Full Sail Partners Blog | Project Based Firms

Deltek ProjectCon 2025 is right around the corner. As the big event we all look forward to each year, Deltek’s conference offers three days of fun, networking, and of course, learning. Thousands of Deltek users come together for the opportunity to participate in hundreds of educational sessions covering a large range of topics. Are you ready to maximize your use of Deltek Vantagepoint?

This year, Deltek ProjectCon will be held in Denver at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center from November 10-12, 2025. As a Silver Sponsor, Full Sail Partners will have a kiosk booth where attendees can stop by to meet up with our crew and talk about the exciting things happening in the world of Vantagepoint.

Elevate Your CRM Strategy with our Expert

Wesley Witsken, Senior CRM Consultant with Full Sail Partners will be showcasing the possibilities of Vantagepoint CRM at his session [VPSPON-01] Elevate Your CRM Strategy: Dashboards, Connectors & AI Innovations in Vantagepoint.

If you are curious about how far you can take Vantagepoint CRM, you will enjoy this learning experience. Wesley will be exploring advanced dashboards and demonstrating how to manage IDIQ and Master Agreements with a custom hub and automate marketing using the HubSpot Connector. Moreover, you will see how AI is changing the game with our InDesign-to-Vantagepoint assistant for faster implementations. Full Sail Partners strives to create innovative solutions for our clients and is thrilled to have Wesley present this year.

Get Pumped for Even More Learning from Your Peers

Interested in more educational opportunities at Deltek ProjectCon 2025? Two of Full Sail Partners’ clients will also be presenting. Cameron Hoffman, Deltek Vantagepoint Administrator, with LSA Associates and Kelly Duquette, Director of ERP Systems, with DCCM will share their expert insight with attendees. There is so much to learn about the capabilities of Deltek Vantagepoint and how your firm can benefit.

Cameron Hoffman, with LSA Associates, will be offering [VP-58] Extend Vantagepoint's Functionality: Unlock the Power of the Vantagepoint API. This hands-on session is designed for developers and technical stakeholders. Here you will learn to unlock the full potential of the Vantagepoint API. Cameron will be exploring the API’s core capabilities, best practices, and real-world use cases. He will show you how to extend Vantagepoint’s functionality, streamline data exchange, and build smarter, more connected solutions that support your organization’s workflows.

Kelly Duquette, with DCCM, will be addressing Multi-Company challenges in her session, [VP-43] Dashboards That Deliver: Transform Your Multi-Company Firm with Vantagepoint Dashboards. If you are tired of repeated report requests from project managers, supervisors, or corporate teams, here you can learn how one multi-company firm used Vantagepoint dashboards to give users instant access to project and employee data with no report running or pushing required. In this session, Kelly will cover the firm’s initial deployment challenges, why they pivoted their approach, and how their dashboard strategy evolved to meet diverse user needs.

And, if you are looking for even more interesting learning experiences at Deltek ProjectCon 2025, plan to attend these additional sessions. Gail Maldonado, CRM Database Manager, with HR Green, Inc. and Stacey Ho, Lead Operations Data Manager with Delve Underground are both experts in their fields. Full Sail Partners has had the pleasure of working with these fabulous Deltek firms and these sessions would be worth your time.

In her session, [VP-12] Drive Action: How to Create Meaningful Dashboards to Support Better Decision-Making, Gail Maldonado, with HR Green, will show attendees how to create dashboards that drive action. She will explain how Vantagepoint dashboards clarify business development (BD) by highlighting key metrics like pursuit workload, win/loss rates, and proposal deadlines. As a Vantagepoint customer, she will show you real examples of how dashboards support decisions and empower BD, marketing, and leadership teams. Moreover, Gail will also demonstrate practical tools, filtering, conditional formatting, calculated fields, and trending, to help you build dashboards that deliver measurable impact.

Stacey Ho, with Delve Underground, is presenting [VP-16] High Five! Five Days to Marketing Success with Vantagepoint. It is difficult to carve out time to manage data when you are juggling priorities, but if you are still using marked-up spreadsheets or manual forms, this session is a must. Stacey will give you five practical tips, one for each day of the workweek, to help Vantagepoint work harder for your marketing team. From campaigns to workflows to feedback, you will learn how to track progress, set reminders, update in real time, and measure results to share with your team.

