Month-End Checklist for Marketing Agencies



Deltek WorkBook | Finance & Accounting | Marketing Agency



June 28, 2024

Deltek Vantagepoint’s contract management tools help architecture and engineering firms centralize contract documents, automate key workflows, and maintain compliance, all within a single ERP platform. The result: fewer administrative bottlenecks, stronger financial oversight, and more time focused on billable work.

Managing contracts is one of the most detail-intensive responsibilities in any architecture or engineering firm. Missed terms, misplaced documents, and manual tracking create costly delays and in project-driven environments, those delays compound fast. Deltek Vantagepoint addresses this head-on with a dedicated contract management framework built specifically for A&E firms.

What Is Contract Management in Deltek Vantagepoint?

Deltek Vantagepoint’s contract management module centralizes all contract-related activity within the same platform your team already uses for project management, accounting, and resource planning. Rather than toggling between spreadsheets, shared drives, and email chains, your team accesses every contract document, amendment, and approval in one place.

Key capabilities include:

Contract document storage: Attach and organize executed contracts, amendments, and supporting documentation directly to project records
Contract type configuration: Define contract structures, lump sum, cost-plus, time and materials—and align billing rules accordingly
Amendment tracking: Log and manage contract modifications with a clear audit trail
Compliance visibility: Monitor contract terms against actuals to flag potential overruns or scope discrepancies early

How Contract Documents Work Inside Deltek Vantagepoint

Contract documents in Deltek Vantagepoint are linked directly to project records, which means the information lives where the work happens. When a project manager needs to verify a billing cap, check a deliverable deadline, or confirm a client requirement, that information is accessible without hunting through external systems.

This tight integration between contract documents and project financials creates a direct line between what was agreed upon and what is being executed. Project managers and accounting teams work from the same source of truth, eliminating version confusion and reducing the risk of billing errors tied to outdated contract terms.

Why This Matters for Architecture and Engineering Firms

A&E firms operate across multiple contracts simultaneously, often with layered sub-consultant agreements and phased deliverables. Without a structured system, tracking contract status across a portfolio of projects becomes unmanageable.

Deltek Vantagepoint brings order to that complexity. Contract terms inform billing workflows, approval thresholds, and revenue recognition, automatically. This means your team spends less time reconciling data and more time delivering on project commitments.

The Business Value of Streamlined Contract Management

The operational benefits of Deltek Vantagepoint’s contract management tools extend well beyond document storage. Firms that structure their contracts within Vantagepoint gain:

Faster invoice cycles: Billing rules tied to contract terms reduce the back-and-forth between project managers and accounting
Stronger financial visibility: Real-time data on contract value, billed amounts, and remaining budget supports proactive decision-making
Audit readiness: A centralized document repository with version history makes internal reviews and external audits significantly more straightforward
Reduced compliance risk: Automated alerts and structured contract records help firms stay aligned with client requirements and regulatory obligations

For C-level executives and project leaders, these capabilities translate directly to improved cash flow, fewer write-offs, and greater confidence in financial reporting.

Getting the Most Out of Vantagepoint Contract Tools

Deltek Vantagepoint’s contract management features deliver the most value when they are configured to match your firm’s specific contract types, billing structures, and approval workflows. Out-of-the-box functionality provides a strong foundation, but firms that invest in proper setup, and ongoing optimization, see the clearest gains in efficiency and financial performance.

This is where working with an experienced Deltek partner makes a measurable difference. Proper configuration ensures your contract data flows accurately through project financials, reducing the manual corrections that drain time and introduce risk.

Make Contract Management Work for Your Firm

Deltek Vantagepoint gives architecture and engineering firms the tools to manage contracts with precision, transparency, and confidence. When your contract documents are integrated with your project and financial data, your entire team operates from a stronger, more reliable position.

At PCI, we help firms configure and optimize Deltek Vantagepoint to match how they actually work, so the platform supports your operations rather than complicates them. We make your operations comfortable.

Ready to see what streamlined contract management looks like for your firm? Contact PCI today to connect with a Deltek specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of contracts does Deltek Vantagepoint support?
Deltek Vantagepoint supports multiple contract types, including lump sum, time and materials, and cost-plus structures. Each type can be configured with corresponding billing rules and financial controls.

Can contract documents be attached directly to projects in Deltek Vantagepoint?
Yes. Deltek Vantagepoint allows users to attach executed contracts, amendments, and supporting documents directly to project records, keeping all relevant information in a single, accessible location.

How does Deltek Vantagepoint help with contract compliance?
Deltek Vantagepoint tracks contract terms against project actuals in real time, enabling firms to identify potential overruns or scope discrepancies before they become financial or legal issues.

Do I need a Deltek partner to set up contract management in Vantagepoint?
While basic features are accessible out of the box, working with a certified Deltek partner like PCI ensures your contract management setup is properly configured for your firm’s specific workflows, contract types, and billing structures.

Time is of the essence when it comes to month-end, as every minute spent reconciling financials and tracking down data is time not spent on revenue-generating work. Even worse, the entire process can be slow and painful if your agency is stuck with manual records or poor data visibility. But fear not! We’ve compiled an easy-to-follow checklist to help you streamline your agency’s month-end process.

What Makes Month-End So Challenging?

First, if you don’t have the right information in an easily accessible place – this can be a lack of centralized data or discovering errors in manual records. Or, you might have difficulty in getting a clear view of the status of all current projects, resulting in poor data visibility. If you’ve been using inconsistent standards for reporting, that might result in inaccurate revenue forecasting, which will also make the month-end process difficult.

Benefits of Streamlining the Month-End Process

Of course, streamlining month-end tasks improves efficiency. Additional benefits include knowing your data is accurate and that your financial records are up to date, making it more straightforward to make informed decisions based on your agency’s financial health. Overall, a complete process reduces risk, results in better cash flow planning, and highlights areas that require improvement.

How to Speed Up Your Agency’s Month-End

Here are some quick tips to help you speed up the month-end process:

Improve real-time visibility and accuracy with centralized data, so you’re not manually moving spreadsheets from one system to another.
Streamline collaboration, making it easy to see current project status and track hours worked.
Automate workflows to reduce manual tasks like invoicing clients for completed work.
Implement a standardized checklist so that you don’t miss any critical steps in the process.

Agency Month-End Checklist

Speaking of checklists, here’s your month-end checklist to help you tackle the month-end process with greater speed and efficiency.

Agree on deadlines – Ensure that all departments are on the same page about when timesheets and status reports are due so that you have all the information needed at the right time.
Collect information – Pull together reports on the status of current projects and check that any outstanding invoices have been sent to clients.
Verify data – Once you have all the data, verify that the information is correct for accurate revenue recognition. Cross-check bank statements with your financial reports.
Reconcile financials – Update your accounts receivable and accounts payable, reconcile the records with your bank accounts, and check for errors.
Financial health check – Once all your finances are reconciled, it’s time to look at the results. Compare your actuals with your budget and review your cash flow statement and balance sheets. If your revenue forecasting was off, investigate the cause to prevent any financial hiccups in the future.
Bonus tip – Remember that accuracy is more important than speed!

Simplify the Process with the Right Agency Accounting Software

If the checklist above still seems daunting, it’s time to consider leveraging technology to automate part of the process. Deltek WorkBook is the leading agency management system with robust financial management tools to help with everything from revenue forecasting to timesheets. Check out our on-demand webinar, “How Deltek WorkBook Can Be Utilized To Streamline Your Month-End Process.”

Want to learn more? Our agency industry experts at PCI would be happy to discuss how to tailor the tools available within Deltek WorkBook to fit your specific needs. Contact us for more information or to schedule a demo.