The New U(i)

September 13, 2018

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teams work from the same source of truth, eliminating version confusion and reducing the risk of billing errors tied to outdated contract terms.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.

The New U(I).

Times are changing, in the fast-paced world of software, apps and mobile, all software companies are in a race against time to roll out new features and functionality.  What sometimes gets overlooked is the actual User Interface (the look) of the screens you work in.

Changing the user experience can be tough because everyone grows accustomed and attached to the look and where things are in the application.  A perfect example is Microsoft Office, for those of you that have been through one of those upgrades, this is when all your icons go “missing” yet they are not, in fact, missing, just not where you remember them being last.

Costpoint, Time Collection, and Budget & Planning are now in that same boat.  Some say its overdue, but in reality, it’s just time, time for Costpoint to have a fresh look.

First, a few things you need to know.

Over the last couple of years, Deltek has been migrating both Time, Expense & Employee Self Service, along with Budget and Planning into the framework, meaning that you now will have only one login screen to access all your functionality.  So, for those of you that have yet to make that change, it is something you will want to consider first, this comes with a set of security roles and conceptual changes you need to make so that everyone can comfortably login to Costpoint, and have the proper security roles to access the applications that they need to complete their jobs.

For those of you that have already completed this, the new User Interface (UI) should be a breeze.  Deltek took this task on in a different way; rather than bundling a whole bunch of new functionality and relocating all your application screens while changing the look to the product, they have separated the tasks.  This is great for your T&E users.

For your T&E users, they are really looking at a color scheme change on the timesheet and a cleaner UI for expense reports. However, none of the locations or steps needs to complete a timecard have changed. This is a good thing for the users, while future updates will include enhancements for the user, the UI change will be just that and NOT an exercise in re-training.

However, if you are the type that buys a new recliner but places it next to the old one, rather than tossing out the old one, Deltek has you covered.  Upon login, you may toggle between the old and new UI for the time being, allowing you to get comfortable slowly.

For those of you in the cloud, look for this change to occur in September, for those of you hosting your own versions of Costpoint, this functionality is already available for download. Deltek hosted a town hall to discuss this on September 6th and has released various new UI videos, infographics, and knowledge base articles to assist in the transformation. As always, let us know if you have questions or comments.

See you in November, in Dallas,

Martin McGann, Founder of PCI 

 

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