Full Sail Partners Blog | Accounting

What are the options for my firm to apply labor costs to regular, revenue-producing projects? In Vantagepoint, there are two ways to charge labor cost to your projects. Some firms prefer to load an hourly rate for both hourly and salaried employees. And some firms prefer to load a salary rate for salaried employees and an hourly rate for hourly employees and use the Adjust Salary Job Cost utility (ASJC) in Vantagepoint.

The Adjust Salary Job Cost utility is Vantagepoint's way of taking the employee’s salary rate and calculating a cost rate based on the hours worked (instead of standard hours in a period). The ASJC utility is run after timesheets are posted and adjusts the posting so that the costs posted agrees to what is being paid to the employee.

What does this mean?

First, let’s discuss firms that load an hourly rate for salaried employees. Assume that the firm Mike Jones works for has bi-weekly timesheet and pay periods. Below is an example of postings where ASJC is not enabled:

Example: Mike Jones is a salaried employee and is paid $3,000.00 bi-weekly, and he has an hourly cost rate in the Employee Info center of $37.50/hour ($3,000.00/80 hours). When timesheets are posted, Vantagepoint multiplies the actual number of hours worked by the hourly rate from the employee info center record. Vantagepoint will post a debit to the direct and/or indirect labor account and credit the Job Cost Variance (JCV) account. Mike’s hours are applied at a cost rate of $37.50 for every hour he works regardless of how many hours he works.

When payroll is posted, we would see a debit to the JCV account for Mike’s bi-weekly salary - $3,000.00. If Mike had worked 85 hours in an 80-hour timesheet period, the JCV account would be -$187.50 because the credit posted to JCV was $3,187.50 at the time of timesheet posting and the debit posted for payroll is $3,000.00. If Mike had only worked 75 hours during the timesheet period, the JCV account would be a positive $187.00.

Now let’s talk about those firms that load a salary amount in the Employee Hub. We will use the same bi-weekly timesheet and pay period frequencies as in the first example.

When a salaried employee works more or less than 80 hours, Vantagepoint handles the cost exactly the same way it does as if an hourly rate were loaded in the Employee Info Center at the time of time sheet posting. To calculate the cost rate, Vantagepoint uses the salary rate in the employee info center, divided by the frequency (in this case 80 hours) and multiplies the result by the number of hours recorded on the timesheet.

This is where Adjust Salary Job Cost comes into play. Once run, AJSC takes the salary rate and divides it by actual number of hours worked and recalculates the number of hours worked.

Example: Mary Smith has a bi-weekly salary of $3,000.00 and she has 85 hours on her timesheet. When timesheets are posted, Vantagepoint takes her salary rate and divides it by 80 (bi-weekly frequency) and multiplies the result by the actual number of hours on her timesheet. You would see a debit to direct/indirect labor account and a credit to the JCV account for $3,187.50. Just like the firm using an hourly rate in the employee info center.

Now when ASJC is run, Vantagepoint takes the salary rate, divides it by the actual number of hours worked ($3,000.00/85 = $35.29411) and applies the result to the actual number of hours worked ($35.29411 * 85 = $3,000.00). Vantagepoint makes an adjustment to the original timesheet posting to credit the direct/indirect labor account and to debit the JCV account in the amount of $187.50. Since Mary is paid $3,000.00 per pay period, the JCV account would not show a balance when payroll is posted.

How cost rates are loaded in Vantagepoint affects the way labor costs are reported on the projects and the General Ledger. Here are some of the differences:

• Load Hourly Rate in the Employee Hub:
  • Time posts to projects at hours worked at standard hourly rate.
  • No additional steps by accounting.
  • Costs posted to direct projects are not consistent with actual payroll paid when employees work more/less than standard hours. Over/Under balances are carried in the JCV project.
  • Project managers have stable costs to track project performance.
  • General Ledger carries a balance in the JCV account that is reflective of the amount paid to employees over/under the actual hours worked.
• Load Salary Rate in the Employee Hub and use ASJC:
  • Time posts to projects at hours worked at variable hourly rates for Salaried employees (hourly rate changes on hours worked in any given period).
  • Accounting must run the ASJC utility after time sheet postings for salary job costing to occur.
  • Costs posted to direct projects are consistent with actual payroll paid when employees work more/less than standard hours. No balances are carried on the JCV project.
  • Project managers must manage variable costs over which they have no control.
  • The JCV general ledger account does not carry a balance when the ASJC utility is used.

As you can see, both choices have pros and cons, but having a clear understanding of how the ASJC utility works in Vantagepoint will help you make the right choice for your firm.

Final Thoughts: What's Best for Your Firm?

