How to Configure Time-Phased Cost and Rate Tables in OnePlan

Direct Answer: How to Configure Time-Phased Cost and Rate Tables in OnePlan

To configure a time-phased cost or rate table for a resource in OnePlan, go to the Resource Center, select Edit on the resource to open the Edit Resource form, and open the Cost Table or Rate Table tab. Click Add Cost or Add Rate, enter a Start Date, optional End Date, and the Cost or Rate value, then click Save. Once configured, these resource-level, dated values override the resource’s base Cost and Rate fields whenever actual cost or actual revenue is calculated.

What This Article Covers: Cost and Rate Management

This article explains how to configure time-phased cost tables and time-phased rate tables for individual resources in the Resource Center, and how these resource-level tables take precedence over base resource values and Cost Category-level tables.

What you will accomplish: By the end of this article, you will be able to configure time-phased cost and revenue tables for a resource and understand how and when these tables take precedence over base resource values and Category-level tables.

Before You Begin: Cost and Rate Management

• Confirm you have a OnePlan account with Manage Resources permissions.
• Confirm you have access to the Resource Center.
• Confirm whether your Financial Plans use blended values or actuals, since this determines whether resource-level time-phased tables will be used in calculations.

Why This Matters: Cost and Rate Management

How financial values are calculated

In OnePlan, financial values can be calculated using:

• Cost Category-level tables — for blended costs or revenue.
• Base resource Cost and Rate values — configured on the General tab of a resource.
• Resource-level time-phased tables — for actual, resource-specific values.

Understanding precedence

When time-phased cost or rate tables are configured for a resource, they override the base Cost and Rate values defined in the resource’s General configuration. In other words:

• The Cost and Rate fields on the General tab act as default values.
• Time-phased tables take precedence whenever they exist.
• The value effective for the selected date range is always used.

This ensures that changing costs or billing rates over time are applied accurately, without requiring manual updates to Financial Plans.

When resource-level time-phased tables are used

Resource-level tables are used when financial values must reflect actual, resource-specific costs or revenue, rather than standardized or blended values calculated at the Cost Category level. They are ideal when:

• Individual resources have unique costs or billing rates.
• Rates change over time due to contracts, compensation, or billing agreements.
• Actuals must reflect real-world variation, not standardized averages.

Time-phased tables use effective dates to align financial data across planning, forecasting, and actuals. These tables are maintained by administrators and are not edited by end users.

For a conceptual explanation of cost vs. revenue in OnePlan, see Financial Plan Cost vs. Revenue.

How resource-level time-phased tables are applied

When Financial Plan Cost Types are configured to use actual cost or actual revenue, OnePlan:

1. First checks for a resource-level time-phased table.
2. Applies the value effective for the selected period.
3. Ignores the base resource Cost and Rate fields.
4. Does not use Cost Category blended values.

Step-by-Step: Configuring Time-Phased Cost and Rate Tables in OnePlan

Task: Configure a Time-Phased Cost Table for a Resource

Use a cost table when modeling actual costs for a specific resource. This is commonly used when labor costs vary by individual, non-labor resources have negotiated or changing costs, or actuals must reflect precise spend.

1. Go to the Resource Center.

2. Locate the resource you want to update.

3. Select Edit to open the Edit Resource form.

   

4. Open the Cost Table tab.

5. Select Add Cost.

6. Enter:

   • Start Date — when the cost becomes effective.
   • End Date — optional; leave blank for ongoing costs.
   • Cost — the actual cost value.

7. Repeat to add additional time-phased cost rows as needed.

8. Select Save.

   

Once configured, this table overrides the base Cost value on the resource whenever actual cost is calculated.

Task: Configure a Time-Phased Rate Table for a Resource

Use a rate table when modeling actual revenue for billable resources. This is used when billing rates differ by individual, rates change over time, or actual revenue must reflect contractual billing.

1. Go to the Resource Center.

2. Locate the resource you want to update.

3. Select Edit to open the Edit Resource form.

4. Open the Rate Table tab.

5. Select Add Rate.

6. Enter:

   • Start Date — when the rate becomes effective.
   • End Date — optional; leave blank for ongoing rates.
   • Rate — the actual billing rate.

7. Repeat to add additional time-phased rate rows as needed.

8. Select Save.

   

When revenue is calculated, OnePlan applies the time-phased rate effective for the selected period, instead of the base Rate value on the resource.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cost and Rate Management

Q: What takes precedence — a resource’s base Cost/Rate fields, Cost Category tables, or resource-level time-phased tables?

A: In OnePlan, resource-level time-phased tables take precedence when they exist and a Financial Plan Cost Type is configured to use actual cost or actual revenue. The base Cost and Rate fields act only as defaults, and Cost Category blended values are not used once a time-phased table applies.

Q: Do I need to set an End Date on a time-phased cost or rate row?

A: In OnePlan, no. Leave End Date blank for a cost or rate that should remain ongoing until a new row takes effect.

Q: Who can edit time-phased cost and rate tables?

A: In OnePlan, these tables are maintained by administrators with Manage Resources permissions and are not edited by end users.

The source material for this article included an incomplete comparison table contrasting Cost Category-level tables, resource base fields, and resource-level time-phased tables. The table has been omitted here pending SME confirmation of its intended content — see Needs SME Review in this article’s frontmatter.

What to Do Next: Cost and Rate Management

Understand related cost concepts:

• Financial Plan Cost vs. Revenue

Categorize resource costs for import:

• How to Apply Cost Categorization to Resources in OnePlan

Add resources before configuring their cost and rate tables:

• How to Add Named Resources in OnePlan

Review the full process:

• Resource Center Administration in OnePlan - Overview