Business Alignment, Portfolio Categorization and Status Reports

This section contains the following topics:

About Business Alignment, Portfolio Categorization and Status Reports

The following attributes and objects are available to help you define, measure, document, and report on the business alignment, categorization and status of your investments.

Set auto-numbering on the ID of each of the objects.

For more information, see the Studio Developer’s Guide.

Business Alignment

You can use alignment factors to calculate the business alignment for an investment.

Investments: All Investments

Portfolio Categorization

Investments include four lookup fields for portfolio categorization. These fields are configured to display on the Project Business Alignment properties. The portfolio category fields do not include any values and should be configured to support your categorizations.

Investments: Available for all investments, but they are only configured to display on projects.

Status Reports

You can use status reports to create a weekly, monthly, or quarterly status report. A status report indicates how a project or program is doing in terms of schedule, cost, and scope where compared to the plan.

Investments: Project and Program

Before defining the business alignment factors, portfolio categories, and status reports, the investment is required to exist. You can access the pages from the properties menu of your investment.

Define Alignment Factors

Define the alignment factors to track the business alignment, goals, and corporate priorities of your investments.

Follow these steps:

Open the investment.
The properties page appears.
Open the Properties menu and click Alignment & Risk. For projects, click Business Alignment.
The alignment and risk page appears. For projects, the business alignment page appears.
Complete the following fields in the Alignment and Risk section:
Business Alignment
Displays the business alignment score as a stoplight. This score is the average of the scores for each factor selected on this page. A higher score indicates better alignment.

Stoplights:
- Red (0 through 33). The investment is poorly aligned to the business.
- Yellow (34 through 67). The investment has average alignment to the business.
- Green (68 through 100). The investment is aligned to the business.
Goal

Defines the goal of the investment.

Values: Cost Avoidance, Cost Reduction, Grow the Business, Infrastructure Improvement, or Maintain the Business

Risk
Defines the risk for the investment. A lower value indicates a lower risk. For projects, this field is available on the risk rating page.

Stoplights:
- Red (0 through 33). The investment has a low risk.
- Yellow (34 through 67). The investment has a medium risk.
- Green (68 through 100). The investment has a high risk.
Required

Indicates if the investment is required for the business for compliance purposes.
Complete the following options from the Alignment Factors section, and save.
Corporate Priority
Defines the corporate priority of an investment.

Stoplights:
- Green. The investment is either a high or higher priority.
- Yellow. The investment is a medium priority.
- Red. The investment is a low priority.
Business Unit Priority
Defines the business unit priority of an investment.

Stoplights:
- Green. The investment is either a high or higher priority.
- Yellow. The investment is a medium priority.
- Red. The investment is a low priority.
Architectural Fit
Defines the architectural fit for an investment.

Stoplights:
- Green. The investment is either a high or higher fit.
- Yellow. The investment is a medium fit.
- Red. The investment is a low fit.
Commercial Value
Defines the commercial value associated with the investment.

Stoplights:
- Red. The investment has a low commercial value.
- Yellow. The investment has a medium commercial value.
- Green. The investment has either a high or higher commercial value.
Regulatory Compliance
Defines the regulatory compliance status of an investment.

Stoplights:
- Green. The investment is required for compliance.
- Yellow. The investment supports compliance activities.
- Red. The investment is not applicable for compliance.
Technology Compliance
Defines the technology compliance status of an investment.

Stoplights:
- Green. The investment is in compliance with architecture standards.
- Yellow. The investment is not in compliance but stable.
- Red. The investment is not in compliance.
The alignment factor is defined.

Define Portfolio Categories

Define the portfolio categories to classify and group investments for portfolios and reporting. The portfolio category fields are associated to lookups that do not include any values and should be configured to support your categorizations. The portfolio category attributes are available for all investment types, but they are only configured to display on the Project Business Alignment properties.

For more information, see the Administration Guide.

Follow these steps:

Open the project.
The properties page appears.
Open the Properties menu and click Business Alignment.
The business alignment page appears.
Complete the following fields in the Portfolio Categorization section:

Portfolio Category 1

Displays user defined portfolio category 1 to classify a project.

Portfolio Category 2

Displays user defined portfolio category 2 to classify a project.

Portfolio Category 3

Displays user defined portfolio category 3 to classify a project.

Portfolio Category 4

Displays user defined portfolio category 4 to classify a project.

Create a Status Report

You can create a status reports to track the progress of a project or program.

Follow these steps:

Open the project or program.
The properties page appears.
Open the Properties menu and click Status Reports.
Click New.
The create page appears.
Complete the following fields:
Status Report Name

Defines the name of the status report.

Report Date

Displays the date the report was created.

Report Status

Displays the report status. The report status field includes the following values: draft or final.

Status Report Update

Displays the overall project or program status including the latest updates.

Key Accomplishments

Describes the main accomplishments or deliverables for the reported period.

Upcoming Activities

Describes the upcoming activities.

Schedule Status
Specifies a stoplight indicating the schedule status for the project.

Stoplights:
- Green. The project or program is on track.
- Yellow. The project or program has minor variance from the schedule.
- Red. The project or program has significant variance from the schedule.
Current Phase

Displays the current phase of the project or program.

Next Milestone on Track?

Indicates if the next milestone is on track.

Default: Cleared

Variance Explanation

Provides an explanation for a variance in the project or program schedule.

Limits: 2000 characters

Scope Status
Indicates the status of the project or program scope.

Stoplights:
- Green. The project or program scoping is on track.
- Yellow. The project or program scoping has minor variance.
- Red. The project or program scoping has significant variance.
Scope Change Required?

Indicates if a change in the project scope is required.

Default: Cleared

Deliverable Scope Changed?

Indicates if the scope of the project deliverable has changed.

Default: Cleared

Project Objective Changed?

Indicates if the project objective has changed.

Default: Cleared

Change Explanation

Provides an explanation for a change in the project objective.

Limits: 2000 characters

Cost and Effort Status
Displays the cost and effort status of the project.

Stoplights:
- Green. The cost and effort status is on track.
- Yellow. The cost and effort status has a minor variance.
- Red. The cost and effort status has a significant variance.
Review Approval Problems?

Indicates if the project is encountering any review approval problems.

Default: Cleared

Staffing/Availability Issues?

Indicates if the project is encountering staffing availability issues.

Default: Cleared

Project Affected by External Factors?

Indicates if external factors affect the project.

Default: Cleared

Cost and Effort Explanation

Provides an explanation for the cost and effort status.

Limits: 2000 characters
Save the changes.
The status report is created.