CER View

CER View is where you manage all the cost estimating relationships (CERs) in your proposal. Unlike resource and travel estimates that are added to a proposal directly on the Estimates page, CERs can only be added in CER view.

Open CER View by selecting a proposal on the Proposals page and clicking More > CER View.

CER types

CER View contains separate tabs for the two types of CERs available: task CERs and proposal CERs. The CER Data (Tasks) tab shows your task CERs, and the CER Data (Proposal) tab shows your proposal CERs. Task CERs are added to individual tasks one at a time, while proposal CERs are added to multiple tasks automatically.

Task CERs

After adding a CER to a task, it appears in a grid on the CER Data (Tasks) tab. To edit the properties of a CER, double-click its row in the grid.

The following descriptions explain each column in the top grid of the CER Data (Tasks) tab.

Column	Description
WBS	The PBS element that contains the task.
Task ID	The task that the CER was added to.
Priority	The calculation order of the CERs when there is more than one in the task. This is important when a lower priority CER is based on derivative resources in a higher priority CER. Since the higher CER will produce an additional amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. for a derivative resource, the lower CER calculation will include that amount.
CER ID	The unique name created to identify the CER when it was added to the task.
CER	The CER selected from the proposal's CER table when the CER was added to the task.
CER Factor	The CER factor selected for the CER in the proposal's CER table. This will be blank if a CER factor was not used. In a CER table, all CERs must have a default factor, but a CER factor is optional. A default factor stays the same, while a CER factor changes over time. Changes to CER factors or default factors can only be made in the CER table in ProPricer CE.
Base Start Date & End Date	The period of performance for the base resources in a CER. When you add a CER to task, these dates automatically match the task's dates.
Base Level	The base level selected for the CER in the proposal's CER table. A CER can be based on hours, equivalent heads, direct cost, or an indirect element from the pricing algorithm. If the base level is hours, for example, then an amount of hours is distributed for the derivative resources. The derivative amount is calculated by applying the factor to the base resources' total hours. Changes to base levels can only be made in the CER table in ProPricer CE.
Custom Task Fields	Any custom task fields in your proposal will appear as separate columns. They show additional information about the task.
Base Amt. Cap	The base amount cap entered for the CER when it was added to the task. This will be blank if no cap was entered. Capping the amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. of base resources limits the calculation of derivative resource amounts. If the base amount reaches the cap, the calculation stops.
Cap Timescale	The cap timescale selected for the CER when it was added to the task. If no timescale was selected, the column shows None. If the CER has a base amount cap, selecting a timescale applies the cap to the base resources' annual amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. When the base amount reaches the cap in a year, the derivative calculation only stops for that year. The calculation starts again for the following year until the cap is met, and so on. Without a cap timescale, derivative amounts are calculated according to the base resources' total amount in all years. Once the cap is reached in a task, the calculation stops.

Proposal CERs

When you add a CER at the proposal level instead of the task level, it appears in a grid on the CER Data (Proposal) tab. To edit the properties of a CER, double-click its row in the grid.

The purpose of a proposal CER is to apply a single CER to multiple tasks automatically. You can apply it to all the tasks in a proposal, or to a selection of tasks that fit your criteria.

The following descriptions explain each column in the top grid of the CER Data (Proposal) tab.

Column	Description
Priority	The calculation order of the CERs when there is more than one in any of the proposal's tasks. This is important when a lower priority CER is based on derivative resources in a higher priority CER. Since the higher CER will produce an additional amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. for a derivative resource, the lower CER calculation will include that amount.
CER	The CER selected from the proposal's CER table when the CER was added to the proposal.
CER Factor	The CER factor selected for the CER in the proposal's CER table. This will be blank if a CER factor was not used. In a CER table, all CERs must have a default factor, but a CER factor is optional. A default factor stays the same, while a CER factor changes over time. Changes to CER factors or default factors can only be made in the CER table in ProPricer CE.
Task Selection	The task selection used when the CER was added to the proposal. This will be blank if a selection was not used. Without a task selection, the CER will be applied to all tasks that have its base resources.
Position	The placement of the proposal CER in tasks that already have CERs. They can be added before or after existing CERs. Existing CERs may produce additional hours, equivalent heads, etc. for derivative resources that the proposal CER is based on. If the proposal CER is after existing ones, its derivative resource calculations will include the additional amounts.
Base Level	The base level selected for the CER in the proposal's CER table. A CER can be based on hours, equivalent heads, direct cost, or an indirect element from the pricing algorithm. If the base level is hours, for example, then an amount of hours will be spread for the derivative resources. The derivative amount is calculated by applying the factor to the base resources' total hours. Changes to base levels can only be made in the CER table in ProPricer CE.
Base Amt. Cap	The base amount cap entered for the CER when it was added to the proposal. This will be blank if no cap was entered. Capping the amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. of base resources limits the calculation of derivative resource amounts. If the base amount reaches the cap, the calculation stops.
Cap Timescale	The cap timescale selected for the CER when it was added to the proposal. If no timescale was selected, the column shows None. If the CER has a base amount cap, selecting a timescale applies the cap to the base resources' annual amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. When the base amount reaches the cap in a year, the derivative calculation only stops for that year. The calculation starts again for the following year until the cap is met, and so on. Without a cap timescale, derivative amounts are calculated according to the base resources' total amount in all years. Once the cap is reached in a task, the calculation stops.

