Acceptance Criteria	Performance criteria and essential conditions that must be met before project deliverables can be accepted. Usually listed within a PRD or Project Charter document.
Accrual method	Costs for work and fixed costs against tasks in Microsoft Project can vary how they are accrued against time. For example, Ł 1,000 for a 10 day task could be accrued at: Start - Ł 1,000 on day one. End - Ł 1,000 on day ten. Prorated - Ł 100 each day.
Action Bar	Within Project Web Access, the action bar exhibits toolbar-like functionality providing quick links to a variety of options and commands. The buttons within the action bar vary by mode. Personal Gantt Chart: Project Center: Resource Center:
Action Pane	A common name for the side pane within Project Web Access. Hyperlinks within this pane provide links that allow common actions to be performed.
Active Directory	A Microsoft server-based technology providing controls for user permissions and access rights within a server domain. Project Server can synchronize resource information between the active directory and the enterprise resource pool. This synchronization can relate to a user's security permissions, the groups they belong to and the categories of information they can access.
ActiveX	A Microsoft technology for displaying and managing data within web pages. ActiveX grids are used extensively within Project Web Access and can also be displayed within the normal workspace within Microsoft Project 2002 and 2003.
Activity	Another name for a task. Projects are made up of tasks; which, when all completed, indicate the completion of the project and a meeting of the project's objectives.
Activity on Arrow	A network diagramming method where tasks are represented by arrows, which in turn are linked to nodes. Activity-on-arrow is not supported by Microsoft Project.
Activity on Node	The network diagramming method supported by Microsoft Project. Tasks are represented by nodes, which in turn are related to each other by using links. A complete set of nodes and links is displayed in a network diagram.
Actual Bars	Bars on a Gantt chart drawn from the actual start to complete through for tasks in progress and to actual finish for those that have been completed. Usually displayed as:
Actual Cost (Assignment)	Costs incurred for work already performed by a resource on a task. This value can be calculated by Microsoft Project or entered by the user.
Actual Cost (Resource)	For all assigned tasks, this value shows the sum of costs incurred for the work already performed by a resource.
Actual Cost (Task)	Costs for work already performed by all resources on a task, plus any other actual costs for the task. This value can be calculated by Microsoft Project or entered by the user.
Actual Duration	Until the project is progressed, this value is 0. If an actual start and actual finish are present for the task, this value will be the duration between them. If no actual finish is present, it is a value entered by the user, or calculated around the task's percent complete.
Actual Start	The date (and optionally time) that the task or assignment commenced. Can be entered (over the default of NA) or calculated from an entered actual finish or an entered percent complete value. This value can also be taken from the earliest entry into a team member's timesheet against an assigned task.
Actual Finish	The date (and optionally time) that the task or assignment was completed. Can be entered (over the default of NA) or calculated from an entered percent complete value of 100%.
Actual Work (Assignment)	Until the project is tracked with actuals, this value is 0. When actual work information for tasks or assignments is added, this value will increase. It will also increase, relative to the task's percent complete value if the updating task status updates resource status option is selected. It can also be an entered value within a a team member's timesheet.
Actual Work (Resource)	The amount of work that has already been done against the assignments for a resource. It is a calculated value.
Actual Work (Task)	The amount of work that has already been done against a task. This value can be calculated by Microsoft Project or entered by the user.
ACWP	Within earned value analysis, the Actual Cost of Work Performed. This field shows actual costs incurred for work and any fixed costs for tasks, up to the project status date or its current date. When compared to BCWP, cost variance values (CV) can be determined. In Microsoft Project 2007, ACWP is also referred to as AC.
Adjust Actuals	A mechanism by which an authorized user can modify actual work recorded within a timesheet that has been protected or is outside a managed period. The command to adjust actuals can be found within the Resource Center of Project Web Access.
Administrative Project	Within Microsoft Project 2003 Professional, administrative projects contain administrative tasks that enterprise resources can be assigned against. This assigned work will affect resource availability and provide a more accurate assessment of true resource utilization, for example within the resource availability graph.
