Project User Flow is designed to facilitate project setup. Project User Flow contains an Identification block, 2 tabs, 13 subtasks, and 20 screen links. They can be used in the following manner:
The Identification Block contains fields for project number, project name, project abbreviation, level, and the Load Defaults pushbutton. This block displays regardless of which subtask or tab is currently active.
Use Basic Info tab to identify the project classification, project type, charging criteria, account group, owning organization, and various other project control functions. You must carefully consider your selections for the fields in this tab. Once processing has begun, changing these fields will require some time-consuming additional steps.
Use the Details tab to select customer, project manager, prime contract number, subcontract number, and purchase order number.
Use the Project Levels subtask to establish the structure of the project. You can identify the number of levels and the length of each level in this tab. You must also supply a level description. Use this subtask only when establishing the top level of the project. Complete this subtask before you establish lower level tasks.
The Org History subtask summarizes changes that have been made to the owning organization of the project. The previous and new owning orgs are listed along with the effective fiscal year, period, and subperiod of the change. There are also fields that identify whether journal entries have been processed for the change in owning organization. If you make a change to the owning org of the project this tab will automatically display and you will be required to input the relevant information.
The Notes subtask provides a field for information to be included in the project master record that is not identified elsewhere.
Use the Acct/Org Links subtask if you have selected the Which Orgs Can Charge Specific Accts checkbox or the Accounts to P/O/A checkbox. If you have selected either of these checkboxes, you must link your project to specific accounts and organizations in order to charge transactions to the project. This can be accomplished in this subtask using wildcards.
Use the Project Location subtask to enter data concerning the project’s location. This information is used for lien waivers and can be used for State Tax Apportionment purposes.
Use the Govt Contract subtask to enter information for projects that have been contracted with the Federal Government. You must enter a value in the Incurred Cost Submission Code field if you have selected the Require Incurred Cost Submission Code for all Projects checkbox in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects).
Use the User-Defined Info subtask to enter information about the project or task that is not identified elsewhere in the Basic Project Info screen but is needed on the project.
Use the Deliverables subtask to enter information about deliverables. The data in this subtask is for informational purposes and is not included on any standard reports.
Use the Standard Text subtask to enter standard text codes. The standard text can be printed on purchase orders for this project.
Use the Project Accts subtask to create valid Project/Account links. Use this subtask if you have selected the Accounts checkbox in the Limit group box in the Basic Info tab.
Use the Project Orgs subtask to create valid Project/Org links. Use this subtask if you have selected the Organizations checkbox in the Limit group box in the Basic Info tab.
Use the Mass Link Proj/Acct/Org subtask to quickly link projects, accounts, and organizations. You will need to use this subtask only if you have selected either the Accts to P/O/A checkbox or the Which Orgs Can Charge Specific Accts checkbox in the Limit group box of the Basic Info tab. This screen populates the PROJ_ACCT_ORG table.
Use the Proj/Acct/Orgs subtask to manually add project, account, and organization links. You will need to use this subtask only if you have selected either the Accts to P/O/A checkbox or the Which Orgs Can Charge Specific Accts checkbox in the Limit group box of the Basic Info tab. This screen populates the PROJ_ACCT_ORG table.
Use the Mods screen to enter contract value, funded value, and period of performance. The values entered in this screen will provide the basis for total value ceilings for revenue and billings.
Use the Assign PLCs screen to link company-wide PLCs to specific projects. The PLCs selected in this screen will be the only PLCs that are valid for project charging.
Use the Linked GLCs screen to link GLCs to PLCs from the company-wide PLC table. Once you have linked the GLCs to PLCs, the PLCs will automatically display on timesheets.
Use the Empl Work Force screen to select specific employees that can charge a certain project. The employee work force can be required so that only the employees selected in this screen are valid for project charging. This screen can also be set up as a way to default the correct PLC into a timesheet. A subtask in this screen enables you to assign specific PLCs to employees.
Use the Vend Work Force screen to select specific vendors that can charge a certain project. The vendor work force can be required so that only the vendors selected in this screen are valid for project charging. There is a subtask available in this screen where you can assign specific PLCs to the selected vendors.
Use the Empl/Vend PLC Rates screen to assign billing rates, rate types, and effective dates for the employees and vendors that have been selected for the work force.
Use the CLINs screen to establish CLINs and item linkages, unit pricing, cost and warranty information, and defaults for the CLINs.
Use the Revenue Info screen to select a revenue formula, a posting method, and goal multipliers. The screen also contains a table where you can enter revenue adjustments.
The Def Rate Seq screen.
Use the COGS screen to select a cost of goods sold calculation method. Project values fields are available for entry of contract and funded values that are used in cost of goods sold calculations.
Use the Project Bill Info screen to select a billing formula, select a billing format, enter 1443 information, set up scheduled bills, enter cash basis accounts, enter detail level bills, and review customer information.
use the Cost Fee Ovrd screen to enter overrides for the fee on direct cost amounts. You can set overrides on revenue, billings, or both.
Use the Burd Fee Ovrd screen to enter overrides for the fee on the indirect costs. You can set overrides on revenue, billings, or both.
