Summary

The Activity batch process is used to record any activity associated with a work order. These activity line items are associated with a LEMS (Labor, Equipment, Materials, Service or Adjustment) classification in order to record the type of activity that took place. By specifying the activity units, amount per unit, base amount, and overhead amount, each activity line item will contain a total cost that is incurred on the work order.

Step by Step

1     Create or edit an Activity batch.

• Select the Activity palette (WO> Activity). This will expand the Activity palette and display the steps of the batch process.
• Modify an existing batch or create a new Activity batch.
  • Select a batch number from the drop-down menu at the top of the Activity palette to select an existing batch.
  • Select New from the Activity batch number drop-down menu to create a new batch. This will open the New Batch window. 
  • If there are open batches in the Activity process, you can create a new batch without affecting the open batches.
  • Enter a Batch Month and Batch Year. These fields default to the current calendar period and are for reference only. The fiscal period of the transactions in the batch is determined by the Journal Entry Date entered during the Generate step.
  • Click the Generate icon to populate the Batch Number field with the next available batch number. Batch numbers are limited to five digits and must be unique within the batch month of the batch year.
    • You can also manually create a new batch by entering a Batch Number and clicking the Save icon.
• Highlight the batch in the batch number drop-down menu on the Activity palette and press DELETE to delete a batch. Any uncommitted activities in the batch will be deleted.

2     Specify the Settings for the batch.

• Open the Settings window (WO> Activity> Settings).
• Select a Journal Entry Date from the drop-down menu. This field will default to today's date.
• Click the Save icon when complete.

3     Select the Activities to include in the batch.

• Open the Activity Selection window (WO> Activity> Activity).
• The Activity Selection window will display all of the activities included in the batch.
• Highlight an activity and click the Delete icon to delete the selected activity.
• Highlight an activity and click the Modify icon to edit the selected activity.
• Click the Create icon to create a new activity. This will open the Activity Maintenance window.

4     Create an Activity.

• The Reference Number field is used to enter a work order reference number.
  • This field will only be enabled if the Require unique reference number toggle is checked on the WO Setup window (WO> Utilities> Setup).
    • Unique reference numbers can help Springbrook users easily attach work orders to activity line items without having to remember specific work order numbers or use the work order selection window.
  • If this toggle is not checked the Reference Number field will not be enabled. If a reference number is attached to the work order selected below, that reference number will automatically populate.
• Enter a WO Number or click the field label to select one from a list.
  • If the selected work order is already attached to an activity line item in the batch, the line item will display in the data grid below.
  • Work orders are created and maintained on the Work Order Maintenance window (WO> Work Orders> Work Orders).
    • If the selected work order is locked, you will not be able to commit the activity batch (WO> Work Orders> Work Orders> General tab> Locked toggle).
  • The Description field will automatically populate with the description attached to the selected work order.
• Once a WO Number is specified, a new editable line will appear in the data grid below.
• The new row grid design of this window allows the user to quickly tab through the columns, key in the activity information, and press ENTER to begin creating the next activity line item.
• Select an activity type from the LEMS drop-down menu.
  • The LEMS selection will determine what will display in the Reference Type field and what can be selected in the Reference Code field.
    • If Labor is selected, the Reference Type field options will be Employee and Position. Click the Reference Code Ellipsis icon   to select an employee or position.
      • Labor will not be available from the LEMS drop-down menu if the Use Flat Rate Labor toggle is checked on the WO Setup window (WO> Utilities> Setup).
    • If Equipment is selected, the Reference Type field will also display Equipment. Click the Reference Code Ellipsis icon to select an equipment code.
    • If Materials is selected, the Reference Type field will display Item. Click the Reference Code Ellipsis icon to select an item.
    • If Services is selected, the Reference Type field will display Vendor. Click the Reference Code Ellipsis icon to select a vendor.
      • For Labor, Equipment, Materials and Services, a Reference Code must be selected before the activity line item can be added to the batch.
    • If Adjustment is selected, the Reference Type field will be disabled. Adjustment activity types are used to bill miscellaneous charges to the work order, and therefore do not need and attached reference code.
    • The Reference Description field will populate with the description attached to the selected reference code.
• Click the Ellipsis icon   in the Asset Code field to attach a fixed asset to the activity line item.
  • Attaching a fixed asset to an activity line item can be useful when, for example, an improvement type work order is meant to provide improvements to multiple fixed assets. By creating an activity line item for each fixed asset, you can keep all of the improvement activity on the same work order but still track the costs associated with improving each asset.
  • Fixed assets are created and maintained on the Fixed Asset Maintenance window (FA> Maintenance> Fixed Assets).
• The Units column is used to specify the number of units required by the Labor, Equipment, or Materials action item.
  • The Units column is disabled for Services and Adjustments.
• The Amount Per Unit column will automatically populate if the selected item in the Reference Code field has an attached rate or cost.
  • For Labor, the amount per unit is the Hourly Rate attached to the Employee or Position.
  • For Equipment, the amount per unit is the Rate attached to the selected piece of Equipment.
  • For Materials, the amount per unit is the Cost Per Item attached to the selected Item.
  • The Amount Per Unit column is disabled for Services and Adjustments.
• The Base Amount column will automatically populate for Labor, Equipment, and Materials activity items.
  • This amount is calculated using the following formula:

(Units) X (Amount Per Unit)

• For Services and Adjustment action items, the Units and Amount Per Unit columns are disabled so the Base Amount field will be enabled for direct editing.

