archInvoice Help File

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Getting Started
• The Process
• Modules
• Tips & Tricks
• Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

archInvoice

by James A. Wilson

Copyright © 2001-2007, Weske•Wilson Software, All Rights Reserved

archInvoice is designed to produce invoices for the architectural and engineering communities. Individual invoices can be produced for multiple project phases and billing types such as square feet, hourly, and/or fixed fee. Additionally, billing for consultant services and reimbursable expenses may be included. archInvoice tracks the billed-to-date amount for each project phase and checks maximum billing limits for a single phase and/or entire project if desired. archInvoice allows for multiple employees and billing rates.

To establish a valid web site for your company with the associated database requires a signed contract with Weske-Wilson Software. Once the paperwork is completed a web site for your company will be established. Contact Weske-Wilson Software at Sales@archInvoice.com to obtain pricing information.

Contact Information

Technical support for archInvoice can be obtained via e-mail at; Support@archInvoice.com

Browser Requirements

To best utilize the capabilities of archInvoice the following browsers are recommended.

• For PC based systems use the Mazolla FireFox browser.
• For Mac based systems use the Opera browser.

Each of these can be downloaded from their respective web sites. Firefox at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ and Opera at http://www.opera.com/download/.

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Getting Started

Overview

Before an invoice can be produced several tables within the database must be established. The database provided contains an initial set of records for several of the tables to serve as a starting point. The database contains three types of files. Project and staff information, monthly project work related information, and project historical billing information. Project and staff records are for the most part only updated periodically as information is added/update. Monthly records are added as employee’s work on projects and reimbursable expenses are incurred. Finally, historical billing information is updated as archInvoice is used and generated invoices are posted.

Getting started requires that the following six tables itemized in the "Initial Setup" first be established. Although the information within these tables can be changed, it is important that some planning go into their creation. Before entering information into the tables first take a few minutes to plan and organize your activities.

It is realized that there is a steep setup and learning curve associated with the use of this system. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at the following e-mail address: support@archInvoice.com.

Initial Setup

1.  Phase Codes — The Phase Code records comprise the backbone of the system. All employee work on projects are accomplished by phases. An employee might first document an existing plan, accomplish an initial design, and then provide the final construction documents. These individual phases would be the same whether the work was for a Square Feet, Hourly, or Fixed Fee project. Additionally, There are a variety of both Consultant Services and Reimbursable Expense categories that need to be included on an invoice.

The five Phase Code groups are indicated below.

Each record contains a "Code", "Description", "Type", and "Rate" field. The Code field serves as the index into the records and is a number between a set range. The table above identifies the code range and type of information reserved for each group.

Within the Square Feet, Hourly, and Fixed Fee groups the phase descriptions generally have the same identifier. Phase descriptions for Consultant services and Reimbursable Expenses are unique. Additionally, the Hourly records contain a Rate field that can be used to establish an overtime rate, such as 1.5. If the rate is for normal Hours enter a value of 1.0.

Don't forget to include an hourly group of phase codes for "Admin" type work. This group would include phase codes for Holiday, sick, and vacation.

The Consultant Services table also contains a Rate field entry. This value is used as a multiplier so that a markup can be applied against specific consultant services.

Reimbursable Expense also contains a Rate field entry. This value is used as a multiplier for the quantity provided in the Expenses table (e.g., setting the Mileage expense rate to 0.48 will cause an expense value to be multiplied by 0.48 on the invoice). Review the Phase Codes provided and modify as needed.

Before making modifications to the entries provided use the print option of the module to obtain a list of the provided categories.

2.  Staff Codes – The codes used in the Staff Code table consists of two parts. The first digit of the three is the Rate Group (0-9) and correlates to the Rate Group field on the Projects window. The last two digits represent the different Staff positions within your company. The following table provides an example of how a typical Staff Code table might be constructed. Note the' 0nn' group descriptions are the same as the '1nn' descriptions. The only difference between the two groups is the Rate for each of the Positions.

Use the Rate Group field on the Projects window to set the billing group to be used for the project. Review the Staff Codes provided and modify as needed.

3.  Employees – These records contains information on each employee. Each record contains an "Employee Number", "Employee Name", "Rate Code", "Status", and "Start Date" fields.

Each Employee Number is used to uniquely identify an employee. Employee numbers are four digit codes. For consistency all employee number should be four digits in length. If your company does not currently have employee identifiers you will need to establish a system and assign them. One format is of the form "Lnnn" where "L" is either the first initial of the employees last name, or the employee status (see below), and "nnn" is a sequential number for all employees.

Employee Names are entered in the system as LastName, FirstName MI.

The Rate Code is a cross reference to the Staff Code identifier from the Staff Code table. This field is used to obtain the staff description for each individual. (If you use the multiple structure discussed above just enter the code from the first group.)

The Status field is used to maintain individuals in the database that are no longer employees. Four types of status are recognized with the system: A-Active, C-Contractor, T-Temporary, and X-Ex-Employee.

Finally, the Start Date is used for information only.

Update/Delete the existing records to indicate your present company employees.

4.  Customers – These records contain the information on each of your customers (clients). Each record contains the following groups of information:

• Customer ID and Name
• Mailing address
• Contact individuals name, phone numbers, and e-mail address

Since most of these are self explanatory, I will not go into a detailed discussion of each item. A couple of comments about a few of the fields are necessary though.

