.

Once installed and activated, you are now ready to use ECOS.

• Start of ECOS requires user identification. The default login is

USER: ADMIN PASSWORD: e5

ECOS requires regular updates, in order to always use the latest version. The instructor will show how to perform automatic and manual update.




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Preparing work environment

Adjusting Preferences

• Select from Main Menu: Maintenance/Preferences…

NB: In ECOS 5, Data files from users are now stored into [My Documents/ECOS5] folder.

Backup (BCK) and Projects (PRJ) default folders may be changed by the User (although not recommended). To be noted that several Project directories can be created; this is particularly useful when creating a server-based configuration to manage a multi-users environment.

Also the default company code used when creating projects or rate files and the default printer can be adjusted here. If you do not have specific reasons to do so, we recommend not to change the directories default settings.

Changing these settings only makes sense when installing ECOS in a server-based configuration with multi-users access rights management (see menu option: Maintenance/Libraries/User Accounts). Such feature will not be treated in the frame of this training because it is rarely used. If you intend to implement ECOS in this configuration, please contact the ECOS Help Desk who will assist you in this task.

• Select from Main Menu: Maintenance/Colour selection

This menu option allows you to adapt background colours to your taste. You may try and save several sets of colours. Try it!



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Three colours are being defined to better identify in which mode ECOS is: Maintenance, Data Entry or Tender

Maintenance is the mode that allows all preparatory works outside of specific project. No project file .ECS nor .TEN is opened in this mode.

Data Entry is the mode when working on a specific Project file (extension file name .ECS)

Tender is the mode when producing reports out of a tender file (extension file name .TEN)



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Creating Rate Files

Normal situation: you create the rate file for your company.

Specific case: you create rate file(s) using the Company code of a (some) sub-contractor(s) to perform data entry of its (their) behalf. This is not recommended. The normal and better way to work is to send an ITT to the sub-contractors so they perform their own share of the work and you integrate their resulting tender.

In the specific context of this training We are going to create a series of rate files to get acquainted with rate file various features and to prepare the simulation of the overall process of the integration of an ECOS integrated Project file onto your PC. In this context we are going to play successively the role of all 4 companies involved.

• To create Rate file go to the following menu option:

When you need to modify or delete an already created rate file, you will use the menu option just below i.e. “Modify/Delete Rate File” that will access the list of already created rate files.

You may Backup and/or Restore a Rate File for instance to transfer a rate file to one of your colleague working on another Computer.

We now start the rate file creation,

• Enter the following information:



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Headers

The following will apply for all the rate files that we are going to create.

• Provisional rate file, valid from June 2012 till December 2014, economic conditions set at June 2012.

We are also going to create variation and escalation tables that will be used for various rate files

Variation tables

• Labour rates variation:

IDE: VL, Title: Labour Variation

-2% in 2013, -1% in 2014,-0.5% in 2015

• G&A variation:

IDE: VG, Title: G&A Variation

-5% in 2013, -2% in 2014, -1% in 2015

Escalation tables

• The following Escalation table is created:

IDE EL, Title: Labour Escalation

2% per year from 2013 till 2018.

• Materials Escalation:

IDE: EM, Title: Materials escalation

1% per year from 2013 till 2018.



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To enter these tables you need to go there:

To note the calculation difference when the yearly change applies to rates (absolute figure) and

when it applies to percentages (Overheads or Profit).

The values x entered into the table are used as follows:

RateN+1 = RateN * (1 + x%) % Overhead or ProfitN+1 = % Overhead or ProfitN + x%

The value x can be negative or positive and may include up to 4 decimals.

• We are now going to create the following rate files:

DISCLAIMER: The company codes used in support to the following rate files are real codes

but the rate file structure and the values are purely fictitious for the purpose of this training.



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Company EDIS (1/2)

Extended features:

Subject to variable rate agreement (VL, VG) Multiple G&A and Profit rates will be defined Labour:

Base rates M MANAGER 120 €/H E ENGINEER 100 €/H T TECHNICIAN 80 €/H 10% industrial overheads apply on all Labour categories Basic labour rates are subject to variation (VL)

Facilities:

VT Thermal Vacuum 800 €/day VI Vibrations 1000 €/day

Escalation on Labour (EL) applies on all Labour and Facilities rates

Other costs

1 Raw Material 2.00000%

2 Mech.Parts 2.00000%

3 Semi Fin.Parts 2.00000%

4 Electrical Parts 2.50000%

5.1 HiRel-Internal 1.00000%

5.2 HiRel-3rd Party 3.00000%

6 Ext.Maj.Product 2.00000%

7 Extern Services 4.00000%

8 Trans,Insurance 1.00000%

9 Travel/Allowance 1.00000%

10 Miscellaneous 0.00000%

Escalation on Materials (EM) applies on Other Costs categories 1 to 6

Escalation on Labour (EL) applies on Other Costs categories 7 and 8



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Company EDIS (2/2)

G&A and Profit G&A1 is 25% and G&A2 is 15% G&A 1 subject to variation (VG)

Profit 1 is 8% and Profit 2 is 4%

Overhead on subs is 2%

G&A1 and Profit 1 applies on all Base rate labour categories

G&A2 and Profit 2 apply for Labour Industrial overheads and for Facilities

Profit 1 applies to Others categories 1 to 5.2 and Profit 2 applies to Other categories 6 to 9

Profit 1 applies on G&A1


IMPORTANT: To also apply Profit on the G&A

do not forget to fill-in the Cross Application window

In “real life”, nobody is by your side to verify the rate file. It is advised to create a small

project with one WP and to enter a round number of hours such as 1000 hours per labour categories to verify and validate your rate file.

• Now, after checking the company code entered into the header is EDIS (and not your Company Code as proposed by your Preferences settings …), save and close the EDIS rate file.

• Go back to Maintenance/Create Rate file menu to enter the next rate file



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Company MAMU (1/2)

Extended features:

Detailed rate codes will be used Subject to variable rate agreement (VL, VG) Labour:

MAN MANAGER 120 GBP/H ENG SEN SENIOR ENGINEER 110 GBP/H ENG JUN JUNIOR ENGINEER 90 GBP/H TEC TECHNICIAN 80 GBP/H Variation (VL) will apply on TEC rate only Facilities:

THER Thermal Vacuum 500 GBP/day VIB Vibrations 800 GBP/day Escalation (EL) applies on all Labour and Facilities rates Other costs

1 Raw Material 2.00000% 2 Mech.Parts 2.00000% 3 Semi Fin.Parts 2.00000% 4 Electrical Parts 2.50000% 5.1 HiRel-Internal 1.00000% 5.2 HiRel-3rd Party 3.00000% 6 Ext.Maj.Product 2.00000% 7 Extern Services 4.00000% 8 Trans,Insurance 1.00000% 9 Travel/Allowance 1.00000% 10 Miscellaneous 0.00000%





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Company MAMU (2/2)

G&A and Profit G&A is 25% G&A subject to variation (VG)

