Sage 100

 View Only
Back to discussions
Expand all | Collapse all

Project Accounting for Sage 100

  • 1.  Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-15-2021 16:55
    I have a customer who uses Job Cost for Sage 100 to track projects. They feel it is overkill and cumbersome and that if they could attach a project number to their data - hopefully at the line level ( AR, AP, SO, PO) that they could either flow that to the GL and report from GL or report from the various transaction history tables.

    They are considering adding a UDF - "project no" -  to the above tables. I've mentioned that while this is doable --- in order for them to do any analysis at the GL level all those posting files will need to be made in history ( which I'm not sure ALL are ). 

    Part of the reason they like doing the analysis from the GL level is that they then know things tie out. Whereas if they do it from the transaction history ( AR, AP, etc ) they may have a harder time proving their number ties to the GL.

    They are also are thinking of just staying with JC and not fully setting up jobs (time-consuming)

    Has anyone had a customer who has successfully used UDF fields to track a project/job at the line detail level through to GL or have you used some other third-party solution or perhaps even an extended solution to create a light project management system? 

    My sense is that doing this with UDF fields is a bigger project than it seems since tracing the udfs through the myriad of tables only to find that one or more fields doesn't post in detail to the GL would be a show stopper.

    Has anyone done this before? Or something similar?

    ------------------------------
    Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-15-2021 17:11
    @Robert White set up something with a UDT for job codes / summary data, and UDF's posting to the GL from a few places.  GL Accounts are flagged (with a script) to help ensure certain types of postings include the job codes. 
    I helped with the WIP transfer process, which was fun because they wanted things to stay in a general WIP account until invoiced, and they had extra logic to determine expense accounts based on other UDFs, but it generally works well.​

    ------------------------------
    Kevin Moyes
    Technical Systems Analyst
    Munjal White Consulting Co.
    Toronto ON
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-15-2021 20:34
    Edited by Jeff Schwenk 01-15-2021 20:35
    @Wayne Schulz - I've doing this six or seven years now.  I have UDF's in GL JE entry, AP, AR, SO and PO​.  You could potentially do it in PR as well.  Everything is validated against a UDT (mine client company codes).  I use to track client profitability.  I used this method for most of my 90M accounting days.  Codes were set up for each event.  Using Excel (or SI) I pulled queries from the GL detail history, then created a pivot table.  Great way to determine your most profitable clients year over year.  Setting up the UDF's and flowing them to the GL history was difficult either.  Another way of thinking of them is an on the fly GL segment.

    ------------------------------
    Jeff Schwenk
    FORMER 90M Board Member
    Bottomline Software, Inc.
    Waynesboro VA
    540-221-4444
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-16-2021 10:47
    I'll raise a completely different approach: focus on delivering the project and put the details outside the accounting system.

    Timelinx (timelinxsoftware,com) is a service/project management tool that has ~20 years experience. It ties into Sage CRM now, and they have a stand-alone version coming soon. The basic idea to set up the project and manage it, capturing budget-financial data there, as you go.

    It has integrations into Sage so the financials can show significant details. However, as you use this, you quickly learn that project financial reports out of TLX are what management wants, with only the summary line info (revenue TTD, costs, liabilities) showing up in monthly financials. 

    Your customer should at least take an initial look at this to see if they might be interested in that direction.

    ------------------------------
    Jerry Norman
    VP, 90 Minds
    Smartbridge Partners
    512.419.1444 x112
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-17-2021 16:12
    Thanks! I'm primarily concerned whether I will hit a "hard stop" trying to travel a UDF from the transaction detail through to GL.  If I were to get 90% of the way to the GL With ALL the modules that the customer wanted to have a UDF flow to GL then I'm afraid that I would probably run into a problem collecting the $$.​

    ------------------------------
    Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-17-2021 18:19
    I kinda feel like I'm preaching to the preacher here, but isn't the whole point of the value pricing model the shift of risk from the customer to the "expert"?  Which means that sometimes we have to do a big chunk of the work before we know if it really is a viable solution...but better to spend that effort up front and tell the customer "we can do this and this but not this" than  to lose "expert" points by having to report the "not this" after getting the project approved.

