Estimating Job Cost Interface

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© 1997 - 2000, Timberline Software Corporation.

All rights reserved. Copyright includes accompanying software and screens

generated by the software.

Precision Estimating Gold Job Cost Interface

TIMBERLINE

and the Timberline Software logo as it appears in this manual

are registered Marks of Timberline Software Corporation.

Precision Collection

is a registered trademark of Timberline Software

Corporation.

Smart AssemblyTM is a trademark of Timberline Software Corporation.

The license management portion of this product is based on: Rainbow

SentinelLM © 1989-1999 Rainbow Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective

holders.

NOTICE

This documentation and the Timberline Software programs may be used

only in accordance with the accompanying Timberline Software

Program License. You may not use, copy, modify or transfer the

Timberline Software programs or this documentation except as

expressly provided in the Timberline Software Program License.

300070.4





Contents i

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Recommendations for a trouble-free interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Terms you should recognize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Note to Precision Estimating Standard users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Technical support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Precision Estimating to Gold Job Cost overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Setting up Gold Job Cost & Estimating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Setting up Gold Job Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Setting up Precision Estimating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Generating estimate information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Review the estimate for missing or incorrect job cost phases

(Precision Extended Users only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Enter information about the transaction file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Decide how to handle item quantities and addons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Generate the transaction file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Importing estimate transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Create the job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Import the transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Post entries to the Gold Job Cost Master file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28



ii Precision Estimating Gold Job Cost Interface



Introduction 1

Introduction

This booklet introduces you to the steps you need to complete to transfer estimate

information from Precision Estimating to Gold Job Cost. More than likely your company

has already developed cost codes for accounting and phase codes for estimating. If so,this is a good time to review the coding schemes and make any changes that are

appropriate. You will need to decide on a coding scheme before you can set up Precision

Estimating and Gold Job Cost.

Recommendations for a trouble-free interface

I If you are creating a database from scratch, we recommend that you use the same

numerical coding for phases in Precision Estimating and cost codes in Gold. When you

follow this guideline, you do not need to worry about which Precision Estimating

phases match which Gold cost codes. Keep in mind that multiple Estimating phases

can reference the same Gold cost code.

I If your company uses different coding for the two applications, you should specify a

Gold cost code for each phase in Precision Estimating. Following this guideline

minimizes data entry as you create database items.



2 Precision Estimating Gold Job Cost Interface

Terms you should recognize

Precision Estimating and Gold Job Cost may use different terms to describe how costs

are tracked. Gold Job Cost also allows you to label the custom descriptions however

you like. To avoid confusion, we will use the terms in the table below for each

application.

Note to Precision Estimating Standard users

The concepts in this booklet apply to both Precision Extended and Precision Standard

users. However, we want to make you aware that if you are a Precision Standard user,

you’ll find that some of the software screens in this booklet will look slightly different

than those in your Precision Standard software. In addition, there is information

included in this booklet that only applies to Precision Extended users.

Gold Job Cost Precision Estimating

Division (user-defined) Phase

Cost code (user-defined) Job cost phase

Category Category



Introduction 3

Technical support

If you have questions or issues not covered by this booklet or the Help system, you can

contact Timberline Software Support by telephone, fax, or e-mail. Support lines are open

from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

When calling, have your customer number handy and be at your computer.

I If you are not on a support and maintenance plan, you can call on a charge-per-call

basis. Please be prepared to give the number of a major credit card when you call.

I If you are using the trial software, please contact your local Solution Provider.

For support in... Call... Fax... Or e-mail...

U.S. or Canada 1-800-551-8307 503-439-5940 [email protected]

Australia 1800 120 369

+503 439 5178

+503 439 5940 [email protected]

Asia-Pacific +503 439 5178 +503 439 5940 [email protected]

Other international areas +503 533 2181 +503 439 5940 [email protected]




Precision Estimating to Gold Job Cost overview

Review this diagram to become familiar with the steps you’ll need to take to

successfully import estimate information into Gold Job Cost.

* R O G - R E & R V W

Set up standard categories and

standard cost codes.

3 U H F L V L R Q ( V W L P D W L Q J

Assign Gold standard categoriesand standard cost codes to items

and addons.

6 H W X S


Create JC transaction from the

estimate.


Assign standard categories and

standard cost codes to items and

addons: R U N I O R Z

* R O G - R E & R V W

Look at import journal for

rejected entries and fix errors.

* R O G - R E & R V W

Post entries.

* R O G - R E & R V W

Create a new job and import the

estimate.