Profit is 8%

Overhead on subs is 2%

G&A and Profit applies on all labour and Facilities categories

Profit applies to Others categories 1 to 7

Profit applies on G&A



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Company ABSL (1/2)

Extended features:

Using R&D Overheads category Multiple G&A and Profit rates will be defined Labour:

Base rates

MG MANAGER 120 GBP /H EN ENGINEER 100 GBP /H TE TECHNICIAN 80 GBP /H 10% industrial overheads apply on all Labour categories Facilities:

TV Thermal Vacuum 700 GBP/day VB Vibrations 800 GBP/day Escalation (EL) applies on all Labour and Facilities rates Other costs

1 Raw Material 2.00000%

2 Mech.Parts 2.00000%

3 Semi Fin.Parts 2.00000%

4 Electrical Parts 2.50000%

5.1 HiRel-Internal 1.00000%

5.2 HiRel-3rd Party 3.00000%

6 Ext.Maj.Product 2.00000%

7 Extern Services 4.00000%

8 Trans,Insurance 1.00000%

9 Travel/Allowance 1.00000%

10 Miscellaneous 0.00000%





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Company ABSL (2/2)

G&A and Profit G&A1 is 20% and G&A2 is 10% R&D Overhead is 2.5%

Profit 1 is 8% and Profit 2 is 4% Overhead on subs is 1.5%

G&A1 and Profit 1 and R&D overheads apply on all Base rate labour categories

G&A2 and Profit 2 apply for Labour Industrial overheads and for Facilities






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Company EREM (1/2)

Extended features:

Using R&D Overheads category Multiple G&A and Profit rates will be defined Subject to variable rate agreement (VL, VG) Labour:

Base rates

MR MANAGER 100 €/H ER ENGINEER 90 €/H TN TECHNICIAN 70 €/H All labour categories are subject to variation (VL) Facilities:

VT Thermal Vacuum 700 €/day VI Vibrations 900 €/day Escalation (EL) applies on all Labour and Facilities rates Other costs

1 Raw Material 1.00000% 2 Mech.Parts 1.00000% 3 Semi Fin.Parts 1.00000% 4 Electrical Parts 1.50000% 5.1 HiRel-Internal 2.00000% 5.2 HiRel-3rd Party 4.00000% 6 Ext.Maj.Product 2.00000% 7 Extern Services 2.500000% 8 Trans,Insurance 1.00000% 9 Travel/Allowance 0.00000% 10 Miscellaneous 0.00000%





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Company EREM (1/2)

G&A and Profit G&A1 is 22% and G&A2 is 12% G&A 1 subject to variation (VG)

R&D Overhead is 2.5%

Profit 1 is 8% and Profit 2 is 4% Overhead on subs is 2%

G&A1 and Profit 1 and R&D overheads apply on all base rate labour categories

G&A2 and Profit 2 apply for Facilities




You may verify that your rate files are correct by checking rate file screen shots into the SOLUTIONS section at the end of this document. NB: Some further advanced features like creating / managing Product Libraries or Travel Libraries and Backup / Restore facilities will be explained at later stage.



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Exercise 2 – Creating a Project

After completion of this exercise, the trainee will be able to: Create Project as ESAP Initialise PT/WBS Define top level ITT/RFQ Generate top level ITT

Create Project as ESAP

Usually bidders receives a top ITT/RFQ generated by ESA In this first sequence the Trainee will simulate ESA when creating the project. NB: In the future Project will be automatically generated at Prime contractor level by simply loading a ”Seed File” downloaded from the Electronic Tendering System. The current option to create “manually” a Project will remain to allow ECOS users to create ECOS files for business outside of ESA or to provide ECOS file to an upper tier that has not provided an ECOS ITT file for whatever reason. Here you are going to play the role of ESA.

The principle of the ITT chain

ESA will create the project and then release one single ITT to the bidding prime contractors.

In our case the Organisation Breakdown Structures will be as follows:



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• Select [Create New Project] from the Main menu.




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Program Identifier: TRAIN / Programme name: TRAINING ECOS / Project Title: ECOSAT / Initiated by: ESAP

ITT number : ITT TOP / Required cost item granularity min: 30 000 / max: 300 000

Support Function Library: Master Support Function Library / economic cond. June 2012 / Conversion rate June 2012 / Earliest Expenses: June 2012 / Cost Details: Detailed

NB: do not select rate file at this stage.

Reference number: REF TOP / Project Version: 1 / User name: USER as ESAP

Press [Comment tab and enter text such as: “This comment is made at Project Creation”.

• Geo-Return weighting factors definition, specify

Weighting factor 0.5 for Support Function -2AA

• Geographical Distribution Requirements: Specify

France: min 20%, Max 40%

Portugal: min 30%, Max 45%

Great Britain: min 25%, Max 35%

Initialise PT/WBS

• Create the following nodes:

PT/WBS TITLE CONTRACTUAL PHASE B ECOSAT B2

C ECOSAT C/D E ECOSAT E1

using

or local menu accessed via right mouse click.



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Define top level ITT/RFQ

• Define ITT01 as follows:

ITT number: ITT01 Title: ECOSAT Granularity: min 30 000 / Max 300 000

For doing so, use icon [Add ITT] from the TaskBar

Include all nodes into ITT01 via local menu or Drag’n Drop or using Taskbar Icons or using right click local menu in[ITT content} window.

Issue ITT01 (the ITT file will be located into My Documents/ECOS5/BCK)

This ITT file is now ready to be “sent” to the potential prime contractor bidders.



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Geographical Distribution Requirements: Specify

France: min 20%, Max 40%

Portugal: min 30%, Max 45%

Great Britain: min 25%, Max 35%

Note that when the ITT has been issued, the background colour of its name changes into the ITT

window



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Exercise 3 – Develop PT/WBS and Define/Send ITT After completion of this exercise, the trainee will be able to: Load an ITT Develop PT/WBS Define lower level ITT/RFQ Generate lower level ITT

In this sequence the Trainee will simulate the company bidding as the Prime Contractor. For doing so, the Contractor download an ITT file received from ESA (as we generated it in Exercise 1). NB: In the future, Projects will be automatically generated by simply loading into ECOS a ”Seed File” downloaded from the Electronic Tendering System. The Trainee will define then its PT/WBS, taking care to minimise effort by using [Copy Branch] and [Paste Branch] when repetitive structure in the WBS appears such as from one phase to another. Drag’n & Drop features will be used to allocate support functions or to define ITTs. It is essential that the Trainee learns how to generate ITT for sub-contracted parts in order to involve sub-contractors for elaborating their own share and generate corresponding tenders .By doing so each contractor is minimising its workload and better involve its sub-contractors into the bidding process.

Loading an ITT Usually companies bidding as Prime contractor receives a top ITT/RFQ generated by ESA (see Exercise 2). We will now acting as EDISOFT (EDIS) loading this ITT. For doing so:



• Select [Load Project] from the Main menu. • Select ITT file called ECOSAT into your BCK folder.

