Creating Templated Benefits
To create a Templated Benefit, click on Create, then on Benefit.
More information about Benefit Templates can be found here.
You can fill out the following fields:
Benefit Template Outcome (Required): The Outcome of the Benefit Template the Templated Benefit is to use.
Project Title (Required): The Title of the Project which the Benefit is to be associated with. It is also possible to type the Project Reference Number in here.
Benefit Model: A filter which allows you to specify the model you are using for this Benefit. The fields are Evaluated, Mandatory, None and Voluntary.
Benefit Location: A filter which you can define. We suggest you use the first part of the post codes in your area.
Benefit Points: The number of points you want to associate with the Benefit. The greyed out value in the box represents the Benefit Points Hint added to the Benefit Template.
Benefit Value: The monetary value you want to associate with the Benefit. The greyed out value in the box represents the Benefit Value Hint added to the Benefit Template.
Emissions Savings: The greenhouse gas emissions savings you want to associate with the Benefit. The greyed out value in the box represents the Emissions Savings Hint added to the Benefit Template. You can find the UK government's greenhouse gas conversion figures here.
Quantity (Required): The number of Outcomes to be delivered. This reduces the total number available to be selected in the Outcome Inventory associated with the Benefit Template, and when none are left, that Template cannot be selected until the Outcome Inventory is increased.
NB - We suggest you only create multiple Benefits in scenarios where each item of a quantity matters and needs to be evidenced separately.
Benefit Priorities: A filter which you can define. You can use them to record additional values like the number of "Priority Groups" people who are the subject or object of your Benefits can be classified under. More than one of these can be applied to each Benefit, and each of them can also have a quantity.
Contributors: The people in your organisation who you want to assess Benefits from your perspective, by submitting evidence and scores by the appropriate dates. We suggest you only use this role if the person you've identified is able to witness or independently verify the delivery of the Benefit or if the Supplier fails to submit evidence directly but provides it to you outwith Cenefits.
NB - If you assign someone as a Project Manager for a Project and as a Contributor for a Benefit within that Project, they may get confused by the emails they receive (since they will be prompted to submit evidence and scores, and also to approve or reject the evidence and scores they have submitted).
Supplier: The organisation you want to associate with a Project or Benefit as a Supplier. Typically these are organisations who are responsible for delivering a Project that a Benefit is associated with, and ensuring the success of the Benefit itself. The users you select from or invite to that organisation will be required to submit evidence by the appropriate dates and to submit scores once the Benefit is marked as Completed.
Delivery Partners: An organisation you want to associate with a Benefit as a Delivery Partner. Typically these are either subcontractors or community / parish councils, charities and social enterprises - organisations with a stake in ensuring the Benefit is a success. The users you select from or invite to that organisation will be required to submit evidence by the appropriate dates.
Benefit Start Date: The date that the Benefit is due to start. We suggest you don't schedule too many Benefits to start at the same time in order to avoid overfacing your submitters.
Interim Delivery Date(s): Any interim delivery dates that are required to ensure the quantity and quality of the Outcomes being delivered. We suggest you only use these for Benefits being delivered over a longer period, e.g. a year or more.
Benefit Completion Date (Required): The date by which the Benefit is due to be delivered. We suggest you don't schedule too many Benefits to end at the same time in order to avoid overfacing your submitters.
Benefit Status (Required): A filter which allows you to select the current status of the Benefit. The Project Managers should keep this up to date as the Benefit progresses to make sure that reports remain accurate. The fields are Not Started, In Progress, Delayed, Abandoned, Delivered, Partially Delivered, Not Delivered, Substituted. If you mark a Benefit as Delivered or Partially Delivered, this will trigger an email to Contributors and Suppliers asking them to submit a score. If you mark a Benefit as Delayed, Partially Delivered, Not Delivered or Substituted, you will be asked to type an explanation.
Benefit Status Explanation: A free text field that is shown if you mark a Benefit is Delayed, Partially Delivered, Not Delivered or Substituted. If you are substituting a Benefit, you could create the new Benefit first, and then type its Reference Number when filling out the Benefit Status Explanation for the old Benefit.
NB - Templated Benefits all have a unique four character Reference Number automatically associated with them. This helps you to differentiate between Templated Benefits with the same Outcome in the same Project.
Creating Unique Benefits
Click on Create, then on Benefit, then on Create Uniqe Benefit.
