Topic Overview
Create budget in the project
You can create the budget levels of a project via the "Budget" tab under the "Costs" menu item. To learn how to edit the structure of the used cost elements and the budget levels, read the article Creating cost elements and budgets.
To assign a budget to a cost element, enter the net or gross amount in the provided field. You can switch between the two variants using the "Net" or "Gross" buttons above the table. The respective other amount is calculated based on the entered VAT rate.
When using cost elements on lower levels, make sure that the sum of this level corresponds to the amount of the higher-level cost element. Alternatively, you can calculate the amount of the higher-level cost element using the "Calculate sum" button after distributing the budget to the lower-level cost elements.
After entering the budget, click on the "Save changes" button to save a new Budget version. You can save any number of budget versions in Alasco and view them under the "Budget history" tab.
There you can see all budget versions, who created them and when, as well as the changes compared to the previous budget version. Click on an older budget version to view details.
The most current budget version is always displayed under the "Budget structure" tab.
Budget distribution
Click on the second tab "Budget distribution" in the bar above to distribute the budget of a cost element to one or more contract units. All cost elements and contract units are now organized in a single, unified table.
By clicking on the arrow next to the name of the cost element, you can collapse and expand it. Here you will see all contract units that are already assigned to this cost element or receive an initial budget from it. Any over- or under-budgeting is clearly highlighted visually.
Click on the "Edit" button on the right edge of the screen to assign a new contract unit to the cost element or to change the initial budget of an already assigned contract unit.
Note:
Click on the Net/Gross button at the top right of the screen to distribute the initial budget in net or gross values to the contract units.
In the window that appears, select a contract unit from the contract units already created in the project. You can now specify the budget distribution either as an absolute amount or by percentage. When creating the very first entry for a contract unit in a cost element, Alasco automatically pre-fills the amount with the full available budget. Alternatively, you can create a new contract unit via the "+ Add new" selection in the drop-down menu. Confirm your entry by clicking on the "Save" button.
Note:
In Alasco, you can assign multiple contract units to one cost element, and the initial budget of a contract unit can be fed from several different cost elements.
In Alasco, the budget according to the cost element structure corresponds to the compilation of the expected individual and total costs determined for the implementation of the planned services.
The approved or released budget portions are recorded under Budget and form the basis for subsequent awards and cost control (target-actual comparison).
The structure can be set up freely, either as standard according to the structure of DIN 276 at the respective level or according to your own company- or project-specific specifications.
Contract units
In Alasco, the term Contract units corresponds to a compilation of services that are to be awarded together, usually in a construction/supply contract. Another term for this would be Service packages.
In Alasco, the budgets entered in the "Costs" menu item under the "Budget" tab are distributed proportionally to the planned contract units. The budget distributed in this way represents the Initial budget of a contract unit available for tendering and awarding.
In the overview of a contract unit, the Budget origin is displayed, i.e., from which cost elements the initial budget originates. The Current budget of the contract unit includes the initial budget as well as all Budget changes through budget transfers and budget increases or decreases.
The current budget forms the core of Cost control and cost management.
The contract units can be created freely, either by trades according to StLB, according to VOB/C, or according to the project-specific award structure.
Tip:
In the further articles in our Help Center, you will learn how to Create contract units and how to Edit a contract unit.