Setting up Gold Job Cost & Estimating 5

Setting up Gold Job Cost & Estimating

To successfully import estimate information from Precision Estimating to Gold Job Cost,

you’ll need to prepare Gold Job Cost and Precision Estimating by following the

guidelines in this section.

There are three areas in Gold Job Cost that require attention before you can import

estimate transactions from Precision Estimating.

I Specifying a cost code format.

I Setting up standard categories (required to import from Precision Estimating).

I Setting up standard cost codes (optional).

Before Precision Estimating can send estimate information to Gold Job Cost, you need to:

I Print and review the Standard Cost Code Report and the Standard Category Report

from Gold Job Cost.

I Set up the database.

I Enter job cost information for the phases, items, and addons that you want to track.




Setting up Gold Job Cost

Specify a cost code format

Before entering the cost codes, you need to set up the sections and separators in the

format.

If the separator is a hyphen (-), the job cost phase suffix in Precision Estimating must

be 0.

Place you cursor on the JC

Cost Code Size column.

Click Set Up Sections.

Enter the description and size of each section. The

maximum size is eight characters for Gold Standard and

12 characters for Gold Extended.




Set up standard categories

If you are using categories, Gold Job Cost requires you to set up the standard categories

used from one job to the next.

Enter the category ID (up to

three characters), description,

and other information. Click

the [Help] button if you want

more detailed information

about the fields in this window.




Set up standard cost codes

If your company uses a common set of accounting cost codes from one job to the next,

we recommend setting up standard cost codes.

You can attach standard categories often used with each standard cost code. For

example, for the standard cost code 2-075 Concrete Removal, the standard categories

are E (Equipment), L (Labor), and LB (Labor Burden).

If you plan to track takeoff and/or order units in Gold Job Cost, leave the Cost Unit

Desc field blank.

Enter the standard cost code

ID (up to six characters),

description, and other

information. Click the [Help]

button if you want more

detailed information about the

fields in this window.




Setting up Precision Estimating

Print the Standard Cost Code Report and the Standard Category Report

from Gold Job Cost

1 Start Gold Job Cost.

2 From the Reports menu, choose Lists - Standard Cost Codes List.

3 Print the report.

4 From the Reports menu, choose Lists - Standard Categories List.

5 Print the report.

You will use these lists to refer to when you are setting up the Precision database.




Set up the database

Before Precision Estimating can send estimate information to Gold Job Cost, you need

to set up the database and enter job cost information for the phases, items, and addons

that you want to track. You’ll either need to make changes to an existing database to

send estimate information to Gold Job Cost using Precision Tools, or, create a new

database using the Database Setup Wizard (New Database command on the Setup

menu) and select the appropriate Gold Job Cost options.

Make Changes to an existing database using Precision Tools

If you want your Precision Estimating phase code suffix to match your Gold JC cost

code sections, you’ll need to use Precision Tools. Note that this is an optional step.I Open Precision Tools by clicking the Start menu and then choosing Programs,

Precision Estimating - Precision Tools.

Select the database you want

to change and click Open.

Change the new suffix to match the

last segment of your JC Cost Code

sections. When you are finished

entering the suffix click OK.




If you want to change job cost information using Precision Tools, follow these guidelines.

Note that existing estimates remain unchanged.

If the formats are different, mark this box to

have Estimating complete the suffixes

automatically.

To change all of the Job Cost cost category

codes on all the items to the default codes

specified in Gold JC cost categories, mark

this box.

Choose the Gold job cost interface type.

If you want Precision Tools to format job

cost phase codes like Precision

Estimating’s phase codes, mark this box.

Job cost phase codes are then formatted

as nine characters long with an optional

suffix (from zero to three characters), e.g.,2.220. We recommend leaving this box

unmarked.

Enter the Gold standard categories that

correspond to the five Estimating

categories (Labor, Material, Subcontractor,

Equipment, and Other).




Set up a new database in Precision Estimating

If you are starting a new database, it is easy to set up Precision Estimating to be

compatible with Gold Job Cost.

Enter the appropriate information for Steps 1

through 3. Click the Help button if you have

questions about the type of information to enter or

options to select for each of these steps.

Specify the format for phase codes.

Your choice determines how many

digits are to the right of the decimal.

Mark Yes to transfer information

from Precision Estimating into Gold

Job Cost.

Mark Gold as the job cost software.

Enter the

corresponding

information for steps

5 and 6.




Now you are ready to begin entering phases, items, assemblies, and other information

into the new database. Before you begin you should decide on numbering schemes and

collect the information to be entered.

