The Project Data Collector (PDC) ResourceKit is a standalone Can Do client application that allows for the individual creation and customization of project reports. Due to the simple output format of this tool, evaluations can be easily integrated into other presentation tools (or custom interface software).
The PDC ResourceKit consists of the alphanumeric Can Do Client pdc (command-line tool) and the complete compilation of all control files necessary for customizing the reporting environment.
The PDC ResourceKit is required for the following tasks:
- Creating new Can Do standard reports, ad-hoc queries to the Can Do server, and building personalized special reports for specific projects.
- Automatic report generation within scripts and batch runs.
- Exporting Can Do information to other applications.
- Creating custom interface software that processes Can Do content.
- Customizing the standard reporting environment of the Can Do server (e.g., if you want to create and test custom color schemes, fonts, logos, or layouts).
In contrast to direct access to the Can Do database, the PDC ResourceKit has the following advantages:
- All changes in Can Do project intelligence are available to the PDC in real-time. In contrast, the database is only updated at set intervals.
- Direct access to the database always poses security and stability risks. Does a user really need to see all the data? Can a faulty database access damage the database or crash the Can Do server? PDC, on the other hand, behaves like a "normal" Can Do client and therefore considers the configured user rights. Direct access to the database is not required.
- PDC has access to Can Do information that is not stored in the database but only calculated on the Can Do server. Examples include risks from the to-do list, evaluations in time grids, and aggregated effort and cost data.