The workplan provides a proposal team with the ability, if desired, to plan and track the status of the various tasks required to complete a proposal. Without the use of a workplan, VPC will function, but cannot provide status updates or notification. "Actual Start" and "Actual Completion" dates are entered through the Virtual Proposal Center.

Workplans can be created manually, or imported from other proposals, Microsoft Project or Excel. Workplans can be exported in VPC format (to save font and color selections), MS Project 98, 2000, or 2003 formats or Excel format. To export a workplan table using VPC, click on Export icon, select format type, enter file name in text box, and identify location to be saved. To import Workplan tables, click on the Import icon and select the applicable file.-- see links below for more detailed information.

An initial workplan includes:

• a list of tasks
• assignment of tasks to users
• planned start and completion dates

Workplans can be modified as needed during the course of a proposal.· Click on lock icon to prevent other admins from editing your Workplan while you are working on it. A red closed icon means it is locked by another admin. A green open icon means it is locked by you. Roll over lock icon with mouse to see who locked it. Only the admin who locked it, the Zone Super Admin, or System Admin can unlock the Workplan. Locking the Workplan has no effect on User side.

Dates may be typed in after the cell is selected, or selected from the datepicker that appears after clicking on the selected cell. This also opens up edit mode. Double clicking has the same result. If Start Date and Duration are entered, VPC will enter Complete Date. If this is done, VPC will assume a 5-day week and will not allow a weekend. If a weekend date is entered manually without Duration, a notification will give option to cancel or schedule on weekend. Dates after Proposal due date will be framed in yellow as a warning.

Workplan task descriptions cannot exceed 64 characters. Userids can be entered manually or from a target panel. Click on a selected cell to open target selector panel.

Any change in either the RFP Release date or Proposal Due date fields will prompt for a date shift of all tasks by the same increment as the change in the date entered from the previous date. If shift is desired, then select either business or calendar basis and VPC will shift scheduled start and completion dates. Dates before current date will not shifted, nor will dates be shifted backwards if the new date will fall before the current date. Actual Start or Completion dates entered by users will not change.