Administrative Task	Tasks within administrative projects to manage and collect non-project time. Examples of such tasks could include: vacation, jury duty, sick leave, general administration and so on. To ensure that work recorded against administrative tasks is correctly managed, apply suitable enterprise outline code values.
Administrator	Within a Project Server environment, the Administrator user possesses the greatest amount of access permissions. For security purposes, several users may hold an administrative role, each able to administer the components within the database. Administrators would usually be part of a programme office.
Affected Task	A task or number of tasks that will be affected by the manifestation of a project risk.
Aggregation	The summing up of resource demands over time. If a resource is scheduled to work on two tasks simultaneously, aggregation will add up the units assigned to the tasks per time unit and display the total units assigned - in this case two (or 200%). If this number exceeds the resource's max units, then a resource conflict may ensue.
ALAP	Tasks will be scheduled to finish on their late finish date rather than their early finish date (as with ASAP). This can be set on a task-by-task basis and it is the default setting when projects are scheduled from a finish date (established within the Project Information dialog box).
Analagous Estimating	An estimating technique that takes duration, work, cost and scope estimates from previous similar tasks and applies the estimate to new tasks. This technique is usually employed in the early phases of a project and is most effective when there is significant familiarity between the tasks providing and using the estimate and where the person preparing the estimate has appropriate expertise and knowledge. See also parametric estimating.
Analysis Toolbar	Provides shortcuts to additional analysis functions and modules.
Application Area	A way to group common aspects of projects. An example of this could be in defining common products, deliverables, types of customer or industry sector. Enterprise outline codes could be used to define common application areas across a programme or portfolio. The portfolio analyzer could be used to sort and subtotal work and cost values by application area.
Arrow	Within the activity-on-arrow network diagramming method, tasks are represented by arrows that connect to nodes.
As-Of Date	Another term for the current date - the boundary between the past and the future.
ASAP	By default, tasks are scheduled to commence as soon as they possibly can. This is either on the project start date or as soon as their predecessors have been completed. This can be set on a task-by-task basis and it is the default setting when projects are scheduled from a start date (established within the Project Information dialog box).
Assign Resources Dialog	A dialog box to quickly create assignments. Invoked by the button. Only shows assigned units values and not assigned work. Can be used for assignment drag and drop. For more sophisticated assignments, use the task entry view.
Assigned Units	The rate at which the resource will perform an assignment. Usually at a flat rate (100% being the default), units can be varied with a contoured assignment. Units assigned should not exceed the max units of resource availability. Assigned units is a variable within the scheduling formula.
Assigned Work	Work (and hence time) assigned to calculate the duration of an assignment. Part of the scheduling formula, it is calculated as the total work for the assignment less any overtime work. If only one resource is assigned to a task, the assigned work and the total work are the same. Assigned work can be entered by a team member for new tasks created within a personal Gantt chart.
Assignment Delay	To make an assignment commence later than the scheduled start of a task (or any other assignments against that task), an assignment delay can be manually applied. This can be achieved within the assignments information dialog or within a task form displaying the 'Resource Schedule' details. Assignment delays can not be cleared by resource leveling.
Assignment Finish	The date (and time) at which assigned work will be completed by.
Assignment Start	The date (and time) at which an assignment can commence. Calculated as the task's (that the assignment is against) scheduled start plus any assignment delay or leveling delay values.
Assignment Drag and Drop	A method to quickly create assignments by dragging a resource from the assign resources dialog to a task on a row of a table by using the cursor. Multiple assignments will use the cursor. A drag and drop assignment will have the assigned units equal to the resource's defined max units.
Assignment Replacement	The process where an assignment for one resource is swapped with another resource. When this is accomplished, check that the assigned work and assigned units values are appropriate to the new assignment.
Assignments	An assignment is the relationship between a task and a resource to perform the task. This assignment creates measurable work - one of the three project resources. Assignments can be edited within task forms and the resource usage and task usage views. The assigned units value within an assignment can be a flat constant value or a contour can be applied. Assignments are also published to team members and appear as tasks within their personal Gantt charts and personal timesheets.
