Job Estimates

Use this function to set up job cost estimates that you can compare against actual job costs by reviewing reports.

Options Reference

Each option and field on the form is described below. Mandatory options and fields are highlighted in red.

Job

This field displays, in read-only format, the job that was selected when the Estimate form was opened from the JC Maintenance form.

Estimate

Enter an alphanumeric reference for the budget, up to 30 characters.

Duration

Enter the duration, in months, that the budget is applicable for. This is used with the Created date if specific start and end dates are not specified for estimate lines.

Activity Based

Select this option to enter all estimate details based on activity only. If you don't select this option, you can enter more specific detail about labour and inventory costs using the Employees and Inventory tables.

Current Estimate

Select this option to indicate this is the current estimate for the job.

This is for reference only.

Create Invoice

Click this button to open the JC AR Invoice Entry form to create an invoice for the selected job.

Create Call

This button is enabled if the CRM Service & Support module is in use.

Click this button to open the CRM Service & Support Call form to create a call or service request specifically for the job.

Create Requisition

This button is enabled if the Supply Chain Management module is in use.

Click this button to create a requisition from the estimate form.

Time/Inventory/Purchases/Disbursements

Use these options to filter the activities that display in the Activities table. For example, if you deselect Time, time-based activities do not display in the table.

Total Cost/Total Retail/Total Margin

These values display the total cost, selling price, and margin value of the estimate.

This field is read only.

Margin %/Markup %

These values display the margin and markup percentage for the estimate.

This field is read only.

Click Add Estimate to enter estimate details once header information is entered.

Activities

If the Activity Based option is not selected, you can select disbursement and purchase activity codes here, to add costs for those activities to the estimate. Select this option to select any type of activity to add to the estimate.

Employees

Select labour activity codes for estimate cost lines in this table. You can also be specific about the employee type or employee associated with the cost.

Inventory

Select stock activity codes for estimate cost lines in this table. You can also be specific about the inventory item, location (if locations are in use), and unit of the cost.

Note: The selling price for inventory lines are determined by Greentree Desktop Desktop. using the hierarchy. The cost is determined using the item cost hierarchy.

You can use Start and end dates to specify a valid date range for which the estimate line is active. The start date defaults to the date of entry and the end date defaults to the job's expected completion date. You can edit both dates. If an estimate is created from a CRM quote, the start date is set to the date of the quote line.

Once you have created an estimate for a job, details of the current estimate print on related reports enabling you to review estimate versus actual costs. The reports include:

Job Activity/Estimate Report
Job Work Centre/Estimate Report

Note: You can click the Copy icon copy on the toolbar to copy an existing estimate and create a one (for the same job). If you do this, you are prompted to ask to retain old estimate line dates, or update them all with the current date.

If you are using the CRM modules, you can create job estimates from job quotes.

Using Estimates with Advanced Job Cost

If the Advanced Job Cost module is in use, you can manage estimates as variations of existing estimates. This is enabled if the option to Use estimate variations is selected for the job on the JC Job Maintenance form. When the option is selected, Greentree Desktop creates a MASTER estimate which becomes the current estimate, and is a collection of all non-current estimates.

For example, you have a job with System and Variation estimates. When Use estimate variations is selected for the job on the JC Job Maintenance form, Greentree Desktop creates a new MASTER estimate, which becomes the job's new current estimate, and is a collection of the existing two. The MASTER estimate is read-only. You can make variations using the non-current estimates (System and Variation), and these update to the MASTER.

If a job is set up to use estimate variations when it is first created, the MASTER estimate with no values is created automatically. You cannot delete a job cannot with estimates. To delete a job with estimates, you must ensure the option to use estimate variations is deselected first, and then the estimates are deleted.