CER bases

The resources that a CER is based on appear in the Bases grid on the CER Data (Tasks) and CER Data (Proposal) tabs. To view the bases, click Get CER Data to the right of tabs, then select a CER.

All the data in the Bases grid are read-only. If changes are needed, they must be done in the CER table in ProPricer CE.

To calculate an amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. for derivative resources, BOE Pro applies a factor to the base resources' total amount. This may be a default factor or a CER factor.

The following descriptions explain each column in the Bases grid.

Column	Description
WBS	The PBS element containing a task that has a base resource. This column only appears for proposal CERs on the CER Data (Proposal) tab.
Task ID	The task that has a base resource. This column only appears for proposal CERs on the CER Data (Proposal) tab.
Resource	The base resource of the CER. It is common for a CER to have multiple base resources. The proposal's direct rate table must contain all resources used as base resources in CERs.
Resource Type	The resource type selected for the base resource in the proposal's direct rate table.
Indirect Pool	The pool of indirect rates selected for the base resource in the proposal's direct rate table.
Profit/Fee	The profit/fee rate entered for the base resource in the proposal's direct rate table. This will be blank if a resource-level rate was not entered.
Acc. Calendar	The accounting calendar selected for the base resource in the proposal's direct rate table. This will be blank if a resource-level calendar was not selected. In ProPricer CE, accounting calendars are created to specify the number of hours a resource works per month. With this number, resource estimates can be converted from hours to equivalent heads and vice versa.
Source Type	The type of estimate that added the base resource to the task, such as a resource estimate or travel estimate.
Source	The name of the estimate that added the base resource to the task, such as a resource name or trip name.
Total	The total amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. distributed in the task for the base resource.
Distribution	The amount of base resource hours, equivalent heads, etc. distributed in each month or year of the spread period.

CER derivatives

The resources that are derivatives of the CER bases appear in the Derivatives grid on the CER Data (Tasks) and CER Data (Proposal) tabs. To view the derivatives, click Get CER Data to the right of tabs, then select a CER.

All the data in the Derivatives grid are read-only. If changes are needed, they must be done in the CER table in ProPricer CE.

To calculate an amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. for derivative resources, BOE Pro applies a factor to the base resources' total amount. This may be a default factor or a CER factor.

The following descriptions explain each column in the Derivatives grid.

Column	Description
WBS	The PBS element containing the task that the derivative resource was added to. This column only appears for proposal CERs on the CER Data (Proposal) tab.
Task ID	The task that the derivative resource was added to. This column only appears for proposal CERs on the CER Data (Proposal) tab.
Resource	The derivative resource of the CER. It is common for a CER to have multiple derivative resources. The proposal's direct rate table must contain all resources used as derivative resources in CERs.
Profit/Fee	The profit/fee rate entered for the derivative resource in the proposal's direct rate table. This will be blank if a resource-level rate was not entered.
Acc. Calendar	The accounting calendar selected for the derivative resource in the proposal's direct rate table. This will be blank if a resource-level calendar was not selected. In ProPricer CE, accounting calendars are created to specify the number of hours a resource works per month. With this number, resource estimates can be converted from hours to equivalent heads and vice versa.
CER Factor	The CER factor selected for the derivative resource in the proposal's CER table. This will be blank if a CER factor was not used. In a CER table, all CERs must have a default factor, but a CER factor is optional. A default factor stays the same, while a CER factor changes over time. Unlike CER factors, default factors are not shown in BOE Pro. Changes to CER factors or default factors can only be made in the CER table in ProPricer CE.
Base Total	The total amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. distributed in the task for all base resources.
Avg Factor	The average factor used to calculate the derivative resource's total amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. The base total is multiplied by the factor to produce the derivative resource's total amount. If a CER factor was used for the derivative resource, then the average of all the factors is shown.
Total Amount	The total amount of hours, equivalent heads, etc. distributed in the task for the derivative resource.
Distribution	The amount of derivative resource hours, equivalent heads, etc. distributed in each month or year of the spread period.

Settings

To open the CER View settings, right-click the grid, then select Settings.

Setting	Description
Show Grouping	Show the grouping area above the CER View columns. You can drag column headers there to create data groups that expand and collapse.
Show Filtering	Show the filter row above the CER View columns. You can filter each column to narrow down data in the grid.
Reset	Reset the CER View grid to its original layout.

Export to CSV or Excel

You can enter a name for the spreadsheet that will be created when you export your grid to a CSV or an Excel file.

Right-click anywhere in the grid, point to Export, then select CSV Export or Excel Export.