Deltek Vantagepoint announces an exciting new update, offering a wealth of tools and features to continue to increase collaboration and productivity for project-based firms. Vantagepoint 6.5 includes a substantial release filled with enhancements across multiple modules that benefits different user groups. In this article, I’ll be covering the top 5 features that I think will have the biggest impact in the daily usage. Without further ado, let’s jump right in! 

1. Accounts Payable (AP) Invoice Approvals Enhancements

This update brings significant time-saving enhancements to AP Invoice Approvals, including improvements to Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR), the introduction of a new field, and more. 

• Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR): One of the standout features of this update is the integration of ICR for AP Invoice Approvals. With ICR, Vantagepoint can read details from uploaded AP Invoice files and automatically populate several key fields in the AP Invoice Approval form. These fields include Vendor, Address, Invoice, Invoice Date, Invoice Amount, and even Currency if you work with multiple currencies.  
• Streamlined AP Invoice File Uploads: When you upload an AP Invoice file, the system provides a preview pane on the right side of the AP Invoice Approvals form, displaying the uploaded document. While this update may seem small, it’s incredibly helpful when managing multiple files within the same AP Invoice.  
• Invoice Amount Field: ICR automatically populates the Invoice Amount field on the AP Invoice Approvals form with the total amount from the uploaded file. This field is now always editable, ensuring that the value matches the total amount in the Project Information grid. If there's a discrepancy, the system will display a warning message upon submission. 
• Adjustable Right Pane: In the Transaction Center, when viewing the AP Invoice Approvals form in Detail View, you can now display a PDF of the AP invoice in a preview pane on the right side. This convenient feature allows you to simultaneously review the invoice while making edits to the invoice and project information. 

2. Smoother Vantagepoint Connections with API Enhancements 

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.5 introduces an array of powerful API enhancements to streamline your workflow. With new AP Invoice Approval API Endpoints, Third-Party Integrations API Endpoints, and the PUT Post Timesheet Entry API Endpoint, integrating with Vantagepoint has never been smoother. 

• AP Invoice Approval API Endpoints: For those integrating with Vantagepoint, new API endpoints for AP invoice approvals are now available. These endpoints adhere to existing validations, restrictions, and security requirements at the application level, ensuring seamless integration. 
• Third-Party Integrations API Endpoints: Another API-related enhancement is the introduction of Third-Party Integrations API endpoints. Just like the AP Invoice Approval endpoints, these follow established validation, restriction, and security protocols. 
• PUT Post Timesheet Entry API Endpoint: To simplify timesheet management, the new PUT Post Timesheet Entry API endpoint allows you to post timesheets for individual employees or multiple employees at once. This API endpoint respects existing validations, restrictions, and security measures. 

3. Long-Awaited Dashparts Types  

The latest additions to Vantagepoint Dashparts offer customized metric presentations, extended role-based security, and improved functionality, streamlining operations for efficient data access and evaluation. 

• Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Dashpart Type: With this new dashpart type, you can highlight crucial metrics for better data evaluation. Other customization features include changing the background and text colors, turning on/off sorting, selecting the date ranges, adding calculations, adding filters, and more. Even more, you can use the conditional formatting that will dynamically change the tile color when comparing KPI values to static values. 
• Firm Dashpart Base: This new dashpart base displays firm-related information from the Firms hub, including vendors, clients, competitors, or government agencies. This enables quick access to relevant firm data directly from your dashboard. 
• Role-Based Security for More Dashpart Bases: Role-based security settings, previously available for Employee dashparts, are now extended to several other dashpart bases, including AR Detail, Project, Project Detail, and Firm. This enhances data security and access control within your organization. 
• Timesheet Floor Check System Dashpart: This new dashpart empowers you to perform employee timesheet floor checks directly from your dashboard. This feature replicates all actions available in the Floor Check dialog box in the Timesheets module, such as sending reminders, opening or printing timesheets, and checking timesheets from different periods. 
• Dashpart Calculations: You can now create dashpart calculations based on selected columns in the current dashpart. These calculations respect filters and date ranges applied to the columns, allowing for more precise data analysis. Dashpart calculations are different from calculated fields, which are formulated from all available fields of a dashpart base. 
• New Columns for the Project Detail Dashpart Base: Additional columns have been added to the Project Detail dashpart base to enhance cash flow visibility for clients using Paid when Paid (PWP) payment terms. These columns provide insights into invoice status, discounts taken, payment dates, and more. 
• Update to the AR Comment Column: Users can now add or edit AR comments directly from drill-to dashparts with the AR Detail dashpart base, simplifying AR management. 

4. Improved Labor Resource Assignments and Unit Planning 

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.5 brings notable enhancements to the Planning module, aimed at improving the management of labor resources and unit planning within your projects. 

• Fill Labor Resource Assignments with Planned Hours: On the Labor tab of the Plan form, a new feature called "Fill Hours Per Day" empowers you to assign planned hours to workdays for labor resources based on specific criteria. You can choose to allocate hours based on a set number of hours per workday or a percentage of the employee's hours per day. This streamlines the process of planning labor resources and ensures more accurate assignments. 
• Unit Planning Enhancements: Unit Planning has also received improvements, allowing you to view planned, actual, and baseline unit data more effectively. This includes the ability to display sub-rows for unit quantities, cost, billing amounts, and allocation in each calendar period of your project plan. Additionally, you can now specify unit planning data export settings based on the desired timescale, whether by day, week, or month. 
• Plan Expenses and Consultants in Calendar Periods: For companies using the Resource Planning module and planning expenses and consultants, Vantagepoint 6.5 introduces the ability to plan expense and consultant amounts in calendar periods within the Plan module. This feature enhances the granularity of your planning capabilities. System administrators can configure these options in Settings, and individuals can modify them for specific plans if they have the appropriate access rights. 
• Show the Critical Path on the Gantt Chart: When it comes to project scheduling, understanding the critical path is crucial for project managers. In Deltek Vantagepoint 6.5, you can now visualize the critical path of your project directly on the Gantt chart within the Schedule tab of the Plan form. The critical path represents the sequence of tasks or phases that cannot be delayed without affecting the project's completion date. By toggling on the "Show Critical Path" option above the schedule grid, tasks or phases on the critical path are highlighted in red, making it easier to identify and manage them.

5. New Workflow Functionality

The workflow functionality in Deltek Vantagepoint has been enhanced with two significant features: 

• After Completion Workflow Type: Vantagepoint 6.5 introduces the "After Completion" workflow type for Application workflows. This workflow type allows you to define additional actions that should occur on a transaction after it has been successfully posted to the database. This feature enhances automation and customization capabilities within your workflows, enabling post-processing actions tailored to your organization's needs. 
• Support for Alternate Approvers: In the Approval workflows, a new set of options has been introduced to support alternate approvers. These options include "Do Not Allow Employees to Approve More than Once," which prevents an assigned approver from approving a record more than once, and "Do Not Allow Employees to Approve Records They Have Created," which prevents approvers from approving records they themselves created. These options enhance workflow management, impartiality, and control in the approval process. 

