VirtECS^® STAR Features

VirtECS STAR provides flexible resource capacity planning and project management via activity-based models.

Integration with ERP and External Data Sources

VirtECS STAR was designed to integrate with outside data sources - manual reentry of a volume of data is not an option. Import project information, milestone info, clinical trial data, as well as ERP data such as SAP WBS.

Activity-Based Planning

If you think and plan in terms of a 14 day Q&A run using 0.25 FTE over that period, VirtECS STAR will make that a standard activity available to be specified as a task on any project; if administrative support is typically envisioned as taking 20 hrs of effort per month for the duration of the pipeline phase, enter the data in these units. Any scheduled task can override the 'default values.'

Track the Resources Important To Your Department

Plan and track resource usage at the level of detail that makes most sense for your department's needs. If management needs to track Chemists but you want to break that down into Analytical, Organic and Physical Chemists, VirtECS STAR lets you do that, while defining a "Chemist" group for reporting.

Work Breakdown Structure Mapping

One of the biggest difficulties with roll-your-own methods of activity planning is the need to pull it all together to estimate effort according to a WBS plan. STAR has special tools available to make this as painless and fast as possible.

Scenario Analysis and Powerful Analytical Tools

The 'Capacity Planning' screen brings together in one place all the information you need to adjust schedules, level resources, and consider outsourcing alternatives, including Resource usage tables, graphs, filters and Gantt charts.

Flexible Standard and Ad Hoc Reporting

VirtECS STAR gives you complete control over the information you want in a report, and how effort is broken down, with reports, graphs, and CSV exports.

Resource Estimates Based On Labor Drivers

For some high volume applications, or for long range planning, there may not be enough detail on specific activities required. VirtECS STAR also provides a modeling approach using labor-drivers to plan effort on a role-by-role basis.

VirtECS^® STAR within the VirtECS^® Pharmaceutical Suite

The VirtECS Pharmaceutical Suite covers the range from strategic portfolio planning through mid-level tactical planning to very detailed operational scheduling. VirtECS STAR covers the interface between tactical and operational planning by using activity-based modeling of tasks and resource usage. VirtECS STAR would typically be used by functional group (department) leaders and individual capacity planners - with results rolled up and exported to an ERP system for deliverable level project and resource tracking.

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