Vision offers a comprehensive treatment of traditional Job Costing. This means that there is a Work in Progress accounting and a control account in the General ledger for Work in Progress. The core advantage of this method of Job Costing is that allows the matching of expense to revenue.

Groups

Jobs can be organised into Job Groups and this may be used to govern the posting to the General Ledger. Groups is also an effective concept for management and reporting.

Stages

Many Jobs will have stages and effective management of jobs involves teh management of jobs through the various stages of a job.

Cost Centres

Cost Centres is the other effective method of organising Jobs and GL postings can also be attuned here. (normally basic rule is if the whole job to be reported in a single GL account then use Groups for posting, but if the posting for each job are to be split then use Cost Centres)

Priority - Status

The Flag Settings for Priority and Status, are two additional features that can be used to manage the work flow of Job Costing. 

Retentions are supported by the system. More detailed management of retentions is possible when you combine this module with the Advanced Job Invoicing module

As stock is transferred to a Job it moves at the GL Level from Stock to WIP and from Stock Purchases to Job Purchases so matching Income and Revenue Correctly. Purchases can also be booked direct to a job, and staff time can be allocated to the job.

The Job Estimate can create a form suitable for management, or suitable for the customer, or both, and following the conclusion of the Job the Actual vs Estimate report will allow you to see where you are getting it right and where you need to improve.

Invoice for costs and margins in detail
Pick and choose costs incurred per job, then invoice clients in detail along with the margin as specified, all within one software module.

Create draft invoices
Create a draft invoice, get it approved (if required), make any final edits then process it into the system. Stop having to issue credits for incorrect invoices!

Contract jobs
Produce progress claims per job by total contract, stage or cost centre. Have accurate figures on the percentage that has been claimed and actual profit margins to date so you know what remains to be charged.

Handle retentions
Track the calculation of retentions to date and consolidate these amounts. Set retention due dates when jobs are completed.

Allocate costs to processed invoices
Match costs to specific invoices as well as the jobs they are related to.

Write-off outstanding works in progress
Save time by being able to write-off costs associated with a job without having to produce a ‘zero’ invoice.

Reduce errors by entering data by cost centre or stage
Reduce errors by inputting progress claims by cost centre or stage rather than line by line.

The is a good set of general reports, however Job Costing is inherently specific and an area where many people desire an additional report or two to meet their particular needs