The following window will open:



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Replace your Company Code with EDIS in the “to Company” field and change User to “USER AS EDIS”

Then press [Ok]

IMPORTANT: Once loaded, a Project file is located in the Project Archive. Use the Project Archive every time that you will want to go back and continue working on your Project file

Develop PT/WBS

The Trainee will now develop its WBS by creating first the Product Tree (PT) and then allocating Support functions to create the WBS.

It is recommended to proceed as follows:

1. Develop the PT for Phase C/D, 2. Assign Support Functions to Phase C/D PT to create the Phase C/D WBS, 3. Copy Phase C/D WBS to Phase B2 4. Finally, trim down the Phase B2 WBS by removing unwanted items (typically MAIT and GSE

activities)

For doing so, go to the [WBS] tab



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• Create the following PT nodes (in bold): (refer to Exercise 2 if required)

PT/WBS TITLE CONTRACTUAL PHASE

B ECOSAT B2

C ECOSAT C/D

C1 PLATFORM C/D C11 STRUCTURE C/D C12 POWER C/D C13 TTC C/D C2 PAYLOAD C/D

E ECOSAT E1

• Add Support functions for own share activities at PLATFORM level

For doing so, you may use the Icon [Add Support]



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Or local menu by proceeding as follows:

• Copy the C1 branch to the B branch using • Copy C2 branch to the B branch by positioning cursor on C2 line, press and hold down left

mouse button and using Drag’n Drop onto line B

• Delete All -2B and -2K support functions series into the B branch using • Add -2AA and -2AD support function under E branch. You may Drag’n Drop the required Support

Function after developing the Support Function Library from the upper right side window at the appropriate level. You drop on line E



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You do it first for -2AA and then repeat it for -2AD

Define and issue lower level ITT/RFQ

Add ITT for the Power S/S using one of the four following methods:

1. Use icon [Add ITT] from the TaskBar 2. Right Click to access local menu in ITT definition window (Lower right) and click on [Add] menu

option

3. Click on [Add] button of the ITT definition window



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4. Finally, you may first click on the line representing the first cost item to be included into the ITT and holding then drag and dropping directly into the ITT content window. This manoeuvre is delicate since when you click the line must turn into inverse video for the sequence to be successful.


ITT number: ITT02

Title: POWER

Granularity: min 30 000 / Max 300 000

• Include all nodes related to POWER i.e. Phase B2 (NODE B12) and Phase C/D (NODE C12) into ITT02 via one of the four methods describe above. The procedure must be repeated for each node.

• Issue ITT02 (located into My Documents/ECOS5/BCK)



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• You will specify the following Geo-return Constraints:

Great Britain Min: 60% Max: 80%

• You will add the following comment:

Please send Tender file before the 15/12/2012.



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Exercise 4 - Performing Data Entry After completion of this exercise, the trainee will be able to: Perform headers data entry via the Summary Perform Data Entry per Cost item Manage data entry quality and completion Fine tune and adjust Prices presentation

Modifying cost items headers in Summary tab In this sequence the Trainee will simulate the data entry for the Company bidding as the Prime Contractor EDIS.

• Start of ECOS


• Select [Project Archive] from the Main menu. • Select ECOSAT EDIS Project file

• Go to [Summary] tab

Confirm selection of EDIS rate file if and when asked to do so.

Change Multiple Headers

• Click on first line. • Press the [Shift] key and click on the last line. All lines background turns blue meaning that they

are now all selected.

• Select [Multiple Headers Change] icon in Taskbar or use the second option of the local menu that you access via a right mouse click on any of the selected lines.

• Tick box in front of Distribution and Select Distribution A. Press [Tab] key. You get this:



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• Press [Ok] button • Now, repeat the selection process but only for the phase B2 cost items. • Tick box in front of Price Type and Select Price type 1 for all Phase B2 cost items. Press [Tab]

key. You get this:

• Press [Ok] button • Repeat procedure using Price type 4 for all Phace C/D cost items • Repeat procedure using Price type 6 for all Phace E1 cost items

Change Headers

• Ge the cursor on the first cost item

• Select [change header] icon in taskbar or or use the first option of the local menu that you access via a right mouse click on the selected line.

• Enter start date 12-06 • Enter end date 13-12

Normally all dates are entered this way, but the data entry process can be significantly accelerated if start /end dates can be imported from a planning tool such as Microsoft Project or Primavera. We are going to simulate such transfer hereunder:

Export/Import dates

• Select [Export Dates] icon in Taskbar • Save Excel file as WP-DATES EDIS • Go to BCK folder • Open WP-DATES EDIS with Excel • Enter the following dates



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NB: We are using this Import/Export facility to enter dates making some copy/paste of dates in Excel. The real purpose of such interface is to import/export to scheduling tools such as Microsoft Project or Primavera.

• Save Excel file WP-DATES EDIS • Return to ECOS [Summary] Tab • Select [Import Dates] icon inTaskbar • Select WP-DATES EDIS Excel file

Entering data on cost items – Labour and Facilities entries

• Go to the [Cost] Tab and perform the following data entries. To move to a specific WP you need to click on the corresponding line into the WP browsing list located on the upper right side of the window.

01/06/2012 31/12/2013 B1-2AA PLATFORM------------B201/06/2012 31/12/2013 B1-2AC PLATFORM------------B201/06/2012 31/12/2013 B1-2ADA PLATFORM------------B201/06/2012 31/12/2013 B1-2ADD PLATFORM------------B201/06/2012 31/12/2013 B1-2ADG PLATFORM------------B201/06/2012 31/12/2013 B1-2ADH PLATFORM------------B201/01/2014 01/01/2018 C1-2AA PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2014 01/01/2018 C1-2AC PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2014 01/01/2016 C1-2ADA PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2014 01/01/2016 C1-2ADD PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2014 01/01/2016 C1-2ADG PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2014 01/01/2016 C1-2ADH PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2015 01/01/2016 C1-2BA PLATFORM------------C/D01/01/2015 01/01/2016 C1-2BD PLATFORM------------C/D01/02/2016 01/01/2018 C1-2BI PLATFORM------------C/D01/09/2016 01/01/2017 C1-2BT PLATFORM------------C/D01/03/2015 01/03/2016 C1-2KB PLATFORM------------C/D01/02/2018 01/09/2018 E-2AA ECOSAT---------------*E101/02/2018 01/09/2018 E-2AD ECOSAT---------------*E1



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• For the facilities on C1-2BD adjust dates 15-04/15-05 for VT and 15-05/15-06 for VI • For the facilities on C1-2BI adjust dates 16-06/16-08 for VT and 17-06/17-08 for VI

Entering data on cost items – Other Costs entries

• Complete the entries with the following “Other costs“ information

To change a Company code just type X then hit the [Tab] key; the Company list will

pop-up or directly type-in the code into the corresponding [Company] cell.

