Whether you are evaluating a trial version or getting ready to go live with Abtrac, you’ll need to adjust/enter some default settings before you start.

Typically your Abtrac account will have no data, nor any customised settings when you first login. This article contains a step by step quick guide for administrators – taking you through page by page to verify that the settings in Abtrac suit your company’s needs.

Logging In,Entering Data,Support & Help

Log In

Now that your Abtrac account is activated you might like to pin or save the login page for easy access. Be sure to keep your username and the password to your Abtrac account confidential at all times. These are your Abtrac credentials. If you lose them there is no way they can be recovered. All we can do is reset them or remove them.

Support and Help

Remember too, if you are evaluating an Abtrac trial you have free unlimited email support and free telephone support (phone calls are limited to 10 minutes each). We make these free offerings because it’s in both our interests that you find Abtrac a pleasure to use. And if you need help, we want to quickly get you back on track so you can fully evaluate Abtrac.

If you are going live with Abtrac, then of course the same support applies and it’s likely you’ve already scheduled a time for a getting started training session. If you haven’t then do give us a call, we offer online or in house training to get you and your staff off to the very best start with Abtrac.

Navigation

Whilst you are getting started with Abtrac, take some time to familiarise yourself with the Abtrac main menu (a good place to go if you get ‘lost’)

Home

By default, the Home screen will look like this with some widgets open.

Hover the mouse over each widget button to see the item that will be displayed. You could leave the widgets open or closed to your liking. Scroll down the screen and the remaining widgets will be visible. 

The ‘buttons’ for the open widgets will be faded while those for the closed ones will be highlighted. For example, if the Time and date widget is the only one open on your home screen dashboard, then your screen will look like this.

Settings

Administration >> Settings

One of the first things to do after logging in to your account is to verify the default settings of Abtrac suit your needs.

Choose from the menu, Administration >> Settings. Then check out System Settings, Office Settings, Invoice Settings, User Control Settings and Invoice Line Control Settings.

Changes and settings in the Administration screens affect how all of Abtrac looks and behaves for your entire business.

To set up your account in Abtrac, you may need to collect a few key things, or decide on how you want to use some areas before you start. Setting up may only take a few minutes. This will depend on how much data you want to bring in, how readily available it is, and if you need support.

System Settings

It is worth taking the time to work through the administration settings so that the system suits your needs to start with, you can always come back and spend more time adjusting these settings later.

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings

Clients and Jobs

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Clients and Jobs

Define your job numbering system under ‘Job Code Preference’.

There are two major types of job codes.

‘Unique alphanumeric for each Job’ is simply an incrementing number. This may be with a prefix. But the number increases regardless of the client. e.g. abcc-20001, abcc-20002 etc.

A second type is ‘Client System Code’ – ‘Numeric’. ‘Client number’ is a unique code for the client which can be set up in Administration >> Settings >> Invoice settings. Job codes can then be ‘Client number’ and a hyphen, then an incrementing number for each job for the client.

In the below screen shot we have chosen ‘Unique alphanumeric for each Job’, set a prefix of 20 (for the year 2020) and a suffix with 5 characters separated by a – (hyphen).

So the new job codes as they are created will be 20-20001, 20-20002, etc. The starting numbers i.e. the 00001, 00002 can be set up to suit your requirements. By default, Abtrac sets the starting number as 20000. This number can be changed in Administration >> Settings >> Invoice settings.

Here you also have the option of differentiating a job proposal from an actual billable job by entering the proposal details.

Below that, enter the defaults for a new job.

Do you want to create a job or a proposal?

Choose from the drop down menu if you would like users to select a job or a proposal.You can also give users the option of choosing either one.

When creating a job the user will be presented with a pop up asking if it is a job or a proposal.

Specify what details the user needs to fill in on the timesheet, like an activity code, task (stage or phase), work item, etc.

Add client office, client owner, client owner 2. This will carry the values from the client to the relevant fields in the job.