Once the database contains phases and addons, you cannot change the phase code formator Gold Job Cost interface from Precision Estimating. If you need to change either option,

use Precision Tools.

The number of digits (0,1,2, or 3) tothe right of the decimal point in job

cost phase codes.

This option determines the format of

job cost phase codes in Precision

Estimating.

I If you mark this box, Precision

Estimating-style codes are used

(9 characters including the

optional suffix).

I If you leave this box unmarked,

free form codes are used (up to 15

characters).

Specify the folder where you want to

Estimating to generate transactions to Gold.

Complete the New Database

Wizard by reviewing the information

on the Step 9 tab. Once you are

satisfied the information is

complete, click the Create

Database button.




Assign Gold cost codes to Precision Estimating phases

Precision Estimating lets you control how you want to track estimate information in

Gold Job Cost. You have the option of specifying the Gold cost code which receives the

quantities for each phase. Keep in mind that there may be more phases in Precision

Estimating than cost codes in Gold. Also, the job cost phase on the phase or item must

match Gold cost codes.

Enter the Gold cost code to receive the quantity entered for this job cost phasein the spreadsheet. Your entry is used to prefill the job cost code for items within

this phase. The hyphen in the job cost phase is optional. For example, enter

3310 instead of 3-310.

I If the coding is the same in both applications, you can leave this field blank.

I If the coding is different, enter the Gold cost code provided by your

Accounting department. For example, the Precision Estimating phase code

for concrete slabs is 3310.01 and the code in Gold Job Cost is 3-310.




Assign Gold cost codes and categories to items

You also control how you want to track estimate information for items. For every item in

Precision Estimating, you have the option of specifying three things:

I which Gold cost code receives the cost

I which Gold category receives the cost

I whether to send the takeoff quantity, order quantity, or neither

Keep in mind that multiple Precision Estimating items can go to the same Gold cost code

and category.

The cost code in Gold Job Cost to receive the cost and units for each

category of an item. The field prefills with either the Precision Estimating

phase code or Gold cost code previously entered for the phase.

I To use the same phase in Gold Job Cost and Precision Estimating,

make sure this entry matches the phase code for the item.

I To use different phases in Gold Job Cost and Precision Estimating,

enter the appropriate Gold cost code.

I When you click OK to save the item, Precision Estimating removes

spaces and completes the suffix based on the format of the job cost

phase code.

Choose the quantity to

be sent to job cost.

I None - (default)

transfers the dollars for

item quantities.

I Takeoff qty - transfers

the takeoff quantities

for categories.

I Order qty - transfers

the order quantities for

categories. Click here to change the Gold job cost category.




Assign Gold cost codes and categories to addons

If you want to send addon costs to Gold Job Cost, you need to enter the job cost

information. You have two ways of handling the addon costs:

I Allocate addon costs to the Gold cost code and category of the items used as the basis

for that addon.

I Send the addon to a specified cost code and category in Gold.

If you want to allocate the addon when generating transactions to GoldJob Cost, mark the Allocatable box.

Click here to enter the

job cost phase and

category for the addon.

I Job Cost Phase - The cost code in Gold Job Cost that receives

the addon cost. The number of characters and the suffix length

depend on the job cost interface specified for the database.

I Category - The category in Gold Job Cost to receive the addon

cost.



Generating estimate information 17

Generating estimate information

Once an estimate is complete, you are ready to generate estimate information for Gold

Job Cost. Precision Estimating provides an easy-to-use wizard to guide you through the

following steps:

1 Review the estimate for missing or incorrect job cost phases (Precision Extended users

only).

2 Enter information about the transaction file.

3 Decide on how to handle the rounding of item quantities and allocation of addons.

4 Generate the transaction file.

The wizard creates a file containing a transaction for:

I each phase for which you have entered a phase quantity in the spreadsheet.

I

each item category with an amount. Depending on how you have set up your items, thetransaction includes the takeoff quantity or order quantity.

I each nonallocated addon.The cost of allocated addons is buried in the items used to

calculate those addons.




Review the estimate for missing or incorrect job costphases (Precision Extended users only)

If you have Precision Estimating Extended Edition, you should review your estimate

for missing or incorrect job cost phases before you run the Job Cost Transfer Wizard.

Click the Spreadsheet Sequences tab.

Select the Job cost phase

spreadsheet sequence to sort the

estimate in Job cost phase order.




Review the estimate for incorrect job cost phases.