Code Company Base Amt (PC)C1-2BA 1 EDISC1-2BD 5.1 EDISC1-2BI 5.2 TCNLC1-2BT 7 AEARC1-2KB 3 AEAR

External ServicesSemi-Finished Products

20 00020 00040 00050 00050 000

Raw MaterialsHi-Rel Parts (Internal)Hi-Rel Parts (3rd party)

Description



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Entering data on cost items – Cost without Additional charges entries There is a specific area at the bottom of the [Cost] Tab where some budgetary amount, eventually allocated to another company might be taken into account. These special items are not treated by the rate file and will not attract overheads or profit (i.e. without additional charges). As an example, some companies not using the escalation tables of the rate file may calculate separately the provision for escalation to be included into Price type 1 (Firm Fixed Price). Whenever WAC is used, a corresponding entry in the Exhibit A should be created to explain the purpose of such provision.

• On WP C1-2KB and C1-2BT, enter the following WAC:

Title: CHF/EUR Exch. rate risk

Amount (PC): 1000

All other fields unchanged

Entering data on cost items – Travels The elaboration of Travel plans has been significantly improved in ECOS 5.

The most significant improvement is the ability to work with a Cities dictionary and to constitute Travel libraries that can used from one project to another. All information relative to a specific trip(i.e. cost per trip) and local subsistence (i.e. cost per day) can be recorded in the libraries and reused. The number of meetings, number of people, number of days remain specific to each record of the travel plan.

Travel libraries can be elaborated up front the specific context of a particular bid. This can be done in a very efficient manner using the Import facility via an excel file. This Excel file can be easily produce in collaboration with your Financial entity in charge of defining rates for daily allowances and mission trips.

Travel libraries can also be progressively elaborated by saving records generated in the frame of specific project files data entries. We will use this method for this first case.

Travel Plan can be entered on one or several Work Packages. In our case we are going to enter the information for each contractual phase i.e. on the management work package of each contractual Phase: B1-2AA, C1-2AA and E1-2AA.



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• Click on [Travel Plan] button in Cost Item Header

Because we are entering travel information for the first time, no Travel Library is existing so we receive the message:

• Click on [Yes] button • Click on [Insert ] button, new pop-up [Travel Cost Library will be added] appears • Enter the following information:

Library: TRAV01

Description: EDIS Travel Library

• Click on [Select] button

The Travel Plan data entry windows is now opening.



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We are about to create our first item into the travel Plan:

• Go to the field [Start entering City Name] that allows quick search and select. • Type LIS

The city list has dramatically reduced to the three following possibilities:

• Drag’ n Drop LISBON from the Cities list into the cell corresponding to the [Departure] on the

first line of the Travel Plan. • Now click again into the field [Start entering City Name]. • Type STE • Drag’ n Drop STEVENAGE into the cell corresponding to the [Destination] on the first line of the

Travel Plan. We will come back to enter the cost details for this trip. • Now you are going to enter the [Destination] cities of the Travel Plan displayed into the table

hereunder displayed. You notice that the [Departure] cities are all the same. To save time we are going to Copy/Paste the departure City from the first record into the other lines. For doing so we position the cursor on the city name LISBON and while holding down left click move one cell to the right to include the Country field into the selection. Once done we release the mouse click and type [Ctrl C], go down one line, type [Ctrl]V. Go down one line further and type [Ctrl]V again and repeat until all departures for each line of the plan are filled-in.

• Enter the cost information and quantities into the various cells to complete the travel Plan according to the Table here below.

• Once this is done, do not forget to save to the Library all the items that we have created so you may easily drag and drop the combination Departure/Destination in the future with associated cost per trip and cost per day information. For doing so go successively to each line of the plan and Click on the icon [Save to Library] at the bottom of the Travel Window. You may also [mouse right] click on each line of the Travel Plan to access the local menu that will allow you to save to Library.

• Once this is done click on the icon [ Save & Close] at the bottom of the Travel Window.



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• We will now repeat the procedure for entering the Travel plan for Phase C/D into WP C1-2AA

but because we have already recorded some entries into the Travel Library, we will reuse them to perform faster and easier entries

• Every time that a Departure/Destination combination exists into the Travel library, you may Drag’ Drop the line from the Library into the Travel Plan. You only need to adjust the quantities and the Purpose of the Travel.

• For new departures and/or Destination you need to repeat the initial procedure. When the city name is not present into the Cities Library on the left side i.e. typing city name will have resulted in no record occurrence, then you may directly enter the City name and country into the Travel Plan. (in the example of the table here under (JARNAC FR).

• Last but not least we will enter the Travel plan for Phase E1 into the WP E1-2AA according to the

table here below:



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Entering Data on cost items – The Exhibit A

PSS-A 2 Exhibit A entries are required when significant procured items or specials entries under WAC code (Cost Without Additional Charges) are performed.

When such cost items have been entered into a WP,

• Press on the [Exhibit A] button into the WP header.

The item subject to Exhibit A explanation are already identified. Click on them one after the other and when positioned on a given line, click on the [Change] button at the bottom of the window. Enter the necessary explanation into the text field proposed and press [Ok] button at the bottom of the entry window.

• Enter Exhibit A information for the Cost items here below using the method described above



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Entering WPD (Work Package Description) ECOS 5 offers the possibility to enter WP Description according to PSS-A20 format. We are going to enter an example into B1-2AA and C1-2AA with dummy text to later run the corresponding report. • Go to B1-2AA WP. You may click on the line B1-2AA into the right window browsing list • Fill-in first the following information of the WP Headers • WP Manager: John Smith • Event (related to Start date): KOM • Event (related to End date) : End of Ph. B • Fill-in first the following information of the WP Headers • Click on [WP Description] button • Complete the Headers by specifying Issue : 1 • Go to the first text box called [Objectives ] • Type in: “ THIS IS FILLING_IN TEXT “ • Highlight this text including the 3 trailing spaces and Click [Ctrl]+C • Go to the end of the text and type [Ctrl]+V and keep both keys held down to fill-in fast some

text. • Repeat the same into the other Text boxes [Inputs], [Tasks] and [Outputs]. • Once done, press the button [Ok} at the bottom of the window. • Repeat for WPs C1-2AA and E1-2AA

Checking Data Entry status – Managing data entry

ECOS 5 includes new feature that allows managing data entry particularly useful when entering on dozens if not hundreds of Work Packages and getting a clear view over the work done/work remaining to be done when resuming work from one day to another. Data Entry completion Once the user is satisfied with a particular with the data entry on a specific WP, he may mark it as Completed by clicking on the [Data Entry Compl.] button located into the down right [Totals] window. This action does not change anything to the data but changes the background colour in blue instead of yellow. By visualizing the browsing list either on the right side of the [Cost] tab or the [Summary] tab, the User easily identifies where are actions are still needed to complete work.

• Try this functionality by marking as completed the following WPs: B1-2AA, B1-2AC, B1-2ADD, B1-2ADH, C1-2AC, C1-2ADA, C1-2ADH, C1-2BD, C1-2BI, E1-2AA

You may reset the completion status by clicking again on the button.



