Some companies prefer to manage Setup and Operation from a locked base cost estimate. The estimate is distributed across the project period once, then locked, and every later adjustment is made in the Forecast column. That way the original plan stays as a fixed benchmark throughout the project.
The concept is optional and is enabled in the module settings. If you are new to Setup and Operation, read the main article on Setup and Operation first.
1. Getting started with Setup and Operation
Before the module can be used, AIMZ needs to know which production codes belong to Setup and Operation.
Go to the production code table and tick every production code that belongs to Setup and Operation (you can select a whole group in bulk)
Click the button in the left margin and choose «Create expense items»
AIMZ then creates one expense item per production code and distributes it evenly across the project period that was defined when the project was created. The distribution can be adjusted later.
2. Set the forecast settings
Go to Settings in the top right corner of the Setup and Operation module:
Tick «Enable locked base cost estimate»
Tick «Unique production code per expense item» if you only want to track Setup and Operation per production code
Make sure «Forecast» is selected to control the final forecast
This is how the settings should look:
3. Distribute the base cost estimate per expense item
The first step is to spread the base cost estimate across the months of the project:
Select the from and to period
Automate invoice import to the expense item — choose which financial accounts should be linked automatically
Distribute the estimate month by month
Once the estimate has been distributed, it is important that you lock the base cost estimate. The forecast is then set equal to the base cost estimate. All further changes are made in the Forecast column — the distributed base cost estimate must always stay fixed.
Note: If the base cost estimate is unlocked and then locked again, the forecast figures are overwritten by the base cost estimate.
This is how it looks before the base cost estimate has been distributed and locked:
This is how it looks once the base cost estimate is locked:
4. Complete months
As each month passes, the month has to be completed and closed. The assumed forecast is then replaced by posted figures from the accounting system. The forecast is recalculated and consists of posted figures for all completed months, plus the distributed forecast (assumed spend) for future months.
The difference between what was allocated — the forecast before the month was completed — and the posted figures for the production code is called Deviation. The deviation can be distributed across future months:
Click Edit above the table in the top left
Click the three dots in front of the figure in the Deviation column
Choose how you want to distribute the deviation across the coming months
When the deviation is distributed, the final forecast is kept as it was before the month was closed.
5. Change the forecast going forward
You can adjust the forecast for future months at any time, whether or not a period is about to be closed. There are two ways to do it:
Directly in the table: click the edit button above the table on the left. You can then change every month that has not been completed. Make your changes and click Save in the top left.
In the expense item dialog: hover over the name of the expense item and click the edit button on the left side of the cell.
Three rules of thumb
Lock the base cost estimate after distribution — and leave it alone.
Make all ongoing changes in the Forecast column, except when completing months.
When completing months: if you want the final forecast to stay unchanged, distribute the deviation for each expense item in the table.