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to labor cost strategies in Deltek Vantagepoint. Whether you stick with standard hourly rates or leverage the Adjust Salary Job Cost utility, the right path depends on your firm’s structure, goals, and how you want costs reflected in your projects and your books.

If you’re scratching your head or wondering which option makes the most sense for your team, you’re not alone—and we’ve got your back. Let’s take a deep dive together.

👉 Reach out to schedule a Navigational Analysis with our experts. We’ll help you uncover the most effective setup for your firm and make sure your Vantagepoint system is working for you—not the other way around.

Deltek Vantagepoint continues to deliver in process efficiencies. As the most-used ERP by project-based firms, Vantagepoint is in touch with the struggles faced by its users and offers solutions to those pain points. Here are some ways that Vantagepoint can be leveraged to streamline your firm’s processes.

1. Time Entry Made Easier with Flexibility and Automation

Time entry, while critical to project cost tracking, is many employees’ least favorite task. Vantagepoint time entry provides a user-friendly experience with options to complete timesheets through the main application in the timesheet and/or calendar view, as well as a mobile app that is optimized for use on mobile devices. The calendar view timesheet can be made even more helpful by enabling the Connect functionality (more details later!).

A user can start, work on, and finish their timesheet entry using all 3 options that work together. Timesheet assist is a tool that can help employees remember to submit their timesheet by providing a reminder and suggested projects.

Vantagepoint also offers robust options for an approval process that can range from one approval for the entire timesheet to an approval for each line item. While line-item approval may sound daunting, it can serve to speed up the billing process! Since the time has already been reviewed before draft invoices are even created, Project Managers should be able to simply skim the time charges on their drafts and approve invoices more quickly.

2. Snap, Submit, and Get Paid Faster with Smarter Expense Entry

Employees on the go know they need to submit their expense reports in a timely manner to get paid and bill the clients. Expense reports can be done in the main application, but this is one place where the mobile app really shines. Turn on the Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) feature (located in the main application) for your users.

This will allow them to take a picture of their receipt to start the line-item entry for them! The system will do its best to read the receipt and fill in data. Less keying for the employees = quicker turn around on expense reporting, and the added bonus is that the receipt is already attached! Follow that up with a thorough approval process and paying your employees and billing your clients, including attaching backup receipts, will be much more efficient.

3. Eliminate Paper Chasing with Streamlined AP Invoice Approvals

Managing Accounts Payable invoices can also be automated using Vantagepoint. Using the AP Invoice Approvals feature can help eliminate paper shuffling and lost email approvals. And with the ICR functionality enabled, the system will start the data entry for you.

An approval workflow will assist with routing the invoices to the appropriate parties for approval. The list of AP invoice approvals in process available in Vantagepoint makes follow-ups simple. Approved invoices flow to the client billing process and can also be included with the client invoice with one click in Billing Terms. Complete the AP process with electronic payments, an auto-created file for your bank, and emailed remittances using email templates. AP hassles are a thing of the past!

4. Accelerate Billing and Cash Flow with AR Invoice Tools

Cash is still king. Regular client billing keeps cash flowing! The AR Invoice Approval process enables the generation of draft invoices inside of Vantagepoint, with the option to use the markups feature. With the markups option enabled, Project Managers can not only review client invoices, but also make notes and indicate changes directly on the draft that is within Vantagepoint.

Billers can access a list of invoices that have been generated, including the approval status, which combats lost emails and missed invoices. Completed invoices can be emailed to clients, and using email templates to do so will streamline the process even more.

5. Automate Contact + Opportunity Entries with ICR, Connect, and Deltek DelaTM

Work smarter, not harder when it comes to adding contact information to Vantagepoint. Enable ICR for the mobile CRM app. This feature will allow users to snap a photo of a business card with their mobile device and put the power of automation into creating a new contact record. Review and adjust the information as needed and move on to tasks that add more value to your day.

Enable Vantagepoint Connect and leverage it to help automate client, contact, opportunity, and activity record creation. Employees spend a lot of time in the company’s email application like Outlook and Gmail. Using Connect can help get that information out of the email silo and into the ERP that can provide visibility to the data across users. Get the data in front of the correct staff in a timely manner and reduce the number of missed opportunities!

Use Deltek Dela! While Dela is the AI power behind approval workflows and ICR, it can also assist Hub navigation, finding data, and the creation of Activity records. More information on Dela is available in this blog and in this mini-demo.

Let’s Keep the Efficiency Wins Coming

Thanks for sticking with me through this roundup of my favorite ways Vantagepoint can simplify your day-to-day. If you’re ready to take it a step further, I’ve got something just for you—my on-demand webinar, “15 Must-Know Features to Supercharge Your Deltek Vantagepoint Efficiency.”

In it, I dive into even more time-saving tips and show you some of the latest features in Vantagepoint 7 and beyond. From smarter navigation to accounting shortcuts to automating those repetitive tasks—we’ll cover it all.