Keep the Energy Moving at Deltek ProjectCon 2025

With a packed agenda, Deltek ProjectCon 2025 is designed to help clients maximize their use of their Deltek solutions. Users of Vantagepoint will glean their share of knowledge from the multitude of learning sessions by experts and networking with peers. There will be plenty of opportunities to hear case stories of how leading firms have won and delivered successful projects while boosting revenue and productivity.

Alongside all the learning and networking, there is still room for fun too. Don’t forget to stop by the Full Sail Partners’ kiosk booth. We will be past the Pro Services area back by the Modern Lounge in kiosk 23A. Our crew looks forward to speaking with you about Deltek Vantagepoint and you never know what we have up our sleeves. Also, Deltek will be closing out ProjectCon 2025 in true Colorado style, with a night at the National Western Complex. There will be a western-themed welcome and a taste of local cuisine, followed by an exclusive rodeo.

So, ready to pack your bags? We are! See you at ProjectCon 2025 in Denver!

When it comes to managing projects, the details matter—and that’s exactly where Deltek Vantagepoint Planning shines. With the right setup, you can configure, streamline, and forecast with confidence. If your firm has Resource Planning licensing, you’ll unlock even more advanced tools to make sure your team has control over project data, your way. Whether you’re already knee-deep in Vantagepoint or just starting to explore, here’s a breakdown of what’s possible.

Smarter Configuration Options

Fine-tune Job-to-Date Calculations
By default, Vantagepoint calculates Job-to-Date through today. But if your team isn’t logging time daily, this can create some surprises. The quick fix? Adjust the basis to yesterday or even last week’s end for a truer snapshot.

Plan Expenses Like Labor
Consultants and expenses don’t always fit neatly into the labor box. Now, you can plan them on a calendar period basis—giving you the same level of detail and making the Project Planning Performance report far more useful.

Don’t Forget Units
Projects aren’t just hours and expenses. If you’re billing in units, plan for them too. Vantagepoint lets you allocate units by period, automatically rolling up costs and billing values so nothing slips through the cracks.

Utility Features That Save Time

Faster Load Times
Got monster plans with years of data? No problem. Recent updates to Deltek’ s engine significantly improve the load time of large and complex plans. Now, large plans load quickly when accessed. Plans containing multiple years of resources and hours of data such as Vacation or Multi-Discipline projects are now accessible.

Absence Auto-Entry
Approved absences can now flow directly into plans—no more manual entry or missed updates. That means better accuracy and less administrative busywork.

In-Plan Power Tools

Schedule Management That Works:

• Schedule Dependencies: The most common change to plans is date changes. Where the Schedule Dependencies feature is in use, a simple date change can cascade down to all successor rows. Advanced users can leverage unconventional relationships between plan levels or Lead and Lag days to keep the schedule aligned. Hours allocated to resources will change automatically with the movement of dates.
• Flexible Durations: Tell Vantagepoint how many days, weeks, or months a task should take, and it converts that into working days and sets the end date for you.

Critical Path Visibility

See which tasks absolutely can’t slip without impacting the entire project.

The critical path is the sequence of tasks or phases that cannot be delayed without affecting the completion date of the entire project. If any of those items slip, that would cause a risk to the project schedule.

Toggle on the Critical Path, and Vantagepoint highlights the risky ones in red.

Distribute Hours Efficiently

When schedules lengthen and scope changes, it makes sense to reset the project plan for a more realistic view of the forecast vs actuals. Use these features to adjust hours in bulk.

Redistribute Hours Like a Pro

• Change Planned Hours: When scope changes, reset the plan, baseline it, and start fresh.
• Replace or Spread Variance: Clear “trapped” hours from the past and reallocate them forward. Consider using this feature to replace unexhausted hours or push them into specified date ranges.
• Hours Fill: Many firms articulate resource hours as a percentage of an employee’s time. Control how the hours are planned by pinpointing the amount of time a resource should spend in a specific date range rather than spreading evenly over the entire date range.

Decision-Ready Dashparts

My Upcoming Assignments

Empower team members with visibility into their contributions and how they support project success. Communicate in detail by providing access to this dashpart to employees.

Upcoming Employee Availability

Project requirements and staff availability change frequently and rapidly. Finding an available resource has been made even easier with this dashpart. Identify the appropriate team members with availability to respond rapidly to changes in resource needs.