Enhancements Abound with Deltek Vantagepoint 6.5

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.5 introduces a wide range of enhancements and features designed to streamline operations, enhance security, and improve functionality across various modules. These updates empower organizations to make more informed decisions, increase efficiency, and maintain data accuracy in their day-to-day operations. With these improvements, Vantagepoint continues to evolve as a powerful and versatile solution for project-based businesses. To see these improvements and more, make sure to watch our “What’s New in Vantagepoint 6.5 Webinar” by clicking the image below.

In the ever-evolving landscape of project management software, Deltek Vantagepoint has established itself as a trusted solution for organizations across industries. Now, with the much-anticipated release of version 6.0, Deltek is set to revolutionize the way professional services firms plan, execute, and track their projects. Building upon its solid foundation, Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0 focuses on three key themes: improved visibility, enhanced user experience, and better project planning.

With a comprehensive suite of features and enhancements, this latest iteration promises to empower professional services firms with unparalleled insights, streamlined workflows, and a more intuitive interface, ultimately paving the way for project success in the modern era. Here’s an overview of what’s new in Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0.

Contents

• Expanded APIs
• Enhanced User Control
• Improved Dashboards
• Draft Invoice Approvals Made Easier
• Employee Visibility Increased in Hubs
• New In-Product Guides
• Updated Interactive Billing
  • Streamlined Period Start/End Date Changes for Submitted Draft Invoices
  • Warning Message for Voiding Invoices with Applied Payments
  • Additional Columns in Invoice History
  • Invoice Template Editor in the Browser Application

Expanded APIs

Deltek has expanded the range of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) available to users. These new API endpoints not only facilitate the exchange of information but also adhere to the existing validations and restrictions, ensuring data integrity and compliance with security requirements at the application level.

Enhanced User Control

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0 introduces a game-changing feature that enhances user control and flexibility within Connect for Outlook and Connect for Gmail - the ability to customize contact, firm, and project records in the contextual pane. This new functionality allows users to tailor the information displayed in the pane according to their specific needs and preferences.

With this customization capability, users can handpick which fields, including user-defined fields, are included for each record type in the contextual pane. Whether it's contact information, firm details, or project specifics, individuals can choose the relevant data elements that they want to have readily available at their fingertips. This level of customization empowers users to optimize their workflows and focus on the specific information that matters most to them.

Improved Dashboards

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0 introduces several new and improved features related to dashboards, providing enhanced customization and functionality. Here are some key highlights of the dashboard-related updates:

• New Columns and Role-Based Security for Employee Dashpart Base: In addition to user-defined fields, several new columns are now available for the employee dashpart base, including City, Country, Firm Name, Hire Date, and more.
• New Role-Based Security Settings: These settings can now be applied to dashpart bases and their columns, allowing administrators to control access to specific dashparts and columns based on user roles.
• Find Dashparts Efficiently: The new Quick Find field in the Dashpart Library enables users to search and find available dashparts more efficiently, based on dashpart titles.
• Memo Dashparts for Notes and Announcements: The new memo dashpart allows users to post notes, reminders, warnings, announcements, URL links, or images directly on a dashboard. Rich text formatting is supported for enhanced customization.
• Updated AR Comment Column for AR Detail Dashpart Base: AR comments are now displayed at the Invoice grouping level, eliminating the need to expand transaction lines. Users can add AR comments directly from the Invoice group level.
• Drill-To Indicator for Dashparts: Dashparts associated with another dashpart as a drill-to action now display a drill-to indicator icon in the Dashpart Library, enhancing the user experience and navigation.
• New Columns for Project Dashpart Base: The project dashpart base now includes additional columns such as Weighted Percent Complete, Total Compensation, Committed Purchase Order Expense Billing, and Committed Purchase Order Expense Cost.
• Enhanced Filter Selection by Organization: When creating or modifying dashparts with the Account or Account Detail dashpart bases, users can now apply filters by an organization more efficiently. The update allows the selection of parent-level organizations, making it possible to choose all sub-organizations simultaneously.
• New Predefined Dashparts: Several new predefined dashparts are available for use in dashboards, including Top 10 Clients - Receivables, Top 10 AR by Billing Client with Drill To, Weighted and Estimated Fee by Stage with Drill To, and Pursuits by Probability with Drill To.
• Updated Predefined Dashboards: Certain predefined dashboards have been updated to display the Employee Utilization This Year dashpart instead of the Utilization dashpart, providing more relevant and up-to-date information.
• Custom Multipliers for Calculated Fields: Users now have the ability to configure the multiplier field for percentage data types when working with calculated fields in the Dashpart Designer.

Draft Invoice Approvals Made Easier

With the appropriate role security access rights, users can access the Supporting Document dialog box and print all supporting documents to a single file with ease. To activate the feature, navigate to Settings » Security » Roles, click the accounting tab, and in the Billing Security: Interactive Billing and Invoice Approvals section select the Allow Changes to Support Documents checkbox.

Employee Visibility Increased in Hubs

When accessing a record in Vantagepoint, you can now have increased employee visibility:

• Orange Outline: If other employees are currently editing their record, their picture icon is highlighted with an orange circle, indicating their active editing status. The picture of the person actively editing the record is always displayed first.
• Blue Outline: For employees who are viewing the record, their picture icons are outlined in blue.
• Info Bubble: Clicking on an employee's picture icon opens an info bubble that provides additional details about the employee.
• Email: By clicking on an employee's email address directly from the form, you can conveniently send an email message to that employee. Vantagepoint seamlessly opens your email application for a smooth communication experience.
• Microsoft Teams Chat: If you have enabled the Microsoft Teams Chats from Deltek Vantagepoint option in Settings » General » Communications, you can initiate one-on-one chats with team members directly from Vantagepoint. Simply click on the Microsoft Teams Chat option to start a chat conversation.

New In-Product Guides

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0 includes a myriad of new guides to help everyone from the newest user to the most seasoned Vantagepoint veteran. The in-product guides are as follows:

• What’s New in 6.0
• Search Dialog Restyling
• Search Navigation Improvements
• Resource Management Reporting
• Invoice History Columns
• IQ Integration
• Undock Project Structure

Updated Interactive Billing

Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0 introduces several valuable updates to the interactive billing module, enhancing the user experience and providing additional functionality for managing invoices effectively.

Streamlined Period Start/End Date Changes for Submitted Draft Invoices:

Previously, changing the period start or end dates of a submitted or approved draft invoice in the Invoice Presentation Dates section of the Billing Session Options dialog box required resubmitting the invoice for approval, even though these date changes did not impact the included transactions. In the latest update, you now have the flexibility to choose whether to resubmit the invoice after modifying the period start or end dates.