    ------------------------------
    Phil McIntosh
    President
    Friendly Systems, Inc.
    Asheville NC
    678.273.4010 ext 5
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-17-2021 22:02
    this is where you charge them up front for a "proof of concept" project.  Not guarantee that it works.  Some (if not all) of the risk is on the client trying to save money.  I created UDF's for my home grown "job cost" project.  There was a learning curve as I did not have access to any Sage instructions on the data flow.  Trial and error for the most part.  Maybe Sage has a document on UDF flows by now, but I am not holding my breathe.  FWIW, it works very well for my needs.

    ------------------------------
    Jeff Schwenk
    FORMER 90M Board Member
    Bottomline Software, Inc.
    Waynesboro VA
    540-221-4444
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-17-2021 23:11
    The backgrounds behind these customer challenges are always challenging so offering suggestions like I am will certainly miss important details. But perhaps this might help Wayne now or somebody else later.

    First, I'd want to know what changed that now they want to do this. Is this a whim, or are they having real problems with projects? If they are having real problems with projects, I'm skeptical this request will fix anything. For one thing, consistent data entry is a bitch and fixing the errors will be an ongoing problem -- for you. Sage 100 UI is a terrible one for users in this area because of the way that project data gets submitted. 

    I wouldn't do anything until I clear, believable answers to the questions, "Why do you want to do this now, what changed? How will you use this extra information to make decisions to either save you money, speed up the project, or make the project better for the customer?"

    One approach to the 3-option proposal could be this.

    1. Develop a prototype to do this, with UDF and screen changes. Assume it will work, so that this option includes required phases for customer review of UX and testing. HOWEVER, this is fully paid up front, and if it becomes clear that technically it can't be finished this way, NO money is refunded. The customer wants to bear the technical risk. This is ugly on purpose: it is the "decoy" here and priced like you don't want to do it.

    2. Research with the project managers how they want to meet the answers to the first questions above. The deliverable here is a firm plan/proposal to meet those needs through only Sage 100 and Excel. (I suspect that getting extra data in will be easier and more reliable if users submit it in spreadsheets and it's imported.)

    3. A project to lead their evaluation of project-management front-end which integrate to Sage 100. This effectively enlarges the scope of management's problem solving to think strategically about what they want their project management to do for customers in coming years. This also affects how well they can hire PMs for growth. Hint: anywhere data input is fast becoming table stakes. 

    I messed around a lot with project tools in the naughty oughties. This is NOT something that the accounting department can done in one pass. If you make these mods, you will be owning a lot of fix-it work after they start using it.

    ------------------------------
    Jerry Norman
    VP, 90 Minds
    Smartbridge Partners
    512.419.1444 x112
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-18-2021 08:11
    I have had a few clients use a product called S2 (http://www.nrtbusinesssolutions.com/). It is a project accounting add-on, not a job cost add-on. The product was built primarily for companies needing DCCA compliance so it has all the appropriate government reports. So while it may be overkill in your situation, it may work well for your client. It's worth checking out. Also, S2 was developed exclusively for MAS90/Sage 100 (although I've heard they are working on a Quickbooks integration)

    ------------------------------
    Billy Balser
    Sage 100 Consultant
    Blytheco LLC
    Atlanta GA
    9495839500
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-18-2021 14:50
    We helped a customer implement S2 back around 2006. they were a govt contractor and definitely needed that package. It seemed to work well.

    However, S2 is a BIG package. You must be serious about formal project management to be successful with it.

    ------------------------------
    Jerry Norman
    VP, 90 Minds
    Smartbridge Partners
    512.419.1444 x112
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-18-2021 15:41
    S2 is an enhancement the replaces some of the standard code set for Sage so, yea, you really need to determine the requirements justify the use (and investment).  Assuming it is still a viable package.  It was several years ago that one of our clients added it.  They are no longer using.  In fact, they are one of our "Poor Man's job cost" clients. They have web package for for consultants time for which they export data that imports as Sage AR invoices.

    ------------------------------
    alan niergarth
    Velosio LLC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-18-2021 08:44
    @Wayne Schulz we have clients utilizing a Project UDT coupled with the appropriate UDF's allowing capture at the detail level required (Header or Line).  I call it the "Poor Man's Job Cost" approach.  Reports are then created tying inflows of revenue and outflows of expenses for Project cost and profitability. Even those transactions from Journal entries that need to tie to projects can be included (think PR from ADP, etc.).  Sage intelligence is pretty effective for pulling all the data into one template for detail and summary.   We have had a couple of clients for whom they wanted more breakdown on the Project ID for budgeting purposes and for those clients, a Job Cost module or equivalent is required. I believe @Jeff Schwenk​ and I are of like minds on this one.

