Contents of the Configure Project Settings Screen

Use the fields and options to configure the Configure Project Settings screen.

Project Settings

Inter-Company Work Orders

Use the fields in this group box to enter a home location if you are using Costpoint Inter-Company Work Orders or Costpoint Consolidations. You can also initialize the last IWO number in the Last IWO Number field if you are using Costpoint Inter-Company Work Orders.

Note: Two kinds of Inter-Company Work Order (IWO) transactions are possible: those occurring with the same database and those occurring in a different database.
Field Description
Home Location

Enter, or click to select, a valid home location for use in Consolidations or IWOs. The locations available for are those that are saved in the Configure Transfer Locations screen. The status of the location must be Active.

The Copy Imported Consolidation Data to Permanent Tables, Create Consolidation Entries, Validate IWO Allocations, Export IWO Allocations, and Import IWO Allocations screens use the data in this field to identify the location that is sending or receiving the transfer.

Last IWO Number

Enter the beginning number for your IWOs. This field allows numeric values only. Costpoint increments the last digit of the IWO number.

Project Business Rules

Field Description
Require Incurred Cost Submission Code for all Projects

This check box defaults to cleared, which assumes that you have no government contracts, and that an Incurred Cost Submission Report is not required. In this case, the ICS codes on the Manage Government Contract Information screen are not required for any project. If you select this check box, an ICS code is required for every project, regardless of type. These codes represent the categories specified on the Incurred Cost Submission Reports. Some examples of incurred cost submission codes are:

  • Comm (Commercial)
  • Cost
  • Flex (Flexible)
  • IR&D (Internal Research and Development)
  • TM/F (Time and Materials/Fixed)
  • B&P (Bid and Proposal)

This field is for use by companies that contract with the federal government.

Use Goal Multipliers for Billable Value Calculations

Select this check box to calculate and report the billable value of your projects. If you select this check box, the Labor and Non-Labor fields in the Goal Multiplier group box on the Manage Revenue Information screen are required for all projects. (These goal multipliers are used by the Compute Billing Value of Cost Incurred process.) Billable value reporting is available for any project type and any revenue formula. This check box defaults to cleared, which assumes that billable value is not calculated.

  • Billable value calculations include allowable costs and allowable hours.
  • Billable value calculations apply goal multipliers (entered on the Manage Revenue Information screen) and override multipliers to labor and non-labor amounts. No multipliers are applied to units.
  • Labor multipliers are applied only to labor history lines with rate types of actual or ceiling, never billing.
  • Billable value is always calculated on a Year-to-Date (YTD) basis.
  • Prior year billable value amounts are stored on the Manage Prior Year Billable Value (PY_GOAL) screen. If you are using the billable value calculation on projects that have prior year incurred costs, you must initialize the Manage Prior Year Billable Value screen. The calculated billable value is inaccurate without this data.
  • No fees or burdens are included in the calculation; only direct costs and units are included.
  • Non-labor and unit detail is stored at the account level.
Apply G&A to WIP

Evaluate the status of this check box only if you have set up your pool structure to apply G&A to WIP projects.  The only function of this check box is to enable the Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP check box and the WIP G&A Pool Type drop-down list. The status of this check box (or any other option in this screen) has no affect on cost allocation. Whether G&A costs are applied to WIP costs depends solely on the pool structure that you created on the Manage Cost Pools screen. All check boxes related to G&A on WIP projects in this screen only affect reporting on the WIP Project Status Report.

Select this check box if WIP accounts exist in the base of your G&A pool and you want options for reporting G&A costs on the Project Status Report. Select the Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP check box to show applied G&A as a period cost that is part of the Net Inventory Balance on the WIP Project Status Report. Use the WIP G&A Pool Type drop-down list to select the pool types that are affected by these options.

If you leave this check box cleared, Costpoint applies no G&A to WIP costs.

WIP G&A Pool Type

Enter, or click to select, the pool type that is subtracted from total WIP costs on the WIP Project Status reports.

This field is relevant only if you apply G&A to WIP projects and elect to treat G&A as a period cost. This field is available only if you selected the Apply G&A to WIP and the Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP check boxes.

This option is for reporting purposes only. The application of G&A to a WIP project is determined by the pool structure set up on the Manage Cost Pools screen. The presentation of G&A costs on the financial statements is controlled by the debit allocation account in the base of the G&A pool. 