Assumptions	Assumptions list certain aspects of a project that are expected to occur, but still possess a degree of uncertainty (for example; it is assumed that no more than three formal change control requests will be issued by the a project sponsor). Usually listed within the CRD and PRD documents, assumptions possess a degree of risk.
Authentication	A mechanism that controls a user's ability to login to to a Project Server database. Project Server can be set up to allow just Windows authentication, just Project Server authentication or mixed mode - a combination of both authentication types.
AutoFilter	AutoFilters are a quick and easy way to select relevant information within one of Microsoft Project's tables. They are turned on with and turned off with . Available to each field within the table, they provide selections based upon the field's values as depicted in the table. Global Filters can be created by saving AutoFilter criteria.
Autolink	If tasks are cut or copied, their links may be re-established when pasted if the Autolink option is selected. This also affects when tasks are dragged and dropped or inserted within a sequence of already-linked tasks. This check box can be selected or cleared within the Schedule tab of the Options dialog box (Tools..Options).
Automatic Leveling	The mechanism by which a project's resource assignments undergo leveling every time a change is made to the tasks/resources/assignments or manually invoked by using the button within the Resource Leveling dialog box.
Automatic Scheduling	The mechanism by which a project's schedule (calculated with critical path analysis) is recalculated every time a change is made. The check box allows automatic scheduling to be selected or cleared within the Calculation tab of the Options dialog box. Manual scheduling can be activated by pressing the F9 key or by a shortcut menu within the select all button.
Automatic Updating	Options (within the Update Project dialog box) to update work as complete through or reschedule uncompleted work to start based around the project's current date or the project's status date.
Availability Graph	Within Microsoft Project Professional, availability graphs can display overall work for a resource (usually a team member), assigned work and remaining availability across the entire programme. They can be accessed from the assign resources dialog and the build team from enterprise dialog. Within Project Web Access, availability graphs provide a similar function. Powered by Office Web Components, they can be found within the resource center.
Availability Profile	Dates when a resource is available to a project at a specific unit of availability. For example; a technical specialist may only be available from March 1 through March 31 at 50% of their available time, or three technicians are available in May, two from July to August and four from the beginning of September. Established within the resource information dialog ( ).

BAC	Within earned value analysis, the budget at completion value for a task is equivalent to its baseline cost.
Background Cell Highlighting	An option when formatting text fonts or text styles, a cell's background can be set to a specific color and pattern to highlight important data. Background cell highlighting is only available in Project 2007 and above.
Backward Pass	A calculation within critical path analysis that determines the late start and late finish dates for each task in the project, along with slack (float) values.
Bar (Task)	A patterned bar on a Gantt chart representing the duration and schedule of a task:
Bar Styles	A way to format a Gantt chart's bars to emphasize attributes including; critical tasks, milestones, summary tasks, and slack. Text can also be added to the bars. One set of styles is associated with each chart-type view. The view's parameters (including bar styles) are saved with the current project document. Set by the Format..Bar Styles command or fast-formatted using the Gantt Chart Wizard. Within Project Web Access, bar styles are predefined and hence consistent for every user. They can be edited by a user with administrative permissions.
Base Calendar	A calendar that specifies shift patterns of working time and non working time for a project or set of resources. A base calendar differs from a resource calendar, which specifies working and nonworking time for an individual resource. Within a Project Server environment, base calendars are defined (by default) within the enterprise global template.
Baseline	A copy of project information prior to updating a project with progress. When a baseline is created, current schedule values are copied into their relative baseline ones: Tasks (start and finish dates, duration, work, cost, splits). Resources (work, cost). Assignments (start and finish dates, work, cost). Timephased work and cost for tasks, resources and assignments. This provides a clear comparison about the status of the project; if it is meeting its baseline or not. Created with the command: Tools..Tracking..Save Baseline. Interim baselines can also be created to assist in what-if? scenarios. Within Project Server 2003, the master baseline for a project can be protected.
