The Benefits Estimation feature in Jibility allows you to define a gross benefit value for an initiative. You can find out more about benefits estimation here.
When an initiative is placed onto a roadmap, the total estimated cost and benefits are shown in the bottom rows of the roadmap. In the example below, Initiative X has an estimated cost of $1,000,000 and an estimated benefit of $1,200,000.
If Initiative X is delivered in Stage 2, but work is commenced in Stage 1, then you may want to show some of the cost and benefits in Stage 1.
In Jibility, you can choose to distribute the estimated cost and benefits over multiple stages. For example, in the following, Initiative X's cost and benefits are distributed over two stages.
How to define benefits distribution
To define the distribution of benefits follow these steps (for cost distribution please refer to the Distributing Cost Over Multiple Stages article).
In the Roadmap step, select an initiative that is already placed on your roadmap.
In the properties panel for the selected initiative, select the "Estimated Benefits" or "Estimated Cost & Benefits" tab.
In the "Distribute Benefits Across Number of Stages" field you can define the number of stages (columns) where the initiative's benefits should be distributed.
Enter a number to define the number of stages where the benefits should be distributed. The estimated benefits are distributed across the stages proportionally. For example, if the number of stages is 2 then the distribution is 50% in each stage. If the number of stages is 3 then the distribution is 33.33% in each stage and so on.
Note, unlike cost distribution which is distributed to earlier stages only, benefits can be distributed into future stages too. In the following example, Initiative X's cost is distributed over two stages and benefits is distributed over three stages.
Note, if you define a cost distribution value, then Jibility will automatically set the benefits distribution to the same value. For example, if you set the Initiative X cost distribution over three stages then the Distribute Benefits Across Number of Stages field is automatically set to three as well.
Distribution of benefits into future stages
Benefits can be distributed into future stages. This happens when the "Distribute Benefits Across Number of Stages" field is greater than the "Distribute Cost Across Number of Stages" field. In the following example, the benefits distribution is over four stages and the cost distribution is over two stages. Therefore, benefits is distributed into a future stage (Stage 3 & 4).
Note, by default, benefits distribution starts from the first stage where cost is allocated. You can change this by shifting benefits distribution forward. See the next section on "Shifting Benefits Distribution Forward".
If you set the "Distribute Benefits Across Number of Stages" to a number higher than the number of stages available on your roadmap, then the benefit value is proportioned based on the number of stages defined and allocated to each stage accordingly, but the last stage will show the remainder future benefit value. For example, in the diagram below, we have Initiative X with a benefit value of $1,200,000 being distributed over four stages. However, there are only three stages on our roadmap, so Stage 3 will hold both the Stage 3 and remaining benefits.
Using the same example, if Stage 4 was added to the roadmap then the benefits will be automatically spread evenly across all four stages.
Shifting benefits distribution forward
By default, benefits distribution commences from the first stage where cost is allocated. You can customize this setting by defining how many stages forward you want to shift the start of benefits distribution.
In the following example, Initiative X has a cost of $1,000,000 and benefits of $2,000,000. The benefits distribution is shifted forward by one stage. The distribution settings are:
Distribute Cost Across Number of Stages: 3
Distribute Benefits Across Number of Stages: 4
Shift Benefits Forward by Number of Stages: 1
The Shift Benefits Forward by Number of Stages field is located in the properties panel for a selected initiative on the roadmap (as shown below). This field can have a value of zero or greater. The default value is zero, which means benefits distribution commences in the first stage where cost is allocated.
Distributed benefits stage summary
Click on a stage to see the list of initiatives contributing to the overall stage cost and benefits. In the following example, by selecting Stage 2 we can see in the properties panel that:
Initiative X with a total benefit of $1,200,000 is contributing $600,000 benefits to Stage 2 which means Initiative X is distributing to two stages;
Initiative Y with a total benefit of $1,000,000 is contributing $333,333 benefits to Stage 2 which means Initiative Y is distributing to three stages; and
The total for Stage 2 is $933,333 in benefits.
In the next example, by selecting Stage 3 we can see that the stage total benefit is $383,334 which is comprised of $333,334 from Initiative Y and $50,000 from Initiative Z.
Note, Initiative Y has an "*" to denote that this cost and benefit is a distributed proportion of the initiative's cost and benefits. Whereas Initiative Z does not have an "*" to indicate that the full cost and benefits of this initiative are allocated to this stage.