The Customer Identifier is a unique 4 digit alphanumeric identifier (upper case only). One method that has been used is to use the first character of the customer name followed by three digits (e.g., for Anderson Electric the code might be A001). Any four-digit identifier will work as long as they are unique.

The Contact field is used to identify within the customers company who is to receive the invoice. This may be an individual (Mr. John Smith) or department (Accounts Receivable). Additionally, the Contact field can be used to create a summary invoice. Sometimes a client will have several related projects and desires that individual invoices be provided but only pay one amount. In the Contact field enter “Detail” followed by a ~ (tilde) and the summary project number (e.g., Detail~94532.00). This will cause individual invoices be to generated but only one record for project 94532.00 entered in the Receivables log.

To create a 2nd line in either the Customer Name field or the Customer Address field enter a tilde (~) character at the desired location.

Although the format for the phone numbers is not defined it is suggested that you establish a standard. Either a format of (xxx) xxx-xxxx or xxx.xxx.xxxx is suggested.

The Note field is strictly for informational use only. It is only used to print on the Customer listing.

The entry for the customer’s e-mail address is for information only.

5.  Projects – These records contain the billing information for each project. Each record contains the following groups of information

• Project ID and Descriptive Name
• Customer ID relating to the customer records described above.
• Project Billing Information

Since most of these are self explanatory, I will not go into a detailed discussion of each item. A couple of comments about a few of the fields are necessary though.

The Project Identifier is a unique 12 digit alphanumeric identifier (uppercase only). If your company does not currently have a system to identify projects one needs to be established. These identifiers are user established not archInvoice generated. A method used for several years is as follows:

yylcc.nn; where "yy" is the last two digits of the year, "l" is a location identifier (if multiple offices exists), "cc" is a client identifier and "nn" is a sequential number identifier for the client. This would translate to a Project Identifier as: 07523.14. The field can contain 12 characters so feel free.

The Project Name field is used to specifically identify the project in a descriptive manner (i.e., Third Floor Bathroom Remodel). This information is placed on the invoice for information only.

The Contract Max field is used to set a limit on the total cost of the project. If this field is non-zero then archInvoice will track the "Services" charges only (not Consultant and/or Reimbursable expenses) to ensure they do not exceed the total of this field and the Amendment field.

The Amendment field is provided to allow for changes in the cost of the project. If multiple amendments are implemented then add them together for one value.

The Expenses field is used to track the total cost of the reimbursable expenses for the project. If this field is non-zero then archInvoice will track the "Reimbursable" charges. Unlike the Contract Max computation the Reimbursable charges will not be reduced by any amount over the max amount. An information statement is provided if the total Reimbursables exceed the Expense amount.

The Refer To field is used to add information which the company's accounting department may have requested be placed on the invoice. This may be a PO number or some form of project reference. If the information requires more space than will fit on one line insert a tilde (~) to start a second line or third line (on the invoice).

The Rate Group field corresponds to the Staff Codes mentioned above. If a single structure is used this field should be set to zero.

The Pct Mult field is used to set the percentage multiplier amount for the project (e.g., a value of 0.15 will cause computed amounts to be increased by 15 percent).

Finally, the check box is used to prohibit the printing of the "Amount Previously Billed" value on the invoice. Sometimes you just don't want the client to see how much they have paid you.

6.  System Users — The archInvoice system is designed to be used by all employees of a company. As such the user portion of the database must be established. Use the Edit -> Preferences -> User Info module to add users to the database.

You will note that there are three access levels identified within the system: Admin, Management, and Staff. Only one individual should be assigned Admin level access. This individual will have responsibility for generation of invoices, posting of timesheets and invoices to the database, and assigning new users to the system. Management level users have the ability to generate reports and print invoices but not the ability to create or post invoices. Finally, Staff level users use the system to maintain their timesheets. They can view the customer, project, and phase code records but cannot make changes.

When entering the information for a new user assign them a random password. The new user can change the assigned password at a later time.

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The Process

Creation of invoices requires several steps. Employee and project information must be updated to reflect the current status, employee timesheet information must be entered to ensure proper billing, and the status of projects must be updated to reflect the proper percent of completion for Square Feet and Fixed Fee work.

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Modules

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Project Info

The modules contained under the Project Info menu are for management of the Customers, Projects and Phase Codes records. Each modules contains the ability to Add, Edit, Delete, and Print the records. See the individual area below for a detailed discussion of each moduled.

Control Buttons

Add — To "Add" a record enter the desired information in each of the edit fields indicated. Once all of the known information is entered press the "Add" button. The information will be entered into the database. See the Tips and Tricks area below for a simple method to "Add" a new record that is similiar to one already in the database.

Edit — To "Edit" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Change the desired edit fields as required. When all of the changes have been completed press the "Edit" button. The changed information will be updated in the database.

Delete — To "Delete" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Verify that the selected record is the one desired to be deleted. Select the "Delete" button to delete the record from the database.

Print — Use this button to obtain a print of the subject records. For the Customers and Projects modules a small box will be displayed requesting the range of Customer/Projects to print. After entering the desired range select the "Set" button to set the range for printing. Finally, select the "Print" button. A new window will be displayed containing a PDF file listing the information for each of the Customer/Project records in the range selected. Be careful not to select too large a range as it could take a few minutes to generate the report.

Help — Use this button to display the Help file you are now reading.

