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Introducing the HubSpot Connector for Vantagepoint: Marketing Automation Without the Mayhem

Posted by Wesley Witsken on June 05, 2025

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You know what’s not fun?

Exporting contact lists. Cleaning spreadsheets. Re-uploading them into another platform. Then wondering if your campaign results will ever make it back to your CRM.

You know what is fun?

Clicking one button—and watching your marketing list fly from Deltek Vantagepoint to HubSpot like a data-driven superhero.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our Blackbox Connector for HubSpot + Vantagepoint, and it’s about to make your marketing life a whole lot easier.

Whether you’re trying to reach past clients, follow up with new leads after a conference, or just want to run a quick A/B test—this integration takes the chaos out of syncing your marketing efforts and puts everything right where it belongs: in one clean, closed-loop system.

Here’s What You Can Do With the HubSpot Connector

With just a few clicks, you can:

✔️ Build a segmented list in Vantagepoint
✔️ Push it into HubSpot instantly—no spreadsheets required
✔️ Send an email campaign using HubSpot’s tools
✔️ Pull performance data (opens, clicks, bounces, unsubscribes) right back into Vantagepoint

It’s fast. It’s seamless. And it means no more awkward handoffs between marketing, BD, and project teams. Everyone gets access to campaign insights—right inside the system they’re already using.

Let’s Paint the Picture…

You’ve just wrapped up a major healthcare architecture conference. You’ve met new contacts. Reconnected with past clients. And now you want to follow up with a tailored email about your firm’s healthcare expertise.

Before, that probably meant asking someone to export a list from Vantagepoint, emailing it to marketing, uploading it into HubSpot, then trying to remember to send performance results back later. (Yikes.)

Now? You create a new Marketing Campaign in Vantagepoint. Tag your contacts with “Healthcare Conference.” Push the list straight into HubSpot. Launch your email. Then click a button to have opens, clicks, and engagement metrics flow back into Vantagepoint like magic.

Even better—those results show up not only on the campaign, but also on each individual contact record. So your project managers and principals? They’ll finally know which of their contacts are actually engaging with marketing. (And that’s a win for everyone.)

How It Works (In 3 Simple Steps)

Step 1: Build Your List in Vantagepoint

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Start in the Marketing Campaigns Hub. Build your contact list based on whatever filters matter—recent project involvement, industry tags, or events attended. You can even use custom fields that you created with Screen Designer.

Make sure your contacts have email addresses, and that you’ve enabled the BBMIQ integration for that campaign.

 

Step 2: Push It to HubSpot

Hop over to the BBMIQ Email tab, where you’ll select a static contact list from your HubSpot account. Then—drumroll, please—click Send Contacts to HubSpot.

Just like that, your Vantagepoint contact list appears in HubSpot, ready for your next email campaign.

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Step 3: Pull Results Back In

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Once your email is sent and the results start rolling in, return to the same BBMIQ Email tab in Vantagepoint.

Add the outbound email to the campaign, hit Get Email Response from HubSpot, then click Generate Statistics.

Boom. Now you’ve got:

  • Total sends
  • Opens
  • Clicks
  • Bounces
  • Unsubscribes

…all right there in Vantagepoint—no digging, no guessing, no data delays.

Why This Matters (Especially for Non-Marketers)

Let’s say your technical staff doesn’t live in the Marketing Campaigns hub (no surprise there). But they do care about which contacts are engaged when they’re prepping for a meeting or writing a proposal.

With the Marketing IQ tab on the contact record, they can now see marketing email engagement at a glance—what was sent, when, and how that contact responded. That’s powerful intel to help guide business development conversations and deepen client relationships.

No more guessing who’s warm, who’s cold, or who unsubscribed three months ago. It’s all there, in context, inside the system your whole team already uses.

Close the Loop. Open New Possibilities.

When your marketing data lives in silos, everything gets harder—planning campaigns, tracking performance, reporting on ROI. But when your CRM and email platform talk to each other? Magic happens.

