Project Management and Accounting
Objects and projects
Objects in the Enterprise asset management module can be related to a project. A project related to an object is called an object project. Using an object project means that all work order projects, which are related to the object, will be created as sub projects to the object project. Sub projects may have different project types compared to the parent project, meaning that it is possible to have projects of type "Internal", "Time and Material", or "Investment" related to the same object project.
Object projects can be set up on the objects manually in Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All Objects > select object > Edit button > Project FastTab > Project ID field. An object project can also be created automatically, either when the object is created, or manually by using the "Create project integration" function (Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All Objects > select object > Edit button > Project FastTab > Create project integration button). If you want object projects to be created automatically when creating objects, select "Yes" on the Auto create projects toggle button in the Enterprise asset management parameters form (Enterprise asset management > Setup > Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Auto create projects toggle button).
Top level objects
You can create object projects for objects without a parent project, also called top level objects. This means that for the top level object, the project created will be a sub-project to the main object project set up in Enterprise asset management parameters (Enterprise asset management > Setup > Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Main project field). Project type and other related settings will be inherited from the parent project.
Sub projects
In Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Project hierarchy field, the parent project when creating object projects for sub objects is determined. If "No hierarchy" is selected, the parent project will be the main project setup in parameters, same as top-level objects. If "Hierarchy" is selected, the parent project will be the object project set up on the parent object. With the "Hierarchy" option, the project structure will be identical to the object structure. If using "Hierarchy", it is recommended that you expand length of the project ID data type, as you can easily exceed the 20 characters allocated.
Project format
The project format for object projects is set up in Enterprise asset management > Setup > Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Work order project mask field. This format determines how many sub projects an object project can have, meaning how many work orders can be related to the object. If the "Hierarchy" option is used, the setup in the Work order project mask field determines how many sub objects and work orders can be related to an object.
Projects, sub projects, and project activities for objects
Objects and work order lines that are created in the Enterprise Asset Management module are created in the Project management and accounting module as projects, sub projects, and project activities.
In the Project management and accounting module, you set up the main project to be used for Enterprise Asset Management. In Enterprise asset management > Setup > Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Main project field, you select the primary maintenance project, and once that parameter is set up, there is full integration with the project module (see also the figure below showing relations between Enterprise asset management parameters and All projects).
Note
Regarding object data setup: If you want to build an object / project structure based on location (or another classification), you create an object as a location, and the sub-objects you create will then become sub-locations (or another classification type that you have selected).
Object projects may be useful if your company manages large, specialized projects, for example, construction projects for a bridge or a large piece of production equipment. In the figure "Object association with project hierarchy", you will see a graphic overview of object integration with the Project management and accounting module if you have decided to use the project hierarchy.
In the second figure, you will see a graphic overview of object integration with the Project management and accounting module if you have decided not to use the project hierarchy.
The last two figures at the end of this article show the relation between the setup in Enterprise asset management parameters (Enterprise asset management > Setup > Enterprise asset management parameters), an object created as a sub-object, which is displayed in the All objects list page (Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All Objects > select object in list page), and the related object project in All projects (Project management and accounting > Projects > All projects > select project in the list > Edit).
Note
In Enterprise asset management parameters, the Auto create projects toggle button defines how projects are created. If the toggle button is set to "Yes", an object project is automatically created on a new object. If the Auto create projects toggle button is set to "No", the user must manually create project integration when the object is created. This is done in All objects > Project FastTab. Select the Create project integration button if you want to manually create a project for the object.
Forecasts, work orders and projects
In Enterprise Asset Management, integration to the Project management and accounting module is done to optimize cost control, allowing users to track costs on job type forecasts and work order lines.
To track job type forecasts, two settings must be made:
- In Enterprise asset management parameters, select a project in the Forecast project field (Enterprise asset management > Setup > Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Project FastTab > Forecast project field).
- In Job type setup, when you create a job type setup line, an activity number is automatically created for the line (Enterprise asset management > Setup > Work orders > Jobs > Job type setup).
Job type forecasts serve two purposes: You are able to track costs on job type forecasts in the Project management and accounting module. Furthermore, forecasts are automatically transferred to a work order line project when you select a job type on a work order line.
To track costs on work order lines, you must first set up work order projects. Refer to the Work Order Project Setup section for a description of the procedure.
