The time sheet and job cost tracking system
Explore the Details
TimeCost Manager has a simple menu structure giving access to all the features. The structure is shown below for you to explore. All menu items are shown below, however users only have access to those appropriate to their security level.
The user manual is also available -
PDF format user manual (About 850KB)
Word format user manual (About 1MB)
Menu Structure - Select items for a brief description.
File
Open - Allows the user to navigate to the database.
Preferences - Set security preferences and passwords.
Properties - Summary of data held in the databases.
Exit - Exit the program.
Jobs
New Job - Creation of a new job and entry of relevant details.
Search/Edit - Editing of job details and powerful searching of existing jobs.
Print/Export - Printing of job lists or exporting to a text file.
File Note - Add a note to the file for future reference. These will appear in Job Statements.
Time Line Event - Add a notation of a significant event. These appear in Job Statements, Summaries and Overviews.
Reminders/Target Dates - Add reminders or target dates which can be configured to pop up each time the program starts.
Costs
Time Sheet - Enter time sheet details.
Disbursement - Enter details of outlays for jobs.
Materials - Enter details of materials uses for jobs.
Fee Budgets - Enter budget or quote amounts for jobs.
Browse/Edit - Browse, search or edit the costs database. Normally only used for editing.
Export Costs - All cost data can be exported to a text file for use in other applications.
Archive Costs - Archive old data no longer required in the active database.
Retrieve Costs - Retrieve archived data and re-insert into active database.
Accounts
Invoice - Enter invoice details.
Payment - Enter payment details.
Mark Up - Opposite to Mark Down. Adds a hypothetical cost to increase the value of work done to match with invoices/payments for a job. This is required to 'zero' jobs when they are finished.
Mark Down - Opposite to Mark Up. Subtracts a hypothetical cost to decrease the value of work done to match with invoices/payments for a job. This is required to 'zero' jobs when they are finished.
Search/Edit - Browse, search or edit the costs database. Normally only used for editing.
Auto Mark Up/Down - Automatically mark up or down costs for older jobs that are no longer in use.
Import Invoices/Payment - Invoices and payments can be imported from Quickbooks or MYOB.
Invoice Manager - An optional module not included in the standard version. Allows for tracking of every single cost item back to a particular invoice and vice-versa.
Reports
Job Statement - A detailed statement for a job showing every cost item in date order (see the sample on Page 3 of the Quick Tour).
Job Summary - A summary of the costs for a job. Similar to a statement but with less detail.
Job Overview - An overview of costs for a job. Similar to a Job Statement but with even less detail than a Job Summary.
Jobs in Progress - Provides a snapshot of all current jobs. Can be produced with data ordered by Job Number, Unbilled Amount, Fee Budget Remaining, Receivable Amount or Receivable Date. (see the sample on Page 4 of the Quick Tour). This report ordered by Unbilled Amount is great for finding those jobs that have lots of work done but not yet invoiced.
Production - Shows totals for all jobs worked on within a specified time frame.
Staff Productivity - Shows staff times charged to jobs, as a percentage of total time at work (charge out rates and work codes need to be set up correctiy).
Staff Times - Shows staff times within a specified time frame. Useful for ensuring time sheets have been entered.
Analysis Reports - Various analyses within a certain time frame to provide invaluable information about the profitability of jobs being undertaken. The chart shown in page 5 of the Quick Tour provides a graphical view of a Job Type Analysis. This type of information is essential for strategic decisions within a business. It give insight into the types of work that are most profitable and where it is coming from.
Hit List - The top fifty jobs needing attention in each of three categories - unbilled work, accounts receivable, and jobs nearing or exceeding their budgets.
Batch Reports - Allows for a number reports to be printed (Job Statement, Summary and Overview) without the need to preview each one.
Lists
Clients and Consultants - Optional lists containing details of regular clients and consultant. Prevents duplication of information.
Staff - Details of staff members including preferred charge out rates.
Work Codes - Details of different activities undertaken as a part of a job. Breakdown into work codes allows for more meaningful analysis of jobs (eg. ME - Meeting, PH - Phone call, etc).
Job Types - List of all different types of jobs undertaken by the business.
Disciplines - List of broad areas of work in a business (eg. 'Family Law', or 'Conveyancing' could be disciplines for a law firm, or 'Civil' and 'Structural' could be disciplines for an engineering firm, and 'Domestic' and 'Commercial' could be disciplines for a construction firm).
Offices - List of business locations.
Sources - List of sources of jobs (eg. 'Yellow Pages', 'Recommendation', 'Radio Promotion' etc).