Overview of Consultant Tracking

Client Managers can use Consultant Tracking to budget consultant expense in the Project Budget Worksheet, post accruals for those consultants, and then generate a report.

With Consultant Tracking you can:

•	Calculate accrual amounts based on budget, estimate-to-complete (ETC), or estimate-at-completion (EAC) amounts.

•	Post accruals as they are generated.

•	Suppress billing.

•	Update percent completes; you can drill down to compensation and billed detail.

•	Send reports to a process server for printing.

•	Save report settings.

•	Select accounts singly, by account range, or by project.

Utilizing the Consultant Tracking Feature

Consultant Tracking’s three-phase procedure lets you:

1.	Plan the budgeting needs of either your accounts, or accounts and vendors, in the Project Budget Worksheet.

2.	Post your accruals.

3.	Generate a Consultant Ledger report.

New Features for the Project Budget Worksheet

Before learning about the Consultant Tracking application, we recommend that you first review the features in the Project Budget Worksheet.

What do you want to do?

Set up Consultant Tracking.

Implement the Consultant Tracking application.

Process consultant accruals by posting journal entries.

Generate reports.


Project Budget Worksheet

The Project Budget Worksheet includes features to support the enhancements offered with the Consultant Tracking application:

•	In the Modify Expense Budgets form, you can now enter a vendor number along with your account. Enter the vendor number for which to enter a budget for a particular project. The account name and vendor name both display at the bottom of the form.

To enable this feature, be sure that the Enable Budgeting by Vendor option is selected on the General Tab of the System Setup form.

•	The Modify Expense Budgets form includes a new EAC Amt field, where you can enter the estimate-at-completion amount for a particular account or account/vendor.

•	The Percent Complete, Budget Amount, and JTD Spent fields will continue to display consolidated by account, even when budgeting by vendor. The percent complete is a weighted average percent complete based on the budget amount.

Reports

Your Project Budget Worksheet reports will include the new fields added to the Labor forms and Expense forms.


Planning Your Account or Vendor Budgeting Needs

Before using Consultant Tracking, you need to establish budgeting parameters, set up the consultant accrual account, choose the project selection criteria, and specify other setup information.

What do you want to do?

Choose the topic you want to review:

General System Setup

Consultant Tracking Setup

Processing Tab

Selection Tab


General System Setup

The first step in planning your budgeting needs is to establish your budget parameters in General System Setup, which now has a new Enable budgeting by Vendor option to help you plan your Consultant Tracking setup.

You may plan you budget according to:

•	Accounts, or

•	Accounts and vendors.

Please note that if you select the second option, then you must budget by vendor as well as account.

Also available on the General System Setup tab is the Enable Process Servers feature option, which makes it possible to send reports to your process server for printing.

Settings for Consultant Tracking

1.	Select Utilities, Setup Table Maintenance, General System Setup from the Deltek Advantage main menu. The System Setup Table Maintenance form appears.

2.	Select the Enable budgeting by Vendor option.

See Project Budget Worksheet for related information.

3.	Select the Enable Process Servers feature option if you want to send reports to the process server for printing.

See Submitting Reports to the Process Server for related information.

4.	Choose other options as appropriate.

5.	Click on the Save button.

6.	Click on the Close button.


Consultant Tracking Setup

The Consultant Tracking application is where you determine the specifics of the selected account and choose the selection criteria for various project information.

•	To access the Consultant Tracking application, select Processing, Consultant Accruals from the Deltek Advantage main menu.

•	To complete the setup of the Consultant Tracking application, use the following tabs:

Processing Tab

Selection Tab


Processing Tab of Consultant Tracking

The Processing tab of Consultant Tracking is where you determine the specifics of your selected account. You can choose account ranges and calculations, as well as billing and posting options.

Use the following fields and options on the Processing tab for setup purposes:

Account Field

Account Range Field

Calculation based on Field

Suppress Billing Option

Post consultant accruals as they are generated Option

 Related Topics


Selection Tab of Consultant Tracking

The Selection tab of Consultant Tracking is where you define the Selection Criteria values for your project information:

•	Principal

•	Project Manager

•	Client

•	Status

In addition, you can enhance your project information by selecting from among the Other Selection values:

•	Revenue Method

•	Office

•	Discipline

•	Type of Work

•	Sector

•	Region

•	Billing Type

Lookups and Clearing Data

Click on the binoculars icon in a specific field to show a drop-down list for that field.