Forecasting Made Easier

Revenue Forecast Tool

Resource allocations are a major part of the story, but for Fee or Milestone based projects, the burn at reporting rates does not always equate to Revenue earned. Use the Revenue Forecast application to chart the monthly revenue expectations. For additional value, use the report in conjunction with Pipeline reporting to show the total picture.

Spread Planned Billing in Forecasts

The burn rates on Time & Material projects generally relate to Revenue earned. Use this optional feature to update the forecast with the most recent planning values and then adjust as needed.

Resource View That Works for You

Filter Smarter

Remove noise from your resource reviews. With ETC filters, you can hide projects and employees that aren’t truly active. Project filters let you zero in by attributes without messing with employee-level details.

Customize the View

Decide whether you want to see hours, percentages, or both—whatever makes it easiest to digest and act on the data.

Utilization & Scheduled View Options

Control the amount of detail needed to efficiently digest information in the Resource View. The Scheduled and Utilization views allow the user to select whether the calculations are presented in Hours, Percentages, or both.

Wrapping It Up

Vantagepoint Planning isn’t just about keeping schedules and hours neat—it’s about putting your firm in control of every moving part. From forecasting revenue to highlighting critical tasks, these tools help you anticipate risks, re-align resources, and deliver projects with fewer surprises.

Pro tip: don’t feel like you have to turn everything on at once. Start with one tweak—maybe adjust Job-to-Date, enable absence integration, or try out a new dashpart. Then build from there. Each small step sharpens visibility, streamlines workflows, and creates more confidence in your plan.

Ready to take control of the details? Dive in and see how Vantagepoint Planning can transform the way your firm plans, predicts, and delivers success.

Is your firm still using spreadsheets to plan your projects? The good news is that you’re not alone. The bad news is that using spreadsheets as an enterprise planning tool is very likely costing you time and money. Spreadsheets, while they are familiar to people and easy to customize, lack the many benefits of an integrated planning system. As I meet with Architecture and Engineering firms, we hear common complaints and challenges about their spreadsheet planning “solutions.”

Do any of these problems sound familiar? If so, this may be the year to retire your spreadsheet in favor of an enterprise resource planning system.

Here are 5 Reasons Why Spreadsheets are Challenging Your Entire Enterprise

1) Multiple Versions of the “Truth” Haunt Staffing Meetings

We find that firms that use spreadsheets to plan staffing assignments tend to end up with multiple versions of the truth. This tends to create havoc during staffing meetings as each manager has their own version of the truth, creating meeting havoc, and leading to errant meetings that lack focus. Say no to meeting havoc and refocus your staffing meetings on adjusting plans and assignments.    

2) Inability to Show Real-time and Accurate Actuals

Spreadsheets are great to start planning a project, but once the project starts evolving, updating the spreadsheet becomes a tedious process that PMs quickly give up on. As the project progresses, spreadsheets struggle to show actual hours and costs spent to date. Even worse, a firm will devote manual hours requiring employees to track this information by hand – rather than investing in an integrated planning system that streamlines this process.

3) Disconnected Month End Processes

During the month end process, spreadsheets create chaos for accounting. The root cause of all this chaos stems from the duplicate and manual labor spawned from disconnected spreadsheets. Firms that use an integrated planning system eliminate the burden of spreadsheets to allow accounting to focus on financial performance, freeing up PMs to focus on project success.  

4) Project Managers and Management at Odds

Project Managers often find themselves at odds with management when it comes to staffing decisions – PMs need new resources; management thinks there is too much overhead. Firms without a way to plan staffing assignments are left with only their best ‘guesstimates’ when it comes time to validate new hires. Successful firms justify new hires by utilizing a single project management system to look at current staffing capacity compared to future assignments.

5) Adjustment Failure

Firms utilizing spreadsheets to identify project profitability goals at the beginning of the project often fail to adjust throughout the project lifecycle. Those that do try to adjust their spreadsheets work with outdated information. This lag in data creates the inability to make real-time decisions about staffing and scheduling that can impact the success of a project. By investing in a project management system connected to financials provides firms the ability to view up-to-date-billing, resource and revenue forecasts.

There is a Better Way with an Integrated Planning System

Imagine if you were able to standardize your planning process across the entire firm. Standardization allows your firm to strengthen communication amongst project managers, accounting and management, providing insight for the firm as a whole. Ready to ditch the spreadsheet? Check out the ways your firm can handle project planning and staffing with Deltek Vantagepoint!