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Customers

This module is used to update the information contained in the Customers database. To the left are displayed the edit fields contained within the database. To the right is a list of the Customer ID and Company Name.

Buttons — See the Control Button section above for a detailed discussion of each button item.

History Button — The history button is used to provide a report of all activity against a specific project. Use the "E/D" button to the right of the project ID list to select a specific project. This will then activate the "Hist" button. The information provided is separated into four groups as follows:

1. Project/Company Information — This group lists the company address information for the project.
2. Phase Tracking Information — This group list each phase billed against the project with any remaining abouts available.
3. Invoice Summary Information — This group lists each phase billed and the specific invoice billed against.
4. Invoice Payment Information — This group lists each invoice biled, amount billed, paid amount, check number, date, and the amount remaining.

Edit Fields

Customer Code — This field contains the identifier for the Customer. The identifier can be a maximum of 4 uppercase characters in length. This identifier is used to reference the customer within the Projects database table. A standard scheme should be developed to ensure consistancy across records. A method used by several customers is to have the first letter be the same as the customers name followed by three digits in sequence (e.g., A024, where 'A' is for Allen and Associates and the 024 is the 24th customer that begins with 'A').

Company Name — This field contains the name of the company for which the work is being performed. The name will appear on the invoice exactly as entered. The name can be a maximum of 80 characters in length. To enter a second line, use the tilde (~) character to separate the two lines. Note that only the first 40 characters of each line will print on the invoice.

Company Address — These fields contain the address of the company for which the work is being performed. The street address can be a maximum of 80 characters in length. To enter a second line, use the tilde (~) character to separate the two lines. The city name can be a maximum of 32 characters, the State 2 letters, and the zipcode 10 digits.

Note — This field is provided to enter customer related information not included on an invoice.

Contact — This field contains the individual or department name within the company for which the work is being performed. This is included on the invoice to ensure the invoice will be routed to the proper individual or department.

Phone Numbers — These fields are provided for information use only. Although free form, a standard should be established for entering the numbers (e.g., 951-922-6925 or (951) 922-6925).

E-mail — Enter a valid e-mail address in this field. This is for information only.

Note — Although this page is available to users with either of the three access levels, users with a "Staff" access level cannot change any records.

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Projects

This module is used to update the information contained in the Projects database. To the left are displayed the edit fields contained within the database. To the right is a list of the Project Codes and Names within the database. The table at the bottom list the Customer Code and Company Name.

Buttons — See the Control Button section above for a detailed discussion of each button item.

Edit Fields

Project Code — This field contains the identifier for the Project. The identifier can be a maximum of 12 characters in length. This identifier is used to reference the project within several of the other database tables. As with the Customer Code you should select a scheme that is meaningful. One such scheme is of the format "yycccc.nnn" where the "yy" is the two digit year, the "cdcc" is the customer code, and the "nnn" is a sequential number of the projects for the customer.

Project Name — This field contains a narrative description of the project work. The narrative can be a maximum of 50 characters in length.

Customer Code — This field contains the identifier of the company for which the work is being performed. When adding a new project select the company from the listbox at the bottom first and then enter the other information.

Project Manager — From the drop down list select the employee assigned as the Project Manager for the project.

Active — Use this checkbox to indicate that a project is “Active”. Only active projects are used to generate invoices

.Refer to — This field may contain a narrative reference to a document (such as a P.O.) or project identifier from the company for which the work is being performed. Inclusion of a tilde (~) within the field will cause the characters after the ~ to appear on the next line. Up to three lines can be included in this field by use of a second '~'. If the field is left blank the Refer To identifier is not printed on the invoice.

Contract Max — This field may contain a numeric value to indicate the maximum amount for Contract Services. archInvoice tracks the "Services" portion of each invoice to ensure the total does not exceed the contract and amendment total. If this field is left blank no limit checking is performed.

Amendment — This field may contain a numeric value to indicate any total amendments to the original contract (see Contract Max above).

Expenses — This field may contain a numeric value to indicate the maximum amount for Reimbursable Expenses. archInvoice tracks the "Expenses" portion of each invoice to ensure the total does not exceed this limit. If this field is left blank no limit check is performed.

Rate Group — This field contains a numeric value that corresponds to the rate group from the Staff Codes database (see the Staff Codes module). A value of "0" corresponds to Staff Codes 00-99, "1" to Staff Codes 100-199, etc. Assigning different billing rates for each of the Staff Code groups provides the ability to bill individual projects at different rates.

Pct Mult — This field contains a percent value from 0.0 to 1.0. This value is used as a multiplier against the Reimbursable Expenses values to obtain the final billing amount.

Start Date — This field contains the start date for the project. Select the Calendar Icon to display a popup calendar for quick entry of the date. The date must be in the mm/dd/yy format. The date is for information only

.PrevBilled — Use this checkbox to indicate if "Previously Billed" information is to be printed on Invoices.

Bill Cycle — Some companies might need to provide customers an invoice on other than their normal billing cycle. For example, if the company billing cycle is on a monthly basic the customer might desire the period to be from the middle of one month to the next. This field provides the opportunity to do so. Enter a single-digit code in the field to indicate a billing period. The time frame is not relevant. Then in the "Create -> Invoice(s)" module enter the same code and set the period desired. With 26 letters and 10 numbers available, more than enough billing cycles are available for use.