👉 Click below to watch the webinar when it works for you, and let’s keep making your Vantagepoint experience as efficient as possible!

As the third quarter unfolds, accounting teams should shift into preparation mode for year-end. Q3 offers a strategic window to review financial performance, clean up data, and fix lingering issues—before the rush of the fourth quarter.

By taking time now to perform a thorough accounting review, firms can improve forecasting accuracy, avoid costly surprises, and set the stage for a stress-free year-end close. Below is a checklist of Q3 accounting functions every firm should prioritize.

1. Reconcile Balance Sheet Accounts

Before year-end, your books need to be airtight. Use Q3 to verify and reconcile all major balance sheet accounts:

• Bank accounts: Ensure monthly reconciliations are current and properly documented.
• Accounts receivable and payable: Tie subledger reports to the general ledger.
  • Do this by running the General Ledger (GL) Reconciliation report, located in Utilities in Deltek Vantagepoint.
• Unbilled revenue and work in progress (WIP): Confirm that earned revenue is recognized accurately.
• Prepaids and accruals: Review for proper allocation and timing.

Don’t wait for year-end to uncover discrepancies—identify and resolve them now while there’s still time to investigate.

2. Review Project Data and Statuses

Project-level accounting has a direct impact on financial reporting and profitability. Q3 is the time to:

• Validate project statuses and close out completed projects. This includes marking them as active, dormant, or inactive in Deltek Vantagepoint.
• Review on-going projects with project staff to ensure budgets and timing is accurate.
• Ensure all job-to-date labor and expense is recorded.

A well-maintained project database reduces billing delays, improves reporting accuracy, and supports better decision-making heading into Q4.

3. Clean Up Vendor and Client Records

Outdated or duplicate vendor/client data can create payment delays, compliance issues, and audit red flags. During Q3 is a great time to:

• Merge duplicate vendors and clients in your accounting system.
• Ensure there is a W-9 on file for all vendors and verify the proper tax classification is selected.
• Review payment terms and outstanding balances

Getting your vendor and client data in order now will simplify 1099 prep and reduce friction during the January crunch.

4. Audit Timesheets and Labor Cost Allocations

Labor is often a professional services firm’s largest cost, and any misallocations or gaps can lead to revenue leakage or compliance risk. Tasks to begin in Q3 include the following.

• Confirm all timesheets are submitted and approved.
• Audit for correct project/task assignments.
• Check for missing or duplicate time entries.
• Ensure labor costs align with billable and overhead expectations.

Regular audits also help with resource planning and team utilization analysis as you forecast Q4 and beyond.

5. Analyze Budget vs. Actuals and Forecast Year-End Performance

Q3 provides a crucial opportunity to assess how your actual performance aligns with your budget—and to adjust expectations accordingly. Recommended tasks are:

• Run YTD financial reports and compare to the annual budget.
• Identify underperforming or overperforming areas. /li>
• Update year-end forecasts based on real data.
• Communicate adjustments to leadership and project managers.

This not only helps course-correct for Q4 but also strengthens next year’s budgeting process.

6. Examine Unbilled Services and Revenue Recognition

Leaving revenue on the table is a common risk, especially for project-based firms. To avoid before year-end do the following:

• Review all open projects for unbilled time and expenses.
• Check for projects where work is complete, but billing hasn’t occurred.
• Ensure revenue recognition aligns with accounting policies and GAAP.

Addressing billing gaps now improves cash flow and ensures revenue is appropriately captured in the current year.

7. Evaluate Internal Controls and Approval Workflows

As your firm evolves, your internal controls should too. This includes:

• Reviewing user roles and system permissions.
• Testing approval workflows for purchases, timesheets, and billing.
• Confirming separation of duties and audit trails are in place.
• Tightening controls around sensitive financial areas.

Proactive control reviews can prevent fraud, errors, and compliance issues before they become audit findings.

8. Begin Preliminary Year-End Planning

While it may feel early, beginning year-end planning in Q3 can prevent bottlenecks later. Consider:

• Scheduling year-end close tasks and assigning responsibilities.
• Communicating deadlines for final billing, AP entries, and expense reports.
• Reviewing your audit prep checklist.
• Updating documentation for policies and procedures.

Firms that start planning in Q3 consistently report smoother closes and fewer surprises in January.

Q3 is Your Prep Season

Think of Q3 as your accounting “halftime.” It’s the perfect time to assess performance, fix gaps, and get your financial house in order—so when Q4 hits, you’re ready to sprint to the finish.

A disciplined mid-year review sets the foundation for a clean close, reliable reporting, and confident decision-making. The work you do now pays dividends in accuracy, efficiency, and peace of mind later.