Baseline Bars	Bars on a Gantt chart depicting the baseline start and finish dates for tasks. Shown below as a grey baseline bar below a normal task bar in blue: Baseline bars can be added to a view by editing the view's bar styles. The Tracking Gantt views displays baseline bars by default.
Baseline Cost (Task)	At the point of baseline creation, the current cost for the task (work related costs + fixed costs).
Baseline Duration (Task)	The task's current duration, at the point of baseline creation.
Baseline Start (Task)	The scheduled start of tasks at the point of baseline creation.
Baseline Finish (Task)	The scheduled finish of tasks at the point of baseline creation.
Baseline Work (Resource)	At the point of baseline creation, the total work against all assignments for a specific resource.
Baseline Work (Task)	At the point of baseline creation, the current work for the task.
BCWP	Within earned value analysis, the Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (also called earned value). A measure of the cost of work performed up to the status date or the current date. It indicates how much of the budget should have been spent, in view of the amount of work done so far, and the baseline cost for the tasks and assignments that have been progressed. Microsoft Project calculates it as the task's baseline cost multiplied by percent complete. It can be compared to ACWP to determine CV (cost variance) values and to BCWS to determine SV (schedule variance values). In Microsoft Project 2007, BCWP is referred to as Earned Value (or EV).
BCWS	Within earned value analysis, the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled. How much needs to be spent to complete all the tasks in the project as of the project's status date. In Microsoft Project 2007, BCWS is referred to as Planned Value (or PV).
Bill of Materials	A formal listing of the physical assemblies and subassemblies that are required to fabricate a product.
Bottom-Up Planning	A technique for creating a project's outline by first considering the tasks and milestones that are required prior to defining the phases that will summarize the detail. See also top-down planning.
Box Styles	Formatting options within the network diagram to show specific task fields. These styles can be customized and applied against different task attributes: critical, non-critical, summary tasks, milestones and so on.
Build Team From Enterprise	Within Microsoft Project Professional, the Build Team From Enterprise dialog box provides a convenient way to create a resource pool for a project from resources within the enterprise resource pool. Placeholder resources within the local pool can be replaced by real people (usually team members) within the enterprise pool. When building the team, filters can be applied to select suitable resources, for example possessing a suitable skill, or being at a particular level of the Resource Breakdown Structure. An availability graph can also be used to display resource availability across the entire programme. The build team from enterprise tool would normally be used by project managers or resource managers.
Budget Resources	Available in Project 2007 and above, budget resources are used to enter the maximum capacity for a project to consume cost, work, or materials for a project. Budgets are applied at the project level by assigning a budget resource to the project summary task as either a total value or as specific timephased values.

Calculated Field	A custom field in which the contents display values relative to a formula or equation. These formulae can be copied in from other project files, from the GLOBAL.MPT on the current PC or from the enterprise global template. Calculated fields can be used to: Show cost / interim baseline cost performance. Compare dates to show slippage values. Display graphical indicators instead of numeric values. Enterprise fields can also contain calculated values and should be used in preference to project-specific calculated fields when working within a Project Server environment.
Calendar	A definition of working time and non working time (in shift patterns) that can be applied to individual resources working on the project, or to the project and the tasks within it. The default calendar is called a base calendar. Calendars are edited or created within the Change Working Time dialog box (Tools..Change Working Time). The Organizer allows this component to be shared between projects. Within a Project Server environment, base calendars are defined (by default) within the enterprise global template. As such, working and nonworking time is usually non-editable within a local project.
Calendar Exceptions	Specific working or nonworking days or periods can be set as calendar exceptions. In addition, calendar exceptions can be set to follow recurring patterns, for example making every January 1st a nonworking day. Calendar exceptions are a specific Project 2007 feature.
Calendar View	Project tasks are displayed in a workplanner format, with task bars spanning the days or weeks on which the tasks are scheduled. Tasks can also be created and edited here with care.