Select the G&A pool type. This field is available only if the Apply G&A to WIP check box is selected and the Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP check box is cleared. If you are applying G&A to WIP and do NOT want to capitalize this G&A, it is subtracted from total WIP costs, along with the WIP transfer, to arrive at net inventory balance. The purpose of this field is to designate which pool type is subtracted from total WIP costs. Any cost pool allocation with this pool type, which is applicable to this WIP project, is subtracted from total WIP costs on the balance sheet.

Note: For additional information on this screen, and on Work In Process in general, please see Work in Process.
Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP

Use this check box to select reporting options for the WIP Project Status Report. If you leave this check box cleared, the WIP Project Status Report displays G&A as a period cost that is subtracted from total WIP costs, along with WIP transfer, to arrive at the Net Inventory Balance. If you select this check box, you must identify the G&A pool type in the WIP G&A Pool Type field. If you select this check box, the G&A displays as part of the Net Inventory Balance on the WIP Project Status Report and is not subtracted from total WIP costs to arrive at the Net Inventory Balance. If this check box is cleared, the WIP G&A Pool Type field is unavailable.

The status of this check box affects only reporting on the WIP Project Status Report. The debit allocation accounts assigned to the WIP accounts in the G&A base determine where the G&A allocation displays on the financial statements.

Present WIP G&A on PSR Profit and Loss

Select this check box to include non-capitalized G&A on the PSR Profit and Loss report. This option is for presentation purposes only. If you select this check box, the G&A is deducted from the Total WIP costs and is not included in the Net Inventory Balance (since the Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP check box cannot be selected if the Present WIP G&A on PSR Profit and Loss check box is selected), and the same G&A is included in the profit and loss section of the WIP PSR, along with Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and any indirect burden on COGS.

This check box is enabled only if you do not select the Capitalize G&A Applied to WIP check box. 

Validate Project Charging by Organizations

Select this check box to control which validation method is available on the Basic Info tab of the Manage Project User Flow screen. This check box defaults to selected. If you leave this check box selected, the Limit which Orgs can charge specific Accts check box is available on the Basic Info tab of the Manage Project User Flow screen. If you do not select this check box, only the Limit Accounts to P/O/A check box is available. These options represent two ways of using the PROJ_ORG_ACCT table for transaction validation. Selecting this check box does not automatically activate a validation method, but allows you to make the selection on the Basic Info tab.

The Limit which Orgs can charge specific Accts option is considered the detail method of transaction validation in the PROJ_ORG_ACCT table. When you use this method, the project, account, and org must be in the PROJ_ORG_ACCT table for the transaction to pass validation. This is the most restrictive method of project transaction validation. This setting applies to all transaction entry screens. 

The Limit Accounts to P/O/A option is considered the summary method of transaction validation in the PROJ_ORG_ACCT table. When you use this method, the account and project must be in the PROJ_ORG_ACCT table, but you can use any org. This less restrictive method allows easier initialization and maintenance. This option applies to all transaction screens. 

Several other options for transaction validation are available on the Basic Info tab of the Manage Project User Flow screen. The following is a brief summary of those options. For more information on these options, see the screen documentation for the Basic Info tab. 

  • You can use the Limit Accounts and/or Limit Organizations options, which are also found on the Basic Info tab of the Manage Project User Flow screen. For these methods, you must enter records on the Link Projects/Accounts screen or the Link Projects/Organizations screen, respectively.
  • You can, optionally, choose the least restrictive transaction validation method, which means that an account need only exist in the project account group before it can be charged by a project.
Show Period of Performance Warning Message

Select this check box to enable period of performance validation. Enter period of performance data on the Manage Modifications screen. The period of performance validation produces a soft warning every time a transaction is entered that falls outside of the project's period of performance. Because this warning is invoked at the line level, it can greatly reduce the speed of data entry. If you are not concerned with period of performance validation, leave this check box cleared.

Track Owning Organization History

Select this check box to track modifications to the owning organization by project. You must select this check box to enable the Org History subtask of the Manage Project User Flow screen. This check box is selected by default.

Restrict Revenue for Closed and N/A Periods

Select this check box to prevent users from entering revenue adjustments or computing revenue for a Not Available or Closed fiscal year/period/subperiod combination. Users that attempt to enter a revenue adjustment (on the Manage Revenue Information screen) or compute revenue for a Not Available or Closed fiscal year/period/subperiod combination receive an error message. This check box is selected by default.

Users that receive the error can either select another fiscal year/period/subperiod combination or change the status of the fiscal year/period/subperiod combination to Open in the General Ledger and then enter the revenue adjustment or compute revenue.

