SCOPE - New in Release 4.1
SCOPE 4.1 has focused on increasing the efficiency and ease of using SCOPE to count function points. In addition to speeding up data entry, it includes more informative audit and reporting, with import functions for all your project metrics.
The new SCOPE Lite™ [now deprecated], SCOPE Metrics™ [now deprecated] and SCOPE Viewer™ editions combine together to provide you with an extremely cost-effective FP tool solution, for all your FP Users.
Key features delivered by SCOPE 4.1 include:
Automatic Loading of Metrics Data from Excel
SCOPE 4.1 has import templates for quick loading of your Metrics data from Microsoft Excel® for all your Applications, Releases, Projects or Change Requests. Your project teaMicrosoft can enter or import their effort and defect and/or environment data for all their projects into the SCOPE template ready for a bulk import into SCOPE. On import you can select to [Create New] Applications / Releases / Projects or Change Requests if these are not already recorded in SCOPE or you can [Merge] the imported data with existing SCOPE metrics data. If you need to modify the imported data, it is as simple as entering the new data in the Excel template and re-importing or editing it directly in SCOPE. Once your effort and defect data is recorded in SCOPE you can use its Benchmark reporting capability to create all your Management Benchmark Performance reports.
Automatic Audit Feature for Comparing Counts
SCOPE 4.1 has a new ‘Compare’ option in the Report List Window, so you can run any two SCOPE reports (Word, Excel, RTF or PDF) and automatically compare the differences. The compare mode compares each line of the report and highlights any text that has been changed, added or removed. The SCOPE 4.1 reports which output to Excel have been specifically reformatted to facilitate comparisons and the FP Details reports now include Audit tracking information (when the node was created/modified and by whom).
Interfaces with SEER SEM®
SCOPE 4.1 enables the export of Project or Release function point size and their environment data to a SEER SEM formatted ‘project’ file. When the file is opened in SEER SEM Project Estimation software, the project size and environment data is pre-loaded ready for estimating.
Quick Linking of Projects and Applications Impacted
The Applications List in SCOPE 4.1 graphically displays the relationship of Projects to Applications, Releases, and Count Sessions so you can highlight (filter / flag) all Count Sessions linked to a project and quickly edit relationships.
Detailed FP Count Reporting Across Multiple Projects and Releases
SCOPE 4.1 has two new reports that aggregate all the FP Counting Details at Process and Data Group level for one or many:
- Projects across one or many applications - listing all processes and data groups impacted by each project in the selection, grouped and totalled by Application, Count Session, Project and Project set. (see report Project - Functional Size Totals)
- Releases across one or many applications - listing all processes and data groups impacted by each Release in the selection, grouped and totalled by Application, Count Session, Release and Release set. (see report Release - Functional Size Totals)
Now you can report all your Project Count and Release Count information in single itemised report.
In the example above SCOPE reports the Project impact at Process level for two Applications and two Releases (TRS, AMS). The Report totals the function point size impact for each application count and overall project.
Hyperlinks to URLs or External Documents
SCOPE 4.1 - Details screens - allows you to link any tree node or software entity (Application, Release, Project, and Count Session) to either a URL or file directory path. This is particularly useful for documenting your counts by cross-referencing source documents.
Quick Estimates of FP Size
SCOPE 4.1 links into Total Metrics FP Outline™ quick FP sizing estimates tool, for estimating the size of your applications, development or Enhancement Projects
Customisable Templates for Numerical Attributes
The previous 4.0 release of SCOPE introduced the Numerical Attributes feature which enabled function point counts to be profiled for Productivity Analysis, Estimating, NESMA Impact factors, Earned Value reporting etc. SCOPE 4.1 goes a step further by allowing you to update and add to the inbuilt Template set so you can re-use your customised Numerical Attribute values in all your counts. (See SCOPE Main Menu - Options - Numerical Template Attribute Options.)
Icons to Track the Progress of your Function Point Counts
SCOPE 4.1 enables you to assign a ‘status’ your Function Point counts to visually track their progress in the Applications List. Status can be recorded as
‘Not Started’,
‘In Progress’,
‘On Hold’,
‘Completed’,
‘Approved’.
User Interface Updates and New User Friendly Features
- Over 20 new shortcuts for all high use data entry fields e.g.
- Ctrl + Shift + O sets all child Processes to be External Outputs
- Ctrl + Shift + L sets complexity of all child Processes to be Low
(Refer SCOPE Help - Keyboard shortcuts for all new 4.1 shortcuts)
- Excel Reports have been all reformatted to enable easy analysis, audit and export
- Icons listed on all major menu items
- All List Reports now sequence on Hierarchy Position and include Hierarchy ID and Totals
- Users can now customise and re-use their Excel Benchmark Reports Templates