You can fill out the following fields:
Project Title (Required): The Title of the Project which the Benefit is to be associated with. It is also possible to type the Project Reference Number in here.
Outcome (Required): The title or purpose of the Benefit.
Benefit Description: A more detailed description of what is expected and how it is to be delivered.
Benefit Category (Required): A filter which you can define. Some organisations refer to this as a "theme".
Benefit Model: A filter which allows you to specify the model you are using for this Benefit. The fields are Evaluated, Mandatory, None and Voluntary.
Benefit Location: A filter which you can define. We suggest you use the first part of the post codes in your area.
Benefit Points: The number of points you want to associate with the Benefit.
Benefit Value: The monetary value you want to associate with the Benefit.
Emissions Savings: The greenhouse gas emissions savings you want to associate with the Benefit. You can find the UK government's greenhouse gas conversion figures here.
Quantity (Required): The number of Outcomes to be delivered.
NB - We suggest you only create multiple Benefits in scenarios where each item of a quantity matters and needs to be evidenced separately.
Benefit Priorities: A filter which you can define. You can use them to record additional values like the number of "Priority Groups" people who are the subject or object of your Benefits can be classified under. More than one of these can be applied to each Benefit, and each of them can also have a quantity.
Contributors: The people in your organisation who you want to assess Benefits from your perspective, by submitting evidence and scores by the appropriate dates. We suggest you only use this role if the person you've identified is able to witness or independently verify the delivery of the Benefit or if the Supplier fails to submit evidence directly but provides it to you outwith Cenefits.
NB - If you assign someone as a Project Manager for a Contract and as a Contributor for a Benefit within that Project, they may get confused by the emails they receive (since they will be prompted to submit evidence and scores, and also to approve or reject the evidence and scores they have submitted).
Supplier: The organisation you want to associate with a Project or Benefit as a Supplier. Typically these are organisations who are responsible for delivering a Project that a Benefit is associated with, and ensuring the success of the Benefit itself. The users you select from or invite to that organisation will be required to submit evidence by the appropriate dates and to submit scores once the Benefit is marked as Completed.
Delivery Partners: An organisation you want to associate with a Benefit as a Delivery Partner. Typically these are either subcontractors or community / parish councils, charities and social enterprises - organisations with a stake in ensuring the Benefit is a success. The users you select from or invite to that organisation will be required to submit evidence by the appropriate dates.
Benefit Start Date: The date that the Benefit is due to start. We suggest you don't schedule too many Benefits to start at the same time in order to avoid overfacing your submitters.
Interim Delivery Date(s): Any interim delivery dates that are required to ensure the quantity and quality of the Outcomes being delivered. We suggest you only use these for Benefits being delivered over a longer period, e.g. a year or more.
Benefit Completion Date (Required): The date by which the Benefit is due to be delivered. We suggest you don't schedule too many Benefits to end at the same time in order to avoid overfacing your submitters.
Benefit Status (Required): A filter which allows you to select the current status of the Benefit. The Project Managers should keep this up to date as the Benefit progresses to make sure that reports remain accurate. The fields are Not Started, In Progress, Delayed, Abandoned, Delivered, Partially Delivered, Not Delivered, Substituted. If you mark a Benefit as Delivered or Partially Delivered, this will trigger an email to Contributors and Suppliers asking them to submit a score. If you mark a Benefit as Delayed, Partially Delivered, Not Delivered or Substituted, you will be asked to type an explanation.
Benefit Status Explanation: A free text field that is shown if you mark a Benefit is Delayed, Partially Delivered, Not Delivered or Substituted. If you are substituting a Benefit, you could create the new Benefit first, and then type its Reference Number when filling out the Benefit Status Explanation for the old Benefit.
NB - Unique Benefits all have a unique four character Reference Number automatically associated with them.
Editing Benefits
To edit Benefits, you can do this directly or via the Project they are associated with.
To do the former, click on Edit, then on My Benefits or All Benefits, then on the Benefit you want.
To do the latter, click on Edit, then on Projects, then on the Project you want, then on Benefits, then on the Benefit you want.
All of the fields are the same as those outlined above for Unique Benefits. Templated Benefits will, however, prevent you from editing the Outcome, Description, and Benefit Category fields. You can instead click on the "Change Benefit Template" button, to select a different Benefit Template if you want to swap one benefit for another without keeping a record of the change by using the "Substituted" Benefit Status as outlined above.
Please read this article to learn more about when you might want to use the "Change Benefit Template" button.