Allow Revenue Posting in Adjustment Periods

Select this check box to allow revenue posting in adjustment periods. If you select this check box, the Post Revenue application will allow posting of revenue in adjustment periods. If you do not select this check box, you will not be able to post revenue in adjustment periods, but the journal will still be printed.

Allow Adjustment Period Revenue Computation & Posting in Subsequent Fiscal Years

Select this check box to allow computation and posting of prior year adjustment period revenue in a subsequent fiscal year.

Track Revenue Setup Information on Compute Revenue

Select this check box to track revenue setup information in the Compute Revenue application. When you select this check box, audit table information will be stored every time Compute Revenue is run.

Costpoint populates the log tables when Compute Revenue is run, capturing the revenue setup data that was used to compute revenue, by project ID, fiscal year, period, and subperiod. If this check box is selected and you run Compute Revenue again for the same project ID, fiscal year, period, and subperiod, the data in the audit tables will be replaced with the values for the most recent run of Compute Revenue.

Allow Use of Previously-Stored Revenue Calculation Values for Compute Revenue

Select this check box to allow use of previously-stored revenue calculation values in computing revenue. If you select this check box, the Use Previously-Stored Revenue Calculation Values check box on the Compute Revenue screen becomes visible and enabled. If you select the check box in Compute Revenue, you will be able to compute revenue in a given period using the same revenue calculation values that were used when revenue was last computed for the selected project, fiscal year, period, and/or subperiod.

Allow Projects that are Inactive or Do Not Allow Charging in Allocation Journals

Select this check box to allow projects that are inactive or do not allow charging to be used when creating, updating, or importing allocation journals for manual service centers. This control setting is referenced in Manage Allocation Journals, Import Allocation Basis Journals, Manage Unit Usage, Import Units Usage Files, and Manage Units Usage History when entering or processing manual service center pools.

Validate Modification Descriptions

Select this check box to enforce validation of project modification descriptions.

Project modification descriptions are set up on Manage Modification Descriptions screen. You can define modification descriptions on this screen whether or not the Validate Modification Descriptions check box is selected. Once you select this check box, however, you must set up modification descriptions on the Manage Modification Descriptions screen, and only those descriptions can be used for new modifications or as replacement descriptions for existing modifications. You will also not be able to delete descriptions that have already been used on a modification if this check box is selected.

Quick Project Defaults

Use this optional group box to create defaults for the Manage Project Master Data from Templates process.

Field Description
Owning Organization

Enter a default owning organization for use during the Manage Project Master Data from Templates process. This default is used only for templates.

Account Group

Enter a default account group for use during the Manage Project Master Data from Templates process. This default is used only for templates.

Use Quick Project Templates

If you select this check box, you must enter a template ID when initiating a project in the Manage Project Master Data from Templates process. Project templates determine which fields are required, whether a default value or method is being used, and which role is responsible for completing a particular field.

Contract Management Options

Use this group box to control whether users can create and/or update project modifications from the Contracts domain. This group box is visible only if you are licensed for Contract Management.

Field Description
Allow Creation of New Project Modifications from Contract and Subcontract Modifications

Select this check box to enable creation of project modifications within the Contracts domain. When you select this check box, users can add new modifications for projects linked to contracts and/or subcontracts on the Manage Contracts or Manage Subcontracts screen.

The value of this check box defaults to the Create New Project Modifications check box on the Manage Contracts and Manage Subcontracts screens.

Allow Override

This check box is enabled only if you select the Allow Creation of New Project Modifications from Contract and Subcontract Modifications check box.

Select this check box to allow users to override the selection for the Create New Project Modifications check box within the Contracts domain for a specific contract or subcontract record. For example, if you select the Allow Creation of New Project Modifications from Contract and Subcontract Modifications and Allow Override check boxes, users have the option to clear the Create New Project Modifications check box for a specific contract/subcontract record to disable creation of new project modifications for that record.

If you have selected the Allow Creation of New Project Modifications from Contract and Subcontract Modifications and Allow Override check boxes, and subsequently clear the Allow Creation of New Project Modifications from Contract and Subcontract Modifications check box, Costpoint automatically clears the Allow Override check box upon saving.

Allow Update of Existing Project Modifications from Contract and Subcontract Modifications

Select this check box to enable updating of existing project modifications within the Contracts domain. When you select this check box, users can modify existing modifications for projects linked to contracts and/or subcontracts on the Manage Contracts or Manage Subcontracts screen.