Click on the red X at the end of a criterion line to clear the current selection.

Setting up for Consultant Tracking

Use the following fields and options on the Selection tab for setup purposes:

Project Field

Select Specific Projects Button

Clear Selected Projects Button

Selection based on task values Option

 Related Topics


Implementing the Consultant Tracking Application

After you have established your budget parameters in General System Setup and used the Processing and Selection tabs of Consultant Tracking to complete the account/vendor setup process, you’re ready to implement the application.

This section details the necessary steps for using the Consultant Tracking application, while presenting further information about the application’s fields and buttons.

Access the Consultant Tracking application by selecting Processing, Consultant Accruals from the Deltek Advantage main menu.

Account Field

The Account field lets you select the account you wish to employ. Enter the account number or double-click for a list of accessible accounts, and then click OK. The account number and account name will appear on the Consultant Accruals form.

What do you want to do?

From the Processing tab you can:

Update percent completes.

Submit reports to a process server for printing.

Produce accrual Journal Entries.

From either the Processing tab or the Selection tab you can:

Save report settings.

Load saved report settings.

 Related Topics


Updating Percent Completes

The Update % button allows you to review and then update the overall percentage and the expense percentage for each project, as well as respective tasks.

Clicking on the Update % button will produce the Update Percent Complete form.

The form also shows the project name and, when applicable, the project’s tasks. Clicking on the Close button will bring you back to the Consultant Tracking Processing tab.

View Details

You can view the details of individual projects by either using the scrolling bar located to the left of the project list, or clicking on the View Detail button. Using either method will produce the Percentage Complete form.

Click on the Close button to return to the previous form.


Producing Accrual Journal Entries

To produce accrual Journal Entries from the Consultant Tracking application, simply click the Run button.

When the process is completed, a Consultant Accrual form displays:

•	The number of projects generated.

•	The number of accrual entries generated.

After you’ve processed the Journal Entries, you can post them.


Saving Report Settings

You can save your custom report setting under a user-defined description. For example, Project Managers may save report-specific settings under their own name, or save project-specific settings under the project’s name.

To save report settings:

1.	Click on the Save Settings button on the Consultant Tracking form (either the Processing tab or the Selection tab).

The system displays the Save Report Settings dialog.

2.	Enter a description for the report settings in the Description field, using up to 40 alphanumeric characters.

3.	Select the Save as default settings option to make these report settings your default. The next time your enter the reporting routine, these option will be loaded by default, replacing the system defaults.

4.	Click OK to return to the reporting routine.

The description you entered for this batch of report settings appears in the lower left corner of the form.

Defaults

If you do not provide any user-defined options, then the settings default to:

•	Direct Consultants (Account range field)

•	Budget (Calculation based on field)


Loading Report Settings

Use the Load Report Settings dialog to access a set of report options that you have saved under a descriptive name on the Save Settings dialog.

To access Load Settings:

1.	Click on the Load Settings button on the Consultant Tracking form (either the Processing tab or the Selection tab).

The system displays the Load Report Settings dialog.

2.	Select the name of the report settings you want to load.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The settings you choose appear on the Consultant Tracking form, replacing the current settings.

The name of the settings you have chosen displays on the bottom left-hand corner of the Consultant Tracking form.


Deleting Report Settings

To delete settings:

1.	Click on the Load Settings button on the Consultant Tracking form (either the Processing tab or the Selection tab).

The system displays the Load Report Settings dialog.

2.	Select the name of the report settings to be deleted, then click on the Delete button.

A prompt appears, asking you to confirm the deletion.

3.	Click Yes to delete the settings. Otherwise, click No.

Regardless of your choice, you are returned to the Load Report Settings dialog.


Submitting Reports to the Process Server

The Submit button sends your selected reports to the process server to be printed. This button only appears if the Enable Process Servers feature option is selected in General System Setup Maintenance. See General System Setup for related information.

