Contents of the Configure Cobra Interface Settings Screen

Use the fields and options to configure the Configure Cobra Interface Settings screen.

Identification

Use the fields in this block to establish connection parameters for the interface. The data in this group box is used to obtain data from the Cobra database for use in the mapping of Costpoint to Cobra programs and for use in populating the Lookup tables used in this process.

Output Files

Use the fields in this group box to establish a path for the output files that are created during the extraction and upload process. When you click in following fields, you can select from a list of locations that are set up on the Manage Alternate File Locations screen.

Note: If you have upgraded from Costpoint 6.1 to Costpoint 7.0, the fields in this group box may contain the values from your previous Costpoint to Cobra integration. If necessary, edit the existing values and enter the locations that apply to your current integration.

Field	Description
Batch File	Use this field to enter, or click to select, a location where you want to store the batch file. A batch file is created during the extraction process and is placed in the location that you enter in this field. Cobra uses the batch file to identify the processes to be run in batch. The integration process uses a batch process to load the actual costs from Costpoint into Cobra.
Export File	Use this field to enter, or click to select, the location of the export file. This is the file where all of the information Costpoint sends to Cobra are stored. The batch file and export file can be stored in the same folder.
Error Log	Use this field to enter, or click to select, the location where you want to store the error log generated by Cobra during the import process. Once generated, you can print the log from this location. The error log contains information that describes the errors generated during the Cobra Import Actuals process.

Project Mapping

Use the options in this group box to select the method you want to use for mapping Costpoint projects to Cobra programs/projects.

Field	Description
Costpoint Top Level Project = Cobra Program	Select this option if the top level Costpoint project and the Cobra program name are the same. You must make sure that the top level of the Costpoint project does not exceed the eight-character maximum length of the Cobra program. An error message displays if the value in the Length field in the Project Segment Lengths table window on the Project Segment Lengths tab of the Configure Project Settings screen exceeds eight. This option is recommended as a best business practice. You can use the mapping tables on the Manage Cobra Program Mapping screen to enter any exception projects.
Use Mapping Table	Select this option if the Costpoint project numbers and the Cobra program numbers are not the same. You must make sure to map all Costpoint projects that have been set up as Cobra programs. An error message displays during the export process if a Cobra program cannot be found for a Costpoint project that has been set up as a Cobra program. Use the Manage Cobra Program Mapping screen to map Costpoint to Cobra programs.

Field

Description

Costpoint Top Level Project = Cobra Program

Select this option if the top level Costpoint project and the Cobra program name are the same.

You must make sure that the top level of the Costpoint project does not exceed the eight-character maximum length of the Cobra program. An error message displays if the value in the Length field in the Project Segment Lengths table window on the Project Segment Lengths tab of the Configure Project Settings screen exceeds eight. This option is recommended as a best business practice.

You can use the mapping tables on the Manage Cobra Program Mapping screen to enter any exception projects.

Use Mapping Table

Select this option if the Costpoint project numbers and the Cobra program numbers are not the same. You must make sure to map all Costpoint projects that have been set up as Cobra programs. An error message displays during the export process if a Cobra program cannot be found for a Costpoint project that has been set up as a Cobra program. Use the Manage Cobra Program Mapping screen to map Costpoint to Cobra programs.

Default Templates

Use the fields in this group box to select the default charge template, BE template, and cost templates that are most commonly used during the export process.

You can set up multiple templates for each template type, but you must select the one that is most often used for the export process. The templates selected here automatically display on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen but can be changed on that screen if necessary.

Note: You can enter information in the fields in this group box only after the templates have been set up on the Manage Cobra Charge Templates, Manage Cobra Budget Element Templates, and Manage Cobra Cost Templates screens.

