Job Costing Feedback-- Prompted

NOTE-- We retired the MacNail estimating program in 2000, and replaced it with Goldenseal construction estimating software. There are still a significant number of die-hard MacNail users, so we keep the manuals online for them! Goldenseal is an integrated program that also includes accounting, scheduling and contract writing.

5. If the Cost Control file was created by a version of MacNail Accounting earlier than version 3.4, you'll be asked to make sure the item code and cost category systems match that of the Price Master. If it's a new Cost Control worksheet, then the item code and cost category systems will automatically be checked for compatibility, and you'll be alerted if they don't match.

6. If the MacNail construction management software has already sed this file for price feedback, you'll be asked whether you want to proceed anyway.

7. MacNail will step down through the cost categories or subcategories, checking each item. You'll be alerted if any problems are found.

8. If an item is not fully completed (less than 100% in the 'percent done' column), you'll be asked how to handle it.
You can skip the item completely, use its price ratio as if it were actually 100% completed, or pro-rate the cost ratio based on the percentage completion. In this case, the actual cost will be adjusted upwards by 5% to compensate for the fact that excavation work is not yet fully completed.

9. The MacNail construction management software will also check the ratio between 'estimated' and 'actual' costs. If it is a bigger change than the limits you set in Feedback Options, you'll be asked how to handle it.

You can skip the item, use the actual ratio, or limit the adjustment to whatever amount you specified as a maximum change in Feedback Options. In this case, General Conditions will be figured as being only 25% under budget (the maximum downward adjustment set in Feedback Options).

NOTE: Separate estimated/actual ratios are calculated for labor and materials. The warning dialog will be given if either one of them is a larger change than the limits set in Feedback Options, even though the other one may be OK.

10. Once you've stepped through each cost category or subcategory, MacNail will use the Cost Control information to change the labor and material adjustment factors in your Price Master.
The adjustment columns in the Price Master are based on a 'weighted average' of all your projects. If many projects have been used to feedback costs, one project will have less impact than if you only have fed back from a small number of jobs.