By updating the dates in the Billing Session Options dialog box without altering the transaction bill-through dates, you can save the changes without resubmitting the draft invoice. The new "Save" button allows you to update the period dates without the need for reapproval. However, if you modify both the period start/end dates and the transaction bill-through dates simultaneously, resubmission for approval is still necessary.

Warning Message for Voiding Invoices with Applied Payments:

When voiding an invoice from the Invoice History tab in the Interactive Billing form, a new error message now appears if there are any applied payments associated with that invoice. This prompt gives you an opportunity to review the applied payments before proceeding with the voiding action, ensuring accuracy and preventing unintended consequences.

Additional Columns in Invoice History:

The Invoice History tab of the Interactive Billing form now offers additional columns to provide a more comprehensive view of each invoice. The newly added columns include Amount Due, Amount Paid, Applied Retainer, Credit Memos, Invoice Total, and Retainage. These columns provide quick access to important invoice information such as amounts and payment status, enabling better invoice management and analysis.

Invoice Template Editor in the Browser Application:

With the latest update, the Invoice Template Editor is now available directly within the browser application. The Invoice Template Editor form empowers users to create and update invoice templates, which determine the format and content of invoices. This enhancement simplifies the customization process, allowing for easy modification and customization of invoice templates to meet specific business needs.

Looking for More?

If you’re looking to get your hands on even more Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0 updates, then we have got a lineup for you! We are excited to announce that our next webinar “What’s New in Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0” will be held live on Wednesday, June 7th, at 1 pm ET. This webinar will delve even deeper into Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0, providing you with comprehensive information to maximize your project management capabilities.

Additionally, stay tuned for our follow-up blog next week. Here we will review even more exciting features that will further enhance your project management experience with Deltek Vantagepoint 6.0. At Full Sail Partners, we are committed to keeping you informed and empowering you with the latest advancements in project management software.

As a veteran of the architecture, engineering, and construction industry for over 17 years, I've seen firsthand the importance of having a reliable and effective CRM system in place. When it comes to professional services marketing, Deltek Vantagepoint CRM is the go-to solution for many professionals in the industry. In this blog post, I'll explore why professionals in the industry love Deltek Vantagepoint CRM and why it's an essential tool for successful marketing and business development. 

1. Robust and Customizable Dashboards 

One of the most significant benefits of Deltek Vantagepoint CRM is the robust and customizable dashboard. The dashboard provides an overview of all essential information, including opportunities, leads, clients, and projects, in one centralized location. The dashboard is fully customizable, allowing you to choose the specific metrics and data that are most important to your marketing efforts. The ability to view all relevant data in one place helps marketing professionals make informed decisions and streamline their workflows. 

2. Natively Built Integration with Other Deltek Vantagepoint Modules 

The natively built integration between Deltek Vantagepoint CRM and other Vantagepoint modules offers numerous benefits to marketing professionals in the architecture and engineering (A/E) industry.  

First and foremost, the integration provides a complete view of the client's journey, from initial contact to project completion. This means that marketing professionals can easily access all relevant data related to a client, including project milestones, billing and invoicing information, and resource utilization. Having a complete view of the client's journey allows marketing professionals to make informed decisions about how to allocate their time and resources, resulting in more successful marketing campaigns and a better overall client experience. 

Another significant benefit of natively built integration is the prevention of duplication and errors. Because all data is up-to-date and accurate across all modules, there is no need to manually input information into multiple systems, reducing the risk of errors or duplications. This also means that marketing professionals can spend less time managing data and more time focusing on high-value activities, such as nurturing leads and developing targeted marketing campaigns. 

In addition, the natively built integration ensures that all data is secure and protected. Because there is no need for custom connections or plugs, there are fewer potential vulnerabilities in the system, reducing the risk of data breaches or security threats. The integration also ensures that all data is backed up and recoverable in the event of an outage or other issue, providing peace of mind to marketing professionals who rely on the system to manage their critical client data. 

3. Robust Reporting Capabilities 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM offers robust reporting capabilities that allow A/E professionals to analyze and measure the effectiveness of their marketing and business development efforts. The reporting capabilities include customizable reports, dashboards, and analytics, giving A/E professionals the insights that they need to make data-driven decisions. The reporting capabilities also allow A/E professionals to track the ROI of their marketing campaigns, pipeline and forecasting, and win rate percentages enabling them to make adjustments and improvements as necessary. 

4. Comprehensive Contact Management 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM provides comprehensive contact management capabilities that allow marketing professionals to manage all client and prospect data in one place. The contact management capabilities include contact details, communication history, and relationship tracking, ensuring that marketing professionals have a complete view of all interactions with clients and prospects. The comprehensive contact management capabilities also enable marketing professionals to segment their contact lists for targeted marketing campaigns. 

5. Mobile Accessibility 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM is mobile-accessible, allowing marketing professionals to access critical information and tools on the go. The mobile accessibility feature enables marketing professionals to stay connected and informed, no matter where they are. The mobile accessibility feature also allows marketing professionals to quickly respond to client and prospect inquiries, improving customer service and satisfaction. 

Watch a brief demonstration of the Deltek Vantagepoint CRM Mobile App here. 

6. Connection to Outlook and Gmail 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM allows marketing professionals to connect their Outlook and Gmail accounts, enabling them to synchronize email communications and appointments with their clients and prospects. This integration ensures that all communications are recorded in the CRM system, providing a complete view of all interactions with clients and prospects. The integration also enables marketing professionals to schedule follow-up activities and reminders directly from their email accounts. 

7. User-Friendly Interface 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM has a user-friendly interface that is intuitive and easy to use. The interface is designed to be customizable, ensuring that marketing professionals can easily navigate to the specific data and tools they need. The user-friendly interface also ensures that marketing professionals can quickly onboard new team members and get them up to speed. 

8. Manage the Entire Project Lifecycle in One Place 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM allows marketing professionals to manage the entire project lifecycle, from opportunity to project closeout. The system provides a complete view of all project-related information, including proposal and contract details, project milestones, and financials. The ability to manage the entire project lifecycle in one system streamlines the workflow, reduces duplication, and improves collaboration among team members. 

9. Real-Time Data Access 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM provides real-time data access, ensuring that marketing professionals always have access to the latest information. The real-time data access feature enables marketing professionals to respond quickly to changing market conditions and client needs, ensuring that they remain competitive in the industry. 

10. Customizable Workflows 

Deltek Vantagepoint CRM provides customizable workflows, enabling marketing professionals to create workflows that align with their specific business processes. The customizable workflows feature ensures that marketing professionals can automate tasks, streamline processes, and improve efficiency. 

