Period Control Options

The core ledgers – Sales, Purchase and Nominal / Cashbook – and Stock Control all maintain period values on the main record allowing you to view the key movements on an individual record basis, for a group of records or on a system wide value as a whole. This facility has now been extended to Job Costing allowing you to see the changes in job budgets, costs, values and hours on a period-by-period basis.

As with the Sales/Purchase Ledger each job record can hold the movement for the current period, the year-to-date and a forward period together with a rolling 12/13 periods based on the usual accounting calendar. The accounting calendar and the current period are used to validate the dates that transactions are created for meaning that transactions are dated within the current period or one period in advance (transactions can be dated earlier than the current period but are processed within the current period), a period end option updates the rolling period values and moves job costing into the next period.

Existing Job Costing Options

Maintain Jobs – the job maintenance options with the ability to add, update, or view job records, the job completion options, cost code and project activity maintenance options are unaffected by the implementation of period end facilities.

Job Transactions – the only ‘operator’ apparent change here is the validation of transaction dates against the current job period and the accounting calendar. Other applications that can update Job Costing – Sales / Purchase Ledger, Cashbook, Invoicer, Sales and Purchase Order Processing – will also validate transactions where necessary against the current job period.

If the transaction date entered is prior to the start of the current period (and forward transactions enabled) you will be warned:

Responding ‘No’ will take you back to the date input to re-enter an appropriate date, responding ‘Yes’ will allow you to carry on and date the transaction as of the entered date but the period number (and the period values updated) will be as per the current period. The category value and totals are updated as normal. NB: If forward transactions not enabled then no previous period posting dates are allowed either.

If the transaction date entered is in the next period you will be warned:

Again responding ‘No’ will take you back to the date input to re-enter an appropriate date, responding ‘Yes’ will allow you to carry on and date the transaction as per the entered date but the period number will be updated as per next period, and only the period ‘forward’ values will be updated. At the next period end the system moves these values from forward into the current/ year-to-date values, the category value and totals are updated as normal.

If the transaction is dated further ahead than the next period, or you are in the last period of the year and attempting to post ahead you will be warned:

Selecting the OK button will return you to the transaction date input to re-enter.

Once the transaction date is accepted, or you confirm the warning message, then the remainder of the transaction entry procedure operates as previously. On update of the transaction the system still updates the standard category values and totals but in addition also updates the period and year-to-date values or, in the case of forward transactions, updates the forward value items.

 Notes

Batch Updates from Purchase Ledger only process current purchase transactions and can only be posted with a current job costing period date.

The ‘Transaction Listing’, ‘Labour Costs Summary’ and ‘Job Transaction Summary’ reports allow entry of a transaction record number and date range to be included. The date range will default to including current period transactions up to the end of period date or, subject to system profile settings, include current and forward period transactions up to the end on the forward period. The record number range will default to the record number of the first transaction this period and any ‘earlier period’ transactions after this point will not be included – if the starting record is amended then all transactions after this point will be included subject to any other criteria.

The ‘Job Statement’ also allows options to ‘Include Forward Transactions’ and set a transaction record / date range. As with other job reports the ‘Include’ parameter affects the print of the total values but not the category values and also sets the ‘to’ date of the transaction date range accordingly. Unlike the transaction reports though the starting record number is always ‘1’ by default and would include all transactions up to the transaction due date (subject to any other criteria)

The ‘Cost Code Listing’ and ‘Employee Cost Code Listing’ reports are unaffected by period control options.

Job Costing Period End Options

The Job Costing period end procedures allow for three new options – an automatic reports option, the period end itself and a view period utility.

Automatic Reports – this option allows the facility to print a pre-selected series of the job costing reports automatically.

Selecting the option lists the configured reports and asks if ‘OK to commence Period End Reports’ – selecting YES continues to ask for the print device before printing the selected reports, selecting NO returns you to the menu. Note a reporting assumption is made that these reports do not include forward transactions.

Period End – the period end process closes one period and moves on to the next. As part of the update the system moves the values from the current-period data items into the appropriate period number slot of the rolling 12/13 period items before resetting back to zero. Any forward-period values are then updated into the current-period values and added to the year-to-date values.