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You do not need to enter this information on all WPs to able to generate a tender file. This is just auxiliary supporting information for managing data entry.

Special entries flags One of the difficulty when dealing with a high number of WPs might be to remember on which WPs have been entered some special information such as Travel Plan or Exhibit A information. When you return to the [Summary] Tab, you will notice that some coloured square patches have appeared into what may be called the “WTAD grid”

The light blue lines indicates WP data entry complete The dark Blue Square indicates the presence of a WPD entry The Green square indicates the presence of a Travel Plan entry The Orange Square indicates the presence of an Exhibit A entry The D column is reserved for Technical data entry (yellow square), currently not enabled.

You may Mark/Unmark blocks of WP as Data Entry Completed using the [Multiple Header Change] menu option on [Summary] tab.

Checking totals / offering co-funding

Checking WP total Price can be done at any time by clicking on the [Recalculate Totals] located on the down right [Totals] window.

The bidder has the possibility to offer co-funding. For instance the bidder may offer in a commercial effort to reduce its price for instance to meet a target price and therefore ensure the feasibility of the project. For doing so, the user press on the [Edit Co-Funding] button:



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Do not enter the minus sign; the system already expects that the amount indicated is a deduction.

• Rounding Totals The bidder may also want to present round figures , in thousands of euro to improve the readability of its financial proposal and suggest a commercial effort to please the customer. Rounding to closest Thousands of EUR down will however be performed after integration to account for overheads on sub-contractors into the prices before rounding them. The Procedure is describe on page 53 in section 6.3 (BATTERIES) because this contractor level will be the first one without Sub-contractors.

To verify the Phase B2, the Phase C/D or the Phase E1 amounts you will need to go back to

the [Info] Tab and press [Update Totals] icon.

Take this opportunity to check the GRANULARITY of the Price.

Granularity scoring vs. Requirements



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Exercise 5 Entering Payment Plan and data entry control After completion of this exercise, the trainee will be able to: Enter Payment Plan Verify quality and completeness of own share data entry

Enter Payment Plan in [Tender Answer] Tab

• Start of ECOS


• Select [Project Archive] from the Main menu. • Select ECOSAT from EDIS Project file.

• Go to [Tender Answer] tab

When you go to this tab after your data entry, you will see the Graph of the cumulated expenses for all the contractual phases.

Clicking on a specific Phase among the tabs displayed at the bottom of the Graph allows you to see the expenses profile specific to a particular phase.

The tabs for each phase are red meaning that no payment milestones have been entered or

that Payment milestones are exceeding 100%.

NB: Payment milestones are entered for each Contractual Phase

• Select Phase B2 using Pull-down list:



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• Select [Add Milestone] to get into milestone entry screen:

NB: the use of percent Amount is the preferred method compared with entering fixed values because any changes brought to Proposal price value will require to return to payment milestones menu to update these absolute figures.

• Enter the following Payment plans:

Once this is done you may check if your Payment Plan vs. expenses is balanced or if it needs further adjustments.

For doing so you position the cursor on the payment miLestone that you want to modify and you press the [Edit Milestone] button.

Take the following actions:

• Select B2 Graph to be displayed and for Phase B2, change PM4 to 15% and EOPB also to 15%,

then press [Update Graph] button and check result. • Select C/D Graph to be displayed and for Phase C/D, change PM10 to 18% and EOCD to 12%,

then press [Update Graph] button and check result.



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This is completing the Data Entry for the own share of the Prime Contractor EDIS. We are now going to repeat the data for the sub-contractors . There will be less guidance but you may come back to the Exercise 3, 4 and 5 sequences to refresh your mind on how to do things.

Exercise 6 Sending ITT files – Data entry at Sub-cos levels After completion of this exercise, the trainee will have repeated basic ITT file construction to: Firm up basic ITT file elaboration knowledge Prepare for the integrated answer elaboration

Overall OBS We are now going to build this hierarchy of ITT files

For doing so, we will successively :

6.1 - Open from Archive ECOSAT Prime Contractor EDIS ITT file (if not currently active)

Generate and Issue ITT for TTC sub-system

6.2 - Close ECOSAT and load the POWER ITT already created during Exercise 3 as MAMU

Generate and Issue sub-ITT for BATTERIES and enter own share data for POWER

6.3 - Close POWER ITT file, load BATTERIES ITT file and enter own share for BATTERIES as ABSL

6.4 - Close BATTERIES, load TTC ITT file and enter own share as EREM

At this stage all the ITT generations (descending flow) and data entries will have been performed



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NB: In the next exercise we will produce the tender files and integrate them through each level of the contractual organisation (ascending flow) up to the complete aggregation of the total Price to ESA



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6.1 - TTC ITT file definition and generation

• Open ECOSAT ITT file from the Archive And press [Expand All] button to visualize all files

Press [Select] button to make active and open the file

Wait for the initialisation process to finalise before pressing on the [WBS] Tab

Click on [Expand] button to visualize the whole PT/WBS

• Add TTC ITT as ITT03 including the nodes B13 and C13 (refer to Exercise 2 if necessary to revise how to define and generate an ITT)

• Generate ITT TTC with the following information: • User: USER AS EDIS • Granularity max 200 000 • Comment: Please send Tender by 15 Dec 2012 the latest! • Geo Return requirements: min 60% and max 80% for France



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(All other fields unchanged)

6.2 – Close ECOSAT and Load POWER ITT

We are now going to act as MAMU who has received an ITT for POWER from the Prime Contractor.

We have Issued an ITT called POWER in Exercise 3. It is currently stored into the BCK folder and we are going to use it..

• Select [Load Project] sub-option from the Main menu [Project] option.


• Enter the following PT/WBS

Refer to Exercise 3 to refresh your mind about developing PT/WBS in a smart way using

Copy/Paste branches!)



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CAREFUL: To Copy the Support functions of the Phase C/D into Phase B you will need to copy

from C12-2 to B12

• MAMU headers multiple changes In [Summary] Tab Distribution A for all records Phase B2 Price Type 1, Phase C/D Price Type 4 NB: there is no Phase E1 for MAMU Export Dates Give name WP-DATES MAMU to the interface Excel file



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• MAMU own share data entries

• Create travel Library TRAV02 for MAMU

Beware, the amounts here under are in GBP

CAREFUL the previous used Library remains open and has to be replace by TRAV02 (to be created). This is normal because normally you do not change role from EDIS to MAMU. • Travel Plans



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• Payment Plans

• Rounding Totals Rounding to closest Thousands of EUR will be performed after integration to include overheads on sub-contractors before rounding the prices.

• Generating ITT for BATTERIES

The Trainee should now know how to navigate through the various tabs and screens forms to perform the following operations:



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6.3 – Close POWER and Load BATTERIES ITT

We are now going to act as ABSL who has received an ITT for BATTERIES from the POWER S/S contractor MAMU.




