Record Job Activities

A job will often go through many different stages and involve many different individuals so it can be useful to have a commentary of activities that operators can update to show the processes that a particular job has gone through. This new feature allows the creation of an ‘activity’ transaction to log commentary to.

In addition to the date up to ten items can be input against an activity entry limited by screen resolution and font size (so if can’t fit an item on screen will be omitted from entry).

On selection of a job code (<F4-Select> is available as required) any existing activity entries are displayed and the cursor is positioned to add a new entry – you can use the <up-arrow> key to go back and edit any of the previous entries if required. To complete activity entry press the <End> key on the date input or blank out the date and press <Enter> - you will be prompted if OK to update the notes (respond as required) before being asked if you wish to update activity notes for another job record.

The Activity Notes are excluded from standard job costing reports and the Job Enquiry option, however, whilst the Ledger Enquiry excludes the activity notes from the transaction list there is a separate ACTIVITIES option that can be configured to list the notes.

Database Changes

Changes to the Job Costing Transaction file are needed to allow entry of required information. In the example above we’ve used a large text item for a comment and an ‘Internal’ flag item but the items prompted for are down to your requirements. Up to ten items will be prompted for subject to screen resolution and font size.

To restructure the Job Transaction file select Installation from the main menu followed by Application Manager and Restructure a Database. Select the Job Costing application and elect to update the live files before choosing the Job Costs File. When the items list is display moved down to series of blank items and then add your required entries. All items to be input on the activity note entry options must be consecutive within the database.

Once complete press <ESC> and update the database with changes made, confirm to extract existing data and table values as required.If prompted to update the BASE file respond as required, and if do update ensure new items are created identically (including the item number created at) to the live file.

Application User Facilities

To enable the Activity Note option additional parameters have been added to the Job Costing Application User Facilities. To update select, from the main menu, the option Installation followed by Application Manager and Application User Facilities. Choose the Job Costing application then the option Enter Job Cost Details and move to the second screen of parameters, the Activity options are at the bottom of this screen.

Allow Input of Job Activity Notes – set to allow input of job activity notes.

Maintain Job Activity Notes in Date Order – set to maintain the activity notes in date order, leave blank to record in date entry order.

Activity Note Items From / To – reference the range of data items allowed for input in the activity notes entry option. A range of up to ten items can be defined although items may be omitted subject to screen resolution and font sizes.

Default ‘?-type’ Activity Note Items to Y – set if any ‘?’ data items within the range above are to be set automatically to Y.

Ledger Enquiry Manager

To enable the display of activity notes within the Job Costing Ledger Enquiry select, from the main menu, the Installation option followed by Ledger Enquiry Manager, Enquiries Configuration, the Job Costing application, and then Transaction / Detail Enquiries.

To enable set the authority level against the option ‘V) Job Activities’ – authority levels range from 0-9 where 0 is the highest and 9 is the lowest.Once set press the <End> key and will then be able to select which ‘transaction’ option you wish to update.From the list select ‘Job Activities’ to update the items to be displayed.

Up to eight items can be selected from the job cost transaction to be displayed; <F4-Select> is available if required.

The Security & User Manager for Job Costing has been updated to include an additional parameter to set the authority level / password required for recording job activities. From the main menu select Installation and lock out the system before selecting the Security & User Manager option. The first screen allows a general setting for job transactions that also applies for the activity notes option; the second screen contains a specific setting for the Activity Notes facility.

Menu Design

The option to record Activity Notes needs to be added to the Job Costing menu(s), to update the menu sign-on as the CONFIG user and select Application Menu Design. Choose the menu to update (the main Job Costing menu is JC.D03) and select to update either the left or right hand menu as required. Move down to a blank entry and enter the title ‘Record Job Activities’ and press <Enter> to enter the menu parameters.

Applic, Program or Notes P-Program

Menu Name or Program Path JC.EXE

Parameter 3006