Audience: Builders
Read time: 7 mins
Article contents: Steps on how to do variations/change orders on cost-plus jobs.
Variations can be done in cost-plus jobs for items out of budget, and for items that need to be swapped out.
This article only covers cost-plus jobs, if you're looking for info on variations on contract jobs, head here:
Markup in cost-plus variations
For all cost-plus jobs the markup is applied at the time of invoicing, meaning if you add a variation and the client approves it, the extra budget goes to the actual costing screen. When you purchase that item the cost of purchasing the item will be passed onto the client and will accrue markup at that point. This is the reason that the markup boxes do not appear on the cost-plus variation screen, and as a result the variation itself shows only the budget without markup added.
Variations for out-of-budget items
In the job click into the Variations tab and click the green '+' button. A new variation will appear.
Add a description.
Optional to add proposed start.
Optional to add delay days.
Click the green '+' button to add item/s.
Enter item description.
Enter quantity and unit price
Choose actuals category from dropdown, or type in this field if you want to put Variations into a separate category in the job.
Click 'Save and Send', a pop up will appear with email details, click 'Send'.
Variations for items to be swapped out
In the "Actuals Category" of job, tick the box to the left of the item,
At the bottom of the screen, click "Add Variation", the variation screen pops up
3. You will see the item to be swapped out in a negative.
4. Use the green "+" button to add the item you want to use
5. Fill in the detail of the new item
6. Choose the same Actuals Category as the item to be swapped
7. Click "Save and Send", a pop up will appear with email details, click "Send".
Presentation option for cost-plus variations
As users communicate cost-plus jobs differently to their client we have the option to show or hide the estimated values on the variation.
1. Under the cog on the variation screen is the option to change whether the estimated total is shown or not
2. This is the box that will be shown or not based on the option chosen
Accepting the variation
Whichever method you choose to do your Variation, it will not add to the Actuals Costings until it has been changed to an "Accepted" status.
To do this go to the "Variations" tab, open the Variation, and change the status at the top right from "Sent" to "Accepted"
Invoicing the Variation
When you accept the variation the new cost lines will add to your actual costing screen. As cost plus jobs only create invoices as a result of recevied purchase orders and completed work orders, the cost of the variation will be passed onto the client when you generate orders for these new items. At the time you generate the invoice you'll be able to add markup on the order like normal.
To say this another way, in a cost plus job the entire variation is not added directly to an invoice like it is for a contract price job.