We hear it all the time:

“We just don’t have the time right now.”
“I know we need to upgrade, but I can’t handle learning all the new stuff.”
“They say we should update our processes as part of the upgrade—it's just too overwhelming.”
“The consulting costs sound like more than we can budget for this year.”

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to wait. You don’t have to overhaul everything. And you definitely don’t need to put your upgrade off any longer.

Say hello to our Accelerated Vision to Vantagepoint Upgrade—a focused, 4-week upgrade path built specifically for firms like yours.

Why This Works (Especially When You Think It Won’t)

If your firm is already on Vision 7.6, doesn’t use CRM, and has a relatively simple setup—this is the fastest, least disruptive way to get to Vantagepoint.

Here's how we make it manageable:

• You get a preview environment
• We configure your system to work like your current Vision setup
• You receive targeted training on just what you need to complete your regular processing including project setup, timesheets, and billing
• We don’t ask for your whole team—just a couple of key players
• You get post-live support to help you ease into new features on your timeline
• No big-budget consulting proposal—just a focused, guided experience

How the 4-Week Process Works

This isn’t a traditional long-haul upgrade. It’s an express lane designed for firms who want to get up and running—then explore new features later.

• Before You Begin:
  We hold an Orientation Meeting to assess your readiness, schedule your program, and help you to ensure you have a preview.
• Weeks 1–4:
  Our consultant team sets up your Vantagepoint environment, provides training, and walks you through essential testing.
  • Week 1: We configure your database—security roles, screen designs, timesheet approvals, reports, and more.
  • Week 2: You get hands-on training and begin testing the system.
  • Week 3: We fine-tune roles and reports, set up dashboards, and prep for go-live.
  • Week 4: Go live! We walk through your final checklist and provide Q&A support.
• Go Live:
  Your team transitions with confidence, armed with checklists, meeting support, and everything you need to hit the ground running.
• After Go-Live:
  We don’t disappear. You’ll have scheduled Q&A sessions and a chance to outline what new features you’d like to explore over the next year. We document it and work with your account manager to make it happen.

Why This Approach Is a Game-Changer

The Accelerated Upgrade saves time, reduces cost, and avoids the scope creep that often comes with traditional upgrades. It’s perfect for firms who want to:

• Migrate fast without compromising quality
• Minimize disruption to day-to-day operations
• Focus on learning the essentials now and advanced features later

If you want more later or right away, we've got you covered. 

Don’t Overthink It—Just Get Started

Here’s what this upgrade approach doesn’t require:

• Rewriting every process in your firm
• Training every single employee at once
• A six-month budget for consultants
• Waiting until you have “everything perfect"

Let’s face it—if you’re waiting for the perfect time, it’ll never come. But this Accelerated Path is purpose-built to get you upgraded with minimal lift, and maximum clarity.

The Vantagepoint Preparation Questionnaire – Your First Step

Before you commit to any upgrade path, start with a quick self-assessment.

What is it?

• A tool to evaluate your current Vision setup and readiness
• Pinpoints key areas like cleanup, system configuration, and training needs
• Helps us determine if you’re a fit for the Accelerated track—or another path

Why complete it?

• Identifies potential roadblocks early
• Streamlines your planning process
• Helps us tailor our recommendations to your firm

What happens next?

• Our team reviews your responses
• You get expert guidance on a scheduled consultation
• You walk away with a clear, customized roadmap

👉 Complete your questionnaire today by clicking here or the image below.

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.

Client connectivity is a vital part of business. Firms may not be in business without connecting with their clients and contacts regularly. Whether its executives meeting on strategic efforts, project managers working closely with clients and potential clients, or business developers drumming up strategic partnerships, having relevant information at your fingertips encourages timely communication.

Firms may track client and contact information in a formal CRM software, in spreadsheets, or across many platforms. When there’s no single source of truth, employees at any level can be disconnected and not trust the data that they try to use.

Create a space where CRM data is critical to the business. It actually is critical, but it’s not always perceived that way. It’s never too early to clean up data and start using technology to keep it tidy. So when should data be reviewed?

Spoiler alert: The answer is NOT an annual data review when a firm is preparing a holiday card list.

Assess Your CRM Data and Create a Game Plan

If you or your team are on the journey to clean and reliable data, you first need to identify the integrity of the current data. This will take pulling data from multiple sources, if applicable, and viewing as one dataset. This may include reviewing client and contact lists, running searches and for both datasets, and researching and identifying duplicates or conflicting data.

