Costpoint Online Help

Using the Help Search
Using the Help Search
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For more information:Searching Online Help

Troubleshooting Your Pool Setup

To review your pool setup, use the Print Cost Pool Setup Report screen to print out a report showing your pool information.

To test the pool setup, you can complete the burdening process, then print Project Status Reports and review the results.

If your pools are not providing the results you expect, make sure that none of the following rules have been violated:

  • Allocation Group Number 1 is the only group whose pools allocate costs to projects. All other Allocation Groups (2 and above) are considered informational only.
  • If the same pool is active for multiple fiscal years, you must clone it from fiscal year to fiscal year.
  • You can modify a pool sequence number as often as necessary, but you must run the Build Rate Application Table screen each time you make a modification.
  • You must select the Apply Rates to Projects checkbox on the Manage Cost Pools screen for those pools (not service centers) that apply their calculated rates to projects.
  • The same account/organization combination cannot appear in both the cost and base of the same pool.
  • You cannot use an account/organization combination as a cost account/organization in the same allocation group more than once.
  • When selecting cost accounts, you must select the account/organization combinations where the charging occurs to ensure inclusion in the cost pool. 
  • You can use a base account/organization combination only once in a pool base. However, you can use a base account/organization combination in many different pools as a base account/organization.
  • An allocation account/organization combination can only be an allocation account for one pool and cannot be used as an allocation account in more than one pool, although in that one pool, it can be used many times.
  • An allocation account/organization combination cannot be a cost account or base account in the same pool.
  • When allocating from one pool to another (for example, from fringe to overhead), you must include the appropriate Allocation Debit Account/Organization combination in the pool cost of the pool receiving the allocation.
  • No accounts should exist in the base of an hours-based cost pool unless the account has incurred hours.
  • Cost and Receivable Variance Account/Organization combinations are required for all rows containing base accounts if you have a requirement to post variances.
  • Only one pool can use a variance account/organization combination, although in that one pool, the combination can be used many times.
  • Any accounts that you enter on the Defaults Accounts subtask of the Manage Cost Pools screen must have the Project Required checkbox on the Manage Accounts screen cleared. An exception to this occurs with "automatic service centers" when the allocation account is used as a direct cost to the project. In this case, the allocation account is a Project Required account.
  • When setting up a service center, you must select the Service Center checkbox on the Cost Pools screen and complete the Pool Cost subtask just as you would for a regular pool. You must designate a credit account/organization combination on the Default Accounts subtask.
  • If the Calculation of Base is Manual on the Service Center subtask, you need not complete the Pool Base subtask. You must, however, enter the basis each period on the Manage Allocation Journal screen. The basis type can be Dollars, Hours, or Units.
  • If the Calculation of Base is Automatic on the Service Center subtask, you must complete the Pool Base subtask just as you would be for a regular pool. The basis type can be Dollars or Hours.
  • To ensure the service center cost is fully allocated, you must not select the Apply Standard Cost Per Unit checkbox on the Service Center subtask. If you select the checkbox, the Standard Unit Rate you specify is used to allocate the costs and the service center may not be fully allocated.