Predict Job Performance With WorkBook’s Estimated Time to Completion Calculation

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Deltek WorkBook

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May 12, 2021

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.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One of WorkBook’s most insightful features is the Estimated at Completion (EAC) algorithm. This metric shows you how WorkBook uses all the data you’ve put together in a Job plan or budget to essentially predict how your Job will turn out so that you can take preemptive action to mitigate overruns or maximize margin.

The thing that makes WorkBook exceptional is the ability to calculate a key variable in this prediction: Estimate to Complete (ETC). ETC is a calculation of the hours and costs that are left to complete within the Job’s plan. When enabling ETC in WorkBook, you trigger the system to ask the users assigned to Tasks if they are on track in completing it within assigned number of hours, or if they expect to log more hours than planned. WorkBook then takes that input and calculates the cost of what is left in the budget in order to complete the Job.

When ETC is combined with the hours and costs already incurred, you then have your predicted outcome or EAC.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6862″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]How to Enable ETC:

In order to enable this feature, you need to enable system variable 405 which has three settings:

Disabled
Enabled on billable jobs
Enabled on all jobs

Once enabled for instance on all Jobs, only new Jobs will have this setting enabled. For existing Jobs, you need to enable this manually.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6863″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]So let’s say you allocate a Task to an employee for twelve hours.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6864″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The employee starts working on the Task, and if they want to make a request for more hours, they can do so by right clicking on the Task in the to-do list. The ETC filled in will be the total number of hours to complete the Task.

For example, if the employee has been assigned for twelve hours and now uses two hours, and request twelve hours, then the total allocated time will be fourteen hours. In other words, the ETC request is the total hours needed.

Once the employee submits the ETC request, it will go to the Task Responsible on the job for approval. If no Task Responsible has been set, it will automatically revert to the Project Manager on the job.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6865″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]If the ETC request is accepted, a notification will be sent to both the employee sending the ETC request and the Task Responsible/Project Manager.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6866″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The number of hours allocated will be increased upon acceptance of the ETC.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6867″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]This new ETC calculation will then inform the EAC calculation, giving the Project Manager a new predicted outcome. At that time, they can take preemptive action and adjust the project plan to mitigate any potential overruns before it’s too late.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=”5″][vc_column_text]If you’d like to learn more about WorkBook, your can contact us or check out some of our demo videos![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]