APPLYING PROFIT

How much profit can the job take?

This is an important feature of the pricing process so we have supplied four ways profit% can be applied, each one more specific than the one before:

1. Global setting - File/Settings/Default Profit option. This is a useful default value table if your company normally applies the same margins to each job (They can of course be adjusted later). Each new schedule is automatically assigned the values entered here as it is created.
2. Pre-Pricing. As you set up the Schedule Details you can apply default profit% values to the Profit% form (tabbed form). This is then applied to each resource as it is selected for use within the schedule and added to the Gross.
3. Post-Pricing. Select the Schedule/Profit option to view a table of bills and their associated profit% values. Adjust as required to fine tune the profit for each bill/resource type.
4. Individual Schedule Resources - You can apply a profit% against each of the schedule resources used in the schedule item. Load the Bill Item Rate Buildup window and select the 'G' button (gross profit) and enter the revised profit% value.

Main Features

• Full control of profit margins at all levels - Schedule, Bill, Cost Type and Resources
• Dedicated Schedule Profit screen showing the results of any changes
• Clear displays showing Net/Gross values at all levels

Unless you work on fixed profit margins applied at the beginning of each job (See the Setting Profit help page) you will want to add a profit margin after you have priced the work at cost. Fast Estimate has an easy to use profit applicator.

For this part of the Help we will look at applying profit directly to the whole Bill(s), the most common way to apply profit to a job.

Select the Schedule/Summary table and select an example Schedule to work with. For Advanced users, make sure the Multiplication Factor is switched OFF (View Settings button):

• The Summary view shows each Bill with a breakdown into Resource Types profit, percentage and actual
• You can adjust any values displayed in black. Try making some changes to see the effect.
• Use the View Chart option to see the effect on the Schedule breakdown.
• Note that you can drill down (double-click them or press F5) on some of the values to view their build up (and make changes if required).

Tips

1. Enter profit% values for the Schedule quickly by clicking on column headers (selects all bills) and using the +/-% button to enter values for each Type
2. You can change these values at any time to look at different price scenarios
3. For expensive or unusual items, adjust profit in the item buildup form
4. If you are unsure about a particular item, mark it for review later

©2007 Estek Ltd. All trademarks are property of their respective owners