Tutorials For:  Job Cost->Budgets, Allowances, POs, and Change Orders

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For BEST Tutorial Review, follow the tutorials in the order they are listed.  Click this for Movie Instructions.

NOTE!  Movies on this page were recorded prior to the color scheme change that you'll notice in the Help Documents.

However, the features remain the same.

Job Costing Preparation

Tutorial Movies

Help Documents and Reports
JOBS:  Whether you are building custom homes, spec homes, office buildings, or remodeling, set up jobs based on your needs.

JOB LISTS:  Print basic lists of jobs in various ways!  Export the lists to Excel, if needed!

 

Movies:

  1. Jobs Setup  15:57 min

  2. Job Measures/ Specs  6:39 min

  3. Jobs Management  7:01 min

  4. Job Activities and Notes  6:57 min

  5. Job Lists 8:29 min

Help Documents and Reports:
COST CODES:  Use Cost Code Categories to post estimated costs to an initial Job Budget and Change Orders. Use the same Cost Codes to create PO's, post costs to Accounts Payable, Payroll, General Ledger, and costs deducted from deposits.  Cost Codes become control points for instantly comparing budgets to costs.  CHS will pop up warnings about overages when posting payables and provides on-screen reports to analyze the possible overage.

Set up the COST CODES to fit YOUR UNIQUE NEEDS, OR quickly load the recommended NAHB Cost Codes, and edit them as needed.  Cost Codes can be as simple OR as detailed as needed. 

 

 Movies:

  1. Cost Codes Setup  9:23 min

  2. Cost Codes Master Pricing and Phase Levels  8:18 min

  3. Reminder Check Lists  6:17 min

  4. Code Management Window, Delete Codes, Update Template Prices  10:15 min

3/23/09 Update:  Lists of Cost Codes can now be printed on file folder labels.  See Help Document about Cost Codes Mgt.

Help Documents and Reports:

 

 

 
JOB BUDGETS /ESTIMATES and BIDS:  Builders tell us that the Job Budget screen has "saved them" because they don't miss costs when preparing proposals anymore.  Open a Job Budget worksheet based on the Cost Codes and Master Pricing, OR copy a Job Budget worksheet from another similar job.  CHS will make the needed adjustments based on the job's measurement specifications.   Add To, Edit, and Delete budgeted costs as needed.

COMPARE COSTS BETWEEN JOBS:  One of the benefits in using a program that stores Job Budgets in the same place as Accounting Job Costs is the instant ability to compare actual costs between jobs!  This can be a great help in determining average unit costs for budgeting future jobs.

 

Movies:

  1. Job Budget Basics  14:36 min

  2. Tools on Budget Window   17:23 min

  3. Print Job Budgets / Proposals  15:16 min

  4. Budgeting Check Lists/ Customer Selections/ Bid Requests  21:19 min

  5. Trade/Supplier Bids  13:45 min

  6. Compare Costs and Budgets Between Jobs  14:33 min

Help Documents and Reports:

 

ALLOWANCES (or OPTIONS): Some builders authorize their customers to spend a limited amount on certain areas of the budget, and then make an agreement with the customer that the customer will pay any overages for that cost (AND perhaps that the builder will credit the customer for amounts that are under the limited amount).  This type of cost is commonly referred to as an "Allowance" or some builders refer to it as "Options".

 

Movies:

  1. Allowances (or Options)  12:44 min

  2. Allowances and Check List Items  5:44 min

 Help Documents and Reports:
PURCHASE ORDERS / WORK ORDERS:  The use of PURCHASE ORDERS or WORK ORDERS  is not required in CHS, but they can be VERY HANDY!  Since you can set up your own text and titles to be printed on POs/WOs, you can use them as PO's, WO's, OR as SUBCONTRACTS with vendors. 

Use PO's/WO's or Subcontracts  to record which Vendor has been authorized to do the job, and how much the Vendor is authorized to charge for the service or supplies. 

 

Movies: (3/23/09 UPDATE!  A PO Status field has been added to use as needed.  It can be used to mark PO's as Ordered, Delivered, Work Done, Finished, or whatever you need to set up as a Status.  There are Lists of PO's that can be printed by Status.  See the Help docs on PO Mgt for more on PO Status.>

  1. Prepare PO/WOs From Budget  17:00 min

  2. Prepare PO/WOs From Bids  11:25 min

  3. Prepare PO/WOs From Lists of Matls/Labor 10:19 min

  4. Print PO/WOs in Batches / Review PO/WOs 6:22 min

  5. PO/WO's Management and Lists 13:12 min

  6. PO/WO's Compared to Budgets, Costs, and Report of Vendors Used OR To Use on Jobs  7:27 min

Help Documents and Reports:
CHANGE ORDERS: Changes to the original plans or specs that will affect the initial contract price are usually referred to as Change Orders.  Enter the estimated costs for Change Orders and those costs will be added to the initial budgeted costs in a separate column on job cost reports.  (See this in the Job Costing Management section.)  Price the Change Order for the customer with a markup percent or flat fee. Multiple styles of Change Orders can be printed to give to the customer.  Purchase/Work Orders can be produced directly from the Change Order entry screen.

Track Change Orders that have been issued, signed, and returned.  Produce ledgers of Change Order Activity for internal use (with costs and prices) or for giving to customers (prices only).

Movies:

  1. Prepare Change Orders (Approved or Unapproved)  12:25 min

  2. PO's For Change Orders AND CO Credits  10:33 min

  3. Change Order Payments and Ledger Reports  11:34 min

Help Documents and Reports:

Custom Homebuilders' Solutions - aka CHS

Job Costing, Accounting, and Construction Management Software for Home Builders

Telephone: 512-693-4103
FAX: 512-693-4105
Electronic mail: CHSSoftware@Prodigy.net

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