Set Up Budget-Related Data in Other Tools
Use Case
With the budget locked, the project team collaborates to keep the budget accurate and up to date. The team uses WBS phase codes to link the budget data across tools.
This section covers how the budget is managed and tracked across different areas of the project, including design work, subcontractors and vendors, and field execution.
WBS phase codes assigned in Control allow you to reference CBS line items across InEight applications.
Align Engineering Scope Items with CBS Cost Items
If engineering is included in the scope of your project, InEight Design can be used to align engineering scope items and quantity items with budget details in InEight Control.
Design consists of two modules: Engineering and Quantity Forecasting. The Engineering module lets you plan, allocate resources, and track the progress of design scope and deliverables. Quantity Forecasting lets EPC contractors consume design changes in quantity form, relate design changes and quantities to the budget and forecast, and review project needs. InEight Design integrates with InEight Control to share budget data for accurate forecasting and project planning.
Set Up Scope Items & Quantity Items
In the Engineering module, engineering deliverables are created and tracked as scope items.
When setting up scope items, you can associate a WBS phase code under Resources. This will allow you to track quantities and percent complete from that scope item in InEight Control.
In the Quantity Tracking Module, a scope of construction work is represented by quantity items. Quantity items allow you to break up cost items into different segments, areas, systems, subsystems, and turnover packages on a project.
Quantity items are also linked to cost items through WBS phase codes. This way, the latest design quantity can be reflected in the budget in InEight Control as design work progresses.
Update from InEight Control
Within InEight Design, in the Engineering module, switch to the WBS rollup view to see details from InEight Control referenced against scope items. These values will update automatically if any changes are made in Control.
In the Quantity Forecasting module, you can update the OB Mhrs/Unit, CB Mhrs/Unit, and Forecast Remaining MHrs/Unit for quantity items with current rates from InEight Control. This lets you use the latest budget unit rates from Control multiplied by the latest forecasted Design quantity to understand the impacts to man-hours on the project.
To update Design quantity items with current values from Control, open the Actions menu and select Get Control unit rates.
Quantity item unit rates are never updated automatically with InEight Control unit rates. You must use the Get Control unit rates action to update the rate applied to a quantity item.
Access the following link to learn more:
Create Contracts
When working with contractors or suppliers, InEight Contract and Control can be used to manage cost items associated with a contract, eliminating the need for side spreadsheets or redundant data entry. InEight Control automatically stays in sync throughout contract updates, vendor change orders, and line item adjustments, making it easy to track committed costs and project forecasting.
Follow the steps below to see an example of how this works:
Step 1
In InEight Contract, the contract administrator creates a new contract. She adds one line item for materials and links it to a WBS phase code.
Step 2
Once the contract has been approved, the contract administrator creates a purchase order.
Step 3
Now the values from the contract line items automatically update the associated WBS cost items in InEight Control, and the project controller can view accurate details for committed costs and forecasting.
Access the following links for additional information on managing contracts:
Create Project Components and Link to CBS
Once work begins in the field, InEight Plan can be used to track installed quantities and the percentage of work complete. These quantities can be pulled into InEight Control to keep budget and forecast up to date. Use claiming schemes and components to break the work down into steps and track progress on a more granular level.
To associate cost items from InEight Control to components in InEight Plan, check that the Allow as-built field is set to “All” and that the Hide in Plan, Progress, and Design checkbox is unchecked.
Claiming Schemes
A claiming scheme is a formula used to record partial progress of installed quantities. The installation sequence is broken down by steps or milestones and assigned a completion percentage based on the level of effort to complete each step.
Follow the steps below to create a new claiming scheme:
Step 1
From Plan, Quantity Tracking, open the Actions menu and select Manage claiming schemes.
Step 2
Select the discipline or commodity that your claiming scheme will fall under.
Step 3
Click the Add icon in the top toolbar. Now the claiming scheme fields are editable.
Step 4
Input a name for the claiming scheme and fill in the details for each step.
To add additional steps, click Add step.
Step 5
When you’re finished, click Save.
Step 6
Switch to the Assign WBS tab, then click Add WBS.
Step 7
Click the Add icon to add a WBS phase code to this claiming scheme. You can add multiple WBS codes if needed.
Step 8
Click Done to assign the selected WBS code(s).
Once claiming schemes are set up, you can assign them to components to track progress in the field. Components allow you to break down a cost item into smaller, more manageable sub items for claiming. Foremen can easily report their completed work without doing calculations in the field, keeping project values accurate and up to date.
Follow the steps below to create a component.
Step 1
From Plan > Quantity Tracking, click the Add icon in the top toolbar.
Step 2
Select the type of component.
Step 3
Input the component details, including a WBS code to link this component to a cost item in Control.
Note: Once you input a WBS code, the Unit of Measure, Discipline, and Claiming Scheme fields will populate automatically.
Step 4
When you’re finished, scroll down and click Save.
With cost items broken down into components, work can be tracked according to the needs of the project. For example, one cost item may be divided across the four areas of the project, with the quantities divided accordingly.
Access the following links for additional information:
Claiming Schemes Quick Start Guide