Threshold warnings can be set up to make sure that the job progresses within the budget. You could also specify if the threshold applies to just the fees or if it takes the disbursements and sub consultants also into consideration.

Default file path can be set up so that users can find the folders and soft copy files with details and related information regarding the job.

Defaults can be added for a task start date from the dropdown list, when you create a new task.

A sub-consultant could also be added as a job person.

Naming convention

If you call a ‘job’ or a ‘task’ by different names, you have the option of changing it in ‘For Display on Forms and Reports’ section. For example, if you change the ‘Name of Job’ to Project, then ‘Job’ changes to ‘Project’ across the various reports and screens.

‘Job Templates’ have been discussed in more detail here.

Within Abtrac you can keep a list of documents associated with a job and a report number can be given for that. The default ‘Next Job Document Report No’ can be entered so that reports are easy to identify, for purposes of compliance and authorisation.

Within each project you can create additional fields called ‘User Defined Fields’. These can also be added to the search screen by ticking ‘Enable User Defined Field in Search’ under ‘Search Configuration’.

Job fee can be auto-updated without prompting the user when a task is modified. This can be done if you tick the above box.

This completes the Clients and Jobs page on System Settings.

Timesheets & Disbursements

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Timesheets

Set your timesheet ‘Unit conversion’ e.g. 1=1 hour.

‘No. Weeks Between Timesheets’ can be set up, for e.g. 1 for weekly or 2 for fortnightly payments.

You can also set up the last day of the timesheet period in ‘End of Period Day’.

Tick the boxes to limit the Date to restrict users entering time outside of the current timesheet period. And Limit New Timesheet to end of period day will restrict the last day of the timesheet period match the “End of period day” set earlier.

Activity codes can be entered in the timesheets based on the tasks.

You have the option of giving a user warning when the required hours are not completed in the timesheet.

Job Combo Box can be set up to be sorted according to your preference.

Task and Activity can be set up to auto fill on the timesheet.

Use the tick box to copy or remove the comments on a timesheet cloned from an existing timesheet period.

User can be prompted if Pre Payment or initial deposit amount has not been made.

Zero units showing up in the new timesheets can be removed when commiting the timesheet.

Rounding rules help to round off timesheet units either mathematically or to the nearest decimal point.

e.g. the entry in the below screen rounds up the units on a timesheet to the nearest half hour if you have set the timesheet Unit Conversion as 1 hour.

When entering Disbursements, requirements and settings can be set according to your preference.

‘Disbursement Margin Apply Rules’ can be selected based on how margins are handled by your business.

Invoices

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Invoices

Enter your invoice email preferences.

Emails can be configured to be sent from one of the different set addresses.

Select the below option to send emails from <donotreply@abtraconline.com>

Other options are simply the ‘Logged in User’s Email’ address or ‘Office Email Address of Invoice’ which can be set up in Administration >> Settings >> Office Settings

If you want to learn more about how emails are sent with AbtracOnline please read the following article about what email address is used and the most reliable option. Read more here

BCC email address can be set up and specified.

All the invoices for the same recipient can be combined to be sent in a single email.

Set up your preference for a Display name for invoice emails sent.

Assigning Time

The total invoice amount when assigning new time can be changed manually, prompted to change, or set up to auto change when assigning time to invoice lines. There are also options for when to record the assigned time date when assigning WIP (work in progress).

Generating Invoices

Select how you would like to view jobs to generate invoice, how to autogenerate invoice lines and if you want a fee summary on invoice.

Invoice Lines

When saving invoice lines, prompt can be set up for task fee updates if any. Additional fee percentage can also be added by selecting the disbursement type.

Debtor Management

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Debtor Management

This is included in an optional feature of Abtrac which adds a default receipt comment.

Employees

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Employees

Here you can set your preference on how an employee name is displayed.

Two Factor Authentication is an important feature of Abtrac that enhances security for your users.