When a job is submitted, Deltek Advantage places it in the selected process queue in the order that it was received. The process is then run based on the options specified on the Submit form.


Posting the Journal Entries

The next step in Consultant Tracking is to process your Consultant’s accruals by posting Journal Entries. These entries can be posted by using either profit centers or maintaining separate balance sheets.

To post accruals:

1.	Select Processing, Data Entry, Journal Entries from the Deltek Advantage main menu.

Deltek Advantage displays the Journal Entries Files form. This form provides a summary of all existing journal entry files to date. You can either select an existing file or create a new file.

2.	Click on the New button.

The Journal Entries New File form appears.

3.	Complete the fields on the Journal Entries New File form, referring to the context-sensitive help on the form.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The system brings you to the Journal Entry Data Entry from. This form lets you enter the information for the journal entry.

5.	Enter the journal entry by completing the fields on the Journal Entries Data Entry form, referring to the context-sensitive help on the form.

6.	Click on the Add button to enter additional journal entries, if necessary.

7.	Click on the Close button.

8.	Print and review the journal entry file, using the Journal Entries transaction list.

9.	Post the journal entry file, using the Post Journal Entries routine.


Generating Reports

The final step in the Consultant Tracking process is to generate a report. Deltek Advantage produces reports to aid you in presenting and monitoring your Consultant Tracking information.

To generate Consultant Tracking reports:

Select Reporting, Consultant Tracking from the Deltek Advantage main menu. The Consultant Tracking Reporting from appears.

You’ll work with the following five tabs for the Consultant Tracking Reporting form:

Batch Printing

Vendor Selection

Project Selection

Sorting

Consultant Ledger Report


Batch Printing Tab

Selecting the Consultant Ledger option on the Batch Printing tab lets you send your Consultant Tracking report to either the printer or process server.

You can perform several functions from this tab, as follows:

Function	Description
Print the reports	Click on the Print button to print your report. The report prints to the default printer set up on your workstation.
Submit the reports for printing	Click on the Submit button to send the selected reports to the process server to be printed. Please note that this button only appears if the Enable Process Servers feature option is selected in General System Setup Maintenance.
Report heading dates	When this option is selected, you can enter heading dates on your report for a specific period.


Vendor Selection Tab

On the Vendor Selection tab, you can establish criteria for your Consultant Tracking vendor reports.

The Vendor Selection tab has two sections:

•	Vendor Selection Criteria

•	Profit Center & Sort/Selects

Also, you can select the Select Specific Vendors button to select a smaller subset of the vendors that meet the specified selection criteria.


Project Selection Tab

On the Project Selection tab, you can establish criteria for your Consultant Tracking project reports.

The Project tab has tow sections:

•	Project Selection Criteria

•	Other Selections

Also, you can select the Select Specific Projects button to select a smaller subset of the projects that meet the specified selection criteria.


Sorting Tab

The Sorting tab lets you indicate the order in which to display information on your report.

You can perform several functions from this tab, as outlined in the following table:

Function	Description
First Sort	Select your first sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.
Second Sort	Select your second sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.
Third Sort	Select your third sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.
Fourth Sort	Select your fourth sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.
Vendor Sort	Select one of the following sorts for your vendor reports: • Number (default) • Name • Sort Name
Project Sort	Select one of the following sorts for your project reports: • Number (default) • Name


Consultant Ledger Report Tab

The Consultant Ledger Report tab lets you set up options for your report. You can perform several functions from this tab, as outlined in the following table:

Function	Description
Format	Select from one of the following report formats: • Voucher Summary • Voucher Detail • Vendor Summary
Include	Select one of the following options to determine which data should appear in the report: • All • Paid in Full • Unpaid
Since	Enter a corresponding payment date. This option is available only if Paid in Full is selected from the Include option.
Exclude if paid prior to	Select a cut-off date for each Vendor or Project, if desired. This option is available only if All or Paid in Full is selected from the Include option.
Liability Code	Select one of the following liability codes: • Consultant • Employee • Trade
Bank	Select a bank from the displayed list.
Page breaks for each Project	Select this option to have a separate page break for each project in your report.
Consolidate Tasks	Select this option to consolidate the tasks for each project in your report.
Submit	Select this option to send the selected reports to the process server to be printed. Please note that this button only appears if the Enable Process Servers feature option is selected in General System Setup Maintenance.
Print Preview	Select this option to review your report before printing or submitting to the process server.
Print	Click on the Print button to print your report. The report prints to the default printer set up on your workstation.