• The Overhead column will automatically populate for all action items.
  • This amount is calculated using the following formula:

(Base Amount) X (Overhead % specified on the General tab)

• The Overhead column can be edited.

• The Markup field is used to specify an additional overhead markup amount on the activity line item.
  • This field is only enabled when generating materials activity line items that are associated with IC module inventory items.
  • This field is often used when an inventory item is issued at a per unit price that is higher than the standard per unit price.
  • The Markup amount will appear as an independent overhead line item on the GL Distribution report.
• The Total Amount column will automatically populate for all action items.
  • This amount is calculated using the following formula:

(Base Amount) + (Overhead)

• The Total Amount field cannot be edited.
• A Total Amount total will be provided at the bottom of the Estimates tab. Additional Total Amount totals can also be calculated if you group the data grid by clicking and dragging a column header into the space above the column headers.

• Specify a Date for the activity line item. This field will default to today's date.
• Check the Billable toggle to make the activity line item eligible for a WO Billings batch.
• Enter a Description for the activity line item.
• The DR Account and CR Account columns will display the debit and credit accounts attached to the activity line item.
  • If the Allow GL account override on Activity Adjustment toggle is checked on the General tab of the WO Setup window, and Adjustment is selected in the LEMS column for the activity line item, the DR Account and CR Account can be edited.
• Once the line item is complete, simply press ENTER to add the activity line item to the data grid and begin creating a new line item.
  • You can export the displayed activity line items to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet by right clicking on the grid and selecting Export grid contents to Excel.
• Click the Save icon to add the completed activity line items to the batch.

5     Print the Activity Proof List.

• Open the Proof List window (WO> Activity> Proof List).
• Select a Sort By option from the drop-down menu.
• The report will display the Work Order Number, LEMS designation, Activity Type, Activity Date, Reference Number, Reference Code, Reference Description, line item Description, Reference Units, Units, Amount Per Unit, Base Amount, Overhead, Markup and Total Amount for each line item. Totals will also be provided for the entire report and for each Work Order or LEMS designation, depending on the selected Sort By option.
  • If the Activity batch includes adjustments to a work order set up to allow GL account overrides, and if an override GL account is specified, that override GL account will be displayed below the line item in question.
• Click the Print icon   to process the report immediately or enter a date and time in the field next to the Print icon to schedule the report to generate at a later time. You can view the progress of the report on the Job Viewer window (SS> Utilities> Show Scheduled Jobs).
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Print Preview to preview the report before printing.
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Excel to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet as unformatted data.
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Excel (Formatted) to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet that includes much of the Springbrook formatting found on the printed version of the report.
  • Once the report is generated, you can also display the report using the View Reports window (SS> Utilities> View Report). 

6     Print the GL Distribution report.

• Open the GL Distribution window (WO> Activity> GL Distribution).
• The report will display the Fund, Account Number, Account Description, Debit Amount, Credit Amount, and debit or credit Description. The report will also provide fund and grand totals.
• Click the Print icon to process the report immediately or enter a date and time in the field next to the Print icon to schedule the report to generate at a later time. You can view the progress of the report on the Job Viewer window (SS> Utilities> Show Scheduled Jobs).
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Print Preview to preview the report before printing.
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Excel to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet as unformatted data.
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Excel (Formatted) to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet that includes much of the Springbrook formatting found on the printed version of the report.
  • Once the report is generated, you can also display the report using the View Reports window (SS> Utilities> View Report).

7     Print the PM Distribution report.

• Open the PM Distribution window (WO> Activity> PM Distribution).
• The report will display the Task, Work Order, and Description, and activity line item amounts by LEMS specification. The report will also provide task and grand totals by LEMS specification.
• Click the Print icon to process the report immediately or enter a date and time in the field next to the Print icon to schedule the report to generate at a later time. You can view the progress of the report on the Job Viewer window (SS> Utilities> Show Scheduled Jobs).
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Print Preview to preview the report before printing.
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Excel to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet as unformatted data.
  • Click the Print icon drop-down menu and select Excel (Formatted) to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet that includes much of the Springbrook formatting found on the printed version of the report.
  • Once the report is generated, you can also display the report using the View Reports window (SS> Utilities> View Report).

8     Commit the Activity batch.

• Open the Batch Commit window (WO> Activity> Commit).
• Click the OK button to commit the batch.
• The committed activity items will now display on the Work Order Maintenance window (WO> Work Orders> Work Orders> Activity tab).