Tracking and managing job usage

 Tracking and managing job usage


 

Tracking and managing job usage accurately is crucial for project management, especially when it comes to understanding how actual work and costs compare against the initial plan. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central facilitates this through its Jobs module, particularly with the feature of linking job ledger entries to job planning lines. Let’s delve into how this works with a practical example.

 

 Example Scenario: Landscape Design Project

 

Imagine you're managing a landscape design project. This project involves various tasks such as design planning, procurement of materials (plants, soil, decorative elements), and labor for garden setup. To efficiently manage this project, you decide to utilize Business Central's Jobs module.

 

Step 1: Setting Up Job Usage Tracking

 

In Business Central, you navigate to the Jobs Setup page and find the "Apply Usage Link by Default" toggle. You turn this on, indicating that for all new jobs created henceforth, job ledger entries will be automatically linked to job planning lines, facilitating seamless tracking of job usage.

 

Step 2: Creating a Job for the Landscape Project

 

You create a new job card for the landscape design project and ensure the "Apply Usage Link" toggle is turned on for this specific job. This setting is crucial as it allows you to monitor how the project's actual usage of resources aligns with what was planned.

 

Step 3: Planning and Tracking

 

For the landscape project, you set up job planning lines with a default line type of "Budget." However, since you anticipate billing the client for some of the materials and labor directly, you choose the line type "Both Budget and Billable" for certain planning lines, such as special decorative elements and additional landscaping labor.

 

As the project progresses, you input actual resource usage, items purchased, and labor hours into the job journal. For instance, if you initially planned for 30 hours of labor but end up needing 40 hours, you can record this in the job journal. This information is directly linked to the job planning lines, allowing you to compare planned vs. actual usage.

 

Reviewing Remaining Quantities

 

On the job planning line, you had set a quantity of 30 hours for labor. After transferring the 40 hours of actual labor used from the job journal, the "Remaining Quantity" field on the planning line now shows a negative value, indicating that you've exceeded the planned quantity. This real-time tracking helps you understand cost overruns and adjust project billing accordingly.

 

Creating New Job Planning Lines

 

If additional billable items or services are needed beyond the initial plan, posting entries in the job journal or purchase document with the line type "Billable" automatically creates new job planning lines of the type "Both Budget and Billable." This ensures all costs and billable items are accounted for and can be billed to the client accurately.

 

Key Takeaway

 

The ability to link job ledger entries with job planning lines in Business Central provides a comprehensive view of project performance against the budget. For the landscape design project, this means you can track every hour of labor and every item used, ensuring the project remains profitable and any variances are quickly addressed. This level of detail is crucial for project management success, providing insights into cost control and resource allocation.

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