Working with permanent resource costs
Permanent resource costs are determined by rates. For example, a Consultant might have a normal rate and an overtime rate. You assign the different rates to a resource so that when you assign the resource to a task, its cost is calculated automatically. If you do not want to associate any cost with a resource, do not assign any rate to the resource.
When a resource has more than one skill, each skill can be charged at different rates. For example if an employee is both a Roofer and a Plasterer, they might have one rate when working as a Roofer and another when working as a Plasterer.
If a resource has a cost that is incurred each time the resource is assigned to a task, this can be shown as a 'fixed cost' rate. For example, a Subcontractor might have a standing charge which is incurred whenever you employ him, or an Engineer might have a call-out charge.
You might want to set up all your cost centres before creating cost and income rates that refer to them.
When setting up a cost or income rate, the details you specify include:
- A cost per time unit, for example £50 per hour, or a cost with no time unit to specify a fixed cost rate.
- A type of time, for example whether this rate applies to normal working time, overtime or public holidays.
- A cost centre, for example a Roofer cost rate might be charged from the Construction cost centre, and a Consultancy Fee income rate might provide income to the Consultancy cost centre.
A cost or income rate can also have a markup percentage which is useful if you want to charge out an employee's services at a different rate from what they cost you.
Whenever you assign a permanent resource to a task, the cost of the resource is calculated from its cost and income rates. After assigning a resource, you can edit the allocation if you need to specify cost or income rates that differ from the default.
Specifying the default cost and income rates for a permanent resource
To specify the default cost and income rates for a permanent resource:
- Right-click the permanent resource, either in Library Explorer or in the project view, and select Properties. The Permanent Resource Properties dialog appears.
- Click the Cost/Income tab.
- To assign a cost or income rate to the resource, click Assign Rate then select a rate from the drop-down that becomes available.
- To remove a cost or income rate from the resource, select it in the Assigned cost/income rates grid then click Unassign Rate.
- Close the dialog when you have finished assigning the default cost and income rates to the resource.
Editing the cost and income rates of a permanent resource allocation
To edit the cost and income rates of a permanent resource allocation:
- Right-click the permanent resource allocation and click Properties. The Permanent Allocation Properties dialog appears.
- Click the Cost/Income tab. The cost and income amounts of this allocation are displayed as the Total Cost and Total Income values.
- To assign a new cost or income rate to the resource, click Assign Rate then select a rate from the drop-down that becomes available.
- To remove a cost or income rate from the resource, select it in the Assigned cost/income rates grid then click Unassign Rate.
- Close the dialog when you have finished assigning the default cost and income rates to the resource.
Most costs and income will be positive, but you can record negative cost or income against permanent resources and their allocations by editing the appropriate cost and income rate and entering a negative amount in the Amount field.