In conclusion, Deltek Vantagepoint CRM is an essential tool for marketing professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Its robust and customizable dashboard, integration with other Deltek Vantagepoint modules, robust reporting capabilities, comprehensive contact management, automation and workflow, mobile accessibility, and user-friendly interface make it the go-to solution for professional services marketing. With Deltek Vantagepoint CRM, marketing professionals can streamline their workflow, increase efficiency, and make informed decisions that drive results. 

For over a decade now, Deltek has been offering its ERP applications in the cloud. In fact, at this point, a majority of Vision and Vantagepoint clients have opted to move their software to a cloud-based deployment, also known as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). For good reason- it provides a variety of important benefits that most modern companies can’t live without: 

• Anytime, anywhere, secure access  
• Always on the latest versions of the software 
• Deltek managed data backups &
• best-of-breed data security 
• Backed by Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  
  

As an increasing number of firms move their operations to the cloud, it's important to understand the different levels of cloud service available. Deltek offers three cloud-level options: Standard Cloud, Flex Cloud, and Enterprise Cloud. All offerings provide the same data security protocols, deliver API access, SQL stored procedures, and the ability to set up a sandbox environment. However, each progressive tier features enhanced levels of control, flexibility, and access to your Deltek database. As you’ll see, regardless of your size and complexity, there's a cloud level that's tailored to your needs.

Standard Cloud

A majority of Deltek clients are in the standard cloud. It provides all of the perks mentioned in the checklist above. It’s a turn-key SaaS deployment option. As mentioned, all cloud tiers, including standard, provide API access, accommodation of SQL stored procedures, and a sandbox environment. There are also convenient options for data import and export using the ‘front-end’ of the system, via import utilities. This will make more sense as we get into the two elevated tiers below, which include increased flexibility for more robust data access and improved ability to support certain external product integrations.

Note that with standard cloud, you have the ability to add Custom SQL reports without actually needing to upgrade to Flex, via the ‘Custom report add-on’ option.

Flex Cloud

Deltek Flex Cloud introduces a handful of important benefits as compared to the standard cloud. A primary example is ODBC Read-Only access. Meaning, you can establish a secure, read-only, direct connection to your Deltek database. You may hear this being referred to as accessing the ‘back-end’ of your Deltek system. This capability can provide benefits such as enhanced flexibility to integrate with 3rd party tools if for any reason APIs aren’t the right solution for you. Flex Cloud also offers a preview environment before upgrades and increased options around associated upgrade timing.

Enterprise Cloud

The Deltek Enterprise cloud is the top-tier option for firms looking for extensive control and access to their SaaS database. Typically, this is for those clients seeking to preserve certain aspects of an on-premise-like experience, but who want to avoid the downsides of hosting the system in their own internal environments. Building upon what is available in Flex Cloud, Enterprise cloud allows for additional options, including ODBC Write Access (the ability to not only read/pull data but also to write back to the database via that ODBC direct connection). Furthermore, the ability to accommodate more custom development, including SQL Custom Triggers, Tables, Views, and Indexes. Enterprise Cloud also unlocks the ability to have Test & Development SaaS environments, which is not an option with the two previous tiers.

The grid below helps to provide a more visual summary:

Need help understanding any of the terms above?  

API Access: API stands for Application Programming Interface. Simply put, API is a way for different software programs to communicate with one another. Within the Deltek context, it means that external programs can connect to your Deltek API-enabled ERP system. This can include purposes like retrieving project data, updating financial information, or creating new records.  

SQL Stored Procedures: SQL script that can be stored and executed in your Deltek database. Stored procedures can be used to assemble and complete specific tasks, including greater flexibility to update information across multiple hubs/info centers.      

Custom SQL Reports: a report that is created using SQL queries. Custom reports are used to retrieve specific data from your Deltek database, including the ability to search across multiple hubs/info centers and assemble the data in a single formatted report.  

ODBC Access: ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) is a way for different software programs (such as Excel, Access, or Business Intelligence tools) to communicate with your Deltek database using a standardized interface. You can establish a secure connection to your database in either a read-only format (allowing a program to only consume/retrieve data) or also the ability to provide write access (allowing the program to make changes to Deltek- such as adding new records, updating existing, or deleting records). 

Assistance with Choosing the Right Cloud Level 

In summary, choosing the right cloud level for your firm depends on your specific needs and goals. While the standard cloud does work for many, others may require the increased control and flexibility offered by the Flex Cloud. For those who need even more access to their data among other requirements as described above, the Enterprise Cloud may be the best choice.  

 If your organization is considering a move to the Deltek cloud, Full Sail Partners is here to guide and help you understand these options further. A good starting point is to fill out this brief questionnaire which allows us to assess your cloud compatibility among other important initial topics to consider. If you are already in the Deltek Cloud but want to consider upgrading your cloud level, that is of course an option too.  

How do you know when it is time for your professional services firm to move to enterprise project management tools or ERP? There are many factors to consider in your decision. Although you may be familiar with the name Deltek, you might not be aware of its latest solution, Vantagepoint. You might be surprised by all of its new capabilities. Not to mention that Deltek Vantagepoint’s cloud pricing ensures your firm stays up to date with the latest enhancements and reduces the burden on your IT team. We've outlined 11 important items to think about when looking at new project accounting, resource management, and client relationship management (CRM) software tools for your business.   

1) Not Your Mama’s Accounting Software

The first thing you will notice about Deltek Vantagepoint is that it’s very approachable with a modern look and feel. AE firms have come to know Deltek for its robust capabilities, but now users of Vantagepoint are talking more about its intuitive and user-friendly capabilities. This new solution is breaking down silos and getting teams to work more collaboratively because of its new project lifecycle design.  

2) Simplified Access Anywhere, Anytime

Let’s face it, not everyone works from his or her desk these days. Being able to access information anywhere and anytime is no longer a luxury, rather, it is an expectation. Deltek Vantagepoint provides users the ability to enter their time and expense data right from their phone or tablet rather than having to get on a computer and access the system directly. Users with CRM can also view and log Contacts, Activities, and Pursuit information. Deltek Vantagepoint also now includes an integration with Outlook that provides two-way synchronization of your contacts and calendar items within your Outlook email application.  

3) Reduce Manual Entry  

One of the best new features of Deltek Vantagepoint is its Intelligence Character Recognition (ICR) capabilities which simplify and improves the accuracy of expense reporting by reading text from receipts and populating the information into your expense report. This capability is also used to allow users to capture business cards or to create a new contact. The “Hey Deltek” feature allows users to speak directly to Vantagepoint and acts similarly to “Siri,” “Alexa” or “Google.” Users can use the feature to quickly find a record or to quickly add a new contact, pursuit, activity, or reminder.   