Calendar Work Weeks	Work weeks define the default shift patterns within calendars. In addition, custom work weeks can be defined to allow shift patterns to be applied against particular date ranges, for example to have a longer shift pattern for days within a particular month or a shorter shift pattern for days within another month. Calendar work weeks are a specific Project 2007 feature.
Can Level	Applying to resources, a switch (Yes/No) to allow the chosen resource to be a part of the leveling process.
Category	Within a Project Server database, categories determine the how a user or group of users can access specific projects, resources and views within Project Web Access. Categories work in conjunction with security templates in defining what a user can see and do within a Project Server environment.
Cause-And-Effect Diagram	A brainstorming technique where project risks are analyzed by the project team. Each risk is considered, along with the actions or outcomes (triggers) that would cause the risk to manifest.
Cell	An intersection of a row and a column within a table, a cell contains field information about a specific object (task, resource or assignment).
Cell Drag and Drop	A mechanism to move (dependant upon its check box being selected or cleared within the Edit tab of the Options dialog box) either: A cell's contents to a different cell. Or an entire object task / resource to a different row of a table, having first selected a row heading.
Change Control Board	A formally-identified group of stakeholders responsible for reviewing / evaluating and approving / rejecting change control requests.
Change Controls	Changes (often from the sponsor) that affect the project. Usually impacting the project's objectives, they can be compared to the agreed client requirements definition / project requirements definition to decide upon their inclusion or exclusion, together with the impact that they will have. May require a revision to the project's baseline. Within a Project Server environment, change controls could be included within linked documents.
Change Highlighting	When changes are made to project data, all affected task resource and assignment fields are highlighted within displayed tables. For example; when a task duration is changed, this may affect the project's schedule, so all other tasks affected by this change will be highlighted. The color of a changed cell is controlled by text styles. Change highlighting is only available in Project 2007 and above.
Chart	A type of view containing a table to the left and a timescale to the right. Delineated by a divider bar. Types of chart include: Gantt chart. Resource usage. Task usage. Personal Gantt chart.
Check In/Out	When a project is opened read-write from a Project Server database, it is checked out. The data tables within the database are locked to ensure that no other user can overwrite any checked-out data. Closing a project will check in the data tables and make them fully accessible to any other authorized user. Resources within an enterprise resource pool can also be checked out (for example to have a standard rate amended) and then subsequently checked back in. Check in / out is also utliized when saving projects offline.
Circular Relationship	A network path that passes through the same node (task) twice; for example if task (C) is the successor to task (B), but C is also a predecessor to task (A), which is in turn a predecessor to task (B). Will cause an error in critical path analysis. Microsoft Project will automatically test for circular relationships within a single project. When cross-project links exist, circular dependencies are tested for when a project plan is opened. In this situation, any circular links are more difficult to find and resolve.
Claim	A request for payment (usually between one or more stakeholders) resulting from a failure (for example in providing a project deliverable) against which a legally-binding contract is in place.
Client Access License (CAL)	A license privilege to allow access to data data within a Project Server database. When Project Web Access is started for the first time on a specific device, a CAL license is activated to permit the download of necessary ActiveX controls providing the ability to see and manipulate Project Server data. A CAL is also provided with each Microsoft Project Professional license.
Client Requirements Definition	What the client / sponsor wants from the project and often a contractual obligation. Usually contains the following headings: Objectives - why do it. Scope - project boundaries. Deliverables - what it will provide. Constraints - conditions against the project; often in terms of time and of cost. Dependant / driver projects - other related projects or parts of projects. Assumptions - listed unknowns about the project. Also referred to as a CRD or Terms of Reference (TOR). Within a Project Server environment, consider making the CRD a linked document.
Closing Process	A process (or number of processes) used to mark all tasks within a phase or project as complete and to transfer the product(s) produced by the phase or project to a relevant stakeholder. Clearly-identified milestones can be used to indicate the completion of closing processes.
Code	A free-format field providing additional information about the resource such as cost centre or job title. This field can be grouped and filtered upon. For more sophistication, use an outline code, or an enterprise outline code.