Project Process Settings

Calculate PO Commitments

Use this group box to select the default commitments calculation method. This method is the default on the Compute/Print Purchasing Commitments screen.

Field Description
Real Time

Select this option to compute and print commitments for all purchase requisition/purchase order activity in Costpoint, regardless of the transaction dates.

By Open Period

Select this option to compute and print commitments for the fiscal year, period, and subperiod entered. Any activity performed in subsequent periods is ignored.

Select Budgeting Method

Field Description
Budgeting and ETC

Select this option to use budget figures from Costpoint Budgeting and ETC to populate the budget fields in the screens in the Projects domain.

Advanced Budgeting

Select this option to use budget figures from Costpoint Advanced Project Budgeting to populate the budget fields in the screens in the Projects domain. This option is the default setting.

Default Revenue Posting by

Select one of these options to be the default revenue posting method. You can override this default on a project-by-project basis on the Manage Revenue Information screen.  

Field Description
Owning Organization

Select this option to set the posting of revenue by owning organization as the Costpoint default. Revenue is accumulated by cost element by performing organization in the project ledger. A revenue account for the owning organization can be used for fixed revenue formulas, overruns, and adjustments. If you select this option, Costpoint posts revenue entirely to the owning organization, regardless of the organization that performed it.  

Performing Organization

Select this option to set the posting of revenue by performing organization as the Costpoint default. This means that Costpoint posts revenue to the organization that performed, or contributed, it. If a revenue account is used in the project ledger, this amount posts to the owning organization.

Calculate Unit Pricing Based on

Field Description
Total

Select this option to set the unit pricing default to total pricing (pricing is based on a set unit cost for all items in a given order). This selection does not preclude giving price breaks based on quantity ordered. It means that if a price break is given based on quantity, the price break applies to all items on that order, not only to the number of items above the price break quantity.

Incremental

Select this option to set the unit pricing default to incremental pricing (items on a single order can be priced at several different prices, based on a quantity pricing schedule). For example, if a client orders 50 units, the first 10 units can be priced at one amount, with the remaining 40 units priced at a different amount.

T+M Rate Sequence Search for PLC Source Project

Use this group box to select the method that the Load Labor Rates process uses to search for PLC rates.  

Field Description
First Row

Select this option to search only the PLCs from the source project on the first row of the table. 

All Rows

Select this option to search each row in the table by sequential order. After a PLC is found for the source project of a given row, Costpoint stops searching the table, and the same source project is used for all PLCs.

None

Select this option to ignore the Define Rate Sequence table for PLC defaulting and validation.

Allow Revenue To Exceed

Use this group box to select the method by which you wish to recognize any excess revenue. After you make your selection, you must not modify it because it affects all projects on a company-wide basis.

You originally specified on the Manage Revenue Information screen whether or not you wanted to allow revenue to exceed value and by how much it can be exceeded by project. In addition, you also specified the revenue ceiling on the Manage Total Ceilings screen.

Field Description
Contract Value

Select this option to allow revenue in excess of the signed value of the project to be computed and posted. Contract Value is the default selection.

Funded Value

Select this option to allow revenue in excess of the funded value of the project to be computed and posted.

Update Prior Year History Defaults

Use this group box to select the option for including the adjustment period data when you run the Update Prior Year History application.

Field Description
Cost Only, No Revenue

Select this option to sum all costs based on targeted or actual costs from all periods in the fiscal year (including adjustment periods) and sum revenue based on regular periods only (excluding adjustment periods).

Both Cost and Revenue

Select this option to sum all costs and revenue based on targeted or actual costs from all periods in the fiscal year, including adjustment periods.

No Adjustment Period Data

Select this option to sum all costs and revenue based on targeted or actual costs from only the regular periods in the fiscal year, that is, excluding any adjustment period.

Allow this default to be changed in Update process

Select this check box to allow the default value to be overridden on the Update Prior Year History screen.

Period of Performance Start and End Dates

Use this group box to select the method for updating the period of performance (POP) start and end dates.

Field Description
Update POP Start Date based on earliest Start Date From

Select the POP update method for the start date. Valid options are:

  • All modifications: Select this option to update the POP start date using the earliest start date out of all applicable projects' modification starting dates. The application looks at modifications for all applicable projects and their lower-level projects, and selects the earliest starting date from all of these modifications.
  • Only mods with latest effective dates: Select this option to update the POP start date using the earliest starting date out of the modifications with the most recent effective dates for each applicable project. The application does not look at all modifications. Instead, it looks at a result set consisting of only the latest modification for each project ID at or below the level of the specific project being updated, and selects the earliest starting date from that group of modifications.

