ECOS for Windows - version 201b - Use of EMU currencies in ECOS 201b

ECOS handles companies from both EMU and non-EMU countries according to the principle described hereunder. A new version containing the adapted parameters for this purpose has been created and is called ECOS 201b .

Conversion rates

The conversion rates for the EMU-countries in the ECOS 201b conversion rate file has been changed to 1.00000 for the year 2002 and beyond. Although the currency name could have been changed to the Euro symbol, not all computers/printers may support this yet. Therefore the ISO abbreviation EUR will be used as the currency name for the EMU-countries, just as was already done for the country codes RU, SU and EUR.

General rates

The general labour, facility etc. rates for a company are in ECOS by default expressed in the national currency of the company's country. When the company wanted to express the rates in Euro, the corresponding checkmark in the rate file header page had to be set.

Because for companies in EMU-countries the national currency will become Euro, this checkmark does not need to be set any more to express their rates in Euro. Although the calculations will still be valid if the checkmark is set, they will take slightly longer, therefore it is advised not to use it for companies in EMU countries.

Because companies in non-EMU-countries may still want to use this checkmark (so they can express their rates in Euro as well), and for compatibility with older ECOS projects & rate files, this checkmark will remain in the rate file header maintenance window, and will be supported throughout ECOS.

In ECOS projects, only the conversion rates (and corresponding currency names) for the project conversion date year are present. For the (non-project specific) standard general rate file, however, there is no conversion date year. Therefore, the year of economic conditions is used to determine which year from the standard conversion rate file is used to display the currency name.

Reports

For reports showing local and common currency, both amounts will be the same for companies from EMU-countries when the common currency for the project is Euro. To keep consistency with reports involving companies from non-EMU-countries, however, none of these columns will be automatically suppressed, even when they are both expressed in Euro.

Please note: Although report 63 has 'Distribution by Currency' as menu title, it is actually by country. So even when countries have the same currency, they will be listed separately in these reports.

Compatibility between versions 201a and 201b

No functional changes needed to be implemented in ECOS 201b for the above. ECOS 201b projects can be loaded into ECOS 201a, and vice-versa.

How to get the latest version of ECOS software

The latest software is available on the ESTEC FTP server. Download using FTP software as follows:

FTP address: ftp.estec.esa.nl

Userid: ecos

Password: please contact the ECOS Help Desk for the current password, email: ecoshelp@horizon.knoware.nl

The software is compressed using LHA.EXE. Copy the following files, in binary mode, to a temporary directory: 011219W1.LZH, 011219W2.LZH, 011219W3.LZH, 011219W4.LZH

Copy these files to 4 installation diskettes as follows (from a DOS prompt): LHA e 011219W1 a:

Repeat this instruction for disks 2, 3 and 4

Please report any software errors/improvements/suggestions to the ECOS Help Desk by e-mail or fax.

ECOS Training Manual

The ECOS for Windows training manual is available on the ESTEC FTP server in the same directory as the ECOS software, file name: Training.exe, which contains Word 95 document files.

ECOS Training Courses

ECOS training courses are designed to advise users how to create cost proposals in ECOS, including building the product tree (PT) and the work breakdown structure (WBS), as well as analyzing the reports produced by ECOS.

The next course is scheduled to take place at ESTEC Noordwijk on the 7th & 8th February 2001.

Applications for this course are required to be submitted to the ECOS Help Desk, by fax or e-mail, at your earliest convenience. The maximum number of participants per company is normally restricted to two.

ECOS Help Desk

E-mail: ecoshelp@horizon.knoware.nl
Telephone: +31-71-5656500
Fax: +31-71-5656501

The ECOS Team
ESA Cost Analysis Division