Work Allocations
For every Work File, there is a Work Allocations tab. Accessible to edit via from the Edit view. The purpose of the allocations it to assign a portion of the Work Fee to each of the staff member who may work on the file and to assign relevant tasks to those staff.
There is no single person responsible for completing the Work Allocations, it is the responsibility of the Work File owner to ensure that the allocations have been completed before the file can be closed and marked as the work is complete and the client has been invoiced. Any staff member who works on the file is able to edit and modify the assignments and hours/fees. Ideally the file owner/manager or a primary staff member should do this.
This work allocation area is how we measure each staff members productivity so it is essential that this is as accurate as possible. The entry can be an interim entry and amended later on completion of the work if there were changes (i.e. a different team member did the work from what was initially expected).
Any number of entries can be added but it is important that as the file is worked on that individuals enter a new entry if they happen to work on the file for any reason. They may not have had an entry previously set up by the file owner or their line manager.
In summary you should:
- Allocate a portion of the fee value to each team member that will be working on the file for any tasks (data entry, work undertaken, client queries, review etc).
- Be as specific or general as you feel appropriate, ie you can just put the fee to one general task such as “Tax Return Preparation” or split it among the differing tasks/duties.
- Before or at the time of completion of the work and before the file is closed the allocated fees must balance to equal the Work Fee Amount (excluding GST) (in Bold)
Reviewing Work Allocations
You can access and edit Work Allocations either from the Work File or from the “Write Up/Down” tab found in the Main Menu under the selected applicable module. The summary view allows you to see all work managed by you and quickly check past files worked on instead of accessing individual work files and is a quick way to review completed work files, for example at the end of each month, and ensure that the Work Fee and allocated times match.
Definitions
Work Allocation - the splitting of the work fee amongst the one or many staff who will work on the clients file/work
Estimates - estimation of the time required to complete the various tasks and allocated to the staff working or may work on the file/job it is in essence a guide to manage expectations.
- Before starting any job, be sure to enter an estimate of the time taken by each person involved based on time expected to perform the work. This can be allocated in brief (i.e. tax return preparation for all) or detail, each task broken down (i.e. client advice, tax return prep, tax return review etc).
- As part of the budget, you can allocate a cost to general enquiries to allow for general contact with the client.
- The fee split is then determined based upon who is expected to do the work and at their respective charge out rate. Using a simple illustration, if one accountant charges $300 per hour and spends one hour, and a second accountants charge rate is $100 per hour and spends 3 hours, then the fee split is $300 each (based on the time and charge rate in the estimate). This is despite very different hours involved.
- As a rule of thumb, fee splits should not be undertaken as set percentages, unless there are particular reasons for doing so.
- If additional follow up work is performed post invoice being raised, and it relates specifically to the fee just raised, then time costs should continue to be allocated to that code.
- If the work/effort therefore changes as one person undertook more work post completion, potentially this time may end up being written off (if unrecoverable), alternatively you can modify the fee split accordingly if it is appropriate to do so. Using the “general enquiries” code, you can track this time.
Summary View - Work Allocations
The Work Allocations window will only show hours that have been submitted via time sheet entries in the {Actual Work Hours} column.
Summary View
- Work Allocations tab - from the Summary view click or scroll to the tab {Work Allocations}.
- List of allocated coworkers who either have or may work in the current Work File.
- Click to open the Work Edit view.
Edit View - Work Allocations
Edit View
- Work Allocations tab - from the Edit view click or scroll to the tab {Work Allocations}
- [Write Up/Down] - available when the allocations match the work fee.
- [Create New] - create a new line entry which will open an new entry line.
Note that in the Consultancy module has an additional feature to add special charge rates dependent on tasks undertaken offering more flexibility in the billing process. Added button [Edit Special Chargeable Rates]
- [Edit] - click to edit the selected line entry.
Create New entry fields
- Click [Create New].
- {Select the consultant} - select from the drop down list. Entries to be added via Lookups.
- {Select the task} - select from the drop down list. Entries to be added via Lookups.
- Enter {Estimated Work Hours}.
- Estimated Amount will be calculated if there is an entry for {Chargeable Rate}.
- Click [Save] - to save the entry.
Estimates
When a new work file is created for a client the owner of the file (usually the a senior team member or manager) or anyone who works on the file should estimate the hours needed, the tasks required and allocate the correct staff if possible. Estimates are only that and can be changed later if necessary. This is just good practice to allow the business to manage and measure performance. Consider adding estimated hours so there is a guide of expected outcomes. The entry can be an interim entry and amended later on completion of the work if there were changes i.e. a different team member did the work from what was initially expected.
Work Allocation Finalisation
Edit the allocations with the Work File
- Within the Work Allocations tab click [Edit] for each entry to be balanced with the Work Fee total.
- When you have completed your work on the file AND you and your colleagues have updated and submitted their time sheets there will be an entry in the {Actual Work Hours} column.
- Enter the adjustment in the {Work Fee} cell. Aim to match the adjusted Work Fee to the actual chargeable fee as you see fit. There is no substitute for this other than experience and sensible choices distributing the calculated costs of you and coworkers to match the actual chargeable client Work Fee.
- Work Fee totals - the upper bold figure is the Adjusted Work Fee total; the lower bold figure is the Work Fee quoted and charged to the client.
- When the calculated Work Fee matches the actual Work Fee AND the Work Status has been advanced to Work Complete then:
- [New Write Up/Down] button will be highlighted. Click to open date/confirmation window.
- Click [OK] to confirm the current date, if appropriate choose a date near to the time of the work being completed.
Write Up/Downs
Write Up/Downs Tab
- Currently available within the Taxes, Financial Planning, Consulting Modules. Main Menu {Taxes}>{Write Up/Downs}.
- Write up - where less time/cost was expended on the Work File than the Work Fee chargeable.
- Write down - where more time/cost was expended on the Work File than the Work Fee chargeable.
Do not use Write Ups/Downs until the work has been completed or in case of tax work the return has been lodged and file considered "finalised".
The date the Write Up/Down is the month the work was completed not the date of doing the write up/down (so if it was today 31st October you were doing the write ups on work completed in August change the write up date to 31st August so it matches the same month work was completed.1.
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