DPlan uses a professional three-layer cost model: Fixed/Material costs (vendor contracts, equipment, materials), Resource labour costs (day-rate × allocation% × duration), and Actual costs for earned value tracking. Any combination is valid on a single task.
A flat amount that does not vary with duration. Use it for:
Enter this value in the Fixed / Material Cost ($) field in the Task Editor. A task can have a fixed cost with no resources assigned — the task still has a meaningful budget.
Calculated automatically from assigned resources:
Labour cost per resource = Rate/day × Allocation% × Task duration (days)
All assigned resources are summed. The formula uses the resource's default Rate / Day unless you set a per-assignment override (see below).
Setting up day-rates: Open the Resources panel → Add or edit a resource → enter the Rate / Day ($). This rate is the default for all tasks the resource is assigned to.
The amount actually spent on the task, entered manually as work progresses. This is used exclusively for Earned Value (EVM) calculations — CPI, CV, EAC etc. Enter it in the Actual Cost ($) field in the Task Editor after costs are incurred.
If Actual Cost is not entered on any task, the Cash Flow and EVM reports will show planned cost only (no CPI/CV/EAC metrics).
When you assign resources to a task, an Assignment Cost Settings panel appears below the resource selector. Each assigned resource has three controls:
| Control | Default | When to change |
|---|---|---|
| Alloc % | 100% | Resource is split across multiple tasks simultaneously. E.g. 50% = half their day on this task. |
| Rate/day $ | Resource default | Overtime rate, different contract rate for this task, or zero if the resource is not being charged. |
| Info only | Off | Resource is tracked on the task (appears in reports, resource view) but their cost is excluded. Use for a manager who has oversight but isn't being billed. |
Task Total Cost =
fixedCost (flat vendor/material amount)
+ Σ for each assigned resource:
if informational → $0
else (rateOverride ?? resource.ratePerDay) × (allocation% / 100) × duration days
Task: "Concrete Supply & Pour" Fixed/Material Cost: $95,000 ← ready-mix concrete supplier invoice Resource: Site Foreman (Info only) ← tracked for accountability, not billed Result: Task cost = $95,000
Task: "MEP Detailed Design" Fixed/Material Cost: $0 Resource: MEP Engineer ($900/day, 100%, 18 days) Result: Task cost = $900 × 1.0 × 18 = $16,200
Task: "Electrical Installation" Fixed/Material Cost: $65,000 ← cable, switchgear, DB panels Resource: Electrician A ($450/day, 100%, 37 days) Resource: Electrician B ($450/day, 100%, 37 days) Resource: QC Inspector ($700/day, 30%, 37 days) Labour = ($450 + $450) × 37 + $700 × 0.30 × 37 = $33,300 + $7,770 = $41,070 Result: Task cost = $65,000 + $41,070 = $106,070
Task: "HVAC Installation" (30 days) Resource: MEP Engineer ($900/day, 50%) ← also working on electrical coordination Resource: Foreman ($600/day, 60%) ← managing two parallel work fronts Labour = $900 × 0.5 × 30 + $600 × 0.6 × 30 = $13,500 + $10,800 = $24,300