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Phase Codes

Use this window to update the information contained in the Phase Codes database. The table at the bottom of the window list the Phase Codes contained within the database.

Buttons — See the Control Button section above for a detailed discussion of each button item.

Edit Fields

Code — Enter the Code identifier of the work phase. Valid code entries must be in the following ranges. When constructing your Phase Codes it is a good idea to keep the same groups in each of the Square Feet, Hourly, and Fixed Fee area. That is to say if you have a 101—Design Development, then 201 and 301 should also be Design Development. Remember also to include Hourly categories for Admin and Overtime.

Code	Type
100-199	Square Feet
200-299	Hourly
300-399	Fixed Fee
400-499	Consultant Services
900-999	Reimbursable Expenses

Description — Enter the Phase Description. This description will print on each portion of the invoice in bold letters.

Type — Enter the Phase Type. archInvoice will automatically enter the appropriate type based on the code entered. The Type may be adjusted to include an indicator for Overtime or Administrative support. For Administrative support categories enter the identifier "Admin" as the beginning of the Type identifier. These categories are not included in an invoice computation.

Rate — If the Phase Code is for an Hourly, Consultant, or Expense element then archInvoice will display a Rate edit field for entry of a multiplier. archInvoice uses this value as a multiplier against the amount to determine the total to be billed. This value should not be confused with the Multiplier value entered for the project.

Hourly Example: For Hourly billings the Rate value is used as a multiplier against the Staff Code value. Thus, for all Phases indicated as Hourly the Rate should be at least a value of "1.0". For those Phases identified as Overtime the Rate should be your desired overtime billing multiplier (e.g., "1.5").

Expense Example: If the expense category is Mileage, then a Rate of .475 would be entered so that in the Expense Amount field you would enter 40 to indicate the miles traveled. archInvoice uses the Expense Rate to multiply 45 x .475 to obtain 21.375. This amount is then multiplied by the Project Multiplier (0.10) to obtain a billed amount of $23.51.

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Data Records

Use the following modules to modify the archInvoice data records. Use the Control Buttons discussed below to Add, Edit, or Delete records and print the displayed records. Use the Monthly Navigation Buttons to select a monthly date range.

Control Buttons

Add — To "Add" a record enter the desired information in each of the edit fields indicated. Once all of the known information is entered press the "Add" button. The information will be entered into the database. See the Tips and Tricks area below for a simple method to "Add" a new record that is similiar to one already in the database.

Edit — To "Edit" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Change the desired edit fields as required. When all of the changes have been completed press the "Edit" button. The changed information will be updated in the database.

Delete — To "Delete" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Verify that the selected record is the one desired to be deleted. Select the "Delete" button to delete the record from the database.

View — This button is used to view selected records from the database. To view the records for a specific project enter the Project ID in the Project ID field and press the "View" button. To view all records leave the Project ID field blank and press the "View" button.

Print — Use this button to obtain a print of the subject records. A new window will be displayed containing a PDF file listing the information for each of the database records in the date range selected.

Help — Use this button to display the Help file you are now reading.

Monthly Navigation Buttons

Previous Year — Use this button to skip to the same month in the previous year.

Previous Month — Use this button to skip to the previous month in the same year.

Current Month — This button displays the active month and year. Note: Use this button to return to the current month and year.

Next Month — Use this button to skip to the next month in the same year.

Next Year — Use this button to skip to the same month in the next year.

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Square Feet

Use this module to update the information contained in the Square Feet database. Use the Control Buttons to Add, Edit, or Delete individual records. Use the Print Control Button to obtain a list of the records displayed for the month selected. Use the Monthly Navigation Buttons discussed above to select records for a different month.

Edit Fields

Project ID — Enter the Project Identifier for the Square Feet work. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Phase — From the drop down list select the Phase Code associated with the Square Feet work. The Phase Code for Square Feet work must be in the range of 100 to 199.

Date — From the popup calendar select the date associated with the Square Feet work. The entered Date will be in the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

Total SqFt — Enter the total number of Square Feet associated with the work. It is not necessary to include a thousands separator (,) within the amount.

Rate/SqFt — Enter the rate per Square Foot associated with the Square Feet work.

% Done — Enter the percent complete value associated with the Square Feet work. This value must be in the range 0.00 to 1.00 indicating a percentage. It is assumed that not all work on a phase will be completed during a given billing period. Thus, during the first billing period enter the Percent Complete to date for the project phase. For the second billing period enter the accumulated Percent Complete for the project phase. archInvoice will track the amount previously billed and adjust the invoice total accordingly.

Comment — Enter any Comment to be included on the invoice. A total of 48 characters can be entered in the field.

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Hourly

Use this module to update the information contained in the Hours Worked database. Use the Control Buttons to Add, Edit, or Delete individual records. Use the Print Control Button to obtain a list of the records displayed for the month selected. Use the Monthly Navigation Buttons discussed above to select records for a different month.

Edit Fields

Project ID — Enter the Project Identifier for the Hourly work. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Phase — Select the drop down box the Phase Code for the work performed. Note: Although the Phase Codes for Hourly work are in the range of 200 to 299, the Phase Codes for Square Feet and Fixed Fee are also listed. This is because the employees will do work for a Square Feet and/or Fixed Fee project.

