Maintaining Files

Keeping accurate records requires proper maintenance. This includes activities such as reconciling files and re-creating summary files.

Reconciling files

The reconciling procedure verifies the information in transaction open files and adjusts the totals in the master files if a discrepancy exists. You can reconcile jobs, billing, and bill codes. Back up your Job Cost data files before running reconcile. Make sure no one is logged into Microsoft Dynamics GP when you reconcile Job Cost data files. If other users are logged in, an alert message appears, and the Job Cost reconcile process will not run to completion. If the Print Report Only option is marked during the GP reconcile process (Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Utilities > Sales > Reconcile-Remove Sales Documents), the transactions will not be moved to history. If the print only button is unmarked, records are moved to history. The Job Cost reconcile process will remove records from history.

Reconciling jobs

You can complete the reconcile procedure for a specific job, a range of jobs, or all jobs. Note that reconciling jobs does not update billing amounts. To reconcile billing amounts, run the Reconcile Billing utility.

1. Choose Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Utilities > Job Cost > Reconcile Jobs.

2. Mark the Validate Job Transactions checkbox to reconcile amounts with data validation. 

   

   Do not mark this checkbox if you only want to recalculate amounts. Recalculating takes considerably less time than reconciling because recalculating does not check the validity of transactions. You cannot delete invalid transactions if you recalculate.

3. Mark the checkbox to print an audit report if you want to identify invalid transactions for the selected jobs.
4. Choose whether to reconcile all jobs, a single job, or a range of jobs.
5. Choose the jobs to reconcile in the Job Number field.
6. Choose Reconcile. The Reconcile report displays, identifying any transactions with missing information.

   • If there are invalid transactions, you need to investigate why these transactions are invalid. You can then choose Unmark in the Reconcile Jobs window to remove the delete status of invalid transactions or choose Delete to remove the invalid transactions from the Job Cost Transaction Open file. Complete the reconcile procedure again after deleting any invalid transactions. 

     

     If you choose to delete invalid transactions (for example, if you delete discontinued items), you may need to create a job transaction entry or Microsoft Dynamics GP General Ledger journal entry to reflect the deleted transaction(s). The reconcile feature does not make any adjustments to Job Cost or the general ledger. The reconcile process re-adds the Job Cost detail totals.

• • If you want to recalculate the Job Cost detail totals, unmark the Validate Job Transactions option in the Reconcile Jobs window. Then reconcile again.
  • If there are no transactions on the report, the utility has found no errors and you can close the reconcile window. The procedure is complete.

Reconciling billing

We suggest you reconcile your billing on a regular basis to ensure the integrity of Job Cost data files. Back up your data before you reconcile the files.

1. Choose Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Utilities > Job Cost > Reconcile Billing.
2. Use the lookup buttons in the From and To fields to choose a range of jobs.
3. Choose Insert >>.
4. Choose Reconcile. A message appears asking if you want to reconcile. Choose Yes.

Reconciling bill codes

We suggest you reconcile bill codes on a regular basis to ensure the integrity of Job Cost data files. Back up your data before you reconcile the files.

1. Choose Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Utilities > Job Cost > Reconcile Bill Codes.
2. Use the lookup buttons in the From and To fields to choose a range of jobs.
3. Choose Insert >>.
4. Choose Reconcile. A message appears asking if you want to reconcile. Choose Yes.

Re-creating the summary file

The Recreate Summary File utility is used to populate the Job Detail Summary and Master Summary tables for customers who have migrated from another accounting system to Signature. If you think your Job Detail Summary or Master Summary tables are damaged or corrupted, contact WennSoft Support to assist you in running the Recreate Summary File utility.

We recommend you complete the reconcile procedure before re-creating the summary file.

The Job Detail Summary file contains the cost amounts for each period posted to each cost code. You can review these monthly amounts in the Job CC Monthly Costs window. See Viewing Posted Costs.

The Master Summary file contains the costs-to-date by job at a cost element level for each closed period. The amounts in this file update each time a Job Cost period closes. These amounts are also used to create the percentage-of-completion journal entry at the period end.

When you are using the Estimate by Period option, when running the Recreate Summary File utility, any estimate revision entered since the start of the job will be treated as if it were entered at the time the job was created. That is, every period will contain that estimate.

1. Choose Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Utilities > Job Cost > Recreate Summary File.
2. Back up your Job Cost data files.
3. Choose to re-create the summary file for all jobs or one job. Enter the job number if re-creating by job number.
4. Choose Recreate.