Incurred Cost Management in Prolog

In my blog post https://gntps.com.au/2013/09/12/incurred-cost-management/ , I explained a process of how field information such as timesheets and installed quantity reports can be used to build up an estimate of uninvoiced cost in next-to-real time. While you could implement the process using spreadsheets, it is likely to be much more reliable if a system is used.

Prolog has two modules that are immediately relevant in this area ie. Daily Work Journal and Events. The Daily Work Journal allows recording both Labor and Equipment Hours, while events allow recording quantities for defined event types (such as placing concrete, erecting steel, installing pipework etc.)

The native forms allow a large amount of information to be stored. The GNT Prolog extension enables some additional functionality to enable these forms to be used to implement a fully functional incurred cost management system.

Some of the additional features include:
1. Additional udfs to enable incurred information to be linked to Budget Codes, Commitments and Commitment Lines.
2. Additional auto calculating udfs to enable rates to be entered and amounts to be calculated.
3. Automatic and manual matching of incurred information to invoices.
4. A new incurred cost datagroup that enables all incurred information to be viewed in one place.
5. Incurred totals aggregated to auto calculating udf’s on Budget, Contract, Contract Invoices, Purchase Order and General Invoice forms.

The solution can be further extended to enable incurred information to be generated from the Drawing and Specification register if required to track progress of engineering deliverables.

The information collected in this manner can be used to support an overall Project progress monitoring system, or to calculate an accrual that can be applied to the accounting system that is based upon real field information.