Depending on the amount of work ahead, the cleanup efforts can be done by one or two people. However, for greater efforts, this is best done with a team. The team doesn’t have to consist of marketing only. Once there’s a game plan, admins or interns can be a part of the solution, too! The list can be divided by sections of the alphabet, or by group at the firm. Giving the team a timeline can help ensure it is completed timely.

Scrub the Data

This cleanup effort can be a moving target. One example is clients moving addresses, or contacts moving companies. LinkedIn and client websites can be great resources when researching the details. You want clean data, but don’t let perfection slow you down. You’re aiming for better data – not perfect data.

Tricks such as V-lookup, bulk update, and sorting by client name are just a few ways to increase efficiency. Making updates in real time shave time off the process as well.

Keep It Clean

Now that there’s been a great effort to get the data into a trust-worthy state, let’s keep it tidy… year-round. There are many ways to streamline the effort of data integrity, especially for Deltek users.

• Monthly dashboard: If you’re a Deltek Vantagepoint user, a monthly dashboard can be created to show you all Firm records created or modified in the last 30 days. A recurring activity can be set as a reminder to review those new and modified records. We often recommend limiting who can create new Firm records to a limited group of people including accounting and marketing departments.
• Scheduled Reports: Frequency is up to you, but consistency is key. Weekly, monthly or quarterly reports can be created, saved, and scheduled to hit select inboxes regularly for another review. The report can also show any data gaps that may need attention. Our clients have been successful in scheduling reports that show new contacts created last week, month, etc. along with key pieces of information included in that report. Key info includes first name, last name, company name, email address, contact owner, and contact record creator. This way a quality check can be done routinely. Also, by adding who created the contact record, if there is missing information, your CRM administrator can reach out to that person to do continual training.
• Contact History Tracking: While we are talking about automation, let’s take it even further. Contacts can move between companies regularly and that can be hard to keep up with. As we know about employment changes, we want to keep the data true. However, the history should be maintained to understand the relationship with a contact. A solution such as a contact history grid can easily help us see when a contact changed companies and who made that change in the database. Reach out to Full Sail Partners with help creating a custom solution for Vantagepoint.
• Market Sync: The Firm hub can capture a company’s market, which can be helpful when segmenting. It’s often helpful to see market on the contact side as well. A quick workflow can help you accomplish this capture seamlessly, pushing the market selection on the Firm record to the contact record as well. This segmentation makes it easier for creating target and mailing lists.

Help Them Help You

Give the staff with the knowledge the power to update. No need to gate keep the data or bottleneck the process. Data integrity can be a team effort moving forward, with some oversight of course.

• Share the Workload: While one group of people may drive the data management, the data is a shared company resource. Train users on your one source of truth and give them to the tools to maintain the integrity of the data. For the Deltek Vantagepoint users, there are some key elements that make data entry and modification easier:
• Vantagepoint CRM mobile app
• Outlook Connect integration
• Make It Easy: Giving guidance on naming conventions, such as legal entity name for the firm record, or full name for contacts along with nicknames and credentials, can decrease the guesswork. Website URLs can be helpful as well. Having a field for an easy click to a LinkedIn profile can be an easy add.

Make Data Trustworthy—Then Make It Work for You

Your firm’s CRM data shouldn’t be something you hope is accurate or something you only touch when it’s time to send out holiday cards. It should be a trusted, go-to resource that empowers everyone—from project managers to executives—to make confident decisions and build stronger client relationships.

Building that trust starts with a cleanup plan, continues with ongoing processes, and thrives when your entire team is equipped to contribute. With tools like dashboards, scheduled reports, and automation in Deltek Vantagepoint, keeping your data clean isn’t just possible—it’s scalable. The goal? A CRM system that’s not just a place to store contact info, but a powerful business asset. And when your team trusts the data, they’ll use it. When they use it, the firm wins. Need help getting there? We’re here for that. Let’s turn your CRM into a system your whole firm can believe in. 💪

If you’ve been hearing the terms “traditional AI” and “generative AI” thrown around like confetti lately but still aren’t quite sure what the difference is—you're not alone. And don’t worry, we’re here to break it down without the robot-speak. 🤖💬 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how we work, analyze data, and make decisions—and the A&E industry is no exception. Whether it’s optimizing project schedules, identifying risks before they become disasters, or simply helping your marketing team write that next proposal (hello, ChatGPT!), AI tools are becoming part of our everyday toolkit. 