Use the Mult Ovrd screen to enter overrides on multipliers for revenue, billings, and billable value calculations.
Use the Total Ceil screen to enter ceilings on the total cost, fee, or total value. The values are based on amounts entered in the Mods screen link. You can set ceilings on revenue, billings, or both.
Use the Dir Cost Ceil screen to set up ceilings by direct cost account. You can place ceilings on revenue, billings, or both.
Use the Burd Cost Ceil screen to enter ceilings on indirect costs. You can place ceilings on revenue, billings, or both.
Use the Dir Hour Ceil screen to enter ceilings on hours by PLC. The ceilings can apply to revenue, billing, or both.
Use the Empl Hour Ceil screen to enter ceilings on hours by employee.
Use the Vend Hour Ceil screen to enter ceilings on hours by vendor.
Use these screens when you need to initialize a new project or when you need to change the data related to an existing project. You may choose to first set up all the required data and return later to add the other information, or you may choose to set up all the project information at one time.
Is there a method for creating additional subtasks and projects quickly?
You can use the Mass Add Project Information (Projects\Maintain\Project)or Import Project Information (Projects\Utilities\Import)processes to create additional projects or subtasks. The Mass Add Project Information process uses a template project to create the new project or subtask. The Import Project Information process uses an external file to upload project information from an external file. Both processes allow creation of other project related data such as revenue information, ceilings, modification, labor rates, and overrides. You can create the project before adding any related data or add the related data at the same time as the project's basic information.
Use the Mass Add Project Information screen when you want to set up a project with the same structure and basic information as a project that already exists. You can use the original project as a template for the others to be added. In the screen, you can change the project description before actually adding the new projects. You can select other screens to be added at the same time.
Use the Import Project Information process when the data necessary to set up a project is contained in other software and needs to be uploaded to the system. The layout of the files used for this process can be found in the screen documentation for the Import Project Information screen.
How should I select a structure for my project?
When designing your project structure, consider all reporting requirements, project funding, billing and revenue requirements, ceilings, and retainages.
Begin the process of structuring your project with an evaluation of the reporting requirements. The reporting requirements for a project can be based on management of the project or on the specific phases of the project.
If several project managers are working on the project, you may need to structure the project in such a way that the tasks under the control of a specific project manager can either be rolled up to a higher summary level or consolidated using the Alternate Project Structures screen. You can run the Project Status Report (PSR) at the project manager level and have all the tasks under the direction of the project manager roll up to that level.
The project may have specific milestones that require separate reporting. For example, if you are building a house, you may need to separately report on the foundation, the framing, and the plumbing and electrical. If this is the case, you should set up a branch of the project tree for each phase. This structure will allow you to report on the cost incurred for each phase of the project and to budget effectively for each phase.
You should also consider the funding for the project.
If you must report by multiple funding sources, set up separate tasks by funding source. Tasks can then be rolled up to a higher level so that all funding sources that are used on a single phase of the project are combined for reporting purposes.
When working with contract funding, you should also consider any retainage requirements for each funding contract. Retainages in the system are based on either contract or funded value and by percentage or a flat amount. You must set up a separate task for each method if the retainage method varies by funding contract. You can combine these tasks by printing the reports at a higher level of the project.
The revenue and billing requirements of the project must be reviewed before finalizing the structure of your project. You must evaluate the need for more than one revenue or billing formula within a project. If one part of the project should be billed using hours times a billable rate and another phase of the project should be billed at a fixed price, you must set up at least two branches of the project. The billing and revenue formulas must be set up at least at the second level of the project in order to accommodate multiple billing or revenue formulas.
If the project requires several billing formulas to accommodate the needs of the customer, you can set up billing formulas at lower levels of the project and the revenue formula can still be placed at the top level of the project. You only need to put the revenue formula at lower levels of the project if the project requires several types of revenue recognition methods.
Where is the length of the levels determined?
The length of the first segment of the project is established in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects) and, once established, cannot be changed. The number of levels and length of those levels is established in the Project Levels subtask can be set individually by project. The only restriction is that the number of characters including the delimiters cannot exceed 30 characters.
Where does the default structure come from?
You can set up a default structure for your projects in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects). You can establish the lengths and levels for the most common structure used at your company. This structure will automatically display in the Project Levels subtask for any project that is set up and can be adjusted by project as needed.
How do I use Project Abbreviations?
Set up project abbreviations in the Abbreviation field.
Use project abbreviations to expedite the data entry process. You can use the project abbreviation in any of the data entry screens and once you have entered the project abbreviation, the related project will automatically display in the Project field. This is particularly useful when your transactional level project number is lengthy. Each project abbreviation must be unique on a system-wide basis.
Can I change the project levels once they have been established?
You cannot change the structure of the project once you have entered data or charged transactions to the project. You can add lower levels tasks to the project but you cannot change the structure of the higher levels.
If the original structure of the project is incorrect, consider using the Compute Project Transfer screen (Projects\Process\Allocations) to move the project's transactions to a new structure.
Use the fields in this block to define the structure of the project, including the number and length of levels. This screen is the starting point for project initialization. No additional project information can be entered into the system until this block is initialized. Additional maintenance of this screen is only required when information related to the project changes.