    ------------------------------
    alan niergarth
    Velosio LLC
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-18-2021 16:39
    S2's website is still active; apparently, Blytheco is their sole partner, showing a half-dozen locations.

    I think S2 encapsulates one end of the project management spectrum, where the requirement for government auditing requires software with little after-the-fact editing. Building this into the accounting foundation makes sense. But then, if project accounting is so central to your business success, does it make sense to meet that need with a bolt-on to a core product that doesn't emphasize it? 

    There are over a dozen accounting packages that claim to support project accounting, including Intacct. Deltek is a long-time, specialized player in this space. If your firm doesn't qualify for this sort of dedicated focus, but you are considering S2, you should be very clear about why.

    The other end of the spectrum has products like TimeLinx. The projects are managed outside of the accounting system with relevant data imported. The emphasis here is on the customer-pm interface and quoting-executing well top-most. 

    I think that any of us who encounter a request to customize along the lines that Wayne encountered or Alan described should try hard to help the customer understand why the customer thinks it *their* best value to try to kludge solutions into Sage rather than stepping back to answer the question, "What sort of Project Management & Financial System support will best support my success over the next decade?"

    ------------------------------
    Jerry Norman
    VP, 90 Minds
    Smartbridge Partners
    512.419.1444 x112
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 01-18-2021 16:57
    All I can tell you is we have a few clients that use S2. One in particular is very happy with the product and they are not exceedingly complex. They like:
    1. It has the look and feel of Sage. Users don't know they are using a 3rd party product.
    2. They love the fact that field personnel can update their time through an app and managers can use the app to approve time
    3. They get the project detail they need.
    4. They get the government reports without having to write their own (again, a very niche need).
    The product has been around for a long time. Sage customers are using it with version 2020. We all know the risk of using smaller third party products and we know the risk of building a solution around UDTs and UDFs. Have S2 give a demo and let your client (with your guidance) make their own decision.

    ------------------------------
    Billy Balser
    Sage 100 Consultant
    Blytheco LLC
    Atlanta GA
    9495839500
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 10-15-2025 12:54

    Resurrecting this one.  Client on v2022 wants to get off S2 Project Accounting, and Upgrade Sage 100, primarily because apparently it's difficult to get assistance.  I don't see a Sage 100 reference on NRT's website.  Client mentioned S2 is integrated with the Payroll module and has a timesheet app, so I am considering options, e.g.:

    • Job Cost module probably worth a look.
    • TimeLinx?
    • Maybe consider Intacct Project Accounting.


    ------------------------------
    Brett Zimmerman
    Net at Work
    Greater Boston Area
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 10-15-2025 14:06

    If they're using S2, then they need more detailed data than Job Cost. 

    If they are doing Fed Govt work where they need the certs that S2 meets, then they must look for something significant

    I don't know if TimeLinx is viable anymore. Both the GM and CTO left the company early 2025.

    They probably will end up in the Intacct or Acumatica world if they want integrated solution.

    If that migration seems too much, then they should seriously consider how much accounting integration they really need. The core challenge and value in project management software is the ability to assign resources, track and manage progress, run reports on planned v actual, etc. Microsoft Project does this, and understanding what else they need besides this is important. If they focus on a great project mgt piece, then they can meet needs with minimal integration, running detaild reports out through the PM app not through the Accounting base. 



    ------------------------------
    Jerry Norman
    Smartbridge Partners
    (512) 653-7498
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 10-16-2025 08:25

    Awesome, thanks, @Jerry Norman.



    ------------------------------
    Brett Zimmerman
    Net at Work
    Greater Boston Area
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 18.  RE: Project Accounting for Sage 100

    Posted 10-24-2025 12:23

    Update on S2 Project Accounting for Sage 100:

    I was able to speak with a gentleman at NRT, 844-775-2228:

    • S2 for Sage 100 only available up to v2024.  Apparently there are only a handful of clients still running S2.
    • S2 Annual Maintenance only applicable up to v2024, meaning no more Updates.
    • Support/Assistance:  Sounds like it's just the one developer who is soon retiring.  I'm told he'll be available thru the end of '26. 
    • Migrating away from S2:  S2 is a Sage 100 module, and as such the data should be extractable via the normal methods.


    ------------------------------
    Brett Zimmerman
    Net at Work
    Greater Boston Area
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content