This confirms the user’s identity by requiring a combination of two different factors – a password and a code sent through email. Read more here

Employees can also be prompted to change passwords after a given number of days.

Miscellaneous Config

Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Miscellaneous Config 

The system can be configured to lock dates for timesheets, schedule, and invoices to be equal to or less than a specified date meaning dates previous to the selected date cannot be used for anything mentioned above.

Office Settings

Administration >> Settings >> Office Settings

Here you set up your different office details which is primarily used in the invoice section within Abtrac. Each office can have its own invoice settings or shared invoice settings. If you have multiple offices you can also assign employees to those offices.

Invoice Settings

Administration >> Settings >> Invoice Settings

Here you set up how your want your invoices to be produced in Abtrac as the entries here will carry through to your chosen invoice template.  You can also set your job/project numbering along with other office specific settings.

You can set up your invoice settings for each of your offices separately and set up one as ‘Default Invoice Setting’.

‘Default GL Code For Invoice’ and ‘Tax Rate’ will be visible if you have not configured an accounting package setting like MYOB or Xero.

Click on the edit button below to populate GL codes, so that you can select a GL code from the dropdown list for the invoice.

Invoice Header and Footer Text Settings

These are fields that are used on your invoice template.

Click on the edit button to set up invoice payment terms.

A separate message for the contact can also be set up in ‘Invoice Contact Text’.

Set up the desired header label for Tax Invoice and Credit Note.

Invoice Heading can be set up to be based on a selection from the drop down menu below and is automatically added to every invoice generated.

If you chose ‘Invoice Heading’ from the above selection, then fill in the ‘Invoice Heading Text’ in the box given.

A suitable prefix can also be set up for Invoice Heading.

Invoice Line Settings

Enter an appropriate default prefix for the Invoice Narration.

A series of ‘Default Invoice Narrations’ can be entered. These can then be picked from a list as required and put onto a specific invoice line.

Clicking on ‘Edit or Add Narratives’ button allows you to enter as many default narratives as required.

A default ‘Invoice Unit Description’ can be set up. E.g. hours, kilometres, etc.

Due date can be set up to be calculated by selecting from the dropdown menu.

Invoice Percentage Description is the descriptive word used to show on the invoice line.

Use the tick box if you want to append an asterisk to the end of Invoice Line Narration to show which lines have GST or ABN applied, according to your Sales Tax settings.

Abtrac PayBy Settings

This setting gives your clients an easy option to pay, by signing up to MYOB PayBy.

More details on this feature can be found here.

Email Settings

Define the default ‘Invoice Email Subject’ and text here. Here you can select and drag the required items to the subject line or the email text, so that the Email generated will merge these items in the subject and text.

If HTML is selected as ‘Text Style’, then an edit button appears through which you can add links, etc. to the email text.

Invoice Number Settings

Select the default set up for the Invoice Number.
Click ‘Sequence Number’ to start generating sequential invoice numbers each invoice as you generate them.

Enter the ‘Next Unique Invoice Number’. Click on the button to find the maximum invoice number.

Select ‘Job Code & Progress Claim No’, to enter the ‘Next Alternative Invoice Number ‘ and choose a separator of your preference.

For using this option, you need to select an ‘Invoice Number Prefix’ and an ‘Invoice Number Suffix’. ‘Prog. Claim No Padding’ can be entered to add on zeroes before the number. E.g. 2 for two zeroes.

Next, choose your preference on how you want to append a new invoice line based on the other invoice lines or based on a selected invoice line.

Click on the accordion (downward arrow button on the right) to expand ‘Invoice, Account Rendered, Purchase Order, and Receipt Templates’ list.

Invoice, Account Rendered, Purchase Order, and Receipt Templates

Here, you can enter the default templates for Invoice, Account Rendered, Receipt and Purchase Order. Click on the add button (+ button on the right) to create/edit the respective templates from Abtrac.

Set up defaults for the account rendered in this section.

Enter the terms to be printed in ‘Account Rendered Terms’.