But before you plug in and power up, let’s pump the brakes and understand that not all AI is created equal. Specifically, there’s a big difference between Traditional AI (a.k.a. Machine Learning) and the newer kid on the block, Generative AI. 

Let’s explore how each type of AI functions, what problems they solve, and how your firm might benefit from using both. 

Traditional AI: The "What Happened and What Should We Do About it?" Kind of Smart

Traditional AI—often powered by Machine Learning (ML)—is great at looking at your firm’s past to make sense of what might happen in the future.

Describe - What Happened?

Traditional AI thrives on data. It aggregates and mines historical information to tell you what’s already occurred—think time-entry patterns, project budget overruns, or marketing campaign performance.

Predict - What Could Happen?

Using statistical models and algorithms, this kind of AI can forecast outcomes. For example, it might tell you: “Hey, based on the last 20 projects of this type, you're probably going to go over budget by 10%.” Super helpful? Absolutely. Magic? Not quite.

Prescribe - What Should We Do?

This is where traditional AI begins to nudge into decision-making territory. It might recommend a staffing shift, suggest delaying a milestone, or adjust workload distribution to keep your projects on track. It’s not doing the work for you—but it’s definitely acting like that smart friend who always has great advice.

Bottom line: Traditional AI is your data whisperer. It’s about understanding patterns and helping you make smarter decisions based on them.

Generative AI: The “Let’s Create Something New” Powerhouse

Generative AI is like Traditional AI’s artsy cousin who can write, draw, build presentations, and even automate tasks based on what you tell them. It’s creative, dynamic, and frankly, kind of a showoff—but in a good way. 😎

Input - What to Create

With Generative AI, you start with a prompt. “Write a project summary,” “Draft an email to a client,” or “Build a training outline for new hires.” Your input kicks off the magic.

Collect - Synthesize Data

Generative AI taps into massive amounts of data and language models—often including your firm’s own info if integrated correctly—to create highly relevant and customized outputs. The more specific the input and data source, the better the results.

Generate - On Demand Content

This is where the tool really shines. It produces original content—proposals, reports, schedules, even social media captions (wink)—saving you and your team hours of manual work.

Automate - Take Action for the User

Unlike Traditional AI that just offers recommendations, Generative AI can actually do the thing. It can distribute content, send reminders, automate workflows—all based on what you’ve selected or approved. It’s like having an extra team member that never sleeps (but also doesn’t drink your office coffee).

Bottom line: Generative AI is about creation and automation. It’s not just analyzing the past—it’s helping you build the future, faster.

So… What Is Deltek Doing About AI?

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what AI is and how it’s evolving, you might be wondering: “Cool, but how is this actually being used in Deltek Vantagepoint?”

Deltek’s approach to AI isn’t just about chasing trends or flashing shiny new tools. It’s what they call purposeful innovation—applying AI and machine learning in strategic, practical, and real-world-useful ways across the project lifecycle.

Here’s how that shows up in Vantagepoint:

• Task Automation – Think of those annoying, repetitive tasks that eat up your team's time—like updating records, running reports, or tracking hours. Deltek is automating them to free up your staff for more meaningful work.
• Boosting Productivity – AI helps your teams find information faster, so they can make quicker decisions, deliver better projects, and yes—even improve your cash flow.
• Simplifying Workflows – Instead of 6 steps to complete a routine task, AI tools are reducing it to 2 or 3. Less friction = more momentum.
• Reducing Risk – Manual data entry and one-person knowledge silos are risky business. With automation, Deltek removes some of that human error (and the stress that comes with it).
• Enabling Strategic Decision Making – With better insights, cleaner data, and fewer time-consuming tasks, you and your team can focus on what really matters—making smart, strategic moves.

And here's the kicker: just because you can use a trendy new tech doesn’t mean you should. Deltek’s focus is on making their products easier to use, not more complicated.

So, the next time you hear someone talking about flashy AI features from a competitor, just remember: ✨Does it actually make your day easier, your work better, or your firm more profitable?✨

That’s the litmus test. And that’s what Deltek is aiming for.

Smarter Projects Start with Smarter AI

AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a real opportunity to make your teams more productive, your workflows simpler, and your decisions more strategic. Whether it's traditional AI helping you predict what’s coming next or generative AI creating on-demand content to lighten your workload, there’s no denying the impact these tools can have on the AEC industry.