At the start of the period end the system displays the date ranges for the period being closed and the period being opened and asks you to confirm this is correct – select YES to continue with the period end and NO to return to the menu.

As part of the period-end three checks are performed – whether the job transactions have been ‘printed’, are there any unauthorised timesheets for the current period and, if configured for link in batch mode, whether the purchase ledger has been updated to job costing. If any of these checks fail the system warns according and returns you to the menu

The system then warns that you should have a backup before proceeding and asks if you wish to continue with the period end – again YES proceeds with the period end and NO returns you to the menu.

Once the period end has been completed the system displays the new period date range and selecting OK returns you to the menu.

 Additional Period End Options

Installation

Database Changes

A large number of additional data items are required on the Job file to record the period and year-to-date values for the job records. In addition the Job Cost Transaction file also needs to be updated to hold the job period number.

To restructure the job files select Installation from the main menu followed by Application Manager and then Restructure a Database. Select the Job Costing application, choose to update the live file and then select the Job File. Move down to a series of blank items and then press <Enter> to begin inserting the items below.

Item Name Type Description

NB: Please note the initial series of budget value, hours and costs items are only required and updated when using the budget timesheet options and are not updated if entering budgets through the job maintenance screens.

BUDG-VAL-YEAR K, L Holds the additional value added to the budgets within the current year.

BUDG-VAL-PER K, L Holds the addition budget value added in the current period

BUDG-VAL-FWD K, L Holds the additional budget value added (early) for the next period

BUDG-VAL-P01 K, L Holds the additional budget value added in period 1.

BUDG-VAL-Pnn K, L Holds the additional value added to the budget in periods 2-13. Generally most systems operate on a 12-period accounting calendar but up to 13 periods are allowed, to allow for future development it is recommended to add data items for all possible 13 periods.

BUDG-HRS-YEAR K, L Holds the additional budget hours added in current year.

BUDG-HRS-PER K, L Holds the additional budget hours added in the current period.

BUDG-HRS-FWD K, L Holds the additional budget hours added (early) for the next period.

BUDG-HRS-P01 K, L Holds the additional budget hours added in period 1.

BUDG-HRS-Pnn K, L Holds the additional budget hours added in periods 2-13

BUDG-CST-YEAR K, L Holds the additional budget costs added in current year

BUDG-CST-PER K, L Holds the additional budget costs added in current period

BUDG-CST-FWD K, L Holds the additional budget costs added early for next period.

BUDG-CST-P01 K, L Holds the additional budget costs added in period 1

BUDG-CST-Pnn K, L Holds the additional budget costs added in periods 2-13

The next series of items relate to the update of job costs via transactions in Job Costing and any additional applications that may be linked to Job Costing.

ACT-VAL-YEAR K, L Holds the actual values added to jobs in the current year

ACT-VAL-PER K, L Holds the actual values added to jobs in the current period

ACT-VAL-FWD K, L Holds the actual values added early to jobs for the next period

ACT-VAL-P01 K, L Holds the actual values added to jobs in period 1

ACT-VAL-Pnn K, L Holds the actual values added to jobs in periods 2-13

ACT-HRS-YEAR K, L Holds the actual hours worked on jobs in current year

ACT-HRS-PER K, L Holds the actual hours worked on jobs in current period

ACT-HRS-FWD K, L Holds the actual hours worked on jobs early for next period

ACT-HRS-P01 K, L Holds the actual hours worked in period 1

ACT-HRS-Pnn K, L Holds the actual hours worked in periods 2-13

ACT-CST-YEAR K, L Holds the actual costs assigned to jobs in the current year

ACT-CST-PER K, L Holds the actual costs assigned to jobs in the current period

ACT-CST-FWD K, L Holds the actual costs assigned to jobs early for next period

ACT-CST-P01 K, L Holds the actual costs assigned to jobs in period 1

ACT-CST-Pnn K, L Holds the actual costs assigned to jobs in periods 2-13

The next series of items record the sales invoices raised against the job.