Default subject line can be entered in ‘Account Rendered Email Subject’.

‘Account rendered name used for PDF and in Email Text’ can be entered here. E.g statement.

Up to three additional text lines can be entered in the account rendered text as default.

‘Additional Invoice Attachment’ such as company terms and conditions, important alerts, etc. can be uploaded as default .pdf file.

Once you have browsed and selected the required .pdf file, click on the upload button on the right to upload it.

Tick the box to make sure that the invoice attachment is appended to emailed and pdf invoices.

Click on the accordion to expand ‘Client, Job, Proposal, Purchase Order Numbering’ list.

Client, Job, Proposal, Purchase Order Numbering

Set up the default ‘Next Client Number’. Click on the double sided arrow button on the right so that the system can find out the maximum number used so far and enter the next number in that field.

You can set up the next numbers for Job, Proposal and Purchase Order similarly.

This completes the Invoice Settings.

User Control Settings

Administration >> Settings >> User Control Settings

The User Control Settings in particular are an important capability of Abtrac that most other systems do not have. These allow you set which fields everyone is allowed to see and in which order, on screens such as timesheet entry and elsewhere.

You’ll probably want to take a look at each of these screens to get a feel for how they look before you start editing the layout and available fields. The example below is for the linear timesheet layout.

The position and width of the fields can be adjusted for different users.

Click on the edit button on the left of each field to adjust the settings. Use the upward or downward arrowhead on the right of each field to quickly move the field a step up or down in position.

Click on the ‘save’ button once you have finished making the changes.

Further details on customisation using this feature can be found here.

Invoice Line Control Settings

Administration >> Settings >> Invoice Line Control Settings

This lets you set up and edit the lines in the body of the invoice.

You can choose from the drop down box, the type of information you want to appear in the invoice body.

Depending on the selected type, you can enter defaults for all the editable fields by clicking on the ‘edit button’ on the left.

Click the ‘save’ button once you have set up the fields according to your preference.

With this, you have completed the ‘Settings’ section in Administration.

EMPLOYEES

Administration >> Employees

This section relates to adding a new employee, rates, owners, managing their login, user groups, employee hierarchy and employee role and rates.

Employee Details

Administration >> Employees >> Employee Details

Click on the ‘+’ (add) button to add a new employee.

This page below will open.

Enter data into the mandatory fields (with red asterisks beside them) and any other fields as required. Make sure you enter the ‘Default Charge Rate’ for the employee.

Save the record clicking on the ‘save’ button as indicated.

Adding new employees will change the number of licenses in your subscription. When you add a new employee, you will be redirected to another page and Abtrac will prompt you regarding the extra licensing.

Confirm this after reading through and acknowledging the extra licensing required.

You can also watch the ‘Abtrac Quick Tutorial:- Adding Employees and a Login’ in the Abtrac YouTube channel here.

Employee Specific Activity Rates

Administration >> Employees >> Employee Specific Activity Rates

Employee specific activity rates can be entered by clicking on the ‘+’ button on the screen.

Select the employee from the drop down list and the ‘Default Charge Rate’ entered earlier in ‘Employee Details’ will appear. Select the ‘Activity Group’, ‘Activity’ and enter the ‘Charge Rate’.

‘Activity Group’ and ‘Activity’ can be set up in Administration >> Maintenance >> Activity

Employee Specific Rates

Administration >> Employees >> Employee Specific Rates

Employee Specific Rates are the specific chargeout rates for an employee. This could vary depending on the specific job/client or remain the same. You can change the display with respect to jobs and clients by changing the selection.

Enter the ‘Charge Rate’ and ‘Cost Rate’ if different from the default rates. This can also be changed by clicking on a ‘Job Code’.

More details on employee specific charge rates and charge rate application hierarchy can be found in here.

Owners

Administration >> Employees >> Owners

Add a new employee by clicking on the ‘add’ button and selecting from the drop down list.

Set up the client owner and/or job owner status of the employee.

