Field Reports

The use of Field Reports can greatly increase the accuracy of the Job Cost Analysis Reports and the Bonding Report. Ideally, a field report should be printed, delivered to the job supervisors, filled out, returned and entered into the system on a weekly basis. For the best results, this should be done before running any of the job cost reports.

Field Reports are based on the premise that the progress of a job can be judged most accurately by the job supervisor. If field reports are unavailable, the system will calculate the progress of the job by comparing hours used to the budgeted number of hours, or by comparing the material cost from invoices to the budgeted cost. Because it is difficult to estimate labor accurately, and since invoices are received after materials are in place, it is usually more accurate to ask the job supervisor how the job is progressing.

A Field Report is printed for each job, listing each cost code. The last reported progress figure is printed for each cost code and an updated figure is requested. The format of the field report is determined by how the system is setup. One of three methods is used to estimate completion cost. The method selected determines the information required on the Field Report. A method should be selected that is most practical for the job supervisors to use.

Percent Complete

The first method of reporting completion cost is the current Percent Complete for each job phase. The field report will ask for a percent complete for each job code.

Total Completion Cost

The second method requires that a total completion cost be reported. For example: The job supervisor may have expected to complete a phase for $500, but now estimates that it will cost $550.

Additional Cost-to-Complete

The third method asks for the additional cost-to-complete on the field report. For example: The job supervisor may have expected to complete a phase for $500, but now estimates that it will cost $550. The supervisor should write on the report that the phase will cost $50 more than he had previously expected.

When Field Reports on the Job Costing main menu is selected, the following screen comes into view.

Enter the Field reports for Job

Press the lookup button and the Job Setup screen comes into view. Highlight the correct number and press the Select button.

Update Quantities (check box)

Check this box to enable editing in the Quantity to Date: This Update column.

Editing the This Update columns for Amount and Quantity Fields

Double clicking on the This Update field for either the quantity or the amount allows editing to occur right in the column. Depending on the Completion Cost Method specified in Job Costing Setup, the user will enter either a percent complete, the projected final completion cost, the projected additional costs (beyond the current cost to date), or the projected extra costs (beyond the current budget). These are the only fields that can be edited in this table from this screen.

**Important Tip for Power Users**

In order to enter figures for many cost codes in quick succession, double click on the first cost code desired. The field will be enabled and a figure can be typed directly into the field in the list box. Now just press ENTER and the focus will move to the next field. If the Update Quantities checkbox has been checked a the top of the window, focus will move to the Quantity field; otherwise, focus will move down to the next cost code in the list. By entering a figure and pressing the ENTER key between entries, many cost codes can be edited in one smooth operation.

Set Global Completion Percentage (button)

This process will change the percent complete of ALL the cost codes in the list to the desired completion percentage.

Print Field Report Worksheets (button)

This button allows the field reports to be printed. For more information, see Field Report Worksheet.

Force Zero (button)

This process will reset the field report value to zero for one cost code or all cost codes on this job. When this button is pressed, the following screen will come into view.

Highlighted (button)

This button will mark the highlighted cost code as zero percent complete.

All Codes (button)

This button will mark all cost codes in this job as zero percent complete.