### A

Accrual method

A method that determines when the cost for a resource is incurred, the fixed costs for tasks, and when actual costs are charged to a project. You can incur costs at the start or finish of a task or prorate them during the task.

Accrued cost

A cost that is incurred all at once at a certain time in a project or gradually, for instance, over the entire time a task is being worked on. The way a cost is accrued depends on the accrual method you select. See accrual method.

Actual

Information that shows what has actually occurred. For example, the actual start date for a task is the day on which the task actually started, and its actual cost is the amount spent up to the present.

Assignment

A specified task assigned to a particular resource.

Assumption

An estimate or educated guess about how various factors will affect a project or a task.

AutoFilter

A filter, available only in sheet views, that quickly displays tasks or resources that match a criterion associated with a specific column. Except for the Indicators column, each column has an AutoFilter associated with it.

©1996-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.