Login Management

Administration >> Employees >> Login Management

Here you create/edit the logins and permissions applied to each employee.

Click on the ‘edit’ button for an employee with no login information and the following prompt will pop up.

Click Yes to go into ‘Add Employee Login’ Page.

Choose the ‘User Group’ to which the employee belongs to and how the timesheet should appear to them.

Enter the ‘User Email Address’ and ‘Password’ and save the settings by clicking on the ‘save’ button on the right.

User Group Management

Administration >> Employees >> User Group Management

Click on the ‘add’ button to add a new user group.

Type in your ‘New user group name’ and Description.

Click on the drop down list to ‘Clone From’ an existing user group, which in this case is the Admin.

Select Admin and click on the ‘add’ button to save the new user group.

Click on the four cogwheel buttons to manage the different privileges for this user group. Each button will open a different popup window as given below.

Check the boxes which you want the user group to access. You can also filter by ‘Office’ and ‘Job Owner’.

Click the ‘save’ button to save the changes.

‘Allow Cost Rate’ and ‘Allow Charge Rate’ columns are editable in the ‘Manage System Privileges’ cogwheel button.

Similarly, you can check the boxes in the above window and ‘save’.

Widget view privileges for users can be managed in the above window. Check the relevant boxes and save changes.

‘Manage System Privileges’ helps to edit the ‘Allow Charge Rate’ and ‘Allow Cost Rate’ columns in the first two popups. You can also allow a user to ‘Un-commit Timesheet’.

Check the boxes and save changes.

Reimbursement of Disbursements

Administration >> Employees >> Reimbursement of Disbursements

This screen allows you to check as paid all the reimbursed disbursements.

You can filter the disbursements using the different search fields as well.

Disbursement type can be set up in Administration >> Maintenance >> Disbursement.

Use the Select/Deselect All button to select all entries in the current page only.

Check them all as paid by clicking the button indicated on the top right of the above screen.

Employee Hierarchy

Administration >> Employees >> Employee Hierarchy

Select the employee from the drop down selection box and indicate whose timesheets the selected employee ‘Can See’. Click ‘save’ button to save the changes. Repeat this process for all the employees.

Employee Role and Rates

Administration >> Employees >> Employee Role and Rates

Click the ‘add’ button on the left and enter a role description. Click ‘save’.

Then click the ‘add’ button on the right to enter an activity by selecting from the drop down list.

Enter the charge rate and cost rate and click ‘save’. This way, you can set up different rates for different roles for the same activity.

This completes the ‘Employees’ section in Administration.

MAINTENANCE

Administration >> Maintenance

The ‘Maintenance’ section is where you can set up some default options for your drop down lists throughout the system.

Activity

Administration >> Maintenance >> Activity

You can add the activities used in timesheets here.

Click on the ‘add’ button to add a new activity. Activity group can be set up by clicking on the ‘Activity Groups’ button indicated on the top right of the screen.

The following window will pop up.

Click ‘add’, add a new activity group and click ‘save’.

Department

Administration >> Maintenance >> Department

Add the various department names here.

Click ‘add’, enter a department name and click ‘save’.

Team

Administration >> Maintenance >> Department

Add team names and their offices here

Click ‘add’ button to add a team description. Enter the office which the team belongs to and click ‘save’.

Disbursement

Administration >> Maintenance >> Disbursement

Define the various disbursement types here.

Click ‘add’ and enter new disbursement types, charges, etc.

You can also add disbursement groups if you prefer to, by clicking on the ‘Disbursement Group’ button as indicated on the screenshot.

Job Status

Administration >> Maintenance >> Job Status

Define the various job status names here.

Click ‘add’ to enter a job status name and ‘save’ it.

Job Type

Administration >> Maintenance >> Job Type

Define the job types here.

Click ‘add’ to enter a job type. You can also assign GL codes for the job type by clicking on the button indicated on the screenshot.

Job User Defined

Administration >> Maintenance >> Job User Defined

User defined fields can also be added to a job.

