This article describes how to structure your portfolio using the Must-Have Line and Cut-Off Line in Meisterplan.
Must-Have Line
You can separate high priority and high value projects (must-have projects) from lower priority projects (nice-to-have projects) using the green Must-Have Line. For example, a project that keeps your company compliant with a new law would be considered a "must-have project", and should be placed above the Must-Have Line.
The Must-Have Line has no further influence on other Meisterplan functions, but only serves visualization purposes.
Moving the Must-Have Line
It’s easy to move the Must-Have Line using drag-and-drop. You can either move the Must-Have Line itself, or you can move individual projects above or below the Must-Have line.
The position of the Must-Have Line can be set differently in each scenario.
Impact on Reports and the Excel Import
Projects that have been moved above or below the Must-Have Line are clearly indicated in the Scenario Comparison reports.
When using the Excel Import to import projects into Meisterplan, the position of the Must-Have Line is stored in the Settings tab. Projects that are above the Must-Have Line are then marked green in the Priority column of the Projects tab.
Cut-Off Line
The red Cut-Off Line draws a clear boundary between the projects in the portfolio that are part of the current plan and those that are not. The Roadmap shows only projects in the current plan, meaning it shows only those projects that are above the Cut-Off Line.
Projects that are above the Cut-Off Line are included in the portfolio planning. Any resource allocations and capacity levels for those projects are then displayed in the resource histogram.
Projects Below the Cut-Off Line
In contrast, allocations for projects that are below the Cut-Off Line are not included in the resource histogram. Moving a project below the Cut-Off Line releases the capacity that would have been used by that project. However, all information, including allocations, remains a part of the project record even after it is moved below the Cut-Off Line. Therefore, all of the allocations will be reassigned to the project if it is once again moved above the Cut-Off Line.
Moving projects above the Cut-Off Line can serve as a quick simulation of which backlog projects could be included in the current plan to make use of available capacity.
Moving the Cut-Off Line
You can easily move the Cut-Off Line using drag-and-drop. You can either move the Cut-Off Line itself, or you can move individual projects above or below the Cut-Off Line.
The position of the Cut-Off Line can be set differently in each scenario.
Impact on Reports and the Excel Import
Projects that have been moved above or below the Cut-Off Line are clearly documented with a change entry in the Scenario Comparison reports.
When using the Excel Import to import projects into Meisterplan, the position of the Cut-Off Line is stored in the Settings tab. Projects that are below the Cut-Off Line are then marked red in the Priority column of the Projects tab.