The HubSpot Connector for Vantagepoint delivers:

✨ Smarter list building
✨ Streamlined campaign execution
✨ Data-driven marketing insights
✨ And zero spreadsheet wrangling

This is more than a sync. It’s a strategic bridge between marketing and the rest of your firm.

Hear It Straight From the Source

Want to see how this connector performs in the real world?

Join us for our upcoming webinar with HR Green, where their CRM Database Manager shares:

✔️ Why their team needed a better way to connect Vantagepoint and HubSpot
✔️ What the deployment process looked like with our Blackbox Connector
✔️ The results and ROI they’ve seen since implementation

You’ll walk away with actionable insights—and maybe a little marketing envy. 😉

Click below to see how Full Sail Partners is helping firms like HR Green turn disconnected systems into seamless marketing engines.

Because great marketing doesn’t happen in isolation—and now, neither does your data.

Dashboard Showdown: Vantagepoint vs Informer – Which One Wins for You?

Posted by Wesley Witsken on May 22, 2025

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🎯 Dashboards. They’re everywhere. And if you’re using Deltek Vantagepoint, you’ve probably built a few. Maybe even lived in a few. But what happens when you hit that moment where you say, “I wish this dashboard could just…” and it can’t?

Let’s break down the differences between Vantagepoint dashboards and Informer dashboards – and help you figure out which one deserves the spotlight in your firm’s data story.

Dashboards in Vantagepoint: The Reliable Workhorse 🐎

Let’s give credit where it’s due. Vantagepoint dashboards are like that dependable project manager who shows up on time, sticks to the script, and gets the job done without drama.

Here’s where they shine:

  • They live inside Vantagepoint – no switching tools or logging in somewhere else.
  • They update automatically with the most current data.
  • They’re great for answering simple, common questions like “How many hours did we bill last week?” or “What’s in our pipeline?”
  • They highlight the data you already care about – and calculated fields give you some customization wiggle room.

But…

They’re also bound by the rules Deltek has built in. If your business needs go beyond “basic,” you may quickly find the guardrails a little too tight.

Limitations include:

  • No joining data across multiple hubs or tables 
  • No SELECT statements inside calculated fields 
  • No calculating values across dashparts (so pulling a KPI into a separate dashpart? Not gonna happen) 

So what if your data needs are more “build your own adventure” than “color by numbers”?

Enter Informer + Blackbox Connector: The Custom Data Dream Team 💥

For those who like their data deep, layered, and tailored to their unique business structure—Informer paired with our Blackbox Connector is where the magic happens.

Why Informer?

  • It lets you go wild with custom dashboards: charts, pivot tables, and other charts that pull from multiple reports or data sources.
  • It’s perfect for firms that want to track very specific performance metrics or roll up data in ways Vantagepoint dashboards can’t handle.
  • It answers the deeper questions like:
    “What exactly are we holding our people accountable for?”
    “How does our performance vary by org structure?”
    “What data do our decision-makers need?”

And here’s where it gets even better…

🚀 Our Blackbox Connector for Informer comes with 5 ready-to-use dashboards designed specifically for project-based firms like yours. That means:

  • Faster implementation
  • Less time spent building from scratch
  • Immediate insights into project performance, financials, CRM activity, and more

And because the Connector automates the flow of data from Vantagepoint to Informer, you can stop worrying about manual exports or data delays. It just works. 🙌

So… which one should you use?

Great question. Here's a quick cheat sheet:

Feature
Vantagepoint Dashboards
Informer Dashboards
Data Freshness Real-time, in-VP Refreshed via Connector
Simplicity ✅ Easy to use ❌ Steeper learning curve
Customization ❌ Limited ✅ Highly customizable
Multiple Hubs/Tables ❌ Not supported yet ✅ Fully supported
Visual Options Basic charts, KPI’s, Tables, Drilldowns Advanced charts, pivots, and more
Setup Fast and out-of-the-box Faster with 5 pre-built dashboards from Blackbox Connector

In a nutshell:

Use Vantagepoint Dashboards when you need quick glances at simple, report-based data.