Scroll to the bottom of the estimate. If items fall under the heading “Unassigned” then

they do not have job cost phases assigned to them.




To fix unassigned items, Open the Detail window for the item and click the Unit Costs

tab and enter a job cost phase for the item. Note that this fix only applies to the estimate

you are currently working with.

You can permanently fix the item in the database for future estimates by:

Enter the Job cost phase for

the unassigned item here.

Entering the Job

cost phase, Job

cost category, and

selecting the

appropriate Qty to

job cost option.

Selecting the appropriate item from the Item

List and clicking the Job Cost tab.




Enter information about the transaction file

You’ll enter information about the transaction file by running the Job Cost Transfer

Wizard. Step 1 involves setting up the transaction file. The wizard prefills most of these

fields for you, but you can change the information before generating the transactions.

This field prefills with the estimate

filename with a .JCE extension.

This field prefills with today’s date.

This field prefills with the

corresponding field on the MWBE &

Misc tab in the Estimate Information

window. You can enter up to 12 digits

for Gold Job Cost.

The full path of the folder or directory where Precision

Estimating will generate the transaction file. If you leave this

field is blank, Estimating creates the transaction file in the

current database folder specified in the Precision

Estimating Options window (Folders tab).




Precision Estimating allows you to preset the job number (up to 12 characters) that is

used whenever you generate this estimate to job cost. The size of this field is set by the

job cost interface type on the Job Cost tab of the General Information and Database

Setup window.

Enter the job cost number for

the estimate here.




Decide how to handle item quantities and addons

Step 2 includes options for allocating addons and rounding item quantities based on the

rounding method set up for each item.

This option lets you round the

accumulated item quantities

based on the rounding method

set up for each item.

This option controls how addon

costs appear in the transaction

file. This gives you the ability to

bury the cost of some addons.

I To prorate the allocatable

addons, answer Yes. Only

addons set up as allocatable in

the database are distributed to

the appropriate items.

I To include every addon as a

separate transaction, answer

No.




Generate the transaction file

Step 3 tells Precision Estimating when to start processing and whether to produce a

report with a list of job cost phases, units, and amounts sent to Gold Job Cost.

Importing

Decide what you want to do with the

report.

I Printer- sends the report to adefault printer.

I Preview - displays the report on the

screen without generating

transactions.

I File - sends the report to a text file.

I None - generates the transaction

file without producing a report.

Click here to generate

the transaction file.

Click here to change the font

or page setup for the report.



Importing estimate transactions 25

Importing estimate transactions

Once you’ve generated estimate transactions from the estimate, you are ready to bring

transactions into Gold Job Cost. The estimate costs are distributed to the specified cost

codes and categories in Gold. The import procedure involves the following steps:

I Create a job for the estimate (optional).

I Import the Estimating transactions.

I Post the entries to the Job Cost Master file (master.jcm).



26 Precision Estimating to Gold Job Cost Interface

Create the job

As part of the import process, Gold sets up a job record in the Job Cost Master file

(master.jcm) if you have not done so already. You can edit the information about the job

at any time.

Gold creates the job with the job

number and description from the

transaction file. Enter any other

pertinent information.



Importing estimate transactions 27

Import the transactions

The next step is to import the transactions generated by Precision Estimating. The import

process transfers estimate transactions into thenew.jct file and produces an import

journal showing the status of the import.The journal also lists any transactions that were

rejected and why.

Specify the transaction file

to be imported.

Specify the file where you

want rejected transactions

to be stored.

This option allows Gold to import

estimate transactions for cost codes

that are not set up as Standard Cost

Codes.

If you are tracking extras and this

estimate is associated with an extra,

enter the extra ID. If the extra does

not exist, the import process will

automatically c reate it.Change the print options as necessary, then click

[Start] to begin the import process.



28 Precision Estimating to Gold Job Cost Interface

Review the import journal for a list of estimates imported and errors encountered. If

errors exist in the rejected file, correct them and use the corrected reject file as an import

file.

For additional help on how to correct the rejected file and for a description of the Import

Estimate file, choose Help Topics from the Help menu in Gold Job Cost. Click the

Index tab and enter “correcting errors, import estimates” and then click [Display].

Post entries to the Gold Job Cost Master file

Once you have verified the import journal is free of errors, the final step is to post the

imported entries to the specified job in the Gold Job Cost Master file (master.jcm). Thisprocess updates estimate information for the job, extra, phases, and categories.

After you have reviewed the information shown

click [Start] to post the entries to the Job Cost

Master file.

Documents

Estimating Job Cost Interface