If you are entering a top-level project, you must also use the Project Levels subtask before you can set up the project's lower levels. Once you have set up the Project Levels subtask, the level number (as identified by the project number entered in the Project field) will display in the Level field.
The length of the top-level project is limited to the number of characters that was established in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects).
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Note: The Identification block will automatically display on the screen regardless of which tab or subtask is currently active. |
You must set up the following screens before any other information related to a project can be entered into the system:
Establish project types in the Project Types screen.
Enter project account groups in the Project Account Groups screen.
Set up organizations in the Maintain Org Elements screen.
Establish the length of the first level project in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects).
After you have set up the project's basic information, you can add optional information such as modifications, ceilings, revenue and billing formulas, and labor rates.
Project *
Enter a project of up to 30 alphanumeric characters. You must always add projects from the highest (top) level to the lowest. Entry in the reverse order will cause an error message to display stating that an invalid base segment has been entered.
The top level, or length of the initial segment, of the project must correspond to the length of the level 1 segment in the Project Segment Lengths table window in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects). The length of this segment will be enforced by the system.
Before entering lower level project segments, you must first establish the project structure in the Project Levels subtask. Only the top level of the project can be entered before defining the length and levels in the Project Levels subtask. If you have set up a default project structure in the Project Settings screen, it will automatically display in the Project Levels subtask. It can be changed.
Name *
Enter a descriptive name of up to 25 alphanumeric characters for the project.
Enter, up to six-character alphanumeric characters to designate a unique abbreviation for the project in this field. Only one abbreviation is allowed for each project segment. Project abbreviations can be used in many transaction screens as an alternative to entering the project. For screens in which a Project Abbreviation field is available, entry of the abbreviation on any transaction line will default the associated project. Normally, you will not enter a project abbreviation unless the Allow Charging checkbox is selected.
This non-editable field displays the level of the project that is currently on the screen.
If the project entered is a top-level project (no other entries have been made), this field will be initialized with a "1." If the project entered is not a top-level project, the level number defined by the number of characters and delimiters entered will display, and you will not be able to edit the Level table in the Project Levels subtask.
Use this pushbutton to load the default project structure that was entered in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects).
* A red asterisk denotes a required field.
The Basic Info tab has fields that identify the project classification, project type, charging criteria, account group, owning organization, and various other project control functions.
The Details tab has fields in which you can select customer, project manager, prime contract number, subcontract number, and purchase order number.
Select the Project Levels link to establish the structure of the project. You can identify the number of levels and the length of each level in this tab. You must also supply a level description. Use this subtask only when establishing the top level of the project. Complete this subtask before you establish lower level tasks.
Select the Org History link to view a summary of changes that have been made to the owning organization of the project. The previous and new owning orgs are listed along with the effective fiscal year, period, and subperiod of the change. There are also fields that you can use to identify whether journal entries have been processed for the change in owning organization. If you make a change to the owning org of the project, this tab will automatically display and you will be required to enter the relevant information.
Select the Notes link to enter information to be included in the project master record that is not identified elsewhere.
Select the Acct/Org Links link if you have selected the Which Orgs Can Charge Specific Accts checkbox or the Accounts to P/O/A checkbox. If you have selected either of these checkboxes, you must use this subtask to link your project to specific accounts and organizations in order to charge transactions to the project. This can be accomplished in this subtask using wildcards.
Select the Project Location link to enter data concerning the project’s location. This information is used for lien waivers and can be used for State Tax Apportionment purposes.
Select the Govt Contract link to enter information for projects that have been contracted with the Federal Government. You must enter a value in the Incurred Cost Submission Code field if you have selected the Require Incurred Cost Submission Code for all Projects checkbox in the Project Settings screen (Administration\Configure\Projects).
Select the User Defined Info link to enter information about the project or task that is not identified elsewhere in the Basic Project Info screen but is needed on the project.
Select the Deliverables link to enter information about deliverables. The data in this subtask is for informational purposes and is not included on any standard reports.
Select the Standard Text link to enter standard text codes. The standard text can be printed on purchase orders for this project.
Select the Project Accts link to create valid Project/Account links. Use this subtask if you have selected the Accounts checkbox in the Limit group box in the Basic Info tab.
Select the Project Orgs link to create valid Project/Org links. Use this subtask if you have selected the Organizations checkbox in the Limit group box in the Basic Info tab.
Select the Mass Link Proj/Acct/Org link to quickly link projects, accounts, and organizations. You will need to use this subtask only if you have selected either the Accts to P/O/A checkbox or the Which Orgs Can Charge Specific Accts checkbox in the Limit group box of the Basic Info tab. This screen populates the PROJ_ACCT_ORG table.
Select the Proj/Acct/Orgs link to manually add project, account, and organization links. You will need to use this subtask only if you have selected either the Accts to P/O/A checkbox or the Which Orgs Can Charge Specific Accts checkbox in the Limit group box of the Basic Info tab. This screen populates the PROJ_ACCT_ORG table.
Changes to this screen update the PROJ (Projects) and PROJ_EDIT (Project Edit) tables.
