Summary

Categories are attached to work order estimates and recurring work orders in order to define what type of transaction will be created for the asset that is attached to the work order. It is not required to attach a category to a work order.

• New Construction type categories will create a new Fixed Asset module asset when the work order status is changed to “Complete”. 
• Improvement type categories will create a Fixed Asset module Original Cost adjustment when the work order status is changed to “Complete”. 
• Maintenance type categories are used to maintain equipment and assets that are created from the Work Order module.
• New Inventory type categories are used to create new Inventory Control module inventory items when the work order status is changed to "Complete" and the work order is processed through a Create Inventory Items batch.
• Other type categories will vary from user to user and are used for information tracking purposes.

When you attach a category to a new work order or estimate, you will be given the option to populate the work order or estimate with the category details.

Categories also allow you to group assets together. This guarantees work orders that are part of the same category will be attached to the same general ledger accounts. Follow this process to create a work order category.

This process will also provide instruction on how to change the category type and attach general ledger accounts to a category type.

Step by Step

1     Open the WO Category Selection window (WO> Maintenance> Category).

• The Category Selection window will display all of the work order categories that have been created in the application.
• Enter information into the Search Criteria section and click the Refresh icon to filter the categories displayed in the window.
• Click the Delete icon or press DELETE to delete the selected category.
  • Categories that are attached to work orders, recurring work orders, and estimates cannot be deleted.
• Click the Modify icon or press ENTER to edit the selected category.
• Click the Create icon or press the INSERT key to create a new category. This will open the Category Maintenance window.

2     Create a new Category.

• Enter a unique Category Code for the new category.
  • This is a required field and can be up to 10 alphanumeric characters. Once the Category Code is saved it cannot be edited.
• Enter a Description for the new category code. This field can be up to 30 alphanumeric characters.
• Select a Default Billing option from the drop-down menu.
• Select the appropriate Type from the drop-down menu.
  • Select New Construction if you would like this category type to create a new Fixed Asset module asset when the work order status is changed to “Complete”.
  • Select Improvement if you would like to use this category to create a Fixed Asset module asset original cost adjustment.
  • Select Maintenance if you would like to use this category to maintain equipment and assets that are created from the Work Order module.
  • Select New Inventory if you would like this category type to create a new Inventory Control module Item when the work order status is changed to "Complete".
  • Select Other if your organization uses this type for information tracking purposes.
  • Once a Type is specified and the category code is saved, the Type cannot be edited.
• Specify a number of Default Assets for the category. This is the number of depreciable fixed assets that the work order will create when completed.
  • This field will only be enabled if New Construction is selected in the Type drop-down menu.
• The Inventory Item field is used to specify which existing inventory item will be created when a resultant work order is closed and processed through the Create Inventory Items process.
  • The inventory item specified here will automatically populate the Asset field on any work orders associated with this category.
  • This field will only be enabled if New Inventory is selected in the Type drop-down menu.
• The Issue Category field is used to specify a default issue category for any work orders that the new category is attached to (WO> Work Orders> Work Orders> General tab> Issue Category field).
• GL Account
• Enter an AP Account or click the field label to select one from a list. This account will populate the AP Account field on any work orders the new category is attached to.
  • When a work order is attached to an AP Invoices line item, the account in the AP Account field will populate the GL Account field (AP> Invoices> Invoices> Create an invoice line item> GL Account field).
• Enter a PR Account or click the field label to select one from a list. This account will populate the PR Account field on any work orders the new category is attached to.
  • When a work order is attached to a PR Timesheet or Timecard, the account in the PR Account field will populate the GL Account field (PR> Timesheets> Quick Time Entry or Timesheets and PR> Computer Checks> Timecards).
  • This field can also be used to populate partial account numbers in the event that work order associated labor costs need to be distributed to different accounts within the same fund.
• The Active toggle is checked by default when creating a new category. If this toggle is unchecked, the category will not be available when creating a new work order or estimate.
• Check each of the Activity Types toggles you would like to associate with the new category.
  • Any activity types that are selected as Default on the WO Setup window (WO> Utilities> Setup) will be automatically selected.
  • Activity types are created and maintained on the Activity Type Maintenance window (WO> Maintenance> Activity Type).

3     Set up the default distribution.

• The Default Distribution tab is used to specify the default GL distribution details for the category.
  • Click the Ellipsis icon if you would like to change the selected GL account.
  • The Percent column is used to create a distribution across the displayed accounts. The total value in these fields must equal 100%.

4     Set up the category overhead.

• The Overhead Distribution tab is used to set up overhead percentages and distributions.
  • The default Overhead Percentages and Overhead Distribution are established on the WO Setup window (WO> Utilities> Setup> Default tab and Overhead Distribution tab).
• Click the Create icon   drop-down menu and select Create new overhead revision add a new revision to the Overhead Percentages section.
  • Specify the Effective Date for the revision. When that date is reached, the percentages specified in the revision will become active.
  • Edit the Percent column in the Overhead Percentages section to specify how much overhead will be applied to each LEMS category.
    • For example, if Equipment overhead is set up at 20%, any equipment use attached to the work order will bill an additional 20% on top of the equipment rate.
• Click the Create icon drop-down menu and select Create new overhead distribution to add a general ledger account to the Overhead Distribution section.
  • Select the desired LEMS category and edit the Percent column to specify what percentage of the overhead will be distributed to the selected account. While more than one account can be specified for each LEMS category, the total percentage for each LEMS category must be between 1 and 100.

5     Set up the credit distribution.

• The Credit Distribution tab is used to specify credit accounts on the resulting work orders.
  • The Work Order Distribution step in the AP, IC, PR and WO modules will direct credit to the expense account entered on the original transaction by default. By specifying credit accounts on the work order itself, you can control credit distribution at the individual work order level.
• Click the Create icon or press the INSERT key to add a general ledger account to the Credit Distribution section.
• Edit the Percent column to specify what percentage of the credit will be distributed to the selected account.
  • While you are not required to specify credit accounts for each LEMS designation, the percentage total across all accounts for each LEMS designation specified must equal 100%.
  • Click the Generate icon to populate the data grid with the same distribution accounts and percentages specified on the Default Distribution tab. This will overwrite any distribution details previously specified on the tab.

6     Specify the additional billing accounts.

• The Additional Billings tab is used to set up the Admin Fee and Small Tools Fee details required to process any work orders generated by this category through the Additional Billings process (WO> Additional Billings).
• Specify the CR Account and DR Account in both the Admin Fee and Small Tools Fee sections.
• Check the Admin fee billable and Small tools billable toggles to enable generated work orders to be included in an Additional Billings batch.
• Click the Save icon to save the new category.