Report Settings

Whenever you open Consultant Tracking, the system loads the <Default> settings automatically, regardless of whether or not you have other saved report settings.

The system defaults for the Processing tab of the Consultant Tracking form are listed as follows:

Default Setting	See this topic for related information
Direct Consultants (Account range field)	Account Range Field
Budget (Calculation base on field)	Calculation based on Field
Suppress Billing option	Suppress Billing Option
Use the Save Settings and Load Settings buttons to save your user-defined options for use at a later time and to load these settings for a reporting session.

What do you want to do?

Save report settings.

Load report settings.

Delete saved report settings.


Account Field

The Account field lets you select the account you wish to employ.

Enter the account number or double-click for a list of accessible accounts, and then click OK. The account number and account name appear on the Consultant Accruals form.


Account Range Field

The Account range field lets you choose from among five different ranges to determine your account criteria, depending on which range you want processed.

These ranges are:

•	Direct Consultants

•	Reimbursable Consultants

•	Direct Expenses

•	Reimbursable Expenses

•	Indirect Expenses

For more Information

See Chapter 3 of the Installation Guide, "Deltek Advantage Accounting," for more information about these account ranges, as well as a list of the Standard Chart of Accounts.


Calculation Based On Field

The Calculation based on field is where you define how your project accounts are going to be accrued.

There are three predefined types of accruals available in Consultant Tracking. You can choose only one of the three options as the basis for your calculations. Your options are outlined in the following table:

Field	Description
Budget	(Percent Complete * Budget) – Job-to-Date Spent
ETC (Estimate-to-Complete)	[(Job-to-Date Spent + Estimate-to-Complete) * Percent Complete] – Job-to-Date Spent
EAC (Estimate-at-Completion)	(Percent Complete * Estimate-at-Completion) – Job-to-Date Spent


Suppress Billing Option

Select this option to suppress the billing for each transaction.


Post Consultant Accruals as they are Generated Option

Select this option if you want your accruals posted as they are generated.


Project Field

The Project field lets you select the project for which to generate reports. Double-click for a list of accessible projects.


Select Specific Projects Button

Click on this button to display a list of all available projects.

If you have other selection criteria entered on the Selection tab, Deltek Advantage only displays a list of values that match all of the selection criteria.


Clear Selected Projects Button

Use this button to remove all selected projects.


Selection Based on Task Values Option

This option lets you select only those tasks that match the criteria you have entered.


Consultant Ledger

Click on the Print button to print your report. The report prints to the default printer set up on your workstation.


Report Heading Dates

When this option is selected, you can enter heading dates on your report for a specific period.


First Sort

Select your first sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.


Second Sort

Select your second sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.


Third Sort

Select your third sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.


Fourth Sort

Select your fourth sorting option from the drop-down list, and specify whether or not you want to include page breaks and sub-totals.


Project Sort

Select one of the following sorts for your project reports:

•	Number (default)

•	Name


Vendor Sort

Select one of the following sorts for your vendor reports:

•	Number (default)

•	Name

•	Sort Name


Format field

Select from one of the following report formats:

•	Voucher Summary

•	Voucher Detail

•	Vendor Summary


Include field

Select one of the following options to determine which data should appear in the report:

•	All

•	Paid in Full

•	Unpaid


Since field

Enter a corresponding payment date. This option is available only if Paid in Full is selected from the Include option.


Exclude if paid prior to field

Select a cut-off date for each Vendor or Project, if desired. This option is available only if All or Paid in Full is selected from the Include option.


Liability Code field

Select one of the following liability codes:

•	Consultant

•	Employee

•	Trade


Bank field

Select a bank from the displayed list.


Page breaks for each Project field

Select this option to have a separate page break for each project in your report.


Consolidate Tasks option

Select this option to consolidate the tasks for each project in your report.