Service Estimate Tab of Opportunity Info Center

The Service Estimate tab provides an overview of the estimated services and materials required for an opportunity. As you enter the labor, expense, consultant, or unit cost estimates for an opportunity, you can refresh the data to see an updated analysis of each estimate.

The Enable Service Estimate option must be selected on the Service Estimate tab of Opportunity Settings (Configuration > General > Opportunity Settings) for this tab to display.

Contents

Field Description
Labor Category Table Use the Cost, Billing, or Cost and Billing drop-downs to select the Labor Category table to be used for default cost rates.

If you use Vision Planning, then only Labor Category tables marked Available for Project Planning are available.

Cost Use the drop-down list to select the Labor Category table to be used for default cost rates.

If you use Vision Planning, then only Labor Category tables marked Available for Project Planning are available.

This field displays if the Cost or Cost and Billing option is selected on the Service Estimate tab in Opportunity Settings Configuration.

Billing Use the drop-down list to select the Labor Category table to be used for default billing rates.

If you use Vision Planning, then only Labor Category tables marked Available for Project Planning are available.

This field displays if the Billing or Cost and Billing option is selected on the Service Estimate tab in Opportunity Settings Configuration.

Currency: Cost or Currency If you use Multicurrency, use the drop-down list to select the currency for Planned Cost amounts.

If Use Billing Currency not Project Currency is not selected on the Reporting tab of Accounting System Settings (Configuration > Accounting > System Settings), the label for this field is just Currency.

If you create a project from this opportunity, this currency becomes the default project currency. If Use Billing Currency not Project Currency is not selected on the Reporting tab of Accounting System Settings, it also becomes the default billing currency for the project. This defaulting behavior also occurs if you create a project from this opportunity and a project template, and the template does not have one or both of the currencies specified.

Currency: Billing If you use Multicurrency, use the drop-down list to select the currency for Planned Billing amounts.

This field is only available if Use Billing Currency not Project Currency is selected on the Reporting tab of Accounting System Settings (Configuration > Accounting > System Settings).

If you create a project from this opportunity, this currency becomes the default billing currency for the project. This defaulting behavior also occurs if you create a project from this opportunity and a project template, and the template has no billing currency specified.

Labor Grid

Use the Labor grid to enter labor-related details for the estimate.

Field Description
Labor Drop-down

Click the drop-down arrow on a grid header to complete any of the following actions:

  • To print grid data, click Print. On the Print Preview form, click File > Print to send the grid data to your default printer.
  • To export grid data to an Excel spreadsheet, click Export to Excel. When Microsoft Excel opens, use its features to modify, print, or email the grid data, or to save the spreadsheet file locally.
  • To turn on grouping for a grid, click Enable Grouping. When a field displays with the instruction: "Drag a column header here to group by that column," drag and drop column headers into the field, in the sequence that you want them to display.

Not all options are available on all grids.

Insert Click this option to open a new row in the grid.
Copy Click this option to copy the current row.
Delete Click this option to delete the current row.
Description Enter a description for the labor category.
Labor Category Use this field to specify the labor category record's identifier. You can type the labor category's identifier in this field, click to access the Labor Category Lookup and select a labor category, or copy and paste to create a new labor category.

When you copy and paste a labor category to create a new labor category, you also copy all related information under the labor category. Change the name of the copied labor category to create a new labor category.

Generic Resource Use this field to specify the generic resource. You can enter the generic resource in this field, click to access the Generic Resource Lookup and select a resource, or copy and paste to create a new labor category.
Planned Hours Enter the planned hours for the labor category. This should be the number of hours that you estimate as necessary to complete work on the element.
Cost Rate Cost rates represent your company's cost to produce a service. The default cost rate displayed in this field is taken from the cost table referenced in the Cost field. Vision recalculates this rate if you override this default.
Planned Cost This field displays the planned cost amount for the current labor category. To calculate the planned cost amount, Vision multiplies the planned hours by the cost rate for the current line item.
Billing Rate Billing rates represent what the client will pay for the services your firm provides. The default billing rate displayed in this field is taken from the billing table referenced in the Billing field. Vision recalculates this rate if you override this default.
Planned Bill This field displays the planned billing amount for the current labor category. To calculate the planned billing amount, Vision multiplies the planned hours by the billing rate for the current line item.

Expenses Grid

Use the Expenses grid to enter expense estimates for the opportunity. After you enter expense information, you can refer to the Analysis grid for an overall total of your estimates.

Field Description
Expenses Drop-down

Click the drop-down arrow on a grid header to complete any of the following actions:

  • To print grid data, click Print. On the Print Preview form, click File > Print to send the grid data to your default printer.
  • To export grid data to an Excel spreadsheet, click Export to Excel. When Microsoft Excel opens, use its features to modify, print, or email the grid data, or to save the spreadsheet file locally.
  • To turn on grouping for a grid, click Enable Grouping. When a field displays with the instruction: "Drag a column header here to group by that column," drag and drop column headers into the field, in the sequence that you want them to display.

Not all options are available on all grids.

