Allocation Scenarios (What-If)
An AllocationScenario is a named what-if configuration. It lets you explore alternate markup / margin / allocation strategies without changing the base project.
Why Use Scenarios
- Compare "Conservative" vs "Competitive" pricing for a tender.
- Model client negotiation (e.g. "profit at 8% instead of 12%").
- Test the impact of a different distribution method (Equal vs Proportional).
- Keep a clean baseline while experimenting.
Creating a Scenario
- Open the Allocation Scenarios panel.
- Click New Scenario.
- Name and describe it ("Competitive — profit 8%").
- Optionally tick Copy current config.
What a Scenario Stores
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Name, Description | Identifiers. |
| IsActive | Only one scenario can be active at a time. |
| IsDefault | Marks the baseline (one per project). |
| OverheadPoolOverride | Optional — force a specific overhead pool size. |
| MarkupPoolOverride | Optional — force markup pool. |
| RiskMarginPoolOverride, CorpOverride, ProfitOverride | Optional. |
| DefaultAllocationMethod | Proportional / Equal / Custom. |
| CustomPercentagesJson | Per-item % when method = Custom. |
| CachedTotals | DirectCost, Allocated, GrandTotal for quick display. |
| AllocationScenarioItems | Per-item allocations for this scenario. |
A null override means "use the project's base value". This is how you can override just one thing (e.g. profit %) without duplicating the entire config.
Switching Scenarios
Set a scenario's IsActive = true (only one can be active). TX1 immediately re-runs allocation using the scenario's settings and refreshes the sell rate view.
Comparing Scenarios
Allocation Scenarios → Compare:
- Side-by-side grand totals per scenario.
- Per-item delta table.
- Export comparison to Excel for meetings.
Committing a Scenario
If you decide a scenario becomes the new baseline, click Commit to Project. This copies the scenario's settings into ProjectMarkup and clears all scenario records. Irreversible — use with care.
Cached Totals
Scenarios cache computed totals to avoid re-running allocation on every view load. The cache is invalidated when:
- Any direct cost item total changes.
- The scenario itself is edited.
- An allocation scenario item is manually modified.
Default Scenario
The scenario with IsDefault = true is the baseline. TX1 shows it automatically when no scenario is active. You cannot delete the default — promote another scenario to default first.
Tip — Snapshot Before Big Changes
Before a significant markup change, create a scenario named "Pre-change snapshot". If the change turns out wrong, re-activate the snapshot to instantly revert.