Project Setup Tips

Although setting up a project can be tedious and time-consuming, knowing which pieces of information have to be entered immediately in order to make Costpoint function properly, and which ones are optional, can lighten the load tremendously.

This discussion is intended to provide the correct sequence for setting up information in Costpoint Project Setup, and also to show which information is required and which information is optional.

Before entering any data in Costpoint Project Setup, enter your complete Chart of Accounts, including all organizations and reference numbers, in Costpoint General Ledger. You do NOT need to set up indirect cost pools before entering data in Costpoint Project Setup.

You can set up a project on the Manage Project User Flow screen. Click a link for more information about each setup.

1. Set Up the Project Setup Control screens
2. Set Up All Applicable Project Master screens
3. Setup Account/Org Links subtask
4. Set Up the Manage Modifications screen
5. Set Up the Government Contract subtask on the Manage Project User Flow
6. Set up other applicable screens
7. Set up labor categories for Time and Materials projects and Level of Effort projects
8. Set up revenue information
9. Set up discounts
10. Set up Cost of Goods Sold (if applicable)
11. Set up cost and hours ceilings
12. Set up prior fiscal year history
13. Set up billings. (This process is described in detail in the topics for Costpoint Billing. At the very least, it involves setting up the Manage Project Billing Information screen.)

All of these screens are used to control processing within Costpoint Cost and Revenue Processing, Inquiry and Reporting, and Billing. You can enter optional data at any time, and you can even enter required data in a leisurely fashion, depending upon which processes you want to use. For example, if you do not need to calculate billings right away, you can delay setup of the Manage Project Billing Information screen, or if you do not have hours ceilings and do not require contract-to-date totals on your Project Status Reports, you can delay entering Labor History. However, in the long run, the more complete your setup is, the more accurate all of the processes and reports are.