Creating multi item estimates
You can create groups of estimates Forecast project costs, based on expected costs of labour, machinery and operation times. In Manufacturing, estimates are produced for one-off items or non-repetitive batches. for products that already exist in the Stock Control module. You cannot create multi item estimates for new products.
Multi item estimates share common information which is held on the multi item estimate header. The estimates are created through a grid on the Multi Estimate Details form. This information is used by default for each new estimate on the grid. However, if you change the default header information for an estimate, this change applies to each new estimate added subsequently in the grid.
To create multi item estimates
Open: Estimating > Records > Enter New Multi Item Estimate.
- Enter estimate header information on:
- Enter estimate detail lines on the Main Details tab, as follows:
Click in the first empty line in the Estimates grid.
The Estimate No. will not be shown until you click Save. The number will be the estimate header number plus a suffix, specified in Estimating settings Numbering tab.
- Select the product code from the Stock Code drop-down list, if required.
- The Description appears automatically. Enter or change the description required.
Enter the quantity required in the Qty Req. box.
If the quantity you enter does not match the default stocked unit of measure The quantity in which a stock item is measured for purchase, sale or storage., the quantity is automatically adjusted to the nearest appropriate value.
- The Due Date defaults to the date entered on the estimate header but you can change this, if required.
- The number of individual items required for each finished item defaults to 1 in the No. Pieces box. Change the number, if required. The quantities for each item are recalculated.
- When entering a new estimate the status is Entered. If you have Manager access rights, you can change the Status.
- Enter a customer reference in the Cust. Ref. No. box.
- Enter a project number in the Proj. No. box. This defaults to the Project Number entered on the estimate header. You can change this, if required.
- The Follow Up and MRP Linked settings default to the settings entered on the estimate header. You can change these, if required.
- To save your estimates, click Save.
Estimate Details |
If you selected Automatic Estimate Numbers in the Estimate Settings Numbering tab, the estimate number automatically generates when you save the estimate. If you are not using automatic numbering, you can enter estimate numbers up to 27 digits in an alphanumeric sequence. Note: Fewer digits are allowed for multi item estimate references because suffixes are added to this reference to differentiate between the items. |
Dates |
The Date Entered box defaults to today's date. You can overwrite this. If you know the date by which the estimate should be completed, enter it in the Due Date box. This is the default date for the stages Estimating jobs involves breaking the jobs down into stages for accumulation and analysis of job costs. Each job must have at least one stage. (not to be confused with the due date on the stages). It is carried over to the works order The authority to produce a part using the components specified on a BOM and the process specified on the routing. upon conversion. Enter a date in the Follow Up box on which to take follow up action, if required. To add an entry in your Outlook diary, click Outlook. This sets a reminder to make sure any follow up action is not forgotten. You can amend and save this entry in the usual way. |
Customer Details |
If you are preparing the estimates for an existing customer or prospect, select Customer or Prospect. Then select the A/C from the drop-down list. Note: You can only prepare estimates for base currency customers. If you are preparing the estimates for a new customer or prospect, ignore the A/C box. Enter the name of the person or company for whom the estimates are being prepared in the Name box. Enter an appropriate Reference No. The Contact boxes automatically display information from the selected A/C. You can amend this information. Note: The default cost applied to the estimates is cost + markup. However, if you select a customer and there are selling prices for the Product Code selected on each estimate line, then the customer selling price is used instead. |
Default Options |
You can set these options on the estimate header. These settings apply to multi item estimates created in the grid. Any change you make to the defaults apply to new estimates added in the grid subsequently. To set a flag against the estimates which require follow up action, select the Follow Up check box. To link purchase orders (raised to meet the demands of these estimates) to one-off works orders, select the Linked check box. By default, the box is clear, but will display your last selection. If you select the Linked check box, then any associated orders raised will only be used to meet the demands of these estimates. Note: You must have selected Allow linked under MRP on the stock item Manufacturing tab for MRP Materials Requirements Planning (MRP). MRP recommends purchase orders, transfers and work orders to balance supply and demand. to raise works and purchase orders linked to the works order created for the estimate header. |
Overall Discount |
Apply a discount A reduction in price allowed to a customer for loyalty, early payment or bulk buying. to a sales order when it is created from the estimate. Enter the discount as a percentage or amount. This discount is applied in addition to any manual adjustments made in the system-generated sales price. The price is shown in the quantity breaks table for each individual estimate item. |
Last Recosted |
These boxes are completed automatically by the system as it uses the information from your login and computer system date. |
Overhead Recovery |
Overhead In accounts modules, these are business expenses, such as rent, that are not attributable directly to any department or product and can therefore be assigned only arbitrarily. In manufacturing modules, these are manufacturing or production expenses other than direct labour or materials. recovery is calculated automatically as a percentage cost of the estimate. The calculation uses the default overhead recovery percentages (for total cost or individual cost types) you have defined in the Cost Headings within Manufacturing System Manager. |
Additional Information |
The Entered By box defaults to the current user name. Enter the name of the Salesperson, if required. Enter a Project Number, if required. The project number is useful if you have more than one estimate for a project. |
Customer Site Address |
Enter the customer site address, if required. Note: You can only enter City, County or Country information if the Use Segmented Addresses option is selected in the Operational settings tab within Accounting System Manager System Settings. |
Note: You can add or amend details for individual multi item estimates through the Amend Multi Item Estimate option or through the Amend Estimate option.