Release archive

Prioritize user stories with drag & drop and import them easily into the sprint backlog

In which order should the user stories from the product backlog be implemented? Thanks to a new view, Projektron BCS 7.18 supports you in structuring your product backlog with drag & drop.

The new view shows you the sprints of your scrum project directly in the new Product Backlog view, sorted by date. Initially, Projektron BCS 7.18 automatically allocates the outstanding user stories of your product backlog to the sprints. In doing so, Projektron BCS makes sure that the planned velocity of individual sprints is not exceeded.

You can refine this automatic proposal from Projektron BCS 7.18: using drag & drop you can arrange the user stories according to the processing sequence you want. Projektron BCS will inform you if you exceed the planned velocity of a sprint. If the planned velocity has not yet been achieved in a sprint, Projektron BCS automatically fills the sprint with more user stories from your product backlog. You can run through different processing sequences quickly and put the user stories of your product backlog in the order you want step by step.

You can also easily import the user stories from your product backlog into the appropriate sprint backlog using the mouse. If you have worked out your sprint goals based on your presorting, for example in Sprint Planning, you can move your user stories into the sprint backlog using the mouse.

This function is contained in BCS.start as an option.

Customizing the structures simply

Aspects that have already been tried and proven in the team planning and appointment calendar can also be used in the project work breakdown structure as of version 7.18. Using drag & drop allows you to move your project groups and projects as well as work packages, tasks and milestones easily with the mouse. The new drag & drop function is also available in other project views. For example, individual material costs as well as entire material costs plans can be assigned to other tasks and projects.

Additionally, as a personnel manager or sales employee, you can benefit from simple moves via the mouse. With drag & drop, you can adjust elements accordingly to meet changes in an internal or external organization whether it is a major restructuring operation or a change of department for an employee. As a sales employee, you might also want to move individual quotation items or text passages within your quotation - you can also do this with the mouse as of version 7.16.

This function is also contained in BCS.start.

From the attendance recorder to Projektron BCS

Whether arriving, departing or taking a break, many companies record the attendance times of their workers by means of time recording terminals, on which the workers sign themselves in and out via smart cards, for example.

With the new import processor for Projektron BCS, data from time recording terminals (e.g. by the manufacturer ACTICON) can be automatically transmitted to the Projektron BCS time recording. The import processor calculates the corresponding attendance and break times from the pairs of arrival and departure times.

Example: An employee signs in at the time recording terminal at 8:15 am and signs out at 12:00 pm. The employee will once again sign in at 12:30 pm and sign out at 4:00 pm. The new import processor for time recording terminals creates the following bookings in Projektron BCS time recording: Attendance from 8:15 am to 4:00 pm as well as a break from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm.

Record times easily

As of version 7.18, you can choose either the task list and the task tree in the day booking view.

The task tree is particularly suited to employees who take on many different tasks for numerous projects, whereas the task list is particularly suited to employees with manageable tasks. These employees can use the task list to get an overview of the tasks relevant to them and as a result are able to book even more efficiently.

This function is also contained in BCS.start.

For down payment invoices and final invoices

Projektron BCS has been supporting partial invoices, interim invoices and down payment invoices for a long time already. The invoice module of Projektron BCS 7.18 now also offers these billing types consistently for export, including the legal provisions regarding VAT treatment.

When final invoices are generated, invoice items are created for the deducted interim invoices. These invoice items are not part of the invoice total and are marked as “not relevant to sales” in the same way as the invoice items of the interim invoices. An appropriate final invoice lists all billable items and deducts the down payment invoice already billed.

This function is also contained in BCS.start.

Planning resources without a task allocation

You can plan top-down projects with Projektron BCS. Specify the total budget and distribute this to work packages and tasks - from top to bottom.

Once you have assigned team members to your top-down project, Projektron BCS considers the project efforts in the resource preview of your employees.

Projektron BCS updates the resource preview if team members book work already performed on the tasks of your top-down project.

Example: You planned 10 hours for the documentation project task. Your employee books 6 hours for this task. The resource preview will take the remaining 4 hours for this task into account.

As of Projektron BCS 7.18, the resource load can be adapted to the project's progress, even if the total budget has not been allocated to tasks during planning.

Depending on the settings, Projektron BCS reduces the non-allocated budget (top-down remaining), according to the bookings for the project or in linear relation to the project duration.

Example: 8 days in your top-down project are not allocated any tasks and should be considered as linear in the resource load. If half of the project duration is achieved, Projektron BCS includes 4 days in the resource load.

This function is not contained in BCS.start.