Need an extra set of eyes—or hands?

If your Q3 checklist feels more like a mountain than a molehill, you're not alone. Our finance consultants are here to help you get ahead of year-end chaos with expert guidance, personalized training, and support tailored to your firm’s needs.

Whether it’s reconciling the tricky stuff, setting up reports in Deltek Vantagepoint, or diving deep into Navigational Analysis—we’ve got you covered.

📩 Reach out today to connect with one of our finance pros and start your smoothest year-end close yet!

As someone who uses project management and ERP tools on a regular basis, I’ve come to appreciate software that not only delivers on functionality but also makes day-to-day tasks easier and more intuitive. Deltek Vantagepoint has been that kind of platform for me. It’s full of thoughtful features designed to streamline workflow, reduce manual effort, and keep teams aligned. Here are a few of the things I particularly enjoy about using Deltek Vantagepoint:

1. Easy Navigation That Saves Time

Let’s face it—nobody wants to spend extra time clicking around a complicated interface. One of the first things I noticed and appreciated about Deltek Vantagepoint was its clean and intuitive navigation. Whether I’m jumping between projects, running reports, or updating timesheets, everything feels organized and accessible. The dashboard is customizable, the menus are logically structured, and the search functionality is responsive and smart. That means less time digging for information and more time focusing on work that matters.

2. Autofill Phases in Billing Terms: Small Feature, Big Impact

Billing can be one of the more tedious parts of managing projects—especially when every phase has to be manually entered or double-checked. That’s why I love that Vantagepoint includes an Autofill Phases feature in its billing terms. It’s a subtle but powerful tool that automatically populates project phases based on predefined structures. This reduces human error, saves time, and ensures consistency in billing setup across the organization.

3. PTO Approvals Sync with Timesheets and Plans

Keeping timesheets and project plans in sync with approved time off can be a real pain—especially in larger teams. What I appreciate about Vantagepoint is that it automatically adds approved PTO to both timesheets and resource plans. It’s one of those automation features that you don’t realize you need until you have it, and once you do, you can’t imagine going back. It helps prevent scheduling conflicts and gives a more accurate picture of team availability in real-time.

4. More Robust and Flexible Screen Designer

The upgraded Screen Designer in Vantagepoint is another feature that deserves recognition. It allows for greater flexibility in customizing forms and layouts to meet the specific needs of your organization. Whether it’s adjusting fields for data entry, refining the layout for better usability, or creating custom views for different roles, the robust screen designer makes it easier to tailor the system to how your teams actually work.

Final Thoughts

Deltek Vantagepoint isn’t just about tracking time or managing budgets—it’s about making daily tasks smoother, more automated, and less error-prone. From smart billing automation to seamless PTO integration and user-friendly navigation, these features might seem small on their own, but together they add up to a much better user experience.

If you’re using Deltek Vantagepoint, I’d love to hear what your favorite features are. And if you’re thinking about switching platforms, these might be a few good reasons to consider giving it a try.

The multi-company functionality in Deltek Vantagepoint serves as a tool for sharing and accounting for resources across the companies within an enterprise. Cross charge capabilities in Vantagepoint are based on similar theories as multi-company but are focused on the interaction within a company and its organizational breakdown structure (OBS). Before we dive deeper, here are some links to blogs about multi-company functionality and OBS in case you are unfamiliar with these topics.

High Level Insight into Cross Charge in Deltek Vantagepoint 

It is important to understand that cross charging is a financial tool and is based on the general ledger. It is not an attribute of project reporting since time charged to a project remains on the project for billing and reporting purposes. Cross charge is labor-focused and occurs after the timesheet is posted. 

By default, Vantagepoint is built to be project-centric, which simply means that the process of entering and posting timesheets determines where the labor charges are assigned. If the cross charge process is not configured or run, the cost will remain on the “books” of the organization where the project is assigned. 

Why Use Cross Charge? 

As financial and operational managers, we must always remember that revenue can only be earned once and a cost incurred once. For this reason, cross charge allows businesses to move revenue and cost from one “bucket” within their organization to another. When a combined income statement is run, all cross charge entries zero out and the original revenue and cost will remain. 

The cross charge process is used when firms loan and borrow labor at the lowest OBS level, which could be: 

• Office
• Department
• Discipline
• Market Sector 

A good example is a civil engineer where projects live in the various disciplines. The survey department would loan their staff to the engineering projects and cross charge would be the financial component to drive and manage the accounting for the labor. 

