8 - SCOPE is more cost effective when recording counts

SCOPE was designed by function point counters for function point counters, to make counting fast, effective, auditable and well documented. The key component to this objective was to have all features in SCOPE performed on the single main screen avoiding the time wasting tasks of navigating through overlapping multiple windows.

SCOPE displays all four count components (Processes, Data, Notes and Attributes) as Hierarchy trees such that the majority of any tree's nodes are visible AND readable on a single screen, thus avoiding time wasted in scrolling vertically and horizontally to understand a functional breakdown.

The split screen display allows linking of all count components to be completed with a single mouse click without changing windows.

Data, Notes and Attributes can all be hierarchically modelled and catalogued into folders to facilitate locating them and understanding their relationships when linking to a Logical Data Group or Note to a Process. All branches within any tree can be automatically sorted in a sequence of the user's choice.

SCOPE has a Microsoft Windows standard ‘search and replace’ function enabling quick up and down searches to find any text in the name or description of any count component (Process, Data, Note or Attribute)

SCOPE allows the counter freedom to use meaningful names and descriptions that best describes any of the count components and always displays the full name without truncation.

SCOPE provides further flexibility for ease of searching and linking by allowing the user to flip the dominant components from the left hand or right hand tree. i.e. unlike FPW it is not driven from a fixed single directional left to right ‘transaction tree’ view. You can put the focus of the main window on any one of the Process, Data, Notes or Attribute Trees and then drive the count and the links from that view for ease of linking, filtering and reporting.

Benefits of SCOPE for Ease of Recording Counts

SCOPE saves staffing time and associated ‘costs’ for counting and count reviews by allowing users to:

• do all counting without constantly switching screens and losing continuity
• use meaningful names making counting and reviewing faster and count maintenance easier
• structurally model and customise the sequence of all count components including Notes and Data for ease of review and ongoing maintenance
• perform quick easy linking and highlighting links when profiling the count to answer business questions