Collapsing	In a project's outline, a mechanism to hide normal tasks beneath their summary tasks, to see just relevant levels of detail. Usually achieved using the button. Can also be used to collapse by group and to collapse assignment detail (on task usage and resource usage views). See also expanding.
Column	As a part of a table, columns show field information for each task / resource / assignment in relevant cells.
Column Heading	The grey area to the top of each column. Clicking on a column heading selects the entire column, highlighting its field for each task or resource. Double-Clicking on the column heading allows a change of field or a different title for the column. Within Project Web Access, a table can be sorted by column contents by simply clicking on a column heading.
Combination View	A view that contains two views. The view in the lower pane shows detailed information about the tasks or resources selected within the upper pane. The 'Task Entry' view (for example) shows a Gantt chart view in the upper pane and the task form view in the lower pane. When a task is selected in the Gantt chart, the task form view displays detailed information about that task shown above. The resource allocation view is another useful combination view.
Committed Booking	A resource that is formally allocated to a project. The assignments for a confirmed resource reduce the resource's availability to work on other projects. See also proposed booking.
Common Resource Pool	A common resource pool contains resources; people or material resources that are to be shared between a programme of multiple projects. They can take two basic forms: Within Microsoft Project Professional, use an enterprise resource pool to share resources across all projects within a Project Server database. Within Microsoft Project 98, 2000 or Microsoft Project 2002 / 2003 Standard create either: A new project file that contains only resource information (no tasks), whereby all projects use this project's pool of common resources (recommended). Use an existing project as the "pool" project, with all projects using this project's resources. With this option, all of the resources in the pool project, as well as the projects that are sharing resources with it, are combined and available to each other.
Complete Through	This field indicates the progress of a task on a Gantt chart. It is the date/time that actuals have been reported up until. It is only available as a bar style.
Component	Components are the building blocks of a project document. In addition to the tasks, resources and assignments, components are used to manage the project's data. They include: Views, tables, filters, groups, calendars, reports, forms, toolbars, maps, and VBA modules. The Organizer can be used to manage components within the project document and between project documents. Within a Project Server environment key components can be shared between projects if they are defined within the enterprise global template.
Composite Project	A programme file that contains one or more inserted subprojects without links to their source projects. When the composite is saved to disk, changes to the inserted projects are not reflected in their source files.
Consolidated Project	A programme file that contains links to one or more subproject files. The inserted projects (indicated by ) retain links to their source projects so that any changes to them within the consolidated file are passed on to the source file when the consolidation is saved to disk.
Constraints	A scheduling protocol that establishes when a task should happen. Constraints (which can be flexible or inflexible) are: ASAP - As soon as possible (no real constraint). ALAP - As late as possible. FNET - Finish no earlier than. SNET - Start no earlier than. FNLT - Finish no later than. SNLT - Start no later than. MFO - Must finish on. MSO - Must start on. Use the 'Tasks with Fixed Dates' global filter to select where constraints exist and the 'Constraint Dates' table to edit constraints. See also: deadlines.
Contingency Plan	A fallback plan should a risk manifest itself. Tasks within a project can be marked as part of a risk contingency plan.
Contingency Reserve	An amount of work, cost or time in addition to remaining work cost and time estimates in order to mitigate an identified risk to a task, phase or project.
Contoured Assignment	An assignment where the hours are scheduled at a non-uniform rate. Microsoft Project's options include: Back loaded Front loaded Double peak Early peak Late peak Bell Turtle User-defined Contoured assignments will usually take more time than a flat assignment (which is the default). Contours are displayed as timephased fields within the task usage and resource usage views.
Copy Picture	An option (invoked by the button) to copy the current view of the project to the clipboard or to be saved as a .GIF file. This simple-to-use option creates simple pictorial references of the project that can be embedded within Word documents or added to web sites.
Cost	The total scheduled cost for a summary task, normal task, resource, or assignment or for an entire project. This is sometimes referred to as the current cost, or budget. Cost can be simply a fixed cost for a task, or it can also include costs incurred as a result of measurable work.
Cost / Use	A field that shows the cost that accrues each time a resource is used, irrespective of the work for the resource carrying out an assignment.
