Practice Manager only
Practices use the information captured by timesheets, disbursements and expenses (AE) to charge time and costs spent working on tasks. Time and costs are charged to the client’s work in progress (WIP) so that the client can be billed accordingly.
It is important that you record time, disbursements and expenses on a regular basis. This ensures that time and costs are accounted for and the client WIP is updated regularly. In turn, regular recording helps the practice to more accurately track where time and expenses are spent and helps to analyse productivity patterns and office processes.
(AE) Also consider the Timesheet Authorisation Mode for your practice. The appropriate mode can be configured using Maintenance > Time Setup > Timesheet Authorisation Mode. See Timesheet authorisation.
The three methods of capturing your practice's expenditure are:
Timesheets
A timesheet captures time spent by an employee on tasks during a work day. Time is recorded against:
Client (AE) assignments/(AO) jobs, which are usually chargeable because they have a direct association with work performed for a client, for example, time spent on auditing a client’s financial books.
Internal assignments/jobs which are usually non-chargeable because they are not directly associated with any specific client, for example, time spent on administration.
(AE) You can set up a timesheet in one of three time entry modes (see Time entry modes in MYOB AE):
(AE) Depending on the time authorisation mode that your practice uses, you can:
Expense Sheets (AE)
An Expense Sheet captures costs incurred by an employee while performing work for a client. Costs are recorded against:
Client assignments which are chargeable because they have a direct association with work performed for that client, e.g., costs for accommodation, lunch, etc. associated with a client visit.
Non-chargeable costs (or overheads) associated with the practice but not directly associated with a task performed for a client, e.g., a personal expense incurred by an employee in relation to work, such as mobile phone charges.
The method of recording expense is almost identical to recording time for a timesheet, except that you don't have a choice of entry views as you do with timesheets. There is only one view.
If there are no more expenses to record, you advance the expense sheet in the process using the entry status buttons so that the expenses are reviewed and then authorised (see Entry status and authorisation buttons for sheets for details). Once an expense sheet has been posted you cannot alter it. If you need to change it, you must reverse the original expense sheet and raise another in its place as necessary (see Reversing bills).
The Expense functionality should only be used if you use Creditors (Suppliers) within AE Practice Manager. If you do not use AE PM to record Supplier information, enter the out-of-pocket expenses as a disbursement. If the expense is a cost incurred by the business, this should be entered as a disbursement.
Practice Disbursement/Disbursement Sheets
A Practice Disbursement/Disbursement Sheet captures costs incurred by an employee while performing work for a client that involves the practice directly. Such costs can include photocopying costs, court filing costs, couriers and taxi fares.
Before disbursements can be charged to clients, the practice must set up a disbursement employee to charge the amounts to clients. Employees either record a disbursement against the disbursement employee or their own disbursement sheet.
(AE) If there are no more disbursements to record, you advance the Disbursement Sheet in the process using the entry status buttons so that the disbursements are reviewed and subsequently authorised (see Entry status and authorisation buttons for sheets).
Entering time against tasks in a schedule (AE)
If a schedule of tasks has been defined for a selected client assignment, the tasks available in the timesheet drop-down may only be those added to the assignment schedule within the client page. This enables an employee to track the work required to complete a particular assignment. If you select an assignment that has a schedule attached, you must select a schedule/stage for the timesheet entry before you can enter time.
The schedule held will be inactive where there is no schedule attached.
Some procedures are common to timesheets, disbursements and expenses. Where this is the case, timesheets, disbursements and expenses are collectively referred to as sheets.