Date — From the popup calendar select the date associated with the Hourly work. The entered Date will be in the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

Emp Num — Enter the Employee Identifier of the employee who performed the work. Entry of a valid identifier results in the Employee Name and Staff Code being entered.

Staff Code — Enter the Staff Code for the employee who worked on the project.

Hours — Enter the number of Hours worked for the Project/Phase.

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Fixed Fee

Use this module to update the information contained in the Fixed Fee database. Use the Control Buttons to Add, Edit, or Delete individual records. Use the Print Control Button to obtain a list of the records displayed for the month selected. Use the Monthly Navigation Buttons discussed above to select records for a different month.

Edit Fields

Project — Enter the Project Identifier for the Fixed Fee work. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Phase — Enter the Phase Code associated with the Fixed Fee work. Select the desired Phase Code from the drop down list of valid Phase Codes. The Phase Code for Fixed Fee work must be in the range of 300 to 399.

Date — From the Popup window select the desired Date associated with the Fixed Fee work. The entered Date must be in the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

Amount — Enter the dollar Amount associated with the Fixed Fee work. It is not necessary to include either a dollar sign ($) or thousands separator (,) within the amount.

% Done — Enter the Percent Complete value associated with the Fixed Fee work. This value must be in the range 0.00 to 1.00 to indicate a percentage. It is assumed that not all work on a phase will be completed during a given billing period. Thus, during the first billing period enter the Percent Complete to date for the project phase. For the second billing period enter the accumulated Percent Complete for the project phase. archInvoice will track the amount previously billed and adjust the invoice total accordingly.

Comment — Enter any Comment to be included on the invoice. A total of 48 characters can be entered in the field.

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Consultants

Use this module to update the information contained in the Consultants database. Use the Control Buttons to Add, Edit, or Delete individual records. Use the Print Control Button to obtain a list of the records displayed for the month selected. Use the Monthly Navigation Buttons discussed above to select records for a different month.

Edit Fields

Project — Enter the Project Identifier for the Consultant work. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Phase — Select the desired Phase Code from the drop down list of valid Phase Codes. The Phase Code for Consultant work must be in the range of 400 to 499.

Date — Enter the Date associated with the Consultant work. The entered Date must be in the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

Amount — Enter the dollar Amount associated with the Consultant work. It is not necessary to include either a dollar sign ($) or thousands separator (,) within the amount.

Company Name — Enter the Company Name of the consultant to be included on the invoice. A total of 32 characters can be entered in the field.

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Expenses

Use this module to update the information contained in the Expenses database. Use the Control Buttons to Add, Edit, or Delete individual records. Use the Print Control Button to obtain a list of the records displayed for the month selected. Use the Monthly Navigation Buttons discussed above to select records for a different month.

Edit Fields

Project — Enter the Project Identifier for the Expense. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Phase — From the drop down list select the Phase Code associated with the Expense work. The Phase Code for Expense work must be in the range of 900 to 998. Note: See the discussion on Phase Codes for additional information concerning Phase Code 999.

Date — Enter the Date associated with the Expenses. The entered Date must be in the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

Amount — Enter the dollar Amount associated with the Expense. It is not necessary to include either a dollar sign ($) or thousands separator (,) within the amount.

Comment — Enter any Comment to be included on the invoice. A total of 48 characters can be entered in the field.

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Billing Info

Use the following modules to modify the archInvoice billing data records. Use the Control Buttons discussed below to Add, Edit, or Delete records and print the displayed records.

Control Buttons

Add — To "Add" a record enter the desired information in each of the edit fields indicated. Once all of the known information is entered press the "Add" button. The information will be entered into the database. See the Tips and Tricks area below for a simple method to "Add" a new record that is similiar to one already in the database.

Edit — To "Edit" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Change the desired edit fields as required. When all of the changes have been completed press the "Edit" button. The changed information will be updated in the database.

Delete — To "Delete" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Verify that the selected record is the one desired to be deleted. Select the "Delete" button to delete the record from the database.

View — This button is used to view selected records from the database. To view the records for a specific project enter the Project ID in the Project ID field and press the "View" button. To view all records leave the Project ID field blank and press the "View" button.

Print — Use this button to obtain a print of the subject records. A new window will be displayed containing a PDF file listing the information for each of the database records in the date range selected.

Help — Use this button to display the Help file you are now reading.

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Hourly NTE

Use this module to update the information contained in the Hourly NTE database.

Overview

Square Feet and Fixed Fee projects are tracked within archInvoice to ensure that the contract limit will not be exceeded. Contract work of an Hourly nature could not be tracked without the information maintained in the Hourly NTE table of the database. Thus, use this database to ensure that an agreed to maximum is not exceeded for the Project and Phase identified. Note: If a total contract maximum is to be applied use the Contract Max field in the Project record.

Edit Fields

Project — Enter the Project Identifier for the Hourly NTE work. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Phase — From the drop down list select the desired Phase Code associated with the Hourly NTE work. The Phase Code for Max Hourly work must be in the range of 200 to 299.

Amount — Enter the dollar Amount associated with the Hourly NTE work. It is not necessary to include either a dollar sign ($) or thousands separator (,) within the amount.

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Previously Billed

Use this module to update the information contained in the Billed To Date database. This database is updated as new invoices are posted. Extreme care should be used when updating records in this database. The purpose of this database is to track the amounts previously billed for individual project phases. Thus, any change could possible reflect an inaccurate amount.