Cost Breakdown Structure	Used as an alternative to the WBS, the CBS is a useful way to use outline codes to group the project's tasks by cost centre. Sophisticated totals and subtotals can be created to determine how effectively the project is progressing, cost area by cost area. Within a Project Server environment, use enterprise outline codes to define CBS consistent across the entire programme.
Cost Objective	One of the three project objectives. A definition of the budget available (as defined within the client requirements and project requirements documents) in cost terms to complete a project and hopefully produce all the deliverables within the project's overall scope. This often becomes the project's baseline cost or BCWS and can be compared to actual costs to determine cost variances. See also time objective; quality objective.
Cost Rate Table	Defined within the resource information dialog box, resources can have a variable standard rate for the work that they will perform. Up to five rate tables can be applied, each of which can be varied over time. Each discrete assignment can have a cost rate table applied to it. This can be achieved within the assignments information box, accessed from the resource usage or task usage views.
Cost Resources	Usually defined within the resource sheet and subsequently assigned to tasks, cost resources provide the ability to have multiple named time-phased fixed costs against tasks. These costs can be then be grouped or filtered to provide subtotals by cost type. Cost resources are not available in versions prior to Microsoft Project 2007.
Cost Variance	The difference between the baseline cost and total cost for a task, resource or assignment. If a task is in progress, its total cost is actual cost plus its remaining costs. See also CV.
Count	Specifies the incrementation of the major scale or the minor scale for the timescale of a chart. For example, if the unit is weeks, a count of 2 will show 1 increment (column) for every other week.
CPI	Within earned value analysis, the Cost Performance Index. Calculated as the ratio of budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) and actual cost of work performed (ACWP). CPI = BCWP/ACWP. If this value is 1 then the project, summary task or task is exactly on budget. If the value is less than 1, then things are over budget; greater than 1, things are ahead of budget. See also CV.
Crashing	A technique for optimising a project's schedule. This may involve fast-tracking or reducing duration values for critical tasks by changing assigned work or assigned unit values or by making assignment replacements.
Critical Path	The series of tasks that must be completed on time for a project to finish on schedule. Each task on the critical path is a critical task; any delay to it would delay the project's schedule. Often displayed as:
Critical Path Analysis	A method for scheduling when tasks will happen. Comprising of a forward pass and a backward pass, it determines how quickly and how slowly the tasks can be accomplished. Key values calculated include: Scheduled start / scheduled finish. Early start / early finish. Late start / late finish. Total slack / free slack.
Critical Task	A task that must be completed on schedule for the project to finish on time. If a critical task is delayed, the project finish date might also be delayed. A series of critical tasks makes up a project's critical path. Often displayed (in relation to non-critical tasks) as:
Cross-Project Links	Links between tasks in different projects. Usually created within a consolidated project, cross-project links make a task within one project dependant upon an external task in another project.
Crosstab Reports	Printed information about tasks and resources over a specified time period. For example, a report comprising of tasks (or resources) and assignments within the rows and periodic cost or work values in the columns. Provides similar information to a crosstab view, but with more formatting options but no data editing options.
Crosstab Views	Screen-based information about tasks and resources over a specified time period. Can be seen from a task's (task usage view) or from a resource's (resource usage view) perspective. Displays timephased work and cost values and provides editing facilities. Similar to a crosstab report.
CTRL+Click	Holding down the CTRL (Control) key on the keyboard and clicking the left mouse button. This can be used to select more than one object when the objects are not adjacent to one another. Useful when linking tasks together with or removing links with . Can also be used in conjunction with to make changes to multiple tasks / resources / assignments. See also SHIFT+Click.
CTRL+DELETE	Removes the selected information within the current cell. Does not delete the entire object (task / resource) as the DELETE key can.
Current Date	The current date is the boundary between the past and the future. Using the PC's system date by default, it can be edited within the Project Information dialog box. Tasks between the project start date and the current date should be complete, those happening after the current date should possess remaining work. The current date display on a G