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• ABSL headers multiple changes In [Summary] Tab Distribution A for all records Phase B2 Price Type 1, Phase C/D Price Type 4 NB: there is no Phase E1 for ABSL Export Dates Give name WP-DATES ABSL to the interface Excel file

• ABSL data entries

• Create travel Library TRAV03 for ABSL

Beware, the amounts here under are in GBP



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CAREFUL the previous used Library remains open and has to be replace by TRAV03 (to be created). This is normal because normally you do not change role from MAMU to ABSL. • Travel Plans

• Payment Plans

• Rounding Totals

Rounding to closest Thousands of EUR can be performed now since ABSL does not have sub-contractor. (no overheads on sub-co to integrate at later stage…). Use menu option: Edit/Global Changes/Phase Price Rounding



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You need to select which WPs are going to hold the co-funding amounts that will round the price of each contractual phase. We chose the Management WPs i.e.:

B122-2AA for Phase B2 C122-2AA for Phase C/D

• Click on line B2 and press on [Round] button

• Double-Click on line B122-2AA • Repeat the sequence for rounding Phase C/D price using WP C122-2AA • Go to [Info] tab and press [Update Totals] button. The prices are now rounded!



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6.4 – Close BATTERIES and Load TTC ITT


EREM headers multiple changes

In [Summary] Tab

Distribution A for all records

Phase B2 Price Type 1,

Phase C/D Price Type 4

NB: there is no Phase E1 for EREM

Export Dates



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Give name WP-DATES EREM to the interface Excel file

EREM data entries

Create travel Library TRAV04 for EREM

Beware, the amounts here under are in EUR

CAREFUL the previously used Library remains open and has to be replace by TRAV04 (to

be created). This is normal because normally you do not change role from ABSL to EREM.



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• Travel Plans

• Payment Plans

• Rounding Totals

Rounding to closest Thousands of EUR can be performed now since EREM does not have sub-contractor. (no overheads on sub-co to integrate at later stage…) Use menu option: Edit/Global Changes/Phase Price Rounding Use the following WPs to hold co-funding amounts for rounding

B13-2AA for phase B2 C13-2AA for Phase C/D



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Exercise 7 Generating Tender files – Integrating sub-cos tenders After completion of this exercise, the trainee will learn and How to select and integrate tender files from sub-contractors. How to perform final adjustments before issuing a tender. how to generate a tender file

Overall OBS

We are now going to produce all Tender files at all levels and integrate them in an ascending flow across the organisation breakdown Structure up to producing the Total Piece for ESA.

For doing so, we will successively :

7.1 - Open from Archive BATTERIES ABSL ITT file. Generate tender TEN BATT

7.2 - Open from Archive POWER MAMU ITT file. Integrate TEN BATT ABSL and Generate tender TEN POWER

7.3 - Open from Archive TTC EREM ITT file. Generate tender TEN TTC

7.4 - Open from Archive ECOSAT EDIS ITT file. Integrate TEN POWER ABSL and TEN TTC EREM. Generate tender TEN SAT from EDIS.



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IMPORTANT NOTICE CONCERNING FILE TYPES

There are two types of ECOS files:

ITT files

We have been using these files so far to enter create PT/WBS and all data. These files can be edited, their content modified in order to define and adjust as necessary the financial elements of the proposal.

The extension name of such file is .ecs

The tabs below the active window are:

Tender files

We are going to generate in this exercise 7 ECOS Tender files. The Tender files unlike the ITT files are not editable. They take a snapshot of the financial proposal including when applicable tenders from sub-contractors.

Reports to be included as part of your financial proposal MUST be produced from Tender files.

You may produce reports from ITT files but such report will display a “DRAFT” watermark across the reports’ pages.

The extension name of such file is .ten

The tabs below the active window are:

The background colour of the window is likely to be different depending on your choice of colours settings.

In the Project Archive these files types are identifiable thanks to their icons:



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7.1 Generating BATTERIES ABSL Tender and producing reports

• Project Archive, select ABSL project file, go to [Tender Answer ] tab, press [update Totals].

Tender number TEN BATT

From User USER AS ABSL

Filename BATT ABSL

• Tick boxes [Load in ECOS] and [Open File after generated and loaded] • Press button [Save as … ]

The Tender file is now loading …. Once the screen has stopped flickering,

• Check [Extra] and [Sub-contractors] Tabs at the bottom of the main active window • Produce reports. You may preview the following reports: PSS-A1, PSS-A2, PSS-A4, PSS-A6, PSS-

A8, PSS_A10, PSS-A15, PSS_A15.1, • You may also see the following reports: Granularity: report 5206, Travel Plan: Report 5208 • Try other reports time permitting. • Close Project

7.2 Generating POWER MAMU Tender and producing reports

• Project Archive, select MAMU project file, go to [Integration] Tab • Select ABSL Batteries

• Press [Integr. Tenders] button

The following screen appears:



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You may modify Overheads percentage and Price Type if required. We are not ultimately

going to make changes but you may test the changes possibilities offered by the Application.

Non default values will be displayed in red.

Local menu on a specific line allows you to change the default value via the [Change] option. The option [Reset] allows to return to default values.

BE CAREFUL: Changing Overheads rates or charging profit on overheads may not be

compliant with your agreed rates structure with ESA Auditors. Again the possible calculations offered by ECOS do not constitute a de-facto agreement on such changes.



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• Rounding Totals Rounding to closest Thousands of EUR may now be performed since MAMU’s sub-contractors have been integrated. Use menu option: Edit/Global Changes/Phase Price Rounding Use the following WPs to hold co-funding amounts for rounding

B12-2AA for phase B2 C12-2AA for Phase C/D

• Go to [Tender Answer ] tab, press [update Totals].

Tender number TEN POWER

From User USER AS MAMU

Filename POWER MAMU





7.3 Generating TTC EREM Tender and producing reports

• Project Archive, select EREM project file, go to [Tender Answer ] tab, press [update Totals].

Tender number TEN TTC

From User USER AS EREM

Filename TTC EREM





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7.4 Generating SAT EDIS Tender and producing reports

• Project Archive, select EDIS project file, go to [Integration] Tab

Select MAMU POWER

Select EREM TTC

Press [Integr. Tenders] button

You may modify Overheads percentage and Price Type if required. (We do not change)

• Rounding Totals Rounding to closest Thousands of EUR may now be performed since MAMU’s sub-contractors have been integrated. Use menu option: Edit/Global Changes/Phase Price Rounding Use the following WPs to hold co-funding amounts for rounding

B1-2AA for phase B2 C1-2AA for Phase C/D E1-2AA for Phase E1

• Once Contractual phases Prices have been rounded, go to [Tender Answer ] tab, press [Update

Totals].

Tender number TEN SAT

From User USER AS EDIS

Filename SAT EDIS





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THE IMPORTANCE OF THE [SUB-CONTRACTORS] TAB IN INTEGRATED TENDER ANSWERS

When the whole ECOS process is properly applied across the Industrial organisation tree (sending ITTs and receiving/integrating corresponding Tenders at various levels, the [Sub-contractors] tab allows to “Navigate” easily through the various tender offers, this enabling rapid but thorough quality and coherency checks of the whole Integrated financial proposal.