Edit Fields

Project — Enter the Project Identifier. The entered identifier will be checked against the Project database to ensure a valid entry. The Project Identifier can be a maximum of 12 digits in length.

Invoice — Enter the number of the invoice that generated the billing amount.

Phase — Enter the Phase Code. The entered code will be checked against the PhaseCodes database to ensure a valid entry.

Amount — Enter the dollar Amount. It is not necessary to include either a dollar sign ($) or thousands separator (,) within the amount.

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Staff Info

Use the following modules to modify the archInvoice Employee related data records. Use the Control Buttons discussed below to Add, Edit, or Delete records and print the displayed records.

Control Buttons

Add — To "Add" a record enter the desired information in each of the edit fields indicated. Once all of the known information is entered press the "Add" button. The information will be entered into the database. See the Tips and Tricks area below for a simple method to "Add" a new record that is similiar to one already in the database.

Edit — To "Edit" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Change the desired edit fields as required. When all of the changes have been completed press the "Edit" button. The changed information will be updated in the database.

Delete — To "Delete" a record select the record from the list. Select the "E/D" button to move the information from the database to the corresponding edit fields. Verify that the selected record is the one desired to be deleted. Select the "Delete" button to delete the record from the database.

Print — Use this button to obtain a print of the subject records. A new window will be displayed containing a PDF file listing the information for each of the database records in the date range selected.

Help — Use this button to display the Help file you are now reading.

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Employees

Use this window to update the information contained in the Employees database.

Edit Fields

Employee ID — Enter the Employee Identifier. The Identifier can be a maximum of 4 digits in length. As with the Customer Code and Project Code a standard scheme should be established. It is suggested that something similiar to the following be used. Lnnn, where L is a letter indicating status "A" for active, "C" for Contractor, "X" for ex-employee, and nnn is a three digit sequential identifier. If an individual leaves the company their Employee ID could be changed from "Annn" to "Xnnn".

Employee Name — Enter the Employee Name in the format LastName, FirstName MI.

Status — This field is provided to allow prior employees to remain in the database in an inactive mode. Additionally, contract employees can be maintained in the database.

Start Date — Use the calendar popup window to enter the employee Start Date. The Date must be in the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

Position Description — Use the drop down list to select the desired position code associated with the employee. See the following discussion to properly establish the company Staff Codes.

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StaffCodes

Use this module to update the information contained in the Staff Code database. Read carefully the section concerning Staff Codes in the Getting Started section before making any changes to this area.

Edit Fields

Position Code — Enter the Staff Code identifier. The Identifier can be a maximum of 3 digits in length. The first digit represents the Rate Group while the last two represent the level within the group.

Hourly Rate — Enter the Hourly Rate for the Rate Group and Position.

Description — Enter the position description associated with the code.

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Create Invoice(s) — Admin Only

Use this window to Create single or multiple invoices based on the information entered in the database. Only users with an access level of "Admin" have access to this page.

• Use the monthly navigation buttons to select the period for the invoice(s). If the billing period spans more than a single month then use the popup calendars to set the beginning and ending dates for the period.
• To create an invoice for a specific project, enter the ProjectID in the project field. To generate an invoice for all active projects with charges leave the Project ID box empty.
• The Sequence number is used as part of the Invoice number (e.g., yymmnnn, where yymm is the year and month and nnn is the sequence number). When creating all invoices the sequence number is automatically generated starting with the number entered.
• Enter the Billing Cycle code in the "Bill Cycle" field.
• Select whether the generated invoices are to be "Drafts" or "Finals".
• If you desire to generate “One” invoice and then later plan to generate “All” invoices, use a sequence number larger than the max number of invoices you think you will generate. This will prohibit a duplication of an invoice number.
• Before creating "All" invoices it is recommended that you first use the "Check" feature. This will check the Hourly database against the SquareFeet and FixedFee database. Performing this check determines if employees might have entered a phase code for SquareFeet and/or FixedFee billing but no corresponding record has been entered in the SquareFeet and/or FixedFee databases. archInvoice will write any errors to the ErrorLog which can be printed. Update the necessary database information as required.

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Create Detail Report

Use this window to Create a detailed report for all or a specific project.

• To indicate “all” leave the project ID box empty. Select the date range using the monthly navigation buttons.
• A Detail report consists of all records from the database that fall within the dates selected for the indicated project.
• This report can be provided to Project Managers before invoices are created to check that all hours have been charged.

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Create Summary

Use this window to Create a summary of the invoices created during a billing cycle.

• From the list provided select the date range desired. archInvoice will read each invoice and create a summary of the SquareFeet, Hourly, FixedFee, Consultant, Expenses, and adjustments.
• The invoice total is computed from the information obtained.

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Edit Invoice

Overview

Often times a generated invoice just doesn't come out the way we would like. Two options are available to remedy this problem. First is to update the database and then recreate the invoice. This may or may not remedy the problem. The second is to use the Edit -> Invoice modules to update the invoice directly.

Be aware that changing this information only changes the invoice and not the archInvoice database. Change the appropriate information in the database to ensure future invoices are properly generated.

Selecting the Edit -> Invoice module displays a window containing the monthly navigation buttons and if available any invoices for the range selected. Use the buttons to navigate to the desired month of the invoices. Note: Only invoices that have not been "Posted" to the database will be displayed.

