An effort task (denoted by an ID of ~rmw) gets automatically created on a project when the first team member is added if the application is configured to have the task generated. 

What is the purpose of this task and how is ETC calculated on it?

Release: All

Component: Project Management

What is the effort task?

The Effort task is a bucket task that resources can track time to.

How is the task added?

1. In Admin Tools > Project Management > Settings - the field 'Allow Effort Task Creation' must be checked for the Effort task to be created on projects.
2. The Effort task is automatically created on a project when there are no tasks already existing, and resources are added to the team.

• • The Effort task name is the same as the project name, and has an ID of '~rmw'.
  • In Classic Clarity  you can remove a resource from the Effort task  either by going to their Staff Details and Unchecking/Clearing the checkbox from the "Assigned to Effort Task" option, or in Classic or MUX you can remove them from the task directly .

How is ETC calculated for the Effort task?

A resources ETC on the Effort task is calculated based on the following rules:

• If the resource has a default availability value then the resource gets etc equal to that amount on the effort task.
• If the resource has allocation segments, then these values override the default value.
• If the resource has an allocation finish date earlier then the project finish date, then the resource will not have etc after that date.
• If the resource has an allocation start later than the project start, then the resource will not have etc prior to that date.
• The effort task finish date is controlled by the project finish date, unless the resources assigned to it all have allocation finish dates prior to the project finish date.
• Note that other assignments besides  the Effort Task also follow these rules for the dates and assignment values.  Reference  What can cause ETCs to be autopopulated with a value greater than zero for a resource on a project?

Is the Effort Task required?

• You can turn off the ability to create this task in Administration-> Project Management ->Settings by unchecking the field 'Allow Effort Task Creation'.  This change affects all types of invesments (Projects, Ideas, CITs)

• ~rmw is shorthand for 'Resource Management Work. 
• There is also another taskID labeled: ~dtp which is shorthand for 'Deleted Task Phase'. This ~dtp task ID is used for tasks that are attempted to be deleted but that have actual hours posted already. 
• Other Work is an NPIO and does not work the same way like projects. Other Work will always have an effort task as long as it has at least one resource/role on the team, therefore there is not a way to remove the effort task (~rmw) from the Other Work instance. The effort task is there is signal that a resource is logging time to the effort task associated to that Other Work item.