Overview
- The relationship between the cost groups' budget and the contracting units
- How to enter budget in a project
- The distribution of cost groups' budget to contract units
Cost groups
You can create the different budget levels of a project via the "Budget" tab under the "Costs" menu item. To learn how to edit the structure of the cost groups and the budget levels, read the article on how to create cost groups and assign budgets.
To assign a budget to a cost group, enter the net amount in the field provided. When using cost elements or subgroups, make sure that the amount from the elements add up to the corresponding cost group. Alternatively, you can use the "Calculate sum" button to calculate the amount of the cost group after you have distributed the budget to the cost elements.
In addition to the net amount, you can enter the corresponding VAT rate as a percentage. The gross amount of the budget of the cost group or element is then calculated automatically.
Note:
Alternatively, you can enter the gross amount and have the system calculate the net amount via the tax rate. To do this, click on the Gross button next to the Save button.
After distributing the budget, click on the "Save changes" button to save a new budget version. You can save as many budget versions as you like in Alasco and view them under the "Budget history" tab. There you can see the current budget, who entered it and when, and the changes to the previous budget version. Alasco always shows you the most recent budget version in the "Budget structure" tab.
Click on the "Budget distribution" tab to distribute the budget of a specific cost group to the corresponding contract units.
By clicking on the "+" icon on the right-hand side of the screen, you can assign a contract unit to the respective cost group or cost element. In the window that pops up, select a contract unit from the contract units already created in the project and enter the amount of budget to be allocated. Alasco automatically calculates the percentage of the allocated budget in the total budget of the cost group or cost element. Confirm your entry by clicking on the "Add" button.
Note:
In Alasco you can assign several contract units to one cost group or cost element, and the budget of a contract unit can be fed from several different cost groups or cost elements.
In Alasco, the budget according to the cost group structure corresponds to the compilation of the expected individual and total costs determined for the implementation of the planned work.
In Alasco, the authorised budget parts are recorded under budget and form the basis for the following allocation and cost controlling (target/actual comparison).
The cost group structure follows by default the DIN 276 structure; however, a company or project-specific cost group structure can be set up. The procedure is in the article on how to create cost groups and assign budgets.
Contract units
In Alasco, the term Contract Units corresponds to a grouping of services that are to be assigned together, usually as part of a construction or supply contract. Another term for Contract Units would be service packages.
In Alasco, the budget distributed in the budget structure found under the menu item "Costs" under "Budget", is then proportionally distributed among the assigned contract units. The budget distributed in this way thus represents the initial budget of a contract unit, which is available for the planned work.
In the overview of a contract unit, the budget information is displayed, i.e. from which cost groups the initial budget originates. The current budget of the contract unit includes the initial budget as well as all budget changes due to transfers and budget increases or decreases.
The current budget is the basis of cost monitoring and cost controlling.
The contract units can be created freely, based on the trades in accordance with StLB (Standardleistungsbuch), VOB / C (German construction contract procedures), or based on the project's specific assignment structure.
Tip:
You can learn how to monitor your costs with Alasco, how to create contract units and how to edit contract units in our Help Center articles.