The details for each sub-contractor at any level Industrial organisation can be visualised by positioning the mouse cursor on the corresponding line and clicking on the [View] button.

The Granularity histogram of the [Info] tab of the sub-contractor is also visible.

Clicking on the [Extra] tab for this sub-contractor provides its Payment Plan per Contractual Phase and Geographic distribution at its level.

Clicking on [Sub-contractors] tab allow to visualise the list of its sub-contractors

Clicking on [Close] allows to return to the subcontractor list included into the Tender file

More details about the price summary per contractor at various levels of the Industrial

organisation can be found when running the PSS-A6 report.



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EXERCISE 8 Advanced feature – Using Product Libraries After completion of this exercise, the trainee will learn: How to create an element into the Product Library. How to integrate an element of the Product Library into a WBS

Product Library is a convenient way to memorize blocks of PT/WBS to later on plug them in into a new Project. This is particularly useful when a contractor provides a certain type of equipment across various projects. Libraries can be organise to cover various sub-categories or generation of a given type of equipment. The element of the library may cover more than the PT/WBS. It may also cover the Support functions (i.e. the WP are being defined) and even the Resources (Labour hours per categories and number of units of facilities) can be exported/imported provided the rate file structure is identical.

8.1 – Creating an element into the Product Library

• Open [BATTERIES] ITT file from ABSL • Drag ‘n drop node C122

Click [Start]. The Element is now created.

We realise that we should have specified “Type A” and also “Phase C/D” so we

• go to the Product Library window and with the right-click mouse local menu we choose:



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• We take this opportunity to enter the Description in the corresponding tab :

“Battery type A is 500 Ah Li-Ion”

And to associate the Classification: [Battery]

We now see the full record on the right side window

The S/R/T flags indicates the extent of the content of information above the PT/WBS:

• S for Support Functions • R for resources • T for Technical Information

This element is now ready to be used into any Project.



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8.2 – Reusing an element from the Product Library into a new Project.

• Close current Project. • Create New Project with the following headers:

• Go to [WBS] Tab

Take note of the presence of the BATTERIES Type A record into the Product Library

• Create a top node with the following headers:

• Drag’n Drop the element from the Product Library onto node T



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• Change name to “New Battery” and leave all options S, R and T selected, then click on [Start]

We will leave the start date to be 12-11 but this could be adjusted to your real need. All planning

dates will be adapted according to this start date.

Because you selected [R] (i.e. including resources) , ECOS requires you to select the rate file.

• Go to [Summary] Tab and click on [Update Totals].

You will see that all dates and costs have been updated. All resources have been included. Even the Travel Plan has been included (It will probably need to be adjusted according to the destination of the new Customer…)

As a conclusion, a bidder that proposes generic type of equipment can build complete and detailed ECOS file very rapidly by using the new Product library feature in ECOS 5

This feature can also be used by all bidders to reuse blocks of proposals from one project to another or for transferring All data entries from one project to another. This maybe particularly useful if a sub-co has started entering data in a self-created project because its upper-tier was late sending an ITT file and now has to transfer all created data into the ITT file coming from this upper-tier.



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EXERCISE 9 Advanced feature – User WBS numbering After completion of this exercise, the trainee will learn: How to implement its own WBS numbering system. How to produce reports based on User numbering system

9.1 – The rationale and constraints related to User WBS numbering systems

Although we strongly encourage the ECOS responsible person(s) to disseminate the Support Function culture and to use it as the basis for developing WBSs within its organisation, it is understood that many Users will be confronted to the necessity to adapt and report according to their home-made WBS numbering or a specific WBS structure imposed to them by an upper-tier contractor.

For this reason, ECOS 5 includes the possibility to enter User WBS Numbers and to report on them. The structure of such numbering is inherently non-harmonised from one company to another so a great flexibility is required in its implementation. To this end and even though these are normal basic requirements for WBS coding, ECOS 5 does not impose the structure to be hierarchical nor the numbers allocation to be exhaustive.

The “price to pay” for this great flexibility is that the User numbering cannot be used for WBS branch selection nor for summations at intermediate levels (completeness and hierarchical structure are not mandatory). The user has the possibility to use the ECOS PT/WBS to make such kind of selections in reports because the ECOS coding is by construction hierarchical and complete. The user still as the possibility to display the results using its own WBS numbering system.

As a conclusion, when the User WBS numbering is exhaustive and its coding structure hierarchically consistent, the reports will be of equal quality than when using ECOS PT/WBS coding.

9.2 – Entering User WBS numbers

The User WBS numbers can be entered in various screens:

In the [WBS] tab

To enter the User WBS number you may either use the “Edit Icon” of the Task bar or via the right mouse click to access the local menu option “Change”.



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In the [Summary] tab

The User WBS number can be entered by entering the “Change WP header” menu option

Once the first User WBS number will have been entered, ECOS will indicate WPs with missing User WBS number by changing background cell colour in red.

Exercise: Enter the User WP numbers as indicated into the ABSL BATTERIES ECOS file. You may use the method of your choice.

This will allow you to run the various reports of section 9.3

In the [Cost] tab

User WBS number can be entered into the corresponding field into the header section

NB: If several WPs are related to the same ECOS Support Function, you may use the Split WP feature when elaborating your WBS. See FAQ 07

9.3 – Producing reports based on User WBS numbers

Reports, when displaying WP level information, can be produced using and sorting by User WBS number.

WBS branch can only be selected based on ECOS PT/WBS code since numbering hierarchy is only guaranteed in this case.



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Here is an example of report produced sorted by ECOS PT/WBS code

And the same report sorted by User WBS numbering

NB: In both cases the restriction to the Project Office of Phase B2 has been selected using the ECOS PT/WBS code

NB: This report 5404 is very useful to control the mapping between ECOS coding and User numbering

Exercise: Using the ABSL Batteries ECOS file, produce the following reports first time using ECOS PT/WBS coding and second time using User WP numbering system:



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PSS-A8, 5201, 5202, 5204, 5206, 5205, 5301, 5302, 5304, 5306, 5404

SOLUTIONS

This section provide screen shots corresponding to correct entries for the various exercises:

EXERCISE 1 Entering Rate file

Rate File EDIS



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Rate File MAMU



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Rate File ABSL



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Rate File EREM



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EXERCISE 4 AND 6 Performing Data Entry

The solution is limited to the main data entry. It is verified by visualizing the [Summary] tab.

ECOSAT (EDIS)

POWER (MAMU)

BATTERIES (ABSL)

TTC (EREM)



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REPORTS EXAMPLES General information about report generation

ECOS can generate series of reports from the main menu option [Reports]:

There two groups:

The series 50xx to 54xx that mainly correspond to working reports.