The default is All modifications.

Update POP End Date based on latest End Date From

Select the POP update method for the end date. Valid options are:

  • All modifications: Select this option to update the POP end date using the latest ending date out of all applicable projects' modification ending dates. The application looks at modifications for all applicable projects and their lower-level projects, and selects the latest ending date from all of these modifications.
  • Only mods with latest effective dates: Select this option to update the POP end date using the latest ending date out of the modifications with the most recent effective dates for each applicable project. The application does not look at all modifications. Instead, it looks at a result set consisting of only the latest modification for each project ID at or below the level of the specific project being updated, and selects the latest ending date from that group of modifications.

The default is Only mods with latest effective dates.

Last Create Pool Links Run Date

This editable field displays the date on which the Create Pool Links screen was last executed. This field is updated when you execute the Create Pool Links process for ALL pools for your company.

When you run the Create Pool Links process, Costpoint compares the timestamp for each row in the Pool Cost Setup (POOL_COST_WILDCARD) and Maintain Account/Org Links (ORG_ACCT) tables to the timestamp in the Project Settings table. Only rows with a timestamp later than the timestamp here are inserted into the work table to be compared to existing pool cost and pool base account rows.  

You can modify this field, which can be helpful if, for example, you delete rows on the Pool Cost or Pool Base subtasks of the Manage Cost Pools screen. You can modify this timestamp and use the Create Pool Links process to restore the rows.

Modifications Effective Date

Use this group box to select whether to have the system date default into the project modification effective dates or leave the effective date blank to require users to enter it.

Field Description
Default System Date Select this option to have Costpoint use the system date as a default for the effective date of new project modifications. The date that defaults can still be changed when you select this option.
User Must Enter Date Select this option to require the user to enter the effective date when entering new project modifications. No date defaults when you select this option, and the user must enter a date before he/she can save the modification record.

The selection you make in this group box determines the setting of the Effective Date field on the following screens:

  • Manage Modifications
  • Manage Project User Flow
  • Manage Contracts
  • Manage Subcontracts
  • Manage Alternate Project Revenue Profiles
  • Manage Project Revenue Calculation Value History
Note:

If Default System Date is selected on the Configure Project Settings screen, check that the date that defaults is applicable to new project modifications to avoid revenue ceilings being released incorrectly.

If User Must Enter Date is selected, the Effective Date field on these screens becomes required. Make sure to enter a value in Effective Date before saving the record to avoid an error.

The Import Project Master Data application also considers the option you select in this group box, and follows this logic:

  • If Default System Date is selected and there is no Effective Date value (EFFECT_DT column in the PROJ_MOD table) in the input file, the system date defaults into the modification effective date when project modifications are imported.
  • If Default System Date is selected and an Effective Date value has been entered in the input file, Costpoint uses the input file effective date when project modifications are imported. The system does not overwrite this date with the current date.
  • If User Must Enter Date is selected, the input file must have an Effective Date value before it can be imported. If Effective Date is left blank, an error will be indicated in the Import Project Information Error Report.

Project Segment Lengths

Use this table to designate the length of the first segment (level) of the project for all of your Costpoint projects. The projects are user-defined and can have multiple levels totaling a maximum of 30 alphanumeric characters (this limit includes the decimal point(s) used to separate each level). The first-segment length is validated for entry of all projects and determines subsequent levels available for the project. You can set up additional levels on a project-by-project basis or on a company-wide basis. Company-wide levels, of course, hold a higher preference than levels set up by individual projects.

You can also designate additional, company-wide project segment lengths in this table window. These additional segments represent the lower levels (second, third, and so forth) of the projects. The selections made in this screen default to the Project Levels subtask of the Manage Project User Flow screen. On the Manage Project User Flow screen, you can override any segment length, except the first segment.

Note: For more information, see the Project Levels and Data topic.

Subtasks

Subtask Description
Revenue Formulas Click this link to open the Revenue Formulas subtask, where you can select which revenue formulas are available for selection on the Revenue Information screen for each company. All formulas are originally set to "selected" status. If you do not want to use a revenue formula in your database, remove the formula.
Corporate Settings Click this link to open the Corporate Settings subtask, where you can select project settings options that apply to all companies in your database.