4) Streamlined Processes  

When Deltek approached the design of Vantagepoint, it had two decades of providing the gold standard of project-based solutions under its belt. Additionally, feedback and suggestions were received over those years on areas that users wanted to see improved. Some of these key areas included:  

• Merging Clients/Vendors, Leads/Contacts, and Opportunities/Plans/Projects to reduce redundancy 

• Ability to manage project performance in one centralized area  
• Easily assign and reassign resources and redistribute plan hours 
• Plan for the unpredictable changes - Deltek Vantagepoint allows project managers to control the details of their projects, whether they want to look back at JTD or look forward with ETC 
• Improved billing tools notify invoice approvers electronically that a draft is ready for review, and approvers can use the draft invoice approval feature to mark up and enter comments using the new PDF editor function 
• Approvals happen electronically with no more paper approval or emails to keep track of any longer 

• Email templates are available when sending electronic payment remittances in the Vendor Payments, Employee Payments, and Payroll Payments applications saving accounting users' time. 
• Automated bank feed improves efficiency with bank reconciliation 

5) Decision Ready Information 

Deltek continues to provide more improvements to filters, dashparts, and dashboards for ease of use for the end user. To get the most out of your software, firms need the ability to easily create, manage, and monitor projects, since projects are at the core of any project-based company. Deltek Vantagepoint delivers just that. Through a streamlined project creation process, using visuals and dashboards, project managers are able to focus on project performance through a centralized project hub. Those using Resource Planning have further capabilities through a highly developed and scalable resource management tool.  

6) Easily Create Automated Routines with Workflows 

Even though Deltek Vantagepoint is purpose-built with professional services firms in mind, firms may still need the ability to further automate processes and functions. With built-in workflows, your firm can automate front-end processes like sending emails, and alerts, updating fields, and running processes or reports automatically. In addition, stored procedures can be customized to automate non-standard processes on the back end.  

7) Integrated Systems 

Many firms have data silos with disparate systems. This separation between team members can increase inefficiencies and keep the firm from reporting on one truth for the company. Many of Deltek’s competitor ERPs are separate systems that have to share data back and forth through integration. Deltek Vantagepoint provides accounting, planning, resource management, and CRM all in one system. Firms can work as a team and build upon each other's data to gain a holistic view of the company and processes.  
 
However, there are times when firms will need to connect separate systems. For example, to their HR or marketing solutions. That is when Deltek Vantagepoint’s open APIs can be utilized. Vantagepoint has a RESTful API service, which is perhaps the most popular approach to building APIs. The RESTful service for Deltek Vantagepoint empowers programmers to build custom applications that interact with Vantagepoint. Integrations help ensure firms get the most out of their investment by sharing data between critical systems. Sometimes firms have in-house programmers that can leverage Deltek Unionpoint, while others prefer a seasoned development team, like the Blackbox Connector team, to build out their solutions.  

8) Work Breakdown Structure 

Enterprise project management accounting software becomes a “must-have” for firms that want to track detailed information around deliverables. How do you know if it is suitable for your firm? Your firm may need the ability to:  

• Break down a project into manageable work elements by separating out the deliverables for the project 

• Identify the start and end time of each deliverable 
• Define the overall budget for the deliverables as well as the entire project 
• Attach key persons to the project for reporting 
• Set up work breakdown structures to show the effort required to achieve an objective 

By having the right software for your firm, you gain the ability to track detailed cost estimating and provide guidance for future development and controls. The ability to break a project into manageable work elements, and track the elements, allows firms to better estimate future projects while maintaining the projects that exist today.  

9) Accrual and Cash Capabilities 

Many firms want the ability to run cash books alongside accrual books to get the most accurate view of where the business stands with income and debts. Income and expense tracking is integral to project accounting software. While a cash basis may give you a better idea of where the firm stands with actual cash, the accrual method can show the ebb and flow of the overall business income and debts for the most accurate view of the overall organization and long-term profitability.  

10) Audit Trail 

Many firms require modifications that fit their project-based firm. In QuickBooks and other software, Excel workarounds with manual manipulation are required outside of the software. This can impact the firm’s audit trail. Vantagepoint has the capability of running reports for changes made in key records as well as the ability to see the financial audit trail, which is important for the firm to be compliant with GAAP, IFRS/FASB, or any other requirements.  

11) Security 

Security is one of the most important features of a program because it either allows or restricts employees from seeing sensitive information such as costs or other employees' sensitive information. Your firm will need to be able to provide access to the system for many roles in the company to work holistically with the organization’s needs. Without this ability, there is no visibility, and management of the system and processes becomes very difficult. It is important for all players to have access to the information they require to manage their duties and keep the business running smoothly.   

Gold Standard of Project-based ERP Systems for Professional Services Firms 

If you haven’t seen Deltek Vantagepoint, it is time to talk to a partner like Full Sail Partners to see why Deltek Vantagepoint is the flagship ERP solution when it comes to professional services firms. Whether you’re a 10-person or a 2,000-person firm, Deltek Vantagepoint is designed to help manage the entire project lifecycle better than any of its competitors. This intuitive, powerful solution puts your people and projects at the center of your business so you can be more efficient, productive, and profitable. Be sure to check out our latest mini-demonstration by clicking the image below or reach out to us today. 

As a “Power User” or Deltek Vantagepoint System Administrator, you will often get requests from users for information from the system. Project Managers may need revenue totals, labor spent compared to budgets, or planned versus actual data. Executives may want to understand key performance indicators (KPIs) such as utilization, and revenue compared to budget or cash balances.  

Each user has a variety of needs, and as a Power User, it is your job to interpret their requests and provide the users with the best report in the ideal format to assist them in making business decisions. This article will walk you through the 6 steps you should take to create an accurate report and reduce the need for multiple report iterations. Use these steps next time a user asks for a report! 

1. Understand the Question(s) the Report is Supposed to Answer  

When someone thinks they need some sort of data, often they just ask for the data itself like “Can you get me a project detail report for XYZ Project?” However, you don’t know what they want to use it for, or what question they are trying to answer by using the report, the report they are asking for may be the wrong solution for their actual need. They will then come back and ask for another report until they get the data, so they really need to answer their question(s) or solve their problem.   

If you get a generic request for a report, first stop and ask what they are looking to use it for. Ask questions like: 

• What is the issue you are trying to solve with the report?  
• What data point(s) are you looking for – actuals, budgets, contract/compensation, revenue, profit, etc.?  
• Do you need transactional details vs. just summary totals? What timeframe are you looking for (current month, YTD, JTD)?  
• Which projects/records do they need?  
• What output do you want it in?  

• Is this data you need on a regular basis, and if so, at what interval? Based on this question, maybe they need a scheduled report or even a Dashpart instead.  