Work order line projects
When you create a work order line on a work order, and the object selected on the work order line is not related to an object project, the work order project is determined by the setup of the parent project for work orders in Work order project setup (Enterprise asset management > Setup > Work order > Project setup).
Work order line projects are created by using a combination of the following work order information:
- The Work order type selected on the work order
- The Object type related to the object on the work order line
- The Expected start and end time set on the work order
It is possible that not all of the information types mentioned above are found on a work order. Therefore, the search for a work order parent project is done by using a combination of the information types and selecting the project ID for the combination that corresponds with work order data:
- Work order type, Object type, and Expected start and end time
- Object type, and Expected start and end time
- Expected start and end time
Example: In the figure "Project ID 000007" below, the setup of object type "Truck Engine" means that every work order line created with that object type will be a sub project of Project ID "000007", found by using the combination shown in step 2. above.
The purpose of the project ID on the work order line, and the related activity number (Enterprise asset management > Common > Work orders > All Work orders > select work order in list > Edit button > Line details FastTab > Project ID field and Activity number field), is to track costs related to the work order line (and the object selected on the work order line) in the Project management and accounting module. Read more about cost control in Enterprise Asset Management in the Cost and Date Control section.
In the figure "Work order projects association", you will see a graphic overview of work order projects and related project activities.
Note
When a new work line is created on a work order, a work order project is automatically created for the line. The financial dimensions for the object related to the work order line are automatically transferred to the work order project. The project activity created for a work order line has related information attached to it regarding job type, variant, and trade. Those data are useful if, for example, you create a purchase order from a work order (see the Procurement section), or if you use the Project management and accounting module for time registration.
If the object was installed on a functional location, and that object is later installed on another functional location, the financial dimensions related to the new functional location is automatically updated on the object. Subsequently, when you create a work order line for the object, the work order project for the work order line automatically gets the financial dimensions that are now related to the object. This means that when you use functional locations, costs can always be tracked on the functional locations on which an object was installed at any given time. The automatic update of financial dimensions ensures complete traceability of costs when carrying out project controlling and reporting.
Object Projects
It is optional if you want to make a project relation to an object when you create the object. Setup regarding object-project relations is done in Enterprise asset management parameters > Objects link > Project FastTab. It may be useful to use object projects for large construction projects for continuous project, cost, and lifecycle management.
Work Order Projects
A work order must always have a project relation. If the object selected on the work order has a project relation, the object project is used. If the object does not have a project relation, a work order project is created based on the setup in Work order project setup. Work order projects with no related object projects may be useful for maintenance and repair jobs related to discrete or process production equipment.
Whether your company chooses to use object project setup or work order project setup, or a combination, depends on the company's focus on construction or maintenance as well as the requirements for cost management and reporting. In the figure below, you will see an example of the different phases in a construction project, and how you can use both object projects and work order projects in the different phases.
Work order projects, work order stages, project stages, and project types
To ensure correct use of work order stages, and related project stages, on work orders, consider the dependencies in relation to the Project management and accounting module:
- In the Project management and accounting module, project stages are set up on project types in the Project management and accounting parameters form.
- In the Project management and accounting parameters form, remember to select relevant project stage check boxes for all the project types you are going to use. In the figure below, five stages Created - Estimated - Scheduled - In process - Finished have been selected for the project types "Time and material" and "Internal". Those five stages are relevant for both internal maintenance and service maintenance jobs.
- In Enterprise Asset Management, project types are defined by the project groups you set up in the Work order project setup form > Project group link.
- The project groups setup in the Work order project setup form is used when you create work orders.
- When a work order is created, a work order project is automatically created for the work order, according to the setup in the Work order project setup form.
- Work order stages must each have a related project stage.
- The project stage related to a work order stage must be defined as an active stage for the project group defined in the work order project, which is automatically created on a work order.
- The automatic allocation of a work order project, when you create a new work order, is based on the setup in the Work order project setup form.
Associations between work order project groups, related project types, project stages, and work order stages are shown in the first three screenshots below.
Refer to the Work Order Project Setup section regarding how to set up work order projects, and the Work Order Stages section regarding how to create work order stages.
The last figure "Project Integration" shows a graphic overview of the various projects that are created in the Enterprise asset management module to allow integration with the Project management and accounting module, and the work processes to which the projects are related.
