Overview:

Cost Categories need to be setup so that cost items can be logically grouped and displayed this way in Workbench Job Enquiry and Workbench Contract Forecast screens.
Additionally to being able to forecast by Cost Categories, this method enables Resource Forecasting, which is optional in the monthly Contract Forecasting. This feature assists forecasting out the details of Labour and Equipment (Plant) requirements to deliver the job.
See Resource Forecast for exact setup steps and guidance.

Setup and Screen Guide:

Follow these steps to in the suggested order to cause minimal disruption to your existing use of Workbench:

• Create Cost Categories:
  Workbench have the most common ones by default.

• Forecast Balance activities:
  Create a new activities for each Cost Category. These activities must be activity type = Forecast Bal
  
  
  

• Set the BOB activities on each Cost Category: 
  Match each Cost Category to its own BOB Activity. These new Activities are used for calculating the balance by Cost Category in the Contract Forecast.
  
  
  
  

• Job Work Centres:
  Set the balance of budget method on each Job Work Centre. This us used to drive the Balance of Budget calculation in the Forecast.
  
  

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• Grid Management: 
  The grid that controls the Forecast screen is called 'Job Contract Forecast'. The Cost Category column is enabled by default. However, Resource Forecast column is not, and needs to be enabled if Resource Forecast in is going to be implemented.

Next Steps:

Optionally, you can configure Resource Forecast to be able to forecast Internal and External people and Internal and External Plant.