All these questions will help you give the user the data they are looking for, and hopefully eliminate revisions needed if you hadn’t asked the questions upfront. 

2. Decide on Deltek Vantagepoint Standard Report Base to Utilize 

Based on the questions asked, you will then need to decide what Vantagepoint Standard Report to utilize as the base of the report. Here is an example of how to go through some of the questions: 

Question: Tell me a little about what you are trying to use this report for. What question or issue is it to help you answer? Answer: I have a project that isn’t performing as well as I thought it should; the profit margin is low. I’m trying to figure out what phase of the project is going “south.” 

Question: OK, what specific data points are you looking for? Answer: Project Actuals compared to Compensation and Budget by phase. If you don’t know if their budget is from the plan or project budget worksheet, you would need to verify this data point. 

Question: Do you need transactional detail or summary totals? Answer: Summary totals will work. OK, I’m now leaning toward the Project Earnings or Project Progress report, not a Project Detail report.   

Question: What timeframe(s) do you need the data for? Answer: JTD will work.    

Question: Since you said you need to compare to your budget; do you want to see the overall budget amount or ETC and EAC? Answer: Good question; I’d like to see JTD, ETC, and EAC.   

As you can see, you start building the report as the questions get clarified. In fact, their initial request for a Project Detail report may have been entirely inaccurate for what they truly need this report for. 

3. Select the Records Needed 

In the example I have been using, the user was asking about one project. However, often you need to verify which records you need. After you have clarified that, I recommend selecting your records first. This recommendation is for two reasons: (1) record selection is at the top of the screen, so why not fill it in first? and (2) when I am done selecting my options, I want to run the report right away. If I don’t select the records first, I may accidentally run the report for ALL records…YIKES, No thanks!   

4. Review the Options Needed 

With Deltek Vantagepoint, the reporting options menu is now consolidated to two tabs – Columns & Groups and Options. On occasion, you may want a chart or to change the layout but for the most part, these first two tabs are all you need. Since the options are condensed, the best practice is to start at the top and hit all of them. This way you won’t miss something like selecting final totals, the correct budget option, or if you needed to uncheck the “activity” option. 

5. Preview for Accuracy 

ALWAYS! Prior to giving a user a report, even if it is a report that you have used many times, always preview the report first. Missing one little box, like not unchecking the activity box, will result in a blank report. Preview the report. Make sure it answers the question in the first step. Are all the data points needed represented? Are the records correct? 

6. Confirm the Output 

The most popular type of output for a report is a PDF or physical printout. However, there are many other options available. Deltek Vantagepoint can export reports to Excel, Word, and even PowerPoint. Additionally, now that Vantagepoint has dynamic dashparts, many firms are finding that when a user is asking for a report, they may find it useful to create a dashpart to have on-demand access to this information quickly and easily.   

Once you are satisfied with the report, contact the user with output options and confirm the best output. Sometimes after you present the draft report to the user, you may find that this is a report that should be scheduled out on a regular basis or shared with a group of individuals’ favorite report list. Or maybe a dashpart would be useful to access the information on a regular “on demand” basis? 

You may also want to ask questions like “Is this information something you would like on your projects weekly, monthly, on-demand?" or “Is this information something you feel other managers also could use on a regular basis?”  

Accurate Reporting With Deltek Vantagepoint Allows for More Efficient Decision-Making 

In conclusion, accurate reporting is essential for making informed business decisions in Deltek Vantagepoint. As a Power User or System Administrator, it is crucial to understand the user's needs and interpret their requests to provide them with the best report in the ideal format. By following the six steps outlined in this article, you can create accurate reports that answer the user's questions, reduce the need for multiple report iterations, and eliminate the possibility of errors. Always preview the report before sharing it with the user and confirm the output options that suit their needs. Accurate reporting in Deltek Vantagepoint is vital to help your organization make informed decisions and improve overall business efficiency. 

Deltek Vantagepoint features a free Planning tool that is available for use by EVERY user on ANY type of project. That’s right! The Vantagepoint Project Planning application is free with Back Office and ready to use without additional licensing costs! 

Your team can enjoy the benefits of using a modern project planning tool with no messy integrations or boring training sessions. With just a few steps, your firm can go from looking in the rearview mirror to careening toward excellence using a modern predictive planning tool. Just open the software, get a little Best Practices assistance from your friendly Deltek Vantagepoint Planning Consultant, and get users trained. Then watch how it improves awareness and performance. 

Login now and you can access… 

• Plans for any Project Charge Type. 
• Overhead Projects – Wonder where the IT time goes? Use the Plan to review JTD Spending on Labor and Expenses! 
• Promotional Projects – Need to be conscious of the spend on pursuing projects? Create a plan to set expectations and monitor spending! 
• Regular Projects – Set up the plan and budget for resources and review at any time.
  

Contract Information 

Planning provides users with key information on the contract values stored in the Contract Management section of the Project. When the Contract is updated in the project, it is updated in the plan automatically! WOW! 
 

Labor JTD Review and ETC Planning 

Using the plan to view JTD Labor and enter the remaining hours needed to complete the work is simple and provides immediate feedback on the expected total hours. 

This information automatically calculates dollars spent and projected at Billing or Cost values and generates a forecast of project performance. 

Planning for Expenses and Consultants 

Expense & Consultant budgets can be planned in dollars, and like the Labor, the posted amounts are updated in the plan automatically. 

Visibility EVERYWHERE! 

Viewing project performance in the plan effectively replaces the boring black & white reporting we’ve been forced to use all these years! It’s so exciting!  

Want to keep your reports? You can have them at no extra charge. The data from the plans can be used in most Project reports by simply changing the Budget Details to Project Planning Budget and choosing the right columns. 

But Wait, There’s More!  

Want a reporting tool that updates automatically when your plan changes? You can have it! See the same information from the plan in a colorful Deltek Vantagepoint Dashboard! Just wow! 

Do you feel like you must choose between the Budget tool and the Planning application? Well, you can have both! Review Planned Data next to Budget data in the new Vantagepoint Project Review. Accountants can have their place and Project Managers can too! 

And there’s even more! Implementing use of the Planning tool allows your firm to extend the investment with Planning Resource and Budget Alerts. Planning data can even be used to streamline and validate Timesheet Entries. 

All This for ZERO Easy Payments 

Let’s review the features you get for ZERO Easy Payments! 

1. Labor, Consultant, and Expense Planning  

1. Planning by Employee and Generic Resource 

1. Real-time Labor visibility (including unposted time!) 

1. Data Visibility in applications, reports, dashboards 

How Can So Much Be Free? 

It’s simple, the tool has been scaled to fit the current needs of firms of all sizes. Adoption of the basic tool is easy, and the benefits easily recognized. Today, you can dabble in the Planning tool with little investment. And when you are ready for more, simply add licenses without losing any of the momentum you have achieved. 