And the best part? You don’t have to figure it out alone.

Deltek is approaching AI with intention—focusing on purposeful innovation that supports your entire project lifecycle, not just flashy features. From automating time-consuming tasks to reducing risk and empowering your teams with better insights, AI is here to help you work smarter, not harder.

🎥 Want to see it in action?

Check out our on-demand webinar: AI Solutions for Vantagepoint: Enabling Next-Level Productivity to explore how these tools are already making a difference for project-based firms like yours.

Let’s turn that AI curiosity into real results. 👇

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Retainers play a crucial role in project-based financial management, especially for firms in the architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting industries. Properly managing these prepayments or overpayments can streamline billing processes and improve month-end reconciliation processes. Deltek Vantagepoint offers powerful tools to handle retainers efficiently. Here's an overview of how retainers can be managed within the system, illustrating key concepts and steps without delving too deeply into the technicalities.

Understanding Retainers

At its core, a retainer is a prepayment made by a client before the commencement of services. It can also include overpayments or duplicate payments. These funds need to be accurately recorded and managed to ensure they are applied to the correct projects so they can be applied appropriately to future invoices or refunded when necessary.

Preparing and Managing Retainer Invoices

In Deltek Vantagepoint, setting up a retainer involves a few strategic steps. It starts with enabling the necessary functions in Billing Settings. This ensures that retainers can be linked correctly and can be invoiced effectively. Additionally, a General Ledger account, typically a liability, should be utilized specifically for retainers.

Recording Retainer Payments

When a client makes a payment towards a retainer, it must be recorded accurately within the system. This involves entering the cash receipt details and linking them to the correct project. Whether it's an overpayment or a prepayment, these funds are added to the retainer bucket by selecting the retainer box. This box is the true link to the retainer feature making the amount available to be applied to future invoices.

Applying Retainers to Future Invoices

One of the key benefits of managing retainers in Deltek Vantagepoint is the ease with which they can be applied to future invoices. When invoicing for services rendered, all or a portion of the retainer can be applied to reduce the amount due. This is done in the “More Calculations” section of Billing Terms, under “Additional Fees.” Like Cash Receipts, when retainers are applied to future invoices, the trick is to select the retainer box in Add-ons and the corresponding General Ledger Account. This step helps maintain a clear and accurate financial record for both the firm and the client.

Refunding Retainers

There are scenarios where a retainer may need to be refunded. Perhaps the project was canceled, or the client overpaid significantly and there are not enough future billings to utilize the full amount. Deltek Vantagepoint allows for this by facilitating the removal of the retainer amount through Cash Receipts, utilizing the retainer check box, and then processing a refund through the accounts payable system. This ensures that all transactions are cleanly recorded, and the client's funds are returned appropriately.

Reporting Retainer Balances

Deltek Vantagepoint has several areas where a project-based firm can manage retainer balances, allowing for easy reconciliation of the retainer general ledger account, as well as a quick review for managers and billers to know how much retainer remains for a project. There is a standard report called “Retainer Ledger” that shows a comprehensive review of all transactions related to a project. Additionally, retainer balances can be shown on Project and AR-related dashparts, reports, or on the Invoices tab in the Project Hub.

Why Partner with Full Sail Partners?

Navigating the complexities of Deltek Vantagepoint, especially when dealing with retainers, requires a thorough understanding of the system and its capabilities. This is where Full Sail Partners can be invaluable. Our team of experts provides personalized consulting services, guiding you through the intricacies of setting up, managing, and optimizing your retainer processes.

By partnering with Full Sail Partners, you can ensure that your financial management practices are streamlined and efficient, allowing you to focus on delivering exceptional services to your clients. Whether you need help with initial setup, ongoing management, or training your team, we are here to support you every step of the way.

Leverage the Full Capabilities of Deltek Vantagepoint

Managing retainers in Deltek Vantagepoint is essential for maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring smooth project execution. While this overview provides a glimpse into the process, the expertise of Full Sail Partners can help you fully leverage the capabilities of Deltek Vantagepoint, ensuring your firm's financial health and client satisfaction.

Reach out to Full Sail Partners today to learn more about how we can assist with your project-based firm’s Deltek Vantagepoint needs, from initial setup to advanced financial management and everything in between. Your success is our priority, and we are here to help you navigate the complexities of project-based financial management with confidence and ease.