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.
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.