Switch Job(s) from Standard Cost Codes to Assigned Cost Codes

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Does anyone have any experience or knowledge they can share to further the following dialog?  It seems like this should be  a common issue/request, so I am hoping someone can shed some light out there!  Thanks!

Is there any documentation/tool/utilities to migrate a job or jobs from using Standard Cost Codes to Assigned Cost Codes?
Sage > Thanks for that information Rob.  What are you actually trying to do with the cost codes?  What do you mean by migrate?
Rob Graber > only standard cost codes have been in use forever...no cost codes are set up specifically for any particular jobs.  We want to stop using standard cost codes and instead switch to set up jobs with specifically assigned cost codes on each job.
Rob Graber > is there some tool/utility/feature that would allow us to remove the standard cost codes from the list of standard cost codes, and then just start doing job-assigned cost codes?
Rob Graber > Is there some setting somewhere that indicates if a job is using standard vs. assigned cost codes?  Just trying to figure out how this works and how to do the migration/switch.
Sage > The standard is only a template for creating the cost code on the job.  
Sage > If you dont want the cost codes on jobs based on standard then you just go into Standard cost codes and delete them.
Sage > If there has been any activity on the jobs then the cost codes are setup on the jobs already
Rob Graber > is it possible to assign all of the standard cost codes to a job or jobs first (even if no activity yet), and then delete them from the standard cost code list?
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  • 0
    verified answer
    Rob,

    As the Sage support rep stated, Standard Cost Codes are used to automatically replicate to a specific job's cost code the cost code description, the cost type (if you're not using Categories), any Categories usually used with that cost code (if you're using categories), and the base or full GL accounts assigned (depends on your JC Settings how you retrieve GL accounts, which may come from the Category level, rather than the Cost Code level).

    Standard Cost Codes are intended as an efficiency measure for setting up jobs, and should be the most often used cost codes on your jobs. If a "Standard" cost code doesn't exist when you either import an estimate or otherwise code an invoice to a cost code that doesn't exist on your job, you will be prompted with a question "Do you want to add it?". You can assign any description you want, and will have to manually setup all the other items that may be necessary to flow the entries to the correct GL accounts and to otherwise properly report your costs. If you have already setup jobs based on the Standard Cost Codes, you can go to the Setup Menu, and under Setup > Cost Codes choose the specific job you want to change and the cost code, and then change the description.

    Depending on security settings, you may not be seeing these menu options. These are not changes to be made lightly, since they are usually configured at the time your overall system was installed, based on decisions made by your company in conjunction with the implementation consultant.

    You can also use "Copy Jobs" for setting up new jobs, where you can create a job structure with cost codes and GL accounts, etc. as appropriate for your needs, and using the Setup menu items (Job, Cost Codes, Categories) modify the copied job as required for each specific case.

    Again, your security permissions may limit what menu options are available to you.

    Art Minds
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  • 0
    verified answer
    Rob,

    As the Sage support rep stated, Standard Cost Codes are used to automatically replicate to a specific job's cost code the cost code description, the cost type (if you're not using Categories), any Categories usually used with that cost code (if you're using categories), and the base or full GL accounts assigned (depends on your JC Settings how you retrieve GL accounts, which may come from the Category level, rather than the Cost Code level).

    Standard Cost Codes are intended as an efficiency measure for setting up jobs, and should be the most often used cost codes on your jobs. If a "Standard" cost code doesn't exist when you either import an estimate or otherwise code an invoice to a cost code that doesn't exist on your job, you will be prompted with a question "Do you want to add it?". You can assign any description you want, and will have to manually setup all the other items that may be necessary to flow the entries to the correct GL accounts and to otherwise properly report your costs. If you have already setup jobs based on the Standard Cost Codes, you can go to the Setup Menu, and under Setup > Cost Codes choose the specific job you want to change and the cost code, and then change the description.

    Depending on security settings, you may not be seeing these menu options. These are not changes to be made lightly, since they are usually configured at the time your overall system was installed, based on decisions made by your company in conjunction with the implementation consultant.

    You can also use "Copy Jobs" for setting up new jobs, where you can create a job structure with cost codes and GL accounts, etc. as appropriate for your needs, and using the Setup menu items (Job, Cost Codes, Categories) modify the copied job as required for each specific case.

    Again, your security permissions may limit what menu options are available to you.

    Art Minds
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  • 0 in reply to Art Minds
    Thanks for that detailed follow up! You confirmed some of my previous suspicions and clarified some grey areas for me.

    With that in mind, let me describe our need a little more clearly.

    We have about 5 or 6 "types" of jobs that have different cost codes for each type, and so we are wanting to switch off of Standard Cost Codes (where they are all valid for all jobs) to Assigned cost codes, and then use the Copy Job feature to copy from some "template jobs" for each of our 5 or 6 types of jobs. We want to delete all of the Standard Cost Codes, but for the existing live jobs that is an issue because we would need to go in beforehand and "assign" the valid cost codes to those jobs (i.e. using the description change process you describe above). We have literally hundreds of currently active jobs, and so this is not feasible in any reasonable timeframe. Is there some utility or process that we could do that is more "automated" to complete this transition/migration?

    Thanks again!
  • 0 in reply to RobGraber
    verified answer
    It sounds like you may want to have a key change to renumber the cost codes on existing jobs. Please call support at 1-800-551-8307 if you would like to explore this option. A key change is a chargeable service that is performed by Sage Professional Services. You would provide a list of the Original Job/Extra/Cost Code numbers and show what you want to assign as the new Cost Code ID for each. It will be a good idea to check with your local consultant to determine the best option to achieve the overall goal.
  • 0 in reply to Denise Paulus
    Perfect! We will pursue that avenue. Thanks again and have a great week!
  • 0 in reply to RobGraber
    A key change may be required if your currently active jobs are not configured as you like.

    However, to clarify what is apparently a misunderstanding on your part of the function of Standard Cost Codes, deleting or changing your current standard cost codes will have no effect on on the flow of data on transactions processed for your current jobs.

    The Standard Cost Codes are merely used as a template during creation of cost codes for specific jobs. Think of them as a rubber stamp. Once a cost code is created on a job (from the standard cost code), there is no ongoing association between the standard cost code and the specific cost code on any given job.