An estimate is created before we start our job or project. We determine our starting budgets in the estimate and establish whether it is a worthwhile venture. Zavanti ERP provides an ‘Estimating’ module that allows the user to create an estimate that will carry through, from the feasibility stage, to job completion.
There is a huge advantage of using the Zavanti ERP Estimating module, as it inserts your budgets into the Job once it is created, allows the ability to automatically create Purchase Orders, and allows us eventually to determine a forecast budgets from the estimate outset. Using the Zavanti ERP Estimating module allows full integration between all your jobs tracking software.
You need to create an estimate header at the outset of a project. You can enter your estimate directly into the Zavanti ERP software, and then copy this estimate to a job when it has been created, if the estimate is feasible.
The Estimate Header can contain information about the particulars of the estimate. This includes: The Revisions number, Currency, Design Area, Tax Code, additional Notes, the Estimator, Status, and Factor, Variations and Actual Profit percentages and so forth.
1. Open the Estimating module
2. Click on New (Top left hand side of the screen)
3. Either enter an Estimate Number, in the Estimate Number text box, or leave it blank. If you leave this field blank, the system generates an estimate number itself. You would enter your own estimate number if your company requires estimates to be numbered in a specific manner
4. Enter a Name into the Estimate Name text box. The Estimate Name must be a description of what the estimate holds, as this is how it will be seen in the rest of the system. The Estimate Number and Estimate Name are the required fields for the Estimate.
5. Choose the Area
6. The default area is used when an area is not necessary for this Estimate. Areas allow us to determine area specific pricing and so forth. These settings have implications on the OSN settings.
7. Click on Save. Once you save the estimate, the Details and OSN tabs become available
8. At this stage, we will leave the Budget field blank. The Budget field is the guessed amount for this estimate, and is optional. Entering a Budget here creates a ceiling for the estimate, however it is not enforced by the Zavanti ERP Authority Level Budget checking functions
9. Click on OK