Working with Sales documents
Business process
A Sales Order is created and linked to a Project. The project's components are entered as Sales Order items. Based on these, the next step is to create the particular components or work packages for the services in the form of Project Tasks. These will be needed later for time recording. Since large budgets can be distributed among several subtasks in this step, this activity is usually one of the tasks of the project manager. This can also be done in several phases at different times. In addition, other Project Tasks (e.g. for trading goods) can be created. However, this step is optional, as the system also automatically creates these Project Tasks when the items are shipped.
The employees record their times per respective task during the project's runtime. There are several options available for this. The recommended way is via the DYCE Web App. It is irrelevant whether the services are provided by internal or external employees. Using Project Billing, the project manager checks the Time Recordings, makes any adjustments regarding chargebility or description, and then releases them for posting. In the system, the posting of the Time Recordings (and thus confirmation that the service has been provided) corresponds to the shipment of the corresponding service. In the Sales Order for the Project, the related lines with the corresponding quantities are marked as shipped. In the next step, these services can be invoiced. During this process, the invoice can be automatically supplemented with details in the form of a Detail Overview, on which the billing is based. Whether the Detail Overview should be created can be defined in the Project Card. When printing invoices, this setting can be overridden via the Print Service Details automatically field. If the invoices are printed in a batch, the setting will be taken from the respective Project. To evaluate the contribution to the Project's revenue, the invoiced shares are determined per employee.
The integration of the Project into the sales process is illustrated in this part of the DYCE documentation using the example of a software implementation project.
Characteristics of a service project
- The Sales Order contains a detailed listing of the services sold.
- The Sales Order is linked to a Project in the document header.
- Times are recorded for the services to be billed.
- Each Time Recording can be directly assigned to a Sales Order line or Sales Invoice line.
- It is possible to create Project Tasks without a related Sales Order.
- Invoicing is done through the Sales Order or through a batch function.
- Using the Project, all data is summarized based on one dimension.
Creation of a Project
For the sake of simplicity, it is recommended to create a new Project directly from the contacts or the customers overview (via New document / Project). Via the fact box Sales History you can see which projects already exist for the customer. Alternatively, a new project can also be created directly via the sales document (field Project No. + New). If Project-specific prices have been agreed with the customer, these are stored via the Project in the Prices & Discounts area. Further explanations about the creation of Projects can be found in this part of the DYCE documentation.
Creation of a Project Sales Order
A new Sales Order can also be created (via New Document / Sales Order) from the contacts or customers overview. It is important that the corresponding Project (if previously created) is stored in the Project No. field. In addition, it is possible that a Project Sales Quote is converted to a Project Sales Order upon assignment using the Make Order action (via Process).
Creation of Project Tasks for the Sales Order
After the Sales Order has been created and the positions have been entered, the Project Tasks including the Project Planning Lines for the particular activities can be created using the action Create Service Project Tasks (via Process). This is necessary so that the times for the services provided can be recorded in the further process. A detailed description of Project Tasks and the related Project Planning Lines can be found in this part of the DYCE documentation.
Sales Order related Purchase Orders
The Business Central standard basically provides for purchase orders for stock items. A manual step can be used to make reservations for Sales Order items. However, since this is somewhat cumbersome and trading goods are often also ordered on an Sales Order or Project basis, in DYCE IT-Business Toolkit there is a simplified way to do this. A detailed description of Sales Order-related Purchase Orders can be found in this part of the DYCE documentation.
Project prices for purchasing with special bid
Suppliers sometimes grant discounts on individual orders, projects or customers-related purchase orders. For this, the quantity and price (and discount, if applicable) are specially negotiated. Orders for which such a project price has been negotiated must be processed separately. It is in the nature of things that there is always a Sales Order for this type of Purchase Order. A reference number (Special Bid) is assigned by the supplier for the project price. As a rule, this kind of special order is only processed by the supplier if the reference number is given in the order. If the reference is not included, the discount will not be granted or the order will not be processed.
To create and process such orders, a reference number can be entered in the Sales Order line (in the Special Bid field). The reference will be added to the Purchase Order via the Create Connected Purchase Orders functionality (see Create Purchase Order section) and can thus be printed. This also applies to Purchase Orders created via the Requisition Worksheet.
When creating Purchase Orders, they are always unique with regards to Special Bid. Different order lines with the same reference number can be combined into one Purchase Order.
If an Sales Order line contains a reference number, the reservation is never made against any available stock.
Posting and billing
In the meantime, Time Recordings have been entered for the Project Tasks, which have been reviewed and approved by the project manager. By posting the Time Recordings, these services are considered shipped (partially or completely). It is also possible that the goods receipt for the order-related retail items has already took place and the goods issue for the item has been posted. As soon as an order line is shipped, it can be invoiced. This is done either in the Sales Order via the standard Post / Invoice action or via the Create Sales Invoices batch function in the Invoicing Services page.
The posted invoice can be sent to the customer. Depending on the settings in the Project Card (in the field Autom. Detail Overview printing), a Detail Overview will be created automatically and the invoice will be completed with it. The Detail Overview contains details of the invoiced order items including goodwill times.
The contribution of each employee to the Project's revenue is displayed using the Invoiced Shares.
Generated data and ledger entries
Looking at the lines in the Project Card, it can be seen that Project Ledger Entries of the type Sale have been created as a result of shipping and invoicing the items. Clicking on the value in the Invoiced (Total Price) field opens the Project Ledger Entries, which contain the invoice number in the Document No. field. Using the action Ledger Entries (via Project), you can branch to the invoice, for example.
When Time Recordings are posted, Project Ledger Entries of the type Usage are created for the human resources. These Project Ledger Entries are linked to the Time Recordings and can be viewed by clicking, for example, on the Total Time Recordings Posted (Days) field. The posting of Time Recordings also creates Project Planning Lines of the type Billable. These are opened by clicking on the Billable (Total Price) field. Project Ledger Entries of the type Sale (see above) are created when the related Sales Order items are invoiced.
With DYCE Project Billing, invoicing of services - in contrast to the standard of Business Central - is never done through the Project module or directly from the Project.
Once the Time Recordings have been posted, several options are available for billing. These are explained in more detail in this section of the DYCE documentation.
Down payment invoice in Project Sales Order
In the Sales Order, a down payment can be entered as an amount or as a percentage. However, in order to enter a down payment amount, the Prepmt. Line Amount Excl. VAT field must be displayed in the Sales Order lines. A percentage is entered either directly in the sales line (in the Prepayment % field) or in the Prepayment fast tab. In addition, the DYCE IT-Business Toolkit app provides a simplified way to work with a Sales Order-specific payment plan. A detailed description of Down Payments and Payment Plans can be found in this part of the DYCE documentation.
The Create Prepayment Invoice action (via Actions / Payment Plan) creates an unposted prepayment invoice that can be posted either directly or at a later time. Posted and unposted Prepayment Invoices and Prepayment Credits can be opened via the Related / Prepayment menu.