Insert Click this option to insert a new row in the grid. Click Search to open the Account Lookup and select an account.
Copy Click this option to copy the current row.
Delete Click this option to delete the current row.
Account Enter a non-consultant reimbursable and non-consultant direct expense account. Enter an account number or select one on the Account lookup.
Billable Vision selects this option if the expense is reimbursable.
Planned Cost Enter the estimated or forecast cost amount by expense account.
Planned Bill Enter the estimated or forecast billing amount by expense account.

For reimbursable expenses, if a Billing Multiplier is entered in Service Estimates Configuration, Vision calculates this field as follows:

Planned Cost * Expenses Billing Multiplier

If the expense is direct, you must enter the billing amount.

Consultants Grid

Use the Consultants grid to enter consultant estimates for the opportunity. After you enter consultant information, refer to the Analysis grid for an overall total of your estimates.

Field Description
Consultants Drop-down

Click the drop-down arrow on a grid header to complete any of the following actions:

  • To print grid data, click Print. On the Print Preview form, click File > Print to send the grid data to your default printer.
  • To export grid data to an Excel spreadsheet, click Export to Excel. When Microsoft Excel opens, use its features to modify, print, or email the grid data, or to save the spreadsheet file locally.
  • To turn on grouping for a grid, click Enable Grouping. When a field displays with the instruction: "Drag a column header here to group by that column," drag and drop column headers into the field, in the sequence that you want them to display.

Not all options are available on all grids.

Insert Click this option to insert a new row in the grid.

Click to open the Account Lookup and select an account.

Copy Click this option to copy the current row.
Delete Click this option to delete the current row.
Account Use this column to enter a non-consultant reimbursable and non-consultant direct expense account. You can enter an account number, use the Account Lookup, or use Quick Find.

If the expense is reimbursable, Vision calculates the billing amount based on the multiplier defined in Service Estimates Configuration. However, if the expense is direct, you must enter the billing amount as needed.

Billable Vision selects this option if the account is reimbursable.
Planned Cost Enter the estimated or forecast cost amount by expense account.
Planned Bill Enter the estimated or forecast billing amount by expense account.

For reimbursable expenses, if a Billing Multiplier is entered in Service Estimates Configuration, Vision calculates this field as follows:

Planned Cost * Expenses Billing Multiplier

If the expense is direct, you must enter the billing amount.

Units Grid

Use the Units grid to estimate the quantities, cost amounts, and billing amounts for the opportunity.

Field Description
Units Drop-down

Click the drop-down arrow on a grid header to complete any of the following actions:

  • To print grid data, click Print. On the Print Preview form, click File > Print to send the grid data to your default printer.
  • To export grid data to an Excel spreadsheet, click Export to Excel. When Microsoft Excel opens, use its features to modify, print, or email the grid data, or to save the spreadsheet file locally.
  • To turn on grouping for a grid, click Enable Grouping. When a field displays with the instruction: "Drag a column header here to group by that column," drag and drop column headers into the field, in the sequence that you want them to display.

Not all options are available on all grids.

Insert Click this option to open a new row in the grid and displays the Lookup icon in the Unit Number field. Click to open the Units Lookup and select a unit.
Copy Click this option to copy the current row.
Delete Click this option to delete the current row.
Unit Number Enter the unit number or select one on the lookup. The Unit lookup displays a combination of Unit Number, Unit Name, and Unit Table fields from which you can select a specific combination of information. Dormant unit records are not included.
Unit Name This field displays the unit name associated with the selected Unit Number.
Unit Table This field displays the unit table associated with the selected Unit Number.
Planned Qty Enter the planned quantity for the current unit. This is the number of units you estimate as necessary to complete work on the element.
Cost Rate Cost rates represent your firm's cost to produce a service. When you select a unit from the Unit Lookup, the cost rate associated with the unit in the Unit Table displays in this field.
Planned Cost Vision calculates the planned cost amount based on the following:

Cost Rate * Planned Qty

Billing Rate Billing rates represent what the client will pay for the services that your firm provides. When you select a unit on the Unit Lookup, the billing rate associated with the unit in the Unit Table displays in this field. The billing multiplier entered on the Rates tab is applied in addition to the billing rates specified in the Unit Table.

You can enter a billing rate in this field, to override the existing billing rate.

Planned Bill Vision calculates the planned billing amount based on the following:

Billing Rate * Planned Qty

Analysis Grid

Use the Analysis grid to review the opportunity's anticipated performance.

Field Description
Analysis Drop-down

Click the drop-down arrow on a grid header to complete any of the following actions:

  • To print grid data, click Print. On the Print Preview form, click File > Print to send the grid data to your default printer.
  • To export grid data to an Excel spreadsheet, click Export to Excel. When Microsoft Excel opens, use its features to modify, print, or email the grid data, or to save the spreadsheet file locally.
  • To turn on grouping for a grid, click Enable Grouping. When a field displays with the instruction: "Drag a column header here to group by that column," drag and drop column headers into the field, in the sequence that you want them to display.

Not all options are available on all grids.

Refresh Click this option to refresh the calculations and amounts on the Analysis grid. If you have unsaved changes, Vision prompts you to save your changes.
Calculation This field displays calculations related to the selected cost and billing rate, such as Total Cost or Gross Margin.
Amount This field displays the total for each calculation in the Analysis grid.