Project Variations

A project variation occurs where there is a change required to the scope of work originally specified in the accepted quote. Usually a variation requires a quote to authorize the additional work, to quote a project variation follow these steps:

• Quoting project variations in WorkGuru

If a quote is not required, there are two options available to handle variations in WorkGuru. Which is the most suitable depends on specific workflow considerations:

• Edit the Original Project
• Grouped Variation Project

Edit the Original Project

Edit the project and update or add the variation line items as required. You can pre-setup specific variation tasks or products, or update existing line names/descriptions and/or utilize variation specific project phases to differentiate the variation lines from the original project. If you need to print a "quote" for the client, you can customize a project document template to display as a quote, with the quote number being the project number. Note: This is not an actual quote, you are just replicating one - it cannot be 'accepted'. If the client accepts the variation, you just need to start adding actuals to the new variation lines added to the project.

The variation lines can then be invoiced either separately or part of planned project invoicing if they are marked billable.

PROS:

• Simple and bests suits the small addition or changes of line items to small and medium sized projects.
• Supports the project's full invoicing functionality.

CONS:

• Increases complexity of original project
• No formal quote acceptance. Have to use project or invoice templates to print the variation lines as a quote.

Grouped Variation Project

Using WorkGuru's project grouping functionality, you can quote and manage variations separate to the original project while having visibility of their impact on the overall project profitability. Create a project group that includes the original project.   Create a new quote or project and populate with the variation line items, ensuring that you assign to the newly created project group. The variation quote can be managed via Quotes tab on the project group detail page.

Once the variation quote has been accepted, it can then be managed from the Current Projects tab. The variation's impact on the original project's profitability is displayed in the project group's actual vs forecast profit and project widgets and reports.

You can invoice across multiple projects using project group invoicing, however this will be workflow dependent as the invoicing options and templates are different to invoicing within the individual projects.

PROS:

• Formal quote to project acceptance workflow. Usually required if client issues a separate PO for the variation than the original quote.
• Keeps original project un-modified.
• Additional management visibility, especially with multiple variations in either quote or project phase.

CONS:

• Project group invoicing options differ from project invoicing.