APMS Cost Control allows you to create cost reports as a mix between estimates and actuals. This makes cost reports more precise than ever. It also allows you to track spending effects, producer expenses and cashflow.

The logic behind cost control is that you compare the cost of your project against a defined budget. When you create a cost control set the structure of the selected budget is copied.

Hint: If you do not see the Cash Flow and Cost Control module, make sure you activate a PRO Credit by pressing "upgrade" from Project Manager.

In the navigation area on the left you see all cost control sets of the current project (1) and the categories of the currently selected Cost Control (2).

In the edit area you will recognize the accounts and cost items (3).

You can also search for items (4) or use the filter (5) or add a missing account (6).

When an account is selected, the macro area displays the information that was inserted in the linked budget (7).

In difference to the budget there are some new columns:

Budget (1) – the amount from the initital budget

Prevision (2) – the amount currently estimated either by the Global Estimate of the account or its cost items

Paid (3) – the sum of all cost items with actuals (instead of estimates)

Outstanding (4) – is the difference from paid (3) to prevision (4)

Difference (5) – is the difference from budget (1) to prevision (2)

(positive amounts mean you are within your budget, negative / red amounts mean you are over budget)

When you click an account (1), you see all the account's cost items (2).

A cost item can be an estimate (3) or an actual (4). Actuals are usually imported from accounting (including a payment date), while estimates are costs that are not certified yet. Logically, actuals always override estimates.

Example: If you get a quote for some equipment rental you enter that as an estimate. When the company sends the invoice and it was paid, you enter the final cost as an actual.

An account can contain any number of cost items.

You can add, delete and move items with the toolbar (5)

Global estimate (1) is a feature to quickly set a new estimated total for an account without entering any specific cost items.

When there are detailed cost items or estimates in the account, you can choose if these are included in the global estimate or if they should be counted on top of the global estimate by clicking the checkboxes (2)

Just like for account in Budgeting, you can add information to your cost items in the macro panels. You can edit the following panels:

- Producers: Add the producer who pays this cost item to keep track of a producers' expenses

- Tags

- Notes

- Cashflow: Add specific cashflow information if you have it. For actuals with a payment date this info will be overridden of course.

- Attachments: Add the invoice or contract if you like. If you do this consequently you have a complete and verifiable archive for this project.

- Taxes: Add taxes for your cost estimates. For actuals this panel is not available because taxes are imported as a cost.

- Effects: Add effects to your cost items to keep track of the spending effects