There are two internal pricing options to choose from when configuring cross charge: 

1. Project Centric – This is when labor remains on the books of the organization where the project resides. A multiplier is then used to account for some portion of operational/overhead (OH) costs. This factor could be limited to a fringe benefit rate, could represent a breakeven OH rate or even include some profit. The purpose is to ensure that the loaning organization has an incentive to keep their staff busy, but they also need to be careful so as not to overextend their resources. 
2. Employee Centric – This works by adjusting labor back to the employee’s organization. Using typical billing rates, although a multiplier can be used, the revenue is moved from the project’s organization to the employee’s organization. The purpose, again, is to ensure the loaning organization doesn’t lose the ability to show a profit by sharing their staff. 

Real-life Application of Cross Charge in Deltek Vantagepoint 

Here is a success story where the operational process and projects are built on the premise that fee and scope drives work breakdown structure (WBS) in a clients’ Deltek Vantagepoint database. Under this model, high accountability becomes the first option where phases and tasks within a project are assigned to different organizations based on the portion of the work. Employees then charge the phase/task that is assigned to the organization they “live” in. This results in more closely managed projects because the profit accountability is shifted back to the organization supplying the labor. This process eliminates the need for cross charge. 

But wait…realizing that to run successful projects, there is a necessity to anticipate unplanned needs. This means that the firm must have the ability to borrow an employee from another department for a short-term assignment or a last-minute need. For example, the base building studio decides it needs input from the interiors studio. In this scenario, the client falls back on the project centric method noted above as a mechanism to facilitate resource sharing and not impede project progress. Furthermore, this is a prime example of a need for cross charge. 

Gain Control of Resources with Cross Charge 

Whether your current OBS is solid or you are considering a change, cross charge can provide the functionality required to ensure an open and smooth process of resource sharing. With a thorough understanding and effective implementation, cross charge can provide another dimension in managing your business.

Interested in more information about using cross charge and how it can help unlock the full potential of Deltek Vantagepoint? Want to learn other ways of ensuring your project-based firm is running as efficiently as possible? If so, Full Sail Partners is happy to offer your firm a Navigational Analysis. 

Let’s be honest—AI is everywhere right now. And while that’s exciting, it can also be frustrating. Because when it comes to using AI tools to actually get real work done inside Deltek Vantagepoint, most firms are either just dabbling… or getting burned.

Here’s the thing: AI is only helpful if it’s reliable. Otherwise, it’s just a very confident tool giving you half-right answers.

I’ve been building AI applications since generative AI first exploded onto the scene. And now, as an AI Developer at Full Sail Partners, I’m taking that experience and putting it to work for project-based firms like yours. Whether it’s out-of-the-box tools like ChatGPT or custom-built AI inside Informer and Vantagepoint, the goal is simple: make your life easier, your insights faster, and your decisions better.

Let’s talk about how we actually make that happen.

Why Most AI Tools Fall Short

A lot of AI out there is like an enthusiastic intern on their first day—well-meaning but not quite ready to be left unsupervised.

You ask a vague question, and the AI gives you something that sounds useful… but it’s either way off base or completely made up. Yep, that’s a thing—AI hallucinations. And in the world of project financials, that’s a pretty big red flag.

Unreliable answers lead to wasted time. Bad data leads to bad decisions. And if you’ve got deadlines and KPIs on the line, that’s a risk you can’t afford.

The Two Core Principles That Make AI Reliable

In my work developing AI tools that play nicely with Vantagepoint, I’ve focused on two big ideas:

1. A Window into the Facts

Most AI tools give you an answer and then ask you to just… trust it. Not great.

Instead, we build AI that shows its work. When you ask a question, you don’t just get an answer—you get the data behind it. You can click to verify, dive deeper, and understand exactly how the AI came to that conclusion. It's like a GPS that tells you why it picked that route, not just where to go.

This is built directly into our Informer AI Assistant, which works inside Microsoft Teams and pulls data from Vantagepoint.

2. Reliability Training

Making AI trustworthy takes more than good intentions. It takes practice—and the right techniques. Here are three I use all the time (and you can too):

• One-Path Prompting: Ask one clear, specific question. No vagueness. No contradictions. Just a straight line from question to answer.
• Problem Expansion: Break big, complicated asks into smaller pieces. Think about how you’d delegate to a new employee—you wouldn’t say “solve all our issues.” You’d say “check this one report and flag anything unusual.”
• AI University (for developers): This one’s for the builders out there. Train your AI to be really good at one thing. Not everything. Just one thing, and let it do that extremely well.

By building these techniques into our AI tools, we make sure the end result is actually useful. So useful, in fact, that most users don’t even need to think about the tech behind it. It just works.

So, What Does This Look Like in Real Life?

Here’s an example: You’re in Microsoft Teams and you need to check whether a project is running over budget.

Instead of logging into Vantagepoint, clicking through dashboards, pulling reports, and second-guessing yourself—you send a single message to our AI assistant.

A few seconds later, you’ve got a clear, accurate answer, complete with the source data. Want to drill down further? One click and you’re in Informer, seeing the full picture.

