Explains how to define task planned or actual quantities, and unit time. Explains what task quantities and unit time are used for.
What are Task Quantities for? #
Task quantities are used to track the planned and actual output of a task, such as the number of items delivered, classes taught, workshops held, site visits, programs or web pages developed, or data records converted. The unit of measure comes from the task service.
- The planned quantity represents the estimated number of items to be delivered by this task over its duration.
- The actual quantity represents the actual number of items completed or delivered to date.
- The actual quantity is typically used to calculate incurred revenue or the amount ready to bill on a fixed-price basis. Refer to this section for more information on fixed-price tasks.
- The planned quantity similarly represents the projected task revenue over the entire task duration.
In both cases (planned vs. actual), the unit price is maintained in the Project Rates tab.
Maintaining Task Quantities #
Task planned or actual quantities can be maintained in two ways:
- Via the task details > DATES / QTY tab, as shown in the screenshot above. The planned/actual quantity fields are highlighted.
- Via the timesheet quantity input.
Note: Planned or actual quantities must always be entered using the same unit of measure as the task’s service (as specified in the GENERAL tab). If in doubt, enter the quantity without a unit of measure and check the default settings.
What is Task Unit Time and How is it Maintained? #
The task unit time is the estimated or anticipated time required to deliver exactly 1 quantity of the task. For example, if the task is for delivering classes or training sessions, the unit time would be the duration of 1 class or training session (including preparation time).
Task unit time is used to automatically calculate the time worked based on the quantity input. For example, if the unit time for a class task is 45 minutes, and the instructor enters a quantity of 3 into the timesheet, the total time worked will be 135 minutes (or 2 hours and 15 minutes). This feature is particularly useful if you want to allow instructors to record a specific amount of time for each class taught or to pay workers based on a fixed time for each quantity delivered.