What is included in the licensed Vantagepoint Planning and Resource Management application? 

As of Vantagepoint 5.5, features available to licensed users fall into four categories: 

• Usability Features 
  • Schedule Tab with exportable Gantt chart 
  • Schedule (Task) Dependencies  
  • Planning Subrows to display Planned and Actual values for Hours, Cost, Billing in time scale periods 
  • Planning Assignments displayed on the Employee Card 
  • Bulk Redistribution of Hours and Variance Spreading 
• System Extensions 
  • Project Pursuit Stages 
  • Revenue Forecast Application 
  • Estimated Fee and Probability fields 
  • Planning Exports 
• Visibility 
  • Project Planning Reports 
  • Planning Dashparts such as My Upcoming Assignments  
  • Resource Planning Data in the Calendar Timesheet 
• Resource Management  
  • Resource View, Project View, and Reporting 
  • Generic Assignments Dashparts 

Getting So Much for So Little 

You might be wondering, “How can so much come for so little?” It’s simple, the tool has been scaled to fit your needs now and in the future. Today, you can dabble in the Planning tool with little investment or risk. And when you are ready for more, simply add licenses without losing any of the momentum you have achieved. 

Whether your firm has zero or hundreds of licenses for Deltek Vantagepoint Resource Planning, the need to manage project performance is universal. The steps for input and maintenance are all the same regardless of how far you want to take the data.  Act Now!  Get started with Planning today!  

As a project management software, Deltek Vantagepoint offers many capabilities for managing projects and teams. One of the most important aspects of managing a project is ensuring that the team is able to work together seamlessly. This is where Deltek Vantagepoint's integration with ADP Workforce Now comes in. 

ADP Workforce Now is a human resources management system that offers a variety of features for managing employee data. By integrating Deltek Vantagepoint with ADP Workforce Now, organizations can take advantage of both systems' capabilities to manage projects and people more effectively. 

From the moment of first hire, you can keep your employee data in sync with the ADP Workforce Now Connector for Deltek Vantagepoint. This allows for a single source of truth with the need for only a one-time data entry occurrence. 

The integration between Deltek Vantagepoint and ADP Workforce Now allows organizations to: 

• View employee data from both systems in one place 
• Update employee information in both systems from one central location 
• Create and manage employee profiles from either system 

One Source of Truth for Core Employee Information 

With this integration, there is one single source of truth for the origin or updates of core employee information. By having one point of entry, duplication of entry and possibility of errors is reduced.   

Because ADP has a self-service portal, employees can update information as they need to in their record, and the Blackbox Connector will pick up the changes on the next scheduled synchronization, which is set based on your business needs.   

If an update to a single employee record is needed sooner than the scheduled synchronization, then that record can be synchronized on demand via a Workflow button within the Employees Hub in Deltek Vantagepoint. 

You Decide What Information Is Mapped Between Systems 

With the initial setup process, you will assist with a mapping exercise that will determine which fields in ADP are mapped to their respective fields within Deltek Vantagepoint. If there is a field within ADP that has a respective field within Vantagepoint then the Blackbox Connector can pick it up. Example standard mappings include: 

• Workers in ADP are inserted or updated within the Employees Hub in Deltek Vantagepoint. 

• Degrees in ADP can be mapped to the Degrees/Education grid within Vantagepoint. 
• Skills in ADP can be mapped to the Skills grid in Vantagepoint. 
• Licenses in ADP map to the Licenses grid in Vantagepoint. 
• Emergency contacts are mapped to the Emergency contacts grid in Vantagepoint.   
• PTO balances can be taken from ADP and mapped into Vantagepoint.  

• Cash Disbursement GL entries can also be retrieved from ADP and put into Vantagepoint. This process can also automate the upload of payroll data to ADP. 

Easily Adapts as Your Business Adapts 

As your business evolves, no code changes are needed. If you add custom fields or change relationships between ADP columns and Deltek Vantagepoint columns, dynamic mapping is available within the Blackbox Connector. This drag and drop process includes advanced mapping capabilities if they are needed. 

No More Flat Files with This API-Driven Connector 

The Blackbox Connector connects ADP and Deltek Vantagepoint via API. This means that all Employee synchronizations are done electronically, which eliminates the need for flat files and overnight processes. To restrict the impact on your system, only records that are newly created or changed within ADP are brought across during synchronization. Your synchronization can be scheduled multiple times per day. 

The Benefits Are Clear 

The benefits of the Blackbox Connector between ADP Workforce Now and Deltek Vantagepoint are clear: 

• By having a single source of truth, duplication of entry and errors are reduced.   
• With the interval based scheduled or on demand synchronizations, you stay up to date with your staff information. 
• This enterprise grade technology is being offered at reasonable prices and comes with the full support of the Full Sail Partners’ team of Deltek experts. 

• The Blackbox Connector is also future-proof which alleviates any fear of upgrades or changes. All of that is handled for you.   

The integration between these two systems makes it easy for organizations to manage their projects and teams more effectively. By being able to view and update employee information in one central location, organizations can save time and resources. 

To see the Deltek Vantagepoint Blackbox Connector for ADP Workforce Now in action click the image below. 

As we kick off the New Year, many people make resolutions. Some people create personal resolutions like exercising more or saving money for a vacation and some create professional resolutions such as striving for a promotion. Many firms also set organizational resolutions, usually called goals. Common goals are to improve profitability or implement more efficient processes. One goal that can both improve profitability and create efficiencies in an organization is to go paperless in your accounting department.   

Does your firm have a goal to go paperless? Going paperless or at least striving to significantly reduce paper in your organization can benefit a firm in the following ways: 

• Cost reductions – One obvious item is the reduced expense of the paper itself, but other items could include a reduction of printer ink, file folders, file cabinets, and storage rental to save records. If going paperless includes paying vendors by EFT, as discussed below, the expense reduction can also include the cost of check stock, envelopes, and postage to mail checks.   
• Efficiencies gained – Many firms spend time printing reports, invoices, and checks and then have to manage to distribute these items and sometimes track that items have been returned. Eliminating printing these items and allowing the system to “manage the distribution” will streamline the process.   

Here are some examples of how Deltek Vantagepoint can help you get your firm to go paperless! 

Utilize Deltek’s AP Approval Process  

One of the first tools you can utilize to assist your firm in going paperless is to implement the AP Approval process. If your firm is currently routing invoices around the office in a file folder and tracking which invoices are “out for approval,” the AP approval will significantly help your firm! The AP Approval process allows firms to approve consultant or trade invoices within the system based on your firm’s approval philosophy. The approval workflow is very flexible, meaning you can route invoices based on a variety of options such as the vendor, project being charged, purchase order criteria if used, or to a specific employee. The workflow can also have multiple steps, such as having secondary approvals based on the dollar amount of the voucher.   