No app-switching. No spreadsheet spelunking. Just one question, one answer, and a whole lot of time saved.

Why This Matters (to You, Right Now)

Whether you’re a PM, a marketer, or a firm executive, the common thread is this: you need good data, fast.

Reliable AI changes the game.
It helps you stop guessing.
It gives you time back.

And it turns your mountain of Vantagepoint data into real, usable insights—without you doing all the heavy lifting.

Want to See It for Yourself?

If this got your wheels turning, I’d love to show you more. I’m hosting a live webinar on Wednesday, May 14 at 1pm ET, where I’ll walk through exactly how we’re using these principles to build real, working AI tools for Vantagepoint.

We’ll look at both out-of-the-box tools you can start using today and custom-built solutions that can save your firm serious time and effort.

If you’ve been curious about AI—but skeptical—it’s the perfect session for you.

Heads up, project managers! If you’ve noticed something different in your Deltek Vantagepoint Project Hub lately, you’re not imagining things. The Project Budgeting tool has moved—but don’t worry, while it’s sporting a new home and a fresh look, the core functionality you rely on is still intact.

Let’s take a stroll through the updated budgeting tool and unpack what’s new, what’s stayed the same, and how to make the most of it.

So, What’s Changed?

The Project Budget tool is now found directly inside the Project Hub as its own menu item. The look has changed, but the overall functionality has remained the same. Here are the highlights of the makeover:

• The cost/billing options now live in a sleek drop-down menu on the right side of the screen.
• There’s a new Grid Settings feature that lets you customize how your budget grid looks—because who doesn’t like a little personalization? This includes the ability to control the selection and placement of the variables in the budget grid.

First Things First: What Is a Project Budget?

The Project Budget is the Project Manager’s estimate of the total spending on the project. Budget numbers are not to be confused with the Contract amounts from the Contract Management menu.

Let’s clear this up: the Project Budget is not the same thing as your Contract Amount.

• Contract Amount = What you’ve agreed to bill the client.
• Project Budget = How you plan to spend that amount.

Yes, the numbers can match—but they don’t have to. And in Vantagepoint, they each serve distinct purposes. Knowing the difference is key to accurate forecasting and solid project management.

Budgeting Buzzwords You Should Know

Understanding how budgets break down in Vantagepoint means getting familiar with a few common terms. Here's a cheat sheet:

• Labor Budget - This is all about your internal team’s work. It compares your budgeted labor with actual employee timesheet entries.
• Expenses - Not labor. Not consultants. Just the other costs that keep your project rolling. Expenses are divided between two different types, controlled by the General Ledger Account number.
• Direct Expenses are items that are not to be billed to the client. These are costs that are absorbed into our Costs and will not generate billings. These costs are classified with GL account number type “Direct Expense”.
• Reimbursable Expenses are items that will be billed to the client. These costs are classified with GL account number type “Reimbursable Expense”.
• Compensation - This includes both Labor and Direct Expenses—basically, your internal investment in the project.
• Consultants - These are your subcontractors, split into:
• Direct Consultants are subconsultant expenses that are added to our invoices, but are part of our overall fee, usually combined with labor and expense in a Fixed Fee invoice format. These costs are classified with the GL account type “Direct Consultant.”
• Reimbursable Consultants are subconsultants that are going to be invoiced to the client (possibly with a markup), also referred to as a “pass through” expense. These costs are classified with the GL account type “Reimbursable Consultant.”
• Reimbursable Allowance - The total of your Reimbursable Expenses + Reimbursable Consultants.

How to Enter a Budget (Without Losing Your Mind)

Here’s the TL;DR of entering budgets in Vantagepoint:

• Always budget at the lowest level of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Labor Codes are required for Labor Budgets. Not using Labor Codes yet? Let's chat first—enabling them affects other areas like timesheets.
• Expenses & Consultants are entered by GL account. Vendor name? Totally optional.

The math is simple:
Hours × Rate = Labor Budget

Budgeting in Action: Why It Matters

Your budget isn’t just for show—it’s a powerhouse tool that supports a bunch of Vantagepoint functions:

• Budget vs. Actual reports – Project reports can be pulled and compared to actual project charges.
• Timesheet validation (via Labor Codes) – Using Labor Codes in budgets limits the codes employees can use on their timesheet.
• Revenue generation formulas
• Manual % complete, estimate to complete (ETC), and estimate at complete (EAC) updates
• Custom views in the Project Review screen to show budget values and variances

Pro Tip: Budgeting Isn’t “Set It and Forget It”

We’ll say it louder for the folks in the back—budgets need love, too! Keep them current by checking in regularly and reviewing Budget vs. Actual reports. It’s the best way to keep your project financials accurate and your leadership team happy.

