Category Archives: Time & Cost

Abtrac 3rd Party Sign Off

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In Abtrac you can set up a third party sign off for a job if required. This feature comes useful if the job involves work at a third party site and requires a sign off/acknowledgement from someone at that site.

Setting up 3rd Party Sign Off

To set up 3rd party sign off, go to Clients, Contacts & Jobs >> Search Clients and Jobs >> click on the relevant job code to go into the Job Details page.

The 3rd Party Sign Off tab on the left will be disabled by default.

To enable this tab, tick the Sign Off Required box indicated on the right and then click on the Save Job Details button.

Now, click on the enabled 3rd Party Sign Off tab to go into the Job 3rd Party Sign Off page.

Job 3rd Party Sign Off page

Click on the ‘+’ button to add the ‘Job Person Name’ & other details and save.

Here you can add the name of the third party who needs to sign off and also the name of the person/persons to whom an email acknowledgement of the sign off needs to be sent.

The names can also be selected from the dropdown list in the ‘Job Person Name’ field.

The names in this list comes from the Job People tab in the Job Details page.

Job People page

Obtaining 3rd Party Sign Off

Time & Disbursements >> Timesheet Sign Off

Once a timesheet has been entered for a job requiring 3rd party sign off, go to Time & Disbursements >> Timesheet Sign Off >> click on Obtain Sign Off to go into TimeSheet Sign Off Selection page.

TimeSheet Sign Off Selection page

Select the relevant job from the dropdown list.

Now, select a single/multiple timesheets and click on the Obtain Sign Off button to go into Timesheet Sign Off page.

Timesheet Sign Off page

Select the relevant job person’s name from the dropdown list and get their signature in the space provided.

Click on the Submit Timesheet Sign Off button to complete the sign off process.

A pop up box appears to confirm that the timesheet lines have been signed off and an email has been sent to the relevant persons.

Submit Timesheet Sign Off email confirmation box

The below email will be received by the recipients with the timesheet sign off record attached as pdf.

Timesheet sign off email

The pdf attachment can be kept as a record of the timesheet sign off by the 3rd party.

Timesheet sign off email pdf attachment

Alternately, you can also tick the ‘No one On Site’ tick box and submit.

Timesheet Sign Off page

From Time & Disbursements >> Timesheet Sign Off >> click on Manage Sign Off to go into Manage Timesheet Sign Off page.

Manage Timesheet Sign Off page

From this page, you can view the details of the sign off and if required, export the data.

Abtrac KB# 2153

Threshold Warnings

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In Abtrac, you can enable timesheet threshold warnings at the job and task levels.

If you have assigned a fee estimate to your job or task, then you can enable Timesheet Threshold Warnings.

Timesheet threshold warnings are budget notifications that pop up within the timesheet entries screen when the threshold value specified is reached or exceeded.

These warnings can be applied to the entire fee budget for the job, or at the task level.

At any stage, a user can still enter time against the task and job.

Because of this, when you enable timesheet warnings, it is a good idea to let the staff know about them, and ask them to contact you if they receive a warning when entering time.

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Timesheet Entries Reports

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The Timesheet Entries report shows all time and cost for the chosen criteria.

There are quite a few variations on the ‘basic’ timesheet entries report with options for lots of different filters, groups and sub-groupings.

It is often used in conjunction with the Manage WIP Screen, or the Unbilled Work Quick Summary to determine what can be billed each month.

Timesheet Entries Report

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Managing WIP – Unbilled Work Quick Summary

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The Unbilled Work Quick Summary page shows all unbilled time and cost from all time up to a chosen date.

It’s used to quickly see where you are at on a job (project), and what you need to bill.

From this screen you can access further reports, or start invoicing and assigning time.

Unbilled Work Quick Summary – click to enlarge
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Subconsultant Reports By Job

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The Subconsultant Reports By Job report option gives a selection of summaries of all subconsultant work for a selected job.

From one menu choice in the reports screen three types of reports can be produced – Subconsultant Fees and Costs by Job, Subconsultant Fees and Costs by Job Detail and the Subconsultant Invoice Supplement.

Subconsultants Fees and Costs by Job Report
Subconsultant Fees and Costs by Job Detail Report
Subconsultant Invoice Supplement Report
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Sub-Consultant Invoice Listing Report

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The Sub-Consultant Invoice Listing report option can be used to get a summary of sub consultant claims and invoices for all or selected subconsultants, between two dates.

You can choose to view all sub consultant invoices, just those that have been fully processed, or only those still waiting to be fully processed.

Subconsultants Invoice Listing Report
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Adding a percentage to disbursements

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One of the ways to apply a margin to disbursements in Abtrac is to apply the mark up percentage based on disbursement types.

Under Administration >> Maintenance >> Disbursement, you can add an ‘adjustment’ to a disbursement type.

For this mark up to take effect you also need to confirm Disbursement Margin rules from Administration >> Settings >> System Settings >> Timesheets & Disbursements.

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Bulk Edit Timesheets

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This screen is useful when you need to update timesheet details in bulk, it eliminates the need to open and edit the individual users’ timesheets.

This timesheet maintenance screen is most typically used in the following situations:

  • Updating Employee rates
  • Editing Stage/Task or Activities that have been incorrectly assigned
  • Changing the job code an employee is assigning time to
  • To check if/when timesheets have been billed and
  • To check which invoice the WIP has been assigned to
  • To obtain data not available in performance reports for specific employees, in particular, to view timesheet data for employees who are no longer current.

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Importing Disbursements

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Importing Creditor/Supplier Invoices, Bills etc. into AbtracOnline

AbtracOnline allows you to import disbursements via two methods.

 

If you are using MYOB Account Right or Xero the available API connections to these systems will allow you to import your disbursements with the click of a button.

If you don’t use MYOB or Xero, or if you want to import things such as PaperCut files, Linz Fees, Uber Receipts etc., then you can import your disbursements through a file-based import.

Either way,  with our import disbursement functionality you don’t have to spend hours re-keying information that you probably have available from other systems.

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Creating and Managing Tasks aka Stages/Phases

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A Job/Project Task is the bit of the job you are working on – and can budget against. (Sometimes they are called Stages or Phases)

Tasks are the most efficient and effective way to measure and manage your jobs.

Generally, your job tasks will match those items detailed on your original fee proposal letter.

If you’re not sure whether you should be using tasks or activities, then this article is a good place to start.

There are quite a few key details to get your tasks set up and working the way you need them.
If you are new to tasks and budgeting in Abtrac, then it’s a good idea to read through this article from start to finish, but we have also summarised the key components below for quick reference:

About Tasks, Sub Tasks

Where to enter job/project budgets, as fee estimates, percentages or building the scope with detailed estimates by employee

Template Tasks

How to set up templates and clone frequently used tasks when creating new jobs/projects

Configuring the layout of the Tasks screen

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Making Tasks Mandatory in Timesheets

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Renaming Tasks to Stages – Phases – or something else

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Task Threshold Warnings

Scope Creep Notifications. How to enable a warning on timesheets when task budgets are exceeded

Entering Progress Assessments

For job/project management and billing estimates

Managing Variations

And reporting on variations by using the Actual vs Budget by Job/Project, Task and Additional Values report

Click on the links above, or read on for details

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Simple reports to get started with invoicing

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Getting started with your invoicing normally starts with a few reports to see who you are invoicing and for how much. This can then be checked with job (project) managers to confirm they are ready to invoice the clients and if they are happy with the amounts.

There are two basic reports that can get you going. Unbilled Work Quick Summary and Timesheet Entries.

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