Use Informer when you need to dive deep, customize everything, and make smarter decisions with more context—especially if you want to start strong with our pre-built dashboards.

Ready to level up your data game?

Whether you want to supercharge your dashboards or finally get the insights your leadership team has been begging for, we’ve got your back.

Don’t just take our word for it—watch our on-demand webinar linked below and see how Informer dashboards (powered by our Blackbox Connector) bring your Vantagepoint data to life. From pre-built dashboards to custom deep dives, you’ll get a firsthand look at what’s possible.

Reliable AI is the Secret Sauce to Supercharging Vantagepoint

Posted by Jake Lucas on May 08, 2025

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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.

Understanding Project Budgets in Deltek Vantagepoint

Posted by Matt McCauley on May 01, 2025

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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!

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Solve Common Problems with Deltek Vantagepoint AP Voucher Lookup

Posted by Rhiannon Schaumburg on April 24, 2025

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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.

Voucher Lookup_01

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!

      Voucher Lookup_02
  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.

Voucher Lookup_03

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.

 

Thinking About a Data Migration? Read This First

Posted by Jennifer Stevland on April 17, 2025

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Upgrading your ERP or CRM system sounds exciting—until you realize it means moving years (or decades) worth of data from one system to another. Suddenly, all those duplicate records, inconsistent formatting, and half-filled fields come back to haunt you.

Whether you’re planning a system upgrade, consolidating platforms after a merger, or just trying to clean house, data migration is where the rubber meets the road. Do it well, and your implementation hums along. Do it poorly, and…well, let’s just say your team won’t forget it.

At Full Sail Partners, we’ve seen it all—from DIY import headaches to flawless full-scripted migrations—and we’re here to share what we’ve learned.

Data Migration Is More Than a Technical Task

Sure, it’s about moving data. But it's also about protecting your firm’s history, ensuring accuracy, and setting up your new system for success.

Here's the big misconception: “We’ll just export our data and import it into the new system.” If only it were that simple.

A true data migration often involves:

  • Reorganizing the data structure to fit the new system
  • Mapping fields across platforms
  • Cleaning up outdated or duplicate records
  • Testing and reconciling the migrated data
  • Aligning the migration with business goals and workflows

When done right, your team barely notices the transition. When done wrong? Expect confusion, downtime, and a lot of cleanup.

Understanding Your Migration Options

Not all migrations are created equal. Depending on your starting point and end goal, your approach might include:

  • Upgrades – Like going from Deltek Vision to Vantagepoint. These often use automation to move data and retain familiar functionality, but still need careful planning.
  • Imports – Manual or semi-automated data loading, usually from Excel or other flat files. Budget-friendly but often incomplete without extensive prep work.
  • Scripted Migrations – Highly tailored solutions that extract, transform, and load data from any system—great for complex setups or non-Deltek origins.
  • Merges – Bringing together multiple Vantagepoint databases. These retain most functionality but require both systems to be on the same version.

Choosing the wrong type of migration—or assuming one size fits all—can derail your timeline and budget. That’s why we always recommend starting with a discovery conversation.

Why Hiring an Expert Matters

Let’s be honest—migrations are messy. Between incompatible fields, third-party integrations, and evolving business processes, it’s easy to miss something critical.

A data migration expert can:

  • Spot potential issues before they snowball
  • Customize your migration plan for your firm’s needs
  • Ensure your data is clean, accurate, and usable from day one
  • Save your team from spending hours (or weeks) cleaning up after the fact

Plus, our team at Full Sail Partners doesn’t just move data—we help you understand it. That way, you’re not just changing systems; you’re improving how you work.

