Managing Project Jobs

This feature’s goal is to provide resources for very complex jobs that come in through several different estimates but are all related in that they need to be produced, kitted, and shipped together in different combinations.

Starting from version 8.1, it is possible to have workflows within the system to create estimates for these items and group them into jobs and projects using the new Assign Project and Project Job Creation screens among other related improvements.

The main information required to configure and use these new features are outlined in the next pages but if any other information is necessary, please contact our team.

 

Getting Started

First of all, to use the features, it’s necessary to activate the new customer integration features (parent-child relationships, and not sending customer updates):

In desktop go to Administration > General Configuration > System > General Settings, or enter “general settings” in the quick search field.

Under Configurations, check the Enable Parent-child relationship based on Customer Group ID parameter.

Under eFlow, check the Disable Customer updates to eFlow parameter.

Under iQuote Sales Order, Project rules, select the Default option to generate iQuote Sales Order, that can be “by estimate” or “by project”.

 

Activating project job creation screen

In order to activate the Project Job Creation screen, go to Sales > Records > iQuote > Commercial > Estimate General Setup, or enter “estimate general setup” in the quick search field.

Under Project rules, check the Use Project Job Creation parameter.

It’s also recommended to enable the Generate a project code automatically (when added manually) parameter.

In Status when modify a job select the desired option.

Note: Only status with the “blocked” tag will be available in this drop down menu.

 

Access control

The next needed step is to give the users access to the new feature. The controls needed for this features are Add job and Edit job.

Go to Administration > User > User profile.

This control is located in EFI/ 2. Plan/ Planner/ Job:

 

 

What’s New From Version 8.1

Besides the new screens and features described in this section, the following areas were impacted with this version’s implementation:

Changes in customer integration

Because of the new development the following behaviors were modified in the customer integration:

The Customer Group ID is now passed from Foundation to iQuote.

When the Create parent-child relationships based on Customer Group ID box is checked in General Settings, iQuote will:

Look at any incoming Customer record from Foundation.

If there is a Customer Group ID, it will see if there is already a parent with that same Customer Group ID in iQuote.

If so, add the new customer as a child of this parent.

If not, add a parent and create the child underneath it.

When the Disable customer updates to e-Flow box is checked in General Settings, iQuote will not send any customer records to eFlow/ Foundation.

Please note that the User Profiles for most users in iQuote should be changed to NOT allow them to add and edit customer records.

This will lock down all customer changes from iQuote.

iQuote now has the concept of a Main address that is searchable from the Customer browser screen.

 

Changes in material naming

Because of the new development the following behaviors were modified:

In the Substrate Type – Line definition, iQuote now shows:

The Calculation Type (Basis Size, Grammage, Thickness (1/1000th inch), or Thickness (mm)) inherited from the Substrate Group assigned to this Substrate Type

If the Calculation Type is Basis Size, the Basis Size is also displayed (again, inherited from the Substrate Group assigned to this Substrate Type)

The “Calculation Value” column, which defines the basis weight, grammage, or thickness for the line

A new field, “Display,” which allows the user to customize the name

For instance, the Basis Weight of a paper might be 80, but the user might want to call this paper 9 pt or 1/4” instead

Any string typed for Display will be shown in the Estimate substrate selection characteristic as shown below

 

How to Use Job Projects

Creating a project

The new features delivered in the release use projects to gather estimates in projects and organize the products in different Jobs, as needed. Therefore, prior to using the Project Job Creation, it is necessary to create projects, as described below:

Go to Sales > Records > iQuote > Commercial > Project.

Click New.

Type in a name (Description) and a Code for your project.

Select a Customer

Keep the Active parameter enabled.

If you have the Enable Sales Order parameter checked (in General settings, iQuote Sales Order tab) the system shows the iQuote Sales Order drop down. Select one of the options.

If you enable the Standard parameter all new estimates created for will have the project filed automatically populated with this project’s information in Sales > iQuote > Estimate > Open estimate > Identification tab:

Note: This information can be changed later, if necessary.

Click Save.

Note: Users can create as many projects as needed, just remember Estimates can only be grouped in the same project as long as they belong to the same customer.

 

Assigning a project

iQuote allows the user to assign a project both to one or several estimates at a time, as long as all estimates belong to the same customer.

Note: To see how to define a default project for a customer’s estimates see Creating a project.

 

Assigning a project to one estimate

Go to Sales > iQuote > Estimate and select the appropriate estimate.

Click Edit.

The Project field is located in the Identification tab, under General information.

Click the looking glass icon to browse and select a previous created project.

Click Save.

Note: If you are creating a new estimate, the project field will be available already in the Add estimate first screen.

Note: If the estimate’s customer doesn’t match the project's customer, the system will not allow you to assign it and the following message will be displayed: "The project 01 cannot be associated to this estimate because the project is assigned to a different customer".

Note: Using the Quick link > Add project you can easily create and include a new product.

 

Assigning a project to several estimates

On the Assign project screen, the user can assign a project to a group of estimates at one time.

 

Go to Sales > iQuote > Estimate and select all the appropriate estimates.

Click More actions > Assign project.

In the following screen, all selected estimates will be displayed in red, as they are not assigned to the project yet:

Click the looking glass icon to browse and select a previous created project.

Select a project and click OK.

If there is any problem in the selection the system will display the estimates in red and inform the problem in the Message column.

If everything is ok, click Save.

Note: All active projects will be displayed for selection but only the projects with a matching customer can be assigned to the estimates. If the project’s customer doesn’t match the estimate’s the system show an alert message (as follows) and the Save button will not be available.

If estimates from different customer are selected the message above will be displayed only for the estimates with no matching customer:

In this case the Save button will be available but only the estimates with matching customer will be included in the project.

 

Project job creation

On the Project Job Creation screen, it is possible to manage the contents in a project, such as create new jobs, edit quantities and plants for existing jobs, add or remove products etc. Here the user can also check the main specifications for the estimates and jobs in this project.

Once a job is created in this screen it will be automatically available in iPlan’s Job browser screen.

 

Select project

When this screen first open the fields will be empty. Click the looking glass icon to select a project:

 

Once a project is selected all estimates in this project that are in status in tag 4 or 7 will be displayed in the left grid. And all jobs linked to any estimate in this project, no matter the status, will be displayed in the right grid:

Estimate grid

The estimates in the selected project in status with Tags 4 or 7 will be displayed in this grid, alongside with a checkbox for selection and relevant information such as:

Note: All information displayed in this grid is ready only.

 

Check below the buttons in this grid:

 

Job grid

All the jobs in the selected project will be displayed in this grid. Some of the columns are ready only and others can be edited. Any information edited here will be updated in the respective job screen in Planning > Planner > Job.

For removing a product from a job select it and click Remove product. Notice that each job has to have at least one component, therefore the system will not allow the user to delete all products from a job.

For adding a product to a job select the product in the estimate’s grid and click Add product.

Check below the columns in this grid:

 

All the information in this grid is linked to the jobs in Planning > Planner > Job so the system will not allow a job to be edited in two places or buy two users at the same time. The locks are released when a job is closed or saved.

All editions made in this grid will be identified in blue until the project is saved – and the modifications are recorded:

 

Add product

To add a product, it is necessary to select it first in the estimate’s grid. After selecting all desired products, click Add product button on top of the job’s grid. The following screen will open:

In this screen the user can confirm the product’s information and the selected destination job.

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