Use this function to define or customize Project management report structures (report definitions). 

The ability to evaluate and track, in real time, the actual financial status of a project relative to its budgets is critical. Project management uses financial views to dynamically obtain and display financial data associated with a project.

Project management financial overviews are produced by the interpretation of a report specification.

  • You use this function (GESPJS) to define or customize the structure of a report. The report structure is the list of columns to be displayed.
    Each report structure is based on a financial view enabled for data tracking in Miscellaneous table 388 - Financial view, such as expenses and revenue.

  • For the content of each column identified in the outline report structure as a 'Free column' (Free column 1-10), you use the Financial overview queries (GESPJQ) function to specify exactly which data to use in it.

  • To then evaluate and track, in real time, the actual financial status of a project relative to its budget you use the Financial overview action in the Project management (GESPJM) function, or the Financial overview (PJMFINOV0) function.
    The resulting Financial overview reflects the defined report specification and applied structured query language (SQL) queries.

 Miscellaneous table 388 - Financial view controls which financial overview data can be displayed.

 Project management includes standard, or master report structures for both expense and revenue financial overviews. Delivered by default with your solution are master report structures for Financial views '10' (expenses) and '20' (revenue). You can modify these master report structures, or create new report structures from scratch (for example, for a view 30) to suit your organization, your processes or your users. You are advised, however, to get a basic understanding of how your system works before changing a master format.

 Sage advise that you save a copy of a master report structure before modifying it.

 Tips and Tricks

Prerequisites

SEEREFERTTO Refer to documentation Implementation

Screen management

The Financial overview structure function contains a single screen in which you describe a column to be displayed in a financial view.

Entry screen

You use this screen to define the information to be displayed in a column in a financial view. The view number represents a view that has been activated in Miscellaneous table 388 - Financial view. For example, '10' represents an expense view and '20' represents a revenue view.

 Predefined values for both view '10' and view '20' are delivered by default with your solution.

 Tips and Tricks

Structure

Financial view (field PBTGRP)

Use this field to identify this financial view. Select a view code from the codes activated in Miscellaneous table 388 - Financial view. For example, for an expense view select view '10' or a revenue view, select view '20'. This field is mandatory.

By default, Miscellaneous table 388 enables data tracking on selected financial views such as expenses and revenue. Table 388 therefore controls which financial overview data can be displayed.

 Project management includes standard, or master report structures for both expense and revenue financial overviews. Delivered by default with your solution are master report structures for Financial views '10' (expenses) and '20' (revenue). You can modify these master report structures, or create new report structures from scratch to suit your organization, your processes or your users. You are advised, however, to get a basic understanding of how your system works before changing a master format.

 
Column sequence (field PBTCOD)

Use this field to define a column sequence number. This number represents the order in which the data will be displayed in the report. This field is mandatory.

 The sequence number must mirror the logical order used in the standard, or master report structures delivered with your solution (Financial views '10' (expenses) and '20' (revenue)). For example, the first column must be the type of structure, the second column the project budget, the third column is a free column and so on.

 
Column content (field CODDES)

Use this field to describe the type of financial data that will be displayed in the associated column number. For example, budgets, commitments, actuals, margins.

 

Block number 2

Subcolumn 1 title (field SCOL1)

The report can display paired (or sets of) data in adjacent columns. Use this field to define a heading for the first subcolumn of the field Column content (field CODDES). The heading should reflect the type of financial data defined for the Column content field.

For ease of analysis, it is common for this subcolumn (Subcolumn 1 title) to represent a quantity and its paired, or associated subcolumn (Subcolumn 2 title (field SCOL2)) to represent a value. For example, if the column contains budgets (defined in field Column content), this subcolumn heading (Subcolumn 1 title) might be 'Budget quantity' and its paired or associated subcolumn (Subcolumn 2 title), 'Budget amount'. If the column contains actuals (actual amounts) you might define the paired headings as 'Actual quantity' (Subcolumn 1 title) and 'Actual amount' (Subcolumn 2 title).

This subcolumn and heading can be displayed in the report if the Display check box (field DSPLY) is selected.

 The value of this field must reflect the standard, or master report structures delivered with your solution (Financial views '10' (expenses) and '20' (revenue)). For example, the second column in the outline structure (budgets) has budget quantities in its first subcolumn. If, however, this is a subcolumn of a column identified as a 'Free column', that is where the field Column content
Subcolumn 1 type (field COL1TYP)

Use this field to define if the type of data represented in the first subcolumn (Subcolumn 1 title (field SCOL1)) is a quantity figure or an amount.