Click ‘add’ and enter user defined field names. You can add ‘User Defined Groups’ by clicking on the indicated button on the screenshot.

Planned Time State

Administration >> Maintenance >> Planned Time State

Enter the planned time states here.

Click ‘add’ and enter planned time states. You can also check if each state is an ‘Item Of Interest’ or not in the tick box.

Diary Action

Administration >> Maintenance >> Diary Action

Define diary actions here. These will populate the drop down list for the ‘Next Action’ when you add entries to the Job Diary.

Click ‘add’, enter an action and click ‘save’.

Timesheet Line Default Comments

Administration >> Maintenance >> Timesheet Line Default Comments

This section allows you to add default comments to the timesheet lines which can be selected when entering a new timesheet.

Click ‘add’, enter the default comment and activity if you prefer. Click ‘save’.

If you have entered ‘Activity’, you can also check the tick box indicated. This filters the comment by activity on the timesheet screen.

Work Source

Administration >> Maintenance >> Work Source

This section allows you to add work sources and their details. These will then show up in the drop down selection box in Job Details under ‘Additional Identifiers’.

Click ‘add’, enter ‘Work source’ and ‘save’.

Then select the added ‘Work Source’, go to the second box and click ‘add’.

Enter the specific details for that work source and click ‘save’.

Referred From

Administration >> Maintenance >> Referred From

This section allows you to a ‘Referred from’ person and company.

Click ‘add’. Enter a referred from name and company. Click ‘save’.

Client Type

Administration >> Maintenance >> Client Type

You can add descriptives for ‘Client Type’ here. This enables you to select from the drop down box in ‘Client details’ page, when you add a client.

Click ‘add’ to enter a client type and then click ‘save’.

Client Rating

Administration >> Maintenance >> Client Rating

This section allows you to give a quantitative rating for a client with a description of what the rating means.

Invoice Status

Administration >> Maintenance >> Invoice Status

Define the statuses which an invoice goes through, within your business. E.g. draft, final, etc.

Each invoice status can also be qualified as ‘Can be sent’ or/and ‘Committed’. ‘Can be sent’ allows users to send invoice as email. ‘Committed’ will autocommit the invoice.

Click ‘add’ to enter a new invoice status, check the relevant boxes and click ‘save’.

An example is given below.

Write On Off Reasons

Administration >> Maintenance >> Write On Off Reasons

Enter possible write on or off reasons here. These can be used to specify the reason for write on/off for each invoice in Invoices >> Manage Invoice Write On/Off reasons.

Click ‘add’ to enter the reason and type. Click ‘save’.

Generic Report Standards

Administration >> Maintenance >> Generic Report Standards

Enter the generic report standards here.

Click ‘add’. Enter the standard name and description. Click ‘save’. You have the option of exporting this to Excel and CSV.

This completes the ‘Maintenance’ section of ‘Administration’.

IMPORT DATA MANAGEMENT

Administration >> Import Data management

Data can be imported by using your own company data source or by using Abtrac templates.

Import Using Own Data Source

Administration >> Import Data management >> Import using own data source

Follow the step by step instructions to import data using your own data source.

This option gives you the flexibility of mapping your own data columns in your Excel files to Abtrac data columns.

Import Using Abtrac Templates

Administration >> Import Data management >> Import using Abtrac Templates

Use the template files from Abtrac and enter into it several sheets of data at once.

ABTRAC REPORT USAGE LOGS

Administration >> Abtrac Report Usage Logs

This set up helps administrators to check the report usage of the Abtrac users.

You can search by the different fields or search after grouping by a column header. You can also export this information to Excel or CSV.

This completes the ‘Administration’ set up of Abtrac.

Now that the administrative side of Abtrac is set up, the next step is to enter some clients, jobs and timesheets before moving on to look at invoices and reports.

In Abtrac >> Help there are a number of ‘Help Videos’ which walk you through the everyday actions in Abtrac.