The first step of the AP Approval process is to attach the invoice electronically to the voucher. Therefore, it is recommended that the firm requests all invoices be sent to an email box, eliminating paper invoices even coming in the door! The system will track which step each approval is at, at any given time, so your AP staff will not have to track which invoices have been approved or which ones they need to track down. The AP Approval process is the first step to getting the accounts payable process to be paperless. 

Pay Vendors by ACH/EFT 

Paying vendors electronically by ACH/EFT is the most efficient method of payment processing. Electronic payments will eliminate the need for check stock, envelopes, copies of checks, and file cabinets for storage, not to mention adding efficiency to the payment process.  It is best practice to request banking information as well as a contact to email the payment remittance from all vendors. This information is then saved in the Vendor Hub. When processing payments, no checks or check copies will need to be printed. Instead of mailing the check and remittance to the vendor, the system can email the remittance to the email address entered in the Vendor Hub. The EFT file can then be saved directly from the payment screen and uploaded to your bank.   

If your current process is to print checks, print check copies, attach invoice backup to checks, sign checks, mail checks, and file the backup in file cabinets then implementing electronic AP payments will significantly reduce the time needed for your AP payment processing. Your new process would be something like this:

• Process automatic payment run,
• Email remittances to vendors,
• Process EFT file, and
• Upload to the bank website. 

Easy and fast!  

There are some “pro-check people” that say they like to physically sign a paper check to ensure the invoice and payment are accurate and they want to see all the approvals. The answer to that is to first put in place the AP Approval process as mentioned above, and if the check signer would like to approve the actual invoices, that person could be a step in the AP Approval workflow. Additionally, the “former” check signer can review the payments through the Payment Review screen prior to uploading the ACH/EFT file to the bank. The Payment Review screen will allow the approver to see each payment made, click on the vouchers, and drill into Voucher Review to view the documents and approvals as they wish. 

Implement Billing Approval Process  

Another process that allows firms to go paperless is to implement the Billing Approval process to invoice your clients. Many firms print draft invoices and give them to the PM or Principals to markup and approve by passing around folders. How long has the PM had to approve the invoices? Who has not given the biller the folder back? Did they give the biller all the draft invoices back that were in the folder, to begin with? Stop this manual process and start using the Billing Approval process in the system!   

The Billing Approval process allows firms to route the invoice to the approver within the Deltek Vantagepoint system, markup and approve the invoice electronically and route the invoice back to the biller for final review. The biller will always know which invoices are approved or still “in process.” There is also a report that can be produced to show how many days it took from the submittal of the invoice to final approval. Additionally, Deltek Vantagepoint has the ability to email the client the invoice directly from the system, so the invoice never has to be printed.   

How much paper would your firm save by not printing any draft invoices month after month!?!  It could be reams of paper, so it adds up fast! 

Consider Going Paperless as a Goal for New Year  

After you close out 2022, evaluate your firm’s 2023 goals. Consider adding “Going Paperless” to your 2023 agenda and utilizing some of these tools. Not only will you reduce paper, but your processes will also be more efficient! Cheers to a successful and profitable 2023! 

As we begin a new year, it’s important to look back and reflect on the past. What better way to do that than to watch the top 5 Deltek Vantagepoint mini demos from last year? 2022 was a bit of a grab bag, so this list includes everything from features that have been in Vantagepoint for a while to add-ons for the programs we use every day. Without further ado, here are the top 5 Deltek Vantagepoint mini demos of 2022!  

#5: Utilizing the Search Functionality 

The search functionality is one of the most overlooked features in Deltek Vantagepoint. There are categories of searches: standard searches, my searches, shared searches, and legacy searches. Standard search has a few different types of searches, such as the selection and active search, and generally apply to a variety of the hubs throughout Vantagepoint. My searches are your personal searches that you have saved for future use. Shared searches are ones that have been shared with you by your administrator or other power users in your firm and serve to create a standardization in your searches. The last type of search, legacy searches, is one that only applies to firms that made the switch from Deltek Vision to Deltek Vantagepoint. These are read only, so they will need to be rebuilt in order to modify them. 

Want to learn how to make and utilize these different types of searches effectively? Take a look at our demo here: Utilizing the Search Functionality. 

#4: Redistribute Planned Project Hours 

More often than not, a project’s budget and schedule change throughout its life cycle. Luckily, Deltek Vantagepoint allows users to easily adjust a project’s plan to fit their needs. The first step in this process is to change the dates for the project. After the dates are in order, the planned hours for the project should be changed. Some extra columns like contract and planned billing might be needed to determine the amount to adjust the planned hours by, so make sure to enable them when doing this step. 

This function is easy to use and saves a huge amount of time for everyone! For a step by step walkthrough on redistributing planned project hours, check out our demo here: Redistribute Planned Project Hours. 

#3: A Small, but Mighty Enhancement with Saved Views 

In previous iterations, Deltek Vantagepoint would save the last list view that you were in when you exited the program. Then when you re-opened Vantagepoint you would be returned to that same list view. In the Vantagepoint 5.5 update, a new feature has been added that allows multiple list views to be saved. This enhancement is useful in many areas such as hubs, expense reports and even interactive billing. Take a look around and find where saved views can help you! 

For a more in-depth look at how to create these lists and put them to use, watch our demo here: A Small, but Mighty Enhancement with Saved Views. 

#2: Introduction to Contract Management 

 The contract management tool in Deltek Vantagepoint is a fan favorite. It is useful for taking all the guesswork out of compensation with detailed breakdowns of how the total amount came to be. To get the absolute most out of this feature, it is imperative that the “Project Entering Method” is set to “Lowest Level Only” and “Synchronize Contract Values to Project Compensation” is set to “Yes.” Contract Type and Contract Status should also be configured in labels and list area. 

There are many more features and functions in the Contract Management tab. To hear about them all be sure to tune into our demo here: Introduction to Contract Management. 

#1: CRM Contact Accessibility Directly with Outlook 

Having to flip between two applications to find a contact is tedious and tiresome. Instead of wasting time trying to track someone down, connect Deltek Vantagepoint to your Outlook inbox. With this enhancement, Outlook will provide information from Vantagepoint on the contact, as well as information on related contacts. If there is no contact in the system, Vantagepoint will give the option to create a new contact and fill out the relevant fields. Projects can even be created from Outlook! 

There’s more than meets the eye with this upgrade. Watch our demo to see what you’re missing out on and how it works here: CRM Contact Accessibility Directly with Outlook. 

What’s Up Next? 

We hope you’ve enjoyed our blogs, Deltek Vantagepoint mini demos, and other content this past year! We’ve been cooking up a bunch of new content for 2023, so keep an eye on our social media accounts for more announcements. Looking forward to another productive year with you!