Learn More in Our Upcoming Webinar

If your firm is considering an upgrade, preparing for a merger, or simply wants to clean up and consolidate your data, you’ll want to catch our next webinar:

  • 🖥️ Upgrades, Imports & Mergers—Oh My! Navigating Data Migrations with Confidence
  • 🎤 Presented by: Jennifer Stevland, Principal Data Solutions Consultant
  • 📍 Register here

We’ll walk through the four main types of data migrations, share best practices, and explain how to make the process as painless as possible. Bring your questions!

 

Using the Process Server for an Efficient Vantagepoint Tune-Up

Posted by Heath Harris on April 03, 2025

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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.

 

The Future of Deltek Vantagepoint Integrations: What You Need to Know About the Move to Webhooks

Posted by Peter Nuffer on April 01, 2025

Big changes are coming to Deltek Vantagepoint’s integration capabilities—but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! If you rely on integrations using Deltek’s SOAP-based web services, it’s time to prepare for a transition to modern webhook and REST-based integrations.

What’s Changing?

Deltek has officially announced that its SOAP-based web service functionality will be deprecated by 2026. That means firms using these older integration methods will need to switch to webhooks and REST-based APIs to maintain seamless data flow and automation.

Why This Matters

For firms using integrations with Deltek Vantagepoint, this transition ensures:

  • Improved Security – Webhooks provide a more secure way to transfer data.
  • Faster Data Syncing – Say goodbye to delays—webhooks push updates in real time!
  • Better Scalability – As your firm grows, webhooks make integrations more efficient and flexible.

How Full Sail Partners is Handling the Transition

We anticipated this change and have been proactively working on a seamless migration plan for all Blackbox Connector users. Here’s what to expect:

  • Update Script Deployment – We’ll provide a script to enable webhook functionality in your Deltek system.
  • Plenty of Time to Transition – The script will roll out in Q2/Q3 2025, ensuring ample time for testing and implementation.
  • Hands-On Support – Our team will guide you through the process, ensuring that your integrations continue running smoothly.

What You Need to Do

Right now? Nothing! We’ll take care of the transition and provide detailed instructions as we approach the rollout.

If you have any questions about how this affects your firm, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at [support@fullsailpartners.com].

Looking Ahead

The shift to webhooks is a step forward in modernizing integrations, and we’re excited about the benefits it will bring to your business. Full Sail Partners is here to make sure your workflows remain efficient, reliable, and future-proof.

Stay tuned for more updates, and rest easy knowing your integrations are in good hands!

 

The Ultimate Vantagepoint Efficiency Toolkit: 15 Features You’re Probably Not Using—But Should Be

Posted by Lisa Ahearn on March 27, 2025

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Ever feel like your Deltek Vantagepoint system could be working harder for you?

If you're like most project-based firms, you're juggling tasks, chasing down data, and performing the same manual steps day after day. Sound familiar? Then it’s time to march into efficiency with a toolkit designed to streamline your workflow and automate the time-sucking tasks that drain your day.

Enter: 15 must-know Vantagepoint features that will help you reclaim your time and elevate your day-to-day operations.

Want to see these features in action plus get bonus features not listed here? Check out Lisa Ahearn's on-demand webinar here.

Everyday Time-Savers

1. Open in New Window
Toggle between records and dashboards without losing your place. Right-click menu items or blue hyperlinks to open them in a new tab without losing your place. It’s a simple tweak that can make a big difference. This one small trick can make a big difference when multitasking.

2. Grid View Customization + Saved Views
If records are displayed in a list view, users can save the columns selected in the view and then apply those settings in the future. This may not seem like a big deal but is just one of the small, but mighty ways Deltek is improving user efficiency in Vantagepoint.

Click the gear icon to customize columns, then save your grid views for fast filtering. Bonus: Share them with your team. Watch a mini-demo of this feature here.

