Configuring Your Portfolios › Configure the Waterlines View › Define and Apply the Ranking Rules

Define and Apply the Ranking Rules

The ranking rules determine where investments appear in the waterline view list. You create a ranking by assigning weights to investment attributes that apply to your investments. For example, you can weight approved investments to rank higher than unapproved investments. When the ranking calculations are made for all investments, approved investments appear higher in the list ranking. The more ranking rules you include, the more complex the calculations and the more variable the results. Consider carefully the rules you set for the initial ranking.

The weighting that you assign to attributes is relative. Select the investment attributes to weight and assign a weight that is based on your business needs. The initial ranking provides a starting place for an evaluation of the portfolio or plan. To rationalize your portfolio, manually move investments in the list and see the results of your changes.

The following points outline how to set up ranking rules:

• Select the primary portfolio constraint for the waterline. For example, select Planned Cost as the primary constraint. In this case, the waterline appears in the list where the planned cost amount for the portfolio is exceeded. Similarly, select Planned Benefit as the primary portfolio constraint. In this case, the waterline appears at the point the planned benefit is realized.
• Select the investment attributes available at the portfolio level and assign weights to the attributes. You can select from all available attributes for all investment types that are included in the portfolio.
• To indicate more importance, assign an attribute greater weight. To indicate less importance, assign less weight. For example, to indicate that the "% Complete" attribute for an investment carries more importance, assign it a greater weight than other attributes.
• If you select an attribute that is a lookup, you can assign weights to the individual values of the lookup.

Note: When you create a plan for a portfolio, the plan inherits the ranking rules of the portfolio. When you copy a plan, the copied plan inherits the ranking rules of the original plan.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Home and from Portfolio Management, click Portfolios.
2. Open the portfolio and click Waterlines.
3. Click the Plan drop-down menu and select the portfolio or a portfolio plan.
4. Click Ranking Rules, then click Define Ranking Rules.

   The Prioritization Criteria page appears.

5. In the Primary Constraint field, select the investment attribute that the waterline uses as a primary constraint.

   For example, if you want to use planned cost as a primary constraint, select Planned Cost. The waterline displays when the planned cost target is exceeded in your list of investments.

6. Click Add.
7. Select the check box for each attribute for which you want to apply ranking rules and click Add.

   The attributes appear on the Prioritization Criteria page.

8. For each attribute, complete the following steps:
   1. Select the ranking method.
   2. To indicate the weighting, enter a number value in the Attribute Weighting field.

      For example, if the ranking method is Lower is better, the attribute weighting value 1 produces the most impact.

      Note: If you select an attribute that is a lookup, click Lookup Value Weighting on the attribute row to indicate a weighting for each individual lookup value.

9. When you have completed the ranking rules for the selected attributes, click Save and Return.
10. Click Ranking Rules, then click Run Ranking Rules.

    The calculations for the ranking rules complete, and the list on the waterline view is reordered. The waterline displays in the list at the point where the portfolio exceeds the primary constraint.

11. If the investment list is long, click Find Waterline on the toolbar to scroll to the waterline in the list.