Spending Warnings and Section 20 Threshold Validation
TLDR;
Threshold amounts can be set against accounting schedules so that a warning is given if this is exceeded. Error warning reads "The invoice can not be validated".
To add or edit the thresholds see Managing agent level / Setup / Accounting / Static data / Download schedules
Or for Qube customers: see Managing agent level / Setup / Accounting / Static data / Download alarm thresholds.
The warning can be shown in the Invoice processing screen (aka Invoice Processing Application or 'IPA') or when editing work order cost assignments.
When the threshold is exceeded a warning is shown when the user tries to save the item, and the user has to supply a comment on the cost assignment. On the multiple cost assignments window the comments boxes can be enabled via a checkbox, and are displayed under each cost assignment. Where a single cost assignment is used the comment box is displayed as an additional field.
The comment entered by the user has to start with "!!" (why???).
What is this feature?
When creating work orders or approving invoices, accounting schedules may have a threshold limit. This means, if a work order estimated price exceeds the threshold limit in any of its schedules we will not allow to save the work order until a comment is added to allow to bypass this limit.
How it works?
Under the hood there are two ways to calculate whether cost assignments are exceeding the threshold. But the mechanism in the front end is the same.
Property managers will enter cost assignments in either work orders or the IPA. When they try to save the work order or approve they will get the following error:
Then, when going to the multiple cost assignment view, if the user clicks on save they will get a message like this:
If a comment is entered starting with !! , then the threshold validation for that specific cost assignment will be bypassed.
How is it setup
- Accounting data uploader plugin - It creates the schedules and for some managing agents it will populate the alarm threshold amount from the accounting system.
Alternatively, the amounts can be set by spreadsheet upload on Dwellant.
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Setup → Accounting Data → Static Data → Upload schedules
- With suffix _schedules a spreadsheet can be uploaded with the Alarm threshold limits per schedule.
Once the alarm thresholds are fed into the system, then will start triggering alerts on work orders and the invoices.
Each cost assignment is checked against the whole alarm threshold amount.
NOTE: Group schedules are treated like normal schedules, meaning, in the accounting configuration file a threshold limit can be set against the whole group schedule. And that would trigger a validation without looking at the group’s internal cost assignments.
Case 1:
Work order estimated price is £600. Schedule alarm threshold is £400.
If we have two 50% allocated cost assignments. Each cost assignment will then count for £300.
Given £300 is less than £400 the alarm threshold will not trigger an alert.
Case 2:
Work order estimated price is £600. Schedule alarm threshold is £200.
If we have two 50% allocated cost assignments. Each cost assignment will then count for £300.
Given £300 > £200 the alarm threshold will trigger an alert.
Qube alarm threshold validation: Only for Qube customers
For Qube customers, the structure would look like this:
Qube |
Dwellant |
|---|---|
|
|
When the accounting data plugin runs, it imports the funds and headings and stores them as schedules and expense types. It also stores the relationship between which expense types belong to which funds.
The Alarm threshold amount unlike in default, can only be set at the moment by spreadsheet upload. The buttons are only available to Qube managing agents. The buttons are different from the ones in default.
How is it setup
- Accounting data uploader plugin only imports schedules, expense types, creates the alarm threshold and relates the alarm threshold to the accounting schedule expense type. Note: amounts are not populated via accounting data plugin.
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Setup → Accounting Data → Static Data → Upload alarm thresholds
- The file suffix is _alarmThreshold.
NOTE: Unlike the default, group schedules are split into their internal cost assignments and each cost assignment is checked against is alarm threshold limit
Case 1 (would be different from default): Qube - Breach - Cached - Case 1.xml
Work order estimated price is £600. Schedule alarm threshold called “alarm1” is £400. Both accounting_schedule_expense_type relate to the same alarm threshold called “alarm1”)
If we have two 50% allocated cost assignments. Each cost assignment will then count for £300.
Given 2x£300 = £600 and £600 > £400, then the alarm threshold will trigger an alert
Case 2:Qube - Breach - Cached - Case 2.xml
Work order estimated price is £600. Schedule alarm threshold called “alarm1” is £200. Both accounting_schedule_expense_type relate to the same alarm threshold called “alarm1”)
If we have two 50% allocated cost assignments. Each cost assignment will then count for £300.
Given 2x£300 = £600 and £600 > £200, then the alarm threshold will trigger an alert.
Case 3 (would be the same as default):Qube - Breach - Cached - Case 3.xml
Work order estimated price is £600. Schedule alarm threshold called “alarm1” is £400. Schedule alarm threshold called “alarm2” is £500.