 You can only customize the content of a column identified as a 'Free column' (Free column 1-10). That is where the field Column content

Block number 3

Subcolumn 2 title (field SCOL2)

This field is usually associated with field Subcolumn 1 title (field SCOL1). It can be displayed in the report if the Display check box (field DSPLY) is selected. Type in a heading that reflects the type of financial data defined for the field Column content (field CODDES).

As it is usually paired (associated) with field Subcolumn 1 title, it is common for this field (Subcolumn 2 title (field SCOL2)) to represent a value and the field Subcolumn 1 title to represent a quantity. For example, if the column contains budgets (defined in field Column content), this subcolumn heading (Subcolumn 2 title) might be 'Budget amount' and its paired or associated subcolumn (Subcolumn 1 title), 'Budget quantity'. If the column contains actuals (actual amounts) you might define the paired headings as 'Actual quantity' (Subcolumn 1 title) and 'Actual amount' (Subcolumn 2 title).

 The value of this field must reflect the standard, or master report structures delivered with your solution (Financial views '10' (expenses) and '20' (revenue)). For example, the second column in the outline structure (budgets) has budget amounts in its second subcolumn. If, however, this is a subcolumn of a column identified as a 'Free column', that is where the field Column content
Subcolumn 2 type (field COL2TYP)

Use this field to define if the type of data represented in the second subcolumn Subcolumn 2 title (field SCOL2) is a quantity figure or an amount.

 You can only customize the content of a column identified as a 'Free column' (Free column 1-10). That is where the field Column content

Block number 4

Display (field DSPLY)

Click this check box if this column sequence number (subcolumns 1 and 2) can be displayed in the report.

Tips and Tricks

  • The outline structure, or columns defined for each report structure is predetermined. That is, for each Financial view activated in Miscellaneous table 388 - Financial view, the report structure must mirror the report structure defined with master Financial views '10' (expenses) and '20' (revenue). For example, the first column is the type of structure, the second column the project budget and the ninth column, the budget remaining.

  • By default, all predefined columns – Budgets, Remaining for commitment, Provisional cost price, Margins – are calculated when you run the Financial overview (when you select the Financial overview action in the Project management (GESPJM) function). You can only, therefore, choose not to display these columns.

  • You can only customize (or hide) the content of a column identified as a 'Free column', that is where the field Column content (field CODDES) is set to 'Free column 1-10'.

 Free columns equate to columns 3-7, column 13 and columns 16-19.

  • Five free columns (Free columns 1-5) are specifically for managing costs (expenses) – committed, pre-committed, actual and posted amounts. The sum of these 5 free columns is used to calculate the total cost of a project.

  • By default, one expense column tracks 'commitments' and one expense column tracks 'actuals'.
    You might consider using two free columns (from Free columns 1-5), for example, to differentiate between 'pre-commitments' and 'commitments' or 'posted expenses' and 'actuals'.

 Each free column is subdivided into two subcolumns. You define the type of data represented in each subcolumn as a quantity figure or an amount.

  • You can use five additional 'miscellaneous' type columns (Free columns 6-10) to add extra information to a Financial overview, if needed.
    By default, Free columns 6-10 are only used in view '20' to track revenue. They are hidden in view '10'.

 'Free column 6' provides the facility to compare the 'budget' and the 'provisional cost price'. The result of these calculations populates columns 'Compare Col.6 to budget' and 'Compare Col.6 to Total' respectively.

 Master Financial view 20 – this Financial view provides an example of the use of free columns in a revenue tracking context.

  • As the content of a 'Free column' (Free column 1-10) is customizable you must use the Financial overview queries (GESPJQ) function to apply the relevant calculations. The content of each predefined column – Budgets, Remaining for commitment, Provisional cost price, Margins – is generated automatically when you run the Financial overview.

  • Save a copy of a master report structure before you modify it.

Error messages

In addition to the generic error messages, the following messages can appear during the entry :

Miscellaneous table [table number] : Code [Financial view] does not exist

This function is used in conjunction with Miscellaneous table 388 - Financial view. You have entered a financial view code which has not been enabled for data tracking in table 388. Select a valid financial view code or add the code you require to Miscellaneous table 388 first.

Tables used

SEEREFERTTO Refer to documentation Implementation