There’s an Even Better Way…

Feeling like the budget tool is missing a few key pieces—like assigning by employee or tracking true progress? We hear you.

💡 Enter: Project Planning and Resource Management.

The planning module in Vantagepoint goes above and beyond basic budgeting. It gives you:

• Real-time revenue forecasting
• Strategic staffing insights
• Earned value management (based on actual progress, not guesstimates)

It’s a smarter way to manage your project financials—and your people.

Let’s Talk Budgeting Strategy

If you’re ready to level up from static budgets to strategic project planning, our team at Full Sail Partners is here to help. We’ll walk you through how to get started and tailor a solution that fits your firm’s goals.

👉 Reach out to your Full Sail Partners consultant today and let’s put your project budgets to work!

For accounting professionals, the AP voucher is the single source of truth for tracking supplier invoices. An AP voucher has information from a supplier like the firm amount that is due, terms for payment, signatures of authorized firm representatives, and more. Keeping this information up to date and correct is critical, however, errors and other changes do occur.

• Is there an invoice that was accidentally entered twice and one needs to be voided/reversed?
• Was tax, shipping or another amount missing on an invoice and now it is already posted?
• Was an invoice amount entered incorrectly and it needs to be corrected?

If this sounds familiar, it’s because these are all common issues that come up in the AP world. Typically, AP associates will enter a new voucher to correct these items and then reverse or add to/subtract from the value of an original invoice. By doing this, two vouchers are entered for the same invoice number, often by adding a letter or number to the original invoice number. When the invoice is paid, the associate needs to remember to select both vouchers to pay the entire correct amount of the invoice. In the case of a duplicate invoice, there isn’t a “void voucher” option like there is void check or void client invoices.

However, there is a better solution - utilize “Voucher Lookup” to edit an AP voucher easily & smoothly!

Using Deltek Vantagepoint AP Voucher Lookup

Once an AP Voucher is posted in Deltek Vantagepoint, it isn’t very evident that there is an option to edit the voucher. But there is! Voucher lookup is a great tool that is not as widely used as it should be.

When using AP Voucher lookup, Vantagepoint “attaches” the new voucher detail lines to the original voucher by utilizing the same voucher number and voucher header. When the corrected voucher is attached to the original there won’t be two vouchers for the same invoice to reconcile in vendor review or select in payment processing! As a result,

Examples of Deltek Vantagepoint AP Voucher Lookup:

Issue 1: Whoops! Two vouchers were entered for the same invoice and one of them needs to be reversed.

Solution: Enter a new AP transaction, use voucher lookup, and reverse the original lines. This AP entry will be linked or “attached” to the original voucher, not creating a new voucher but editing the original, making a zero-dollar total invoice. The steps are as follows:

1. Go to Transaction Center > Transaction Entry > AP Vouchers. Either start a new batch (if using batches) or a new transaction (if using single transaction posting).
2. Select the vendor. Don’t enter the rest of the header data!
3. Go to the top right under “Other Actions” and select “Voucher Lookup”.
   1. A list of the vouchers for this vendor will appear.
   2. Select the voucher for the invoice that needs to be edited.
   3. In the top of the list there is a search box that can be used to find an amount, voucher or invoice number and it will search for any matches from the existing vouchers.
4. Next, select the voucher that requires editing. The voucher header information will populate from the original voucher… this is where the linking comes in.
5. At this point, anything entered in the voucher details below will add to the original voucher line items. If the original entry had three lines and another is added, four lines will appear in the voucher review.
6. In this example, the duplicate voucher needs to be reversed entirely.
   1. To reverse lines, go back to “Other Actions”, select “Copy/Reverse Lines”.
   2. Check the box in the top header row to select all voucher detail lines.
   3. Click “Reverse All”.
   4. This selection will bring these lines into the voucher detail as a negative, using the same project coding. Which is simple, FAST, and does not require re-keying of line items!
      
      
7. Post voucher as usual.
8. In Voucher Review, the original line items and the additional line items entered during the Voucher Lookup will appear.
9. In this example, the overall voucher is now zero and the total lines in the voucher are 6.

Issue 2: Need to add an additional line for tax, shipping or other charges missed on original entry?

Solution: Do all steps from above except for step 6 - don’t use the Copy/Reverse function. Simply add the needed lines to the voucher detail in the Project Information grid. Any lines that are added will link/attach to the original voucher and add/subtract to the original voucher amount.

Issue 3: Need to correct an amount in the original voucher?

Solution: Do everything above, including Copy/Reversing Lines. It is suggested to reverse the line(s) that were entered incorrectly and then enter the correct amount so there is a good audit trail. After reversing the line(s) that were entered in error, add the correcting lines in the Project Information grid on the same voucher. Every line that is reversed and/or added will still link/attach to the original voucher and add/subtract to the original voucher amount.

