We have used Timberline for years. We switched to Sage 100 with the idea that it was going to be easier to use. We like most the features and the easy layout of the program but the one major flaw is there is no way to track change requests when in Project Management. As a sub contractor we often have 10 change requests that are approved to be billed as 1 change order. This creates such a mess to not have another level of changes such as the change request. Each Change Request might have a different source type such as a PR#, CD#, ASI #, Owner Request#, Internal # etc. We might need to track our time and Purchases against a Change Request before it ever becomes an approved order. Than a month down the road they might all need to be compiled as one change order. The only work around I have found it to rebuild all the individual change orders into a new change order. This is cumbersome. The other work around is to not use Sage 100 to manage change requests and only enter them into the system as they are officially approved as Change Orders. This really makes it hard as a project manager to manage such a major part of projects without this being ironed out.
Please, Please, Please, build in a Change Request level so we do not have to do so many unnecessary work arounds.
by: Dan O. | over a year ago | Project Management
Comments
We've created a PCO log to track all requests using the grid for detail, notes. etc. When a change order is approved/sent, we cut and paste the approved lines, reducing the PCO log to those items not yet approved. The CO is created easily without much typing - just cut and past.
We have utilized one of the Quick List cells, to populate the "type" (ASI, CD, PR, etc...). We enter then each and once they are approved, we change the status and assign the Client's Change Order Number. when we use it this way, our report shows us each PR/CD/ASI proposal in a open status and all of the approved change orders will show up in the report with the associated CO#. Now it is not a lump sum change order price for say x3 proposals, but this way we can track each one independently and we can also show them on our AIA progressive billing separately, so we can bill them with different %'s.
Since the original comment, we have revised our process and create an individual COR with attachments for each record. If the CO is issued encompassing multiple COR's they can easily be cut&pasted to form the one CO. Easy.