Field	Description
Charge Template	Use this field to enter, or click to select, a charge template to use as a default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You can change this default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameter screen before you save the parameter, if necessary. You must set up a charge template on the Manage Cobra Charge Templates screen before you can select it as a default in this screen. A charge template contains mappings that link Costpoint elements to Cobra key fields or codes. For example, the Costpoint project ID may map to the first cost account key field in Cobra or a code on the cost account. You may also use a combination of elements to uniquely identify the mapping such as the Costpoint project ID plus the organization maps to the Cobra cost account key field 1 and 2, where these fields represent the work breakdown structure (WBS) and organizational breakdown structure (OBS) for your Cobra program. Costpoint project IDs may also map to codes on the Cobra cost account or work package as long as these codes uniquely identify the cost account. If you store actual costs at the work package level in Cobra, the Costpoint project ID may map to either the Cobra work package or to a code on the work package.
BE Template	Use this field to enter, or click to select, a budget element (BE) template you want to use as the default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You can change this default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen before you save the parameter, if necessary. You must set up a BE template on the Manage Cobra Budget Element Templates screen before you can select it as a default on this screen. A budget element template contains mappings that link Costpoint general labor categories (GLC) or project labor categories (PLC) and accounts to Cobra budget elements. Best business practice is to link GLCs to Cobra budget elements in a one-to-one link, and many accounts to one Cobra budget element.
Cost Template	Use this field to enter, or click to select, a cost template to be used as a default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You can change this default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen before you save the parameter, if necessary. You must set up a cost template on the Manage Cobra Cost Templates screen before you can select it as a default on this screen. A cost template contains mappings that link Costpoint's direct and indirect costs to Cobra results in the budget element calculation. Best business practice is to link the multiple overhead accounts into a single result called overhead.

Field

Description

Charge Template

Use this field to enter, or click to select, a charge template to use as a default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You can change this default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameter screen before you save the parameter, if necessary. You must set up a charge template on the Manage Cobra Charge Templates screen before you can select it as a default in this screen.

A charge template contains mappings that link Costpoint elements to Cobra key fields or codes. For example, the Costpoint project ID may map to the first cost account key field in Cobra or a code on the cost account. You may also use a combination of elements to uniquely identify the mapping such as the Costpoint project ID plus the organization maps to the Cobra cost account key field 1 and 2, where these fields represent the work breakdown structure (WBS) and organizational breakdown structure (OBS) for your Cobra program. Costpoint project IDs may also map to codes on the Cobra cost account or work package as long as these codes uniquely identify the cost account. If you store actual costs at the work package level in Cobra, the Costpoint project ID may map to either the Cobra work package or to a code on the work package.

BE Template

Use this field to enter, or click to select, a budget element (BE) template you want to use as the default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You can change this default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen before you save the parameter, if necessary. You must set up a BE template on the Manage Cobra Budget Element Templates screen before you can select it as a default on this screen.

A budget element template contains mappings that link Costpoint general labor categories (GLC) or project labor categories (PLC) and accounts to Cobra budget elements. Best business practice is to link GLCs to Cobra budget elements in a one-to-one link, and many accounts to one Cobra budget element.

Cost Template

Use this field to enter, or click to select, a cost template to be used as a default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen. You can change this default on the Manage Cobra Extraction Parameters screen before you save the parameter, if necessary. You must set up a cost template on the Manage Cobra Cost Templates screen before you can select it as a default on this screen.

A cost template contains mappings that link Costpoint's direct and indirect costs to Cobra results in the budget element calculation. Best business practice is to link the multiple overhead accounts into a single result called overhead.

Current

Use this group box to view the last fiscal year, period, and subperiod for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost was last run. When you enter this screen for the first time, the fields in this group box are blank. They are populated when you execute the Compute Cobra Burden Cost process for the first time. These fields are for reference only and are used during the export process to determine for which fiscal year, period, and subperiod data should be retrieved.

Field	Description
Fiscal Year	This field displays the fiscal year for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost process was last executed. This field is referenced during the export process to determine for which fiscal year data should be retrieved.
Period	This field displays the period for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost process was last executed. This field is referenced during the export process to determine for which period data should be retrieved.
Subperiod	This field displays the subperiod for which the Compute Cobra Burden Cost process was last executed. This field is referenced during the export process to determine for which subperiod data should be retrieved.

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