The list of PSS-A reports out of which to the official formats usually required in the Special Conditions of Tender when presenting proposal’s financial breakdowns.

Some of the 5xxx series have been “upgraded” to mandatory reports

• 5208: Travel Plan • 5406: Geographical Distribution

Most of the reports are configurable according to some parameters such as Contractual phase, WBS Branch, Company(ies), time periods, WP listed according to ECOS PT/WBS coding or User Numbering order, etc...

Most of the reports can be sent to the printer retained during the set-up or generated in a grid interface that allow to copy/paste to Excel. This allows the User to exploit the data from the excel import either for feeding database or customizing report layout.

Here are few examples or reports:



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PSS-A1



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PSS-A2



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PSS-A6



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PSS-A15.1



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Report 5405



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Travel Plan



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Geographical return



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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q01: I have started to enter data in an Project file and now I realise that my rate file needs to be modified but when I modify my rate file via the [Maintenance] menu and come back in my project file the modifications have not been taken into account A01: This is normal. You may record modifications in your original rate file via the [Maintenance] menu Once it is modified, you may select it using the [Select Rate File] icon in the [Cost] taskbar. For this specific project you may also modify the associated copy of your rate file. Each project has its associated rate file copy. This allows to backup and then restore project files on different computers or retrieve and use old files for which rate files are not maintained anymore. To modify the associated copy of the rate file, use the [Modify Rate File] icon. All rate file modifications will be specific to this Project only.

Q02: I have entered a travel Plan on a WP but I now realise that it should have been entered onto another WP. Is there a way to transfer this Travel Plan to another WP without having to retype all the information?

A02:We have thought that this may happen. Also that may have

similar destinations in Travel Plans within different phases. For these reasons, we have included a [Copy from Other WP] button located at the far down-right of the Travel Plan window:

To use this feature, simply go the WP where you really want to enter the Travel Plan and copy from the WP where it is currently located. Do not forget to delete the entry on the original WP afterwards if applicable.

This facility may also be useful to initialise a Travel Plan for Phase C/D reusing many trips (Departure/Destination) already used in Phase B2.



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Q03: I want to back-up the file I am working on.

A03: There a two ways to do it. First you may close the active window by clicking on the Use the [X] button:

And then use the menu option Once done, you may reinstate the active window using the menu option:

And continue working. The second possibility is to Close the Project, Go to the project Archive, place the mouse cursor

on the line of the file to be backed-up and click on the Icon from the Task Bar. In this case you will have to re-open the Project from the Project Archive to continue working on the file.



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Q04: I want to trim down my Contractual Phases prices to express them in thousands of euro to improve the readability of my financial proposal.

A04:Use the [Phase Price Rounding] menu option located in the menu branch Edit\Global

Change\ Phase Price Rounding.

NB: This option is available on Project files only, not Tender files.

Go to: Edit/Global Changes/Phase Price Rounding

• Rounding can be done in tens, hundreds or thousands. • Place the mouse cursor on the phase to be rounded and click on button [Round]

• Double-click on the WP that will hold the co-funding for rounding purpose. • Repeat for each Contractual Phase Price to be rounded. • Got to [Info] tab and press the [update Totals] button to check the result.



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Q05: My upper-tier did not send me an ITT file and still I want to use ECOS; how can I do this?

A05: Create a new Project by yourself based on ITT Cover Letter/Special Conditions of

Tender and use it. You may send ECOS ITT files to your sub-contractors.

Q06: My upper-tier was late sending me an ITT file so I created a Project myself and already performed many data entries . How can I transfer in the upper-tier ITT file just sent all what I have entered so far in my self-created file to avoid retyping it?

A06: Follow these steps:

1. Load the ITT from your upper-tier and check characteristics such as Date of Earliest Expenses and ITT top level PT node(s) especially to identify if contractual phases have been defined.

2. Close project, go to Project Archive and select the Project that you have created and used so far entering your data.

3. Create Product library(ies) eventually one per contractual phase if several contractual phases exist in the ITT received from the upper-tier. Make sure that all options are ticked-in before creation

4. Close project and open ITT file in your Project archive. 5. Use Product library(ies) created to transfer data. Make sure that all options are selected.

Adapt Start dates to date of earliest expenses if necessary; your start dates cannot be before the specified date of earliest expenses from the upper-tier.



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Q07: I cannot find a Support Function into the built-in list that matches the type of activity considered in my WBS. How can I add Support Function types?

A07: The Support Functions Master list results from the joint European-wide Working Group

gathering both Industry’s representatives and Agencies that concluded works in 2006 with the production of the Support Functions Master List. Combining these Support Functions with the hierarchical levels of the Product Tree already offers a fair possibility to describe and manage the work at an important level of details. It is however recognised that the description of the work may not be totally represented at the proposed level of description. For this reason several options are included into ECOS to further expand the applicable Support Function dictionary to specific cases.

Case 1: The WBS incorporates a generic type of activities (generic means that such activity is likely to be encountered in the future on similar projects. Additional Support Function will be created within the Support Function library.

Go to menu option: Maintenance/Reference Tables/Support Functions

Develop Support Function tree in the Segment to reach the location where you want to create a new Support Function

You may use icon or local menu option to insert a new Support Function. The system will propose the new code available in sequence and will replicate the title, short code and text description of the previous Support Function in sequence to provide guidance in filling-in new information. The information needs to be adjusted.



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It is very important to insert the new Support Function in a logical place. For instance an

engineering discipline in Space segment should be added under the -2AD level.

It is equally important to read in-depth the Support Function dictionary to understand its

structure and to ensure that no new codes are created while the targeted activity is already covered by another pre-existing Support Function.

Inform ECOS Help Desk of such generic need so ESA will take care to include such Support

Function next time the Support Function list will be updated.

…/…



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Case 2: The WBS includes specific activities to the current project. Specificities may originate from various reasons:

• Granularity requirements lead to further detailing some activities • Description of some of the activities correspond to a specific part of a more generic

activity. • Work Package is shared among several companies.

In these cases the adjunction of Support Functions is performed directly in the [WBS] window of the Project using the [Split WP] feature that can be accessed either via the icon in the Task Bar or the [Split WP] option into the right-click local menu.

or



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Q08: The WBS provided to me does not look at all to the PT/WBS numbering generated by ECOS. How can enter my own numbering system?

A08: ECOS allows User numbering system to be entered. Reports listing work packages level

information can be produced and sorted according to the User numbering system. You may refer to Exercise 9 that explains everything about implementing User Numbering



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Congratulations!

You have successfully completed the ECOS 5 TRAINING.

You now have in hands a very powerful tool that will allow you producing efficiently and reliably aggregated prices.

You are ready to build up any type of financial proposal details from the simplest one to the most complex multi-contracting levels international consortium cases.

We wish you great success in all tour undertakings !

THE ECOS TEAM


ECOS 5 TRAINING SELF-TRAINING MANUALemits.sso.esa.int/emits-doc/ECOS/ECOS_Training_Manual... ·...

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