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How to Show Fiscal-Year Subtotals in Microsoft Project Resource Usage

Rana Garcia Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to display fiscal-year subtotals and configure a separate cost-total column beside each resource in the Microsoft Project Resource Usage view.

How to Show Fiscal-Year Subtotals in Microsoft Project Resource Usage

Product: Microsoft Project
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Tracking resource allocations and financial totals based on a specific organizational fiscal calendar.
Observed behavior: The user needs to configure the timescale to reflect fiscal years (e.g., starting in July) and extract separate total-cost columns per fiscal year.

Before you start

Verify your organization's exact fiscal year start month before modifying the project schedule settings to ensure accurate cost grouping.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure the Resource Usage Timescale to Display Fiscal Years

Adjust the timescale settings and project options to align the Resource Usage view with your organization's fiscal calendar.

Microsoft Project allows you to change the timescale headers in the Resource Usage view to reflect fiscal years instead of standard calendar years. This is essential for matching project costs with corporate financial reporting.

Set the Fiscal Year Start Month

Go to the 'File' menu and select 'Options'. Click on the 'Schedule' tab, locate the 'Fiscal year starts in' dropdown, and select your starting month (e.g., July).

Switch to Resource Usage View

Navigate to the 'View' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Resource Usage' to display your resource assignments.

Modify the Timescale

Right-click the timescale header at the top of the data pane and select 'Timescale' from the context menu.

Enable Fiscal Year Formatting

In the Timescale dialog box, check the 'Use fiscal year' option for the applicable timescale tiers (Top, Middle, or Bottom) and click 'OK'.

Configure the Resource Usage Timescale to Display Fiscal Years

Creating Separate Cost Columns: The default Resource Usage view displays time linearly. If you need a separate total-cost column side-by-side for each selected fiscal year, you will need to export the data to a spreadsheet or use the Visual Reports feature to generate a PivotTable.

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Analyze Exported Project Data with WPS Office

While Microsoft Project manages your scheduling, creating custom side-by-side fiscal cost columns is often much easier in a spreadsheet. WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and fully compatible suite that makes analyzing exported project data seamless.

1. Export from MS Project: Save your Resource Usage data as an Excel workbook or export it using the Visual Reports feature in Microsoft Project.
2. Open with WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open the exported .xlsx file.
3. Create a PivotTable: Use the 'Insert' > 'PivotTable' feature in WPS Spreadsheet to group your resource costs into side-by-side fiscal year columns.

Free and lightweight Office suite for everyday tasksFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsFamiliar user interface makes it easy to generate cost reportsEasily pivot and total exported project data by fiscal year

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I display multiple fiscal years side-by-side in columns natively in MS Project?

In the default Resource Usage view, the timescale is displayed linearly from left to right. To view separate cost-total columns side-by-side for different fiscal years, you should export the project data to a spreadsheet application or use Visual Reports to create a PivotTable.

Why is my fiscal year showing the wrong calendar year label?

Microsoft Project typically labels the fiscal year based on the calendar year in which it ends or begins, depending on your default settings. You can adjust how the fiscal year is labeled by right-clicking the timescale, selecting 'Timescale', and changing the 'Label' dropdown format.

Does changing the fiscal year start month affect my project schedule and task dates?

No, changing the fiscal year start month only affects how time is displayed and grouped in reports and timescale headers. It does not alter the actual start, finish, or duration values of your project tasks.

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