Time Tracking Configuration: Implementation Checklist
The following sections provide details you can use to ensure that the time tracking functionality in the system is configured properly to be used in accounting for projects.
Prerequisite Configuration
To ensure that the prerequisite configuration has been implemented properly, make sure that the necessary entities have been defined,and settings have been specified, as described in the following checklist.
| Form | Criteria to Check |
|---|---|
| Multiple forms | The minimum company settings have been specified, as described in Company Without Branches: General Information. |
| Earning Types (EP102000) | Additional earning types, if needed, have been defined in addition to the predefined earning types. Also, for the earning types that relate to the employee time to be billed within the project, the Billable check box will be selected. For information on earning types, see Time Activities. |
| Employees (EP203000) | All employees for whom time will be tracked have been defined. For details, see Employee Settings. |
| Activity Types (CR102000) form | Activity types have been defined, if needed, in addition to those that are predefined in the system |
Configuration of Reporting Time with Time Cards
To ensure that the basic time reporting configuration has been implemented properly and the employees will be able to log time spent on projects in time cards, make sure that the necessary features have been enabled, entities have been defined, and settings have been specified, as described in the following checklist.
| Form | Criteria to Check |
|---|---|
| Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) | The Advanced Financials and Projects features are enabled. |
| Time and Expenses Preferences (EP101000) | In the Posting Option for Non-Payroll Employee box (in the Time Reporting Settings section of the General Settings tab), Post PM and GL Transactions is selected, which means that on release of time cards and time activities, the system generates project accounting and general ledger transactions. |
| Projects Preferences (PO101000) |
In the Visibility Settings section, the Time Entries and Expenses check boxes are selected. In the Expense Account Source and Expense Accrual Account boxes of the Account Settings section, the sources for the expense account and expense accrual account have been selected; these settings define the debit and credit accounts to be used in the project transactions generated on release of time cards. |
| Non-Stock Items (IN202000) | The labor items that are needed for all employees for all available earning types have been created, as illustrated in the Labor Items: To Configure a Labor Item. |
| Labor Rates (PM209900) | Labor cost rates for employees have been defined, as illustrated in Labor Items: To Define Labor Cost Rates. |
Configuration of Reporting Time with Time Activities
To ensure that the employees will be able to log time with time activities, make sure that the necessary features have been enabled and settings have been specified, as described in the following checklist.
| Form | Criteria to Check |
|---|---|
| Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) | The Time Management feature is enabled. |
| Activity Types (CR102000) | The Track Time and Costs check box is selected for the activity types for which you want to track billable time in projects. |
Other Settings That Affect the Workflow
You can affect the workflow of time reporting by specifying additional settings as follows:
- To cause the system to require a particular employee to enter time cards, select the Time Card is Required check box on the Employees (EP203000) form. If the reporting of time with time activities is configured, the selection of this check box means that time activities can be released only within a time card.
- To cause the system to post project transactions that have been generated on release of time activities to the off-balance account group, select Post PM to Off-Balance Account Group in the Posting Option for Non-Payroll Employee box, and specify the account group of the Off-Balance Type in the Off-Balance Account Group on the Time and Expenses Preferences (EP101000) form.
- To cause project transactions to be automatically generated and released on release of time cards, select the Automatically Release PM Documents on the Time and Expenses Preferences (EP101000) form.
- To associate an earning type with a particular project or project task, on the Earning Types (EP102000) form, for an earning type, specify the project or project task in the Default Project Code box and Default Task box, respectively.
- To copy notes and attached documents from time cards to generated project transactions, select the Copy Files to PM Documents and Copy Notes to PM Documents check boxes on the Time and Expenses Preferences form.