3. Keyboard Shortcuts
Use Alt + K to reveal powerful shortcuts for inserting rows, checking boxes, or navigating dropdowns. Once you try them, you'll never go back.

03-27-25 screenshot 01

Click-Less Cleanups

4. Bulk Updates
Change multiple records at once—like updating project stages or contact info. It’s like magic for data cleanup.

With Bulk Update, you’ll be able to update multiple fields across numerous records simultaneously—saving time and headaches! This feature’s user-friendly interface makes bulk editing intuitive, even if you’re not a tech guru. Plus, you’ll enjoy peace of mind with built-in error handling, allowing you to quickly resolve any records that can’t be saved right away. And for added control, administrators can decide who has access, thanks to role-based permissions.

See the bulk update feature in action here.

5. Auto-Populate Timesheets with Holidays & Absences
Reduce timesheet errors and save time with auto-filled entries for PTO and holidays (once approved).

6. Timesheet Assist Reminders
Friendly pop-ups remind users to complete timesheets and suggest projects to charge time to. Timesheet assist provides users with reminders and suggestions based on past projects or active assignments. It allows users to quickly add suggestions to their timesheets, with full control over project selection. And, it offers flexible settings, including options to select Time Groups and reminders days before timesheet deadlines.

Discover how this feature helps ensure more accurate timekeeping to streamline your firm's business processes in this mini-demo.

03-27-25 Screenshot 02

Automation & Smart Tools

7. Opt-In Features
Get early access to new features before they become standard. A great way to test drive efficiency-enhancing tools.

8. Dela (AI Assistant)
Need to find a record, create a contact, or log an activity? Just ask Dela. This AI-powered companion honors your security settings and keeps getting smarter.

9. Smart Summaries for Projects and Firms
Summarize project and firm data quickly, without running a report. Perfect for execs who want insights fast.

03-27-25 Screenshot 03_projsummary2

Data Visibility & Dashboards

10. Dashparts
Dashparts provide a flexible way to visualize your data right from the dashboard.

You can use funnel chart types to track your pipeline, making it easier to see which opportunities are moving through your business development process.

There are organizational-level options available for both the project and project detail bases, giving users deeper insights depending on how they need to view their data. You can also display the average collection period by project and group it by client to better understand payment trends.

Forecasted accounts receivable collections can be visualized to help with cash flow planning. Additionally, the AP Detail base allows you to review voucher information with ease, bringing even more transparency to your financial data.

11. Employee Capacity Visibility
See how reassigning hours impacts staff availability. You can see employee availability directly from the employee card in the plan. No more guesswork.

12. Auto-Populate Time Off in Project Plans
Approved absences flow directly into your resource plan. Deleted requests are removed too.

Search Like a Pro

13. Multi-Value Search Operators
Search for multiple values using “contains” or “=”. Great for filtering specific project types or client groups.

14. GL Account Review
Search transactions across accounts and periods, then export data with or without preview. Super handy during audits.

15. Activities Grid Improvements
Multiselect contacts or employees, view notes directly in the grid, and more. A big win for CRM users.

03-27-25 Screenshot 04

So, What Will You Automate First?

Imagine logging into Vantagepoint and seeing exactly what you need—timesheets filled out, dashboards prepped, project data updated—all before your second cup of coffee.

This isn’t just a dream. With the right features, it’s your new reality.

📅 BONUS: Watch Lisa Ahearn’s on-demand webinar to see these features in action—plus even more Vantagepoint tips to boost your efficiency. Watch today by clicking the image below.

March into efficiency. Your streamlined workday awaits.

 

 

Deltek Vantagepoint’s Versatile Billing System: Streamlined Invoicing Solutions

Posted by Cynthia Fuoco on March 20, 2025

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Managing project billing efficiently is a crucial aspect of financial operations for project-based firms. Deltek Vantagepoint offers a highly adaptable billing system that allows firms to generate various billing formats for clients—without needing to create multiple invoice templates. This is made possible through Vantagepoint’s Project Billing Terms, which seamlessly integrate different billing types, including Fixed Fee, Percentage of Completion, Hourly, Consultant, and Expense billing, all within a single invoice.