AMT-INV-YEAR K, L Holds the sales value related to the job in current year

AMT-INV-PER K, L Holds the sales value related to the job in current period

AMT-INV-FWD K, L Holds the sales value related to the job in forward period

AMT-INV-P01 K, L Holds the sales value related to the job in period 1

AMT-INV-Pnn K, L Holds the sales value related to the job in periods 2-13

Once the required items have been added to the Job file press the <ESC> key and select to update the job database with the change, when prompted confirm to extract any existing records and table descriptions. Once updated you will be prompted to remove the old database – respond as required – and asked whether you wish to update the base files. If elect to update the base files then repeat the items above ensuring you add at the same item numbers.

In addition to the changes on the job file a new item is required on the Job Transaction file to hold the transaction period number. Select Restructure a Database again, confirm updating live files, and select the Job Cost File. Move down to a blank entry and press <Enter> to add the following item(s).

Item Name Type Description

PERIOD-NO N Records the period number (1-13) the transaction was created within.

Again, once the required items have been added to the file press the <ESC> key and select to update the database with the change, when prompted confirm to extract any existing records and table descriptions. Once updated you will be prompted to remove the old database – respond as required – and asked whether you wish to update the base files. If elect to update the base files then repeat the items above ensuring you add at the same item numbers.

Datafile Database Profiles

The new items added above need to be referenced within the Datafile Database Profiles. Select Installation from the main menu followed by Application Manager, Set Database Profiles and then the Job Costing application.

The new job data items are referenced within several parameter screens.

Period Budgets – allows reference of the budget value items

Period Budget Hours – allows reference of the budget hours items

Period Budget Costs – allows reference of the budget cost items

Period Actuals – allows reference of the actual value items

Period Actual Hours – allows reference of the actual hours items

Period Actual Costs – allows reference of the actual cost items

Period Amount Inv – allows reference of the amount invoice items

Select the parameter screen required and reference the appropriate data item numbers on the left of the screen. <F4-Select> is available as required.

The new transaction items are referenced within the parameter screen ‘Cost Trans Items 2’ again select this screen and reference the item number for the period number.

System Profiles

To enable the period end options within Job Costing a series of additional parameters have been added to the Job Costing System Profiles. To update select Installation from the main menu and lock out the system before selecting the System Profiles option and the Job Costing application; screen 4 of the System Profiles contains the additional parameters.

Use Period-End Processing in Job Costing – set to enable period control within Job Costing.

Use Forward Job Processing – set to allow posting to forward period within Job Costing

Report Forward Transactions by default – set to include forward transactions by default when printing job costing reports.

Period End: Prompt Save into Which Period – usually left blank to automatically update, set if wish to control the period number to be updated

Period End: Prompt Overwrite Period Values – usually left blank to automatically overwrite, set if wish to allow accumulation of period values

Application User Facilities

The Application User Facilities for Job Costing allow you to define which reports are processed as part of the automatic period end reporting options. To set these reports select Installation from the main menu followed by Application Manager and Application User Facilities. Select the Job Costing application and then the Period/Year End Facilities option before moving to screen 2 of the parameters.



Against each of the reports listed set whether the report is to be included as part of the automatic period end reports as required.

Security & User Manager

The Period End options share the same password and authority level settings as the Job Clear Down utility and the Security & User Manager has been updated to reflect this.

Menu Design

The final change for the Period End facility is to add the menu options to Job Costing to run the automatic reports and the job costing period end plus the option to view the current job costing accounting calendar. As part of the installation process the system will have added a JCPER.D~3 to your set-up which you can use as the basis of your period end menu by copying this file as JCPER.D03. you will need to amend the main Job Costing menu to call this additional menu.

To update the menu sign on as the CONFIG user and select the Application Menu Design option. To add the new period end menu to the Job Costing menu select to update the JC.D03 (the default job costing menu), on display of the menu select to update the left/right-hand side as required and move down to a blank entry. Enter a title of ‘Period End’ or an alternate title of your own and press <Enter> to set the parameters.

Applic, Program or Notes A-Application

Menu Name or Program Path JCPER.D03

Other parameters can be set as required.

If adding the job costing period end options manually then the parameter details are as follows:

Option A/P/N Program Parameter

Automatic Reports P-Program JC.EXE 6504

Period End P-Program JC.EXE 6501

View Current Period P-Program JC.EXE 6502