From the list provided select the invoice to be edited by pressing the "Use" button next to the invoice information. This will display a window containing the areas that can be edited (i.e., if there is not a Hourly portion of the invoice then the Hourly Info button will not be enabled). Select one of the radio buttons and then the "Select" button at the top. This will display the specific area to be edited. See the following for a discussion of each of the areas.

Project/Invoice Information

Selected information from the top of the invoice can be edited.Generally, only that information that would not affect the computation of an invoice can be edited.

In the upper portion of the window invoice specific invoice information such as the As Of Date, From Date, and To Date fields can be edited. Although technically the From and To dates could affect the computation of an invoice these can be edited to indicate a different billing period for the invoice. Additionally, any adjustment text and amounts can be edited on the invoice.

The lower portion allows the editing of the Project Name, Company Address, and Refer To information. Be aware that changing this information only changes the invoice and not the archInvoice database. Any future invoices will again have the information from the database.

Square Feet Information

If needed, Square Feet billing information can be edited. The window includes a list containing the invoice billing information. Selecting a row from the listbox transfers the information to the upper portion of the window. Cycle through each of the edit fields using the tab key. After all changes are made select the "Update" button.

Be aware that changing this information only changes the invoice and not the archInvoice database. Change the appropriate information in the database to ensure future invoices are properly generated.

Hourly Information

If needed, the Hourly Information portion of the invoice can be edited. The window includes a list containing the invoice billing information. Selecting a row from the list transfers the information to the upper portion of the window. Cycle through each of the fields using the tab key. After all changes are made select the "Update" button.

Be aware that changing this information only changes the invoice and not the archInvoice database. Change the appropriate information in the database to ensure future invoices are properly generated.

Fixed Fee Information

If needed, the Fixed Fee Information portion of the invoice can be edited. The window includes a list containing the invoice billing information. Selecting a row from the list transfers the information to the upper portion of the window. Cycle through each field using the tab key. After all changes are made select the "Update" button.

Be aware that changing this information only changes the invoice and not the archInvoice database. Change the appropriate information in the database to ensure future invoices are properly generated.

Consultant Information

If needed, the Consultant Information portion of the invoice can be edited. The window includes a list containing the invoice billing information. Selecting a row from the list transfers the information to the upper portion of the window. Cycle through each field using the tab key. After all changes are made select the "Update" button.

Be aware that changing this information only changes the invoice and not the archInvoice database. Change the appropriate information in the database to ensure future invoices are properly generated.

Expenses Information

If needed, the Expense Information portion of the invoice can be edited. The window includes a list containing the invoice billing information. Selecting a row from the list transfers the information to the upper portion of the window. Cycle through each field using the tab key. After all changes are made select the "Update" button.

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Edit Preferences

The preferences modules are used to update standard information of the that will appear on an invoice. Additionally, users can be added or removed from the user portion of the database.

Company Information

Use the edit fields of this module to set your Company Name, Address, Phone and Fax numbers that appear on each Invoice. Select the "Update" button to enter the new information into the database.

Invoice Information

Use the items on this module to set how the invoice will print.

The upper portion is used to set the colors used to print specific information on the invoice. Even if you do use a colored printer you might want to set the colors for viewing on the screen. Use the radio buttons to select the color of the invoice area.

Company Information — This is for the "Your" company name that appears on the upper left portion of the invoice.

Invoice Information — This is for the main headings at the top of the invoice (e.g., Invoice Number, Project Number, etc.). Blue is a good color for this area.

Adjustment Information — This is used to hilite any adjustments made to the invoice. Red is a good color for this area.

Heading Infomation — This is for the main subheadings of the invoice (e.g., Professional Services, Reimbursable Expenses, etc.) Blue is a good color for this area.

The bottom portion of the module displays several check boxes for setting various parameters within the system.

The “Don’t Display Aging Information on Invoice” check box is used to provide the option of not printing the aging information on the invoice. The Aging information is printed at the bottom of the invoice to show the amount due from past invoices for the project.

The “Compute Admin Fee” check box is used to compute a reimbursable amount based on the adjusted total for Professional Services. An expense code of “999” must be created in the Expense Phase Code. Enter the desired percentage in the “Rate” field. As invoices are generated archInvoice will compute the desired amount and create a record in the Expense table.

The “Post TimeSheet Hourly Detail” check box is used to indicate whether only the total hours for a project are to be entered into the database or the individual hours for each day are to be entered. Checking the box will cause the individual hours to be entered.

Form Information

Enter a Form Number, Date, and Payment Comment for the invoice. The Form Number and Date fields are provided in case your company maintains a form control structure

User Information

Use this module to add or delete system users. Use the following fields for each user.

User ID — Assign a unique User ID for each user of the system. Something of the format "iname", where "i" is the first letter of the first name and "name" is the last name can be used. Inform the user of the ID assigned. This can only be changed by the system administrator.

Password — Assign a unique Password for each user. Inform the user of the password. This can be changed by the user as desired.

Access Level — Assign one of the three access levels to the user. Only one individual should be assigned the "Admin" level access. The "Management" level access should be assigned to those who have supervisory responsibility.

Employee Name — Select from the drop down list the name of the user being granted access to the system. Note: This implies that an new employee must be added to the employee database before they can be added as a user.

E-mail Address — Enter the e-mail address of the system user.

