Work item overview
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Work items represent tasks that can include a combination of pricing by resource type: Material (M), Labor (L), Equipment (E), Subcontract (S), and Other (O). Work items can also consist solely of material items, with all other resource rates (L/E/S/O) set to zero.
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Conversion factors and unit of measure
Each resource includes a unit of measure and a conversion factor. For example, SF, FT, LF, and so on. The unit of measure for a resource might or might not match the unit of measure defined for the work item. When the units are the same, which is common for Material (M), Subcontract (S), and Other (O) resources, the conversion factor is typically set to 1. In contrast, Labor (L) and Equipment (E) resources usually use time-based units such as hours, days, or weeks, which can be different from the work item’s unit of measure. When this occurs, the labor and equipment productivity calculator can be used to calculate the appropriate conversion factors and rates for both resources.
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Resource cost and proposal rates
For M/S/O resources, there's only one cost rate. However, for L/E resources the cost rate is broken down into base and burden. Proposal rates are often equal to the cost rates. However, they can be higher using a markup that's based on a certain amount or percentage. The proposal rate must not be lower than the cost rate.
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Total Cost Rate:
- M Cost Rate Per WI Units = M Conv. Factor * (1 + M Waste %) * M Base Cost Rate
- L Cost Rate Per WI Units = L Conv. Factor * (L Base Cost Rate + L Burden Cost Rate)
- E Cost Rate Per WI Units = E Conv. Factor * (E Base Cost Rate + E Burden Cost Rate)
- S Cost Rate Per WI Units = S Conv. Factor * S Base Cost Rate
- O Cost Rate Per WI Units = O Conv. Factor * O Base Cost Rate
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Total Proposal Rate:
- M Sell Rate Per WI Units = M Conv. Factor * (1 + M Waste) * M Sell Rate
- L Sell Rate Per WI Units = L Conv. Factor * L Sell Rate
- E Sell Rate Per WI Units = E Conv. Factor * E Sell Rate
- S Sell Rate Per WI Units = S Conv. Factor * S Sell Rate
- O Sell Rate Per WI Units = O Conv. Factor * O Sell Rate
When a work item is added to an estimate, the quantity can be entered manually or calculated using a formula. To streamline data entry, you can define a default formula in the work item form. This eliminates the need to select a formula each time the item is added to an estimate.
- Optionally, specify classification codes, such as cost codes, to group or filter work items.
- Optionally, create formulas to calculate the work item quantities. A default formula can be specified in the work item's detail form.