The Challenge of Mixed Billing

While this flexibility is a major advantage, it does present a challenge: invoices can become lengthy and complex, with separate sections for each billing type. For example, while Fixed Fee billing phases can be consolidated into a single block, Time and Materials (T&M) phases must be displayed separately. This can result in multi-page invoices that are cumbersome for both firms and their clients to review.

How Full Sail Partners’ Custom Solutions Enhance Deltek Vantagepoint’s Invoicing

To address this challenge, the custom solutions team at Full Sail Partners has developed an innovative invoice format that consolidates all Fee, Time, Consultant, and Expense billing into a single, streamlined block. This enhancement can be applied to any existing Vantagepoint Invoice Template, significantly improving efficiency and readability.

Key Features of the Vantagepoint Summary Block Invoicing

An example of this custom invoice format is:

03-20 Screenshot

Phases and Budgeting

  • Hourly billing phases, such as Pre-Design and Schematic Design, are presented with a budget limit.
  • Billable time for these phases is displayed in the Job-to-Date (JTD) Billed column, with the percentage complete automatically calculated by dividing JTD Billed by the Budget. /li>

Flexible Display Options

  • A new feature allows users to show or hide the Fee Remaining Column based on preference.
  • Design Development phases can be billed hourly without a budget limit, reflecting actual billable time in the JTD Billed column.

Percentage of Completion Billing

  • Phases such as Bidding and Negotiation utilize the Percentage Complete method, with values entered in the Fee tab of Billing Terms.
  • JTD Billed values follow standard Percentage Complete billing practices, ensuring accuracy.

Reimbursable Expenses Tracking

  • Actual charges for reimbursable expenses are displayed with a budget limit, and JTD Billed values are presented similarly to labor phases.
  • This feature includes the ability to calculate the percentage complete in relation to the budget, ensuring transparent and accurate expense tracking.

Transforming Invoicing Efficiency

By implementing this new invoice format, firms can significantly reduce the length of their invoices. Previously, invoices could span anywhere from two to five pages, making them cumbersome for both accounting teams and clients to process. Now, with the streamlined design, invoices can be condensed into a single-page summary, making it easier for clients to review and approve payments.

Additionally, firms can opt to include a Billing Backup as part of their billing terms, which provides detailed time and materials phase breakdowns as needed. This ensures that while invoices remain concise, additional supporting details can still be provided for transparency.

Enhanced Customization for Tailored Invoices

Another significant benefit of this invoice format is the enhanced customization options. The system allows Fee and Labor Phases to be presented in a summarized block format, while Consultant and Reimbursable Expense charges can still be displayed separately. This flexibility is made possible through custom fields in the Projects Hub, enabling firms to choose which charges to consolidate and whether to display the “Remaining” column.

With these customizations, firms gain the ability to tailor their invoicing process to meet the specific needs of their clients while maintaining a standardized approach to billing.

Why Choose Full Sail Partners’ Custom Invoice Solution?

Deltek Vantagepoint already provides a robust billing system, but Full Sail Partners’ custom invoicing solution takes it to the next level by improving efficiency, clarity, and usability. Whether your firm struggles with lengthy invoices, complex mixed billing scenarios, or the need for better customization, this solution offers a streamlined approach to invoicing that benefits both internal teams and clients.

Get Started with a Custom Invoicing Solution Today

If your firm is looking for a more efficient way to manage invoicing in Deltek Vantagepoint, our custom solutions team at Full Sail Partners is here to help. We have successfully implemented this streamlined invoicing format for multiple clients, helping them improve accuracy, reduce administrative burden, and enhance the client billing experience.

Interested in learning more? Click below to provide us your specific needs so we can help you optimize your invoicing process with Deltek Vantagepoint!

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