Admin Message

This module is provided to allow for communication to all users of the system. A short message can be entered along with an expiration date. Each time a user logs in to the system the message will be displayed until the expiration date is passed. Messages such as "Staff meeting at 3:00 p.m. Monday" or "Timesheets due by Noon Friday" are most appropriate.

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Print Invoice(s)

Overview

Use this module to print the invoices for a selected date range. Use the Navigation Buttons to move to the desired month of the invoices to print. Select the individual check boxes for the invoices or use the Check All link at the bottom to select all of the invoices. After the desired invoices are selected, select the "Set" button to pass the information to the print module. Finally, press the "Print" button to print the invoices. The print action will create a PDF file of all invoices selected for printing. The PDF file can be saved to disk or sent to the printer.

Control Buttons

Set — Use this button to send the list of desired invoices to the print module.

Print — Use this button to create a PDF file of the invoices.

Help — Use this button to display the help file you are now reading.

Navigation Buttons

See the discussion above concerning the use of navigation buttons.

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Print Receivables

Use this window to view a list of outstanding Invoices (Receivables). Entering a valid Project Identifier and pressing the "View" button will display a list of all unpaid invoices for the project. The Invoice Due Date, Invoice Amount, Amount Paid, and Amount Due are displayed for each Invoice. Additionally, the number of days past due is computed and displayed. To display all outstanding Invoices leave the Project ID field blank and press the "View" button.

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Print Summary

Use this window to view a list of the Invoices created during a billing period. For each invoice the Invoice Number, Date, and Project Name are listed along with the total for all charges by type (SquareFeet, Hourly, FixedFee, Consultants, and Expenses). Additionally, a column for any adjustments is included along with the total invoice amount.

From the list provided select the desired Summary range.

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Print Error Log

Use this window to view a list of the errors created by the Create Invoice(s) Check process. Errors will be of two types.

• A list of records from the Hourly database that are for a Square Feet project but there is no corresponding record in the Square Feet database.
• A list of records from the Hourly database that are for a Fixed Fee project but there is not corresponding record in the Fixed Fee database.

Review the records and make the necessary corrections to the appropriate database.

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Post Payment(s)

This module is used to post invoice payments to the database. Select the invoice from the list at the bottom of the window. archInvoice will display the Invoice information in the upper portion of the window.

• Use the Edit button to change the record in the database.
• Although a Delete button is available, care should be taken when using this option.
• The Add button is shown but is not available for adding new records to the database.
• Initially only those invoices with outstanding balances are displayed in the window. Use the View All button to display all invoices in the list of invoices.

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Post Invoice(s)

This module is used to Post the Final Invoices to the database. "Posting" Invoices updates the "Billed To Date" portion of the database to reflect the latest billings. Additionally, the "Invoice" database is updated to reflect the new Invoice Number, Project, amount, and date. As each Invoice is processed it is updated to reflect that the billing information has been posted. Files marked as "Posted" cannot be reposted.

Note: Only invoices generated as Final can be posted.

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Post TimeSheet(s)

This module is used to Post the Employee TimeSheets to the database. "Posting" TimeSheets updates the "Hourly" portion of the database to reflect the Hours worked during the period by employees. As each TimeSheet file is processed individual rows on the TimeSheet are marked with a “P” to reflect the information has been posted.

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TimeSheet

The TimeSheet module is used by each employee to enter the hours worked each day on their assigned project/phase. Upon activation the Emp Num/Name is set the same as the employee log-in name. The date is set to the last Monday date. Use the buttons discussed below to enter records into the database.

Add — Use this button to 'Add' a new record to the TimeSheet. Enter a valid Project ID and select the Phase Code from the dropdown list of codes. Press the 'Add' button to enter the record into the database.

Edit — Use this button to 'Edit' an existing TimeSheet record. From the list of records in the table select the record to be edited by pressing the 'E/D' button. This will transfer the information from the table to the edit fields at the top. Update the record as needed and press the 'Edit' button.

Delete — Use this button to 'Delete' an existing TimeSheet record. From the list of records in the table select the record to be deleted by pressing the 'E/D' button. This will transfer the information from the table to the edit fields at the top. Delete the record by pressing the 'Delete' button.

View — The 'View' button is used to display the records for a new week. After changing the date press the 'View' button to display the records for the new week.

Print — Select the 'Print' button to create a PDF file of the TimeSheet.

Help — Use the 'Help' button to display the help file you are currently reading.

New — The 'New' button is used to create a new TimeSheet for a new week. Set the date to the current Monday date and press the 'View' button. This will display the current records. Press the 'New' button to create a TimeSheet for the next week. The project and phases from the current TimeSheet will be copied to the new TimeSheet with the new hours set to zero.

The 'S' field at the end of the each row of the table indicates the 'Status' of the record. An 'N' in the field indicates that the record has not been posted to the database and thus changes can be make. A 'P' in the field indicates that the record has been posted and thus changes cannot be make.

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Tips & Tricks

Monthly Navigation Buttons — it should be obvious that pressing either of the two left or right buttons will change the date range by one month or one year. But, pressing the center button does something special. Even though the button displays the selected/current month and year, pressing the button resets the date range to the current month and year.

Adding a new record — Oftentimes one will need to add a new record that is similiar to an existing record in the database. Rather than entering all of the information, select the similiar record by using the "E/D" button next to the record. Make any changes necessary and then use the "Add" button.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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