Solve Common Accounting Challenges with Deltek Vantagepoint

Deltek Vantagepoint does more than making AP voucher corrections easy. Check out this webinar to learn about 15 Must-Know Features to Supercharge your Vantagepoint Efficiency, and make sure to explore all the free Vantagepoint content available on the Full Sail Partners’ website.

How to automate recurring tasks and keep your Deltek system running smoothly

When it comes to maintaining your Deltek Vantagepoint system, there’s one tool that quietly powers the background operations most firms rely on every day—the Process Server. It might not have the flashiest interface, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to ensure your system stays clean, efficient, and humming along without the need for constant manual intervention.

Whether you're scheduling large reports, generating batch invoices, or simply trying to avoid system slowdowns, the Process Server helps make all of this—and more—automated and reliable.

What is the Process Server?

The Process Server is Vantagepoint’s behind-the-scenes workhorse. It handles processing jobs that involve large amounts of data or time-intensive operations, sending them to the application server where they run in the background. This frees up users to continue working in Vantagepoint without interruption.

And thanks to its multi-threaded design, the Process Server can run multiple jobs simultaneously—so even when your firm is juggling numerous tasks, performance doesn’t take a hit.

Why It Matters: Automating the Maintenance Grind

System maintenance doesn’t have to be tedious. With the Process Server, many of those recurring tasks can be automated, scheduled, and prioritized, eliminating the need to manually initiate jobs like:

• Large report generation
• Revenue recognition and batch posting
• Overhead allocation
• Billing cycles and approvals
• Daily system clean-up tasks

You can schedule these jobs to run during off-hours—overnight or on weekends—minimizing system impact and maximizing productivity during your business day.

Your Tune-Up Toolkit: Key Queues to Know

The Process Server organizes its work through queues—each with a specific focus. Here’s how to put those queues to work for regular system upkeep:

1. Accounting Queue
Used for batch and interactive billing jobs—perfect for scheduling those large invoicing runs during non-peak hours.

2. Alert Queue
Handles alerts like timesheet reminders, budget milestone alerts, credit card activity alerts, and more. If users aren’t getting timely notifications, this queue is your starting point.

3. Approval Queue
Manages all approval processes, including timesheets, expenses, AP, and invoice approvals. This keeps your business moving without bottlenecks.

4. Exports and Integrations Queues
Essential for syncing data with third-party systems. Schedule your data refreshes or exports without ever logging in at midnight again.

5. Maintenance Queue
This is where the real cleanup magic happens. Jobs here include:

• Recreating audit triggers
• Deleting old archived reports
• Removing expired billing files
• Clearing outdated audit trails and email logs
• Eliminating orphaned sessions or notifications

Think of it as your ERP’s nightly cleaning crew.

Fine-Tuning with Queue Manager

The Queue Manager gives you full control of what’s happening in the Process Server. You can:

• View job statuses
• Filter by queue type
• Troubleshoot failed jobs
• Cancel, resubmit, or hold jobs
• Reset all system jobs if maintenance or alert jobs stop firing

That last point is a hidden gem: If alerts or system cleanups suddenly stop working, just hit the “Reset All System Jobs” button. It’s a simple fix that can save you hours of head-scratching.

Custom Queues & Priority Settings

Have a specific process you want to isolate? You can create custom queues—say, one just for reporting or a unique workflow specific to your firm. You can also assign queues to specific application servers to balance the load.

And don’t forget priority settings. You can assign priorities to queues (with 0 being the highest) and then control access by user role. For example, you might restrict high-priority queues to your accounting team, so project managers submitting large jobs don’t inadvertently delay time-sensitive billing processes.

Configurations That Keep Things Running Smoothly

You’ll find all of this under Settings > General > Process Servers in Vantagepoint. Here, you can:

• Set the number of days to retain job history and error logs
• Add additional process servers (for large firms)
• Monitor server usage and queue performance
• Create and manage custom queues
• Adjust the max concurrent jobs per queue

Just be mindful: keeping too much job history can clutter your database, so the recommended retention is no more than 90 days.

Smarter Maintenance = Less Stress

If you’ve ever stayed late to run reports or woke up wondering whether a critical workflow went through, the Process Server is here to rescue your peace of mind. Automating regular system tasks keeps your Vantagepoint environment clean, fast, and functional—so your team can focus on strategy, not spreadsheets.

Ready to give your ERP a tune-up?

Start by exploring your Process Server settings, reviewing your queues, and identifying what tasks can be automated. And if you want to see all this in action, be sure to check out our on-demand mini-demo linked below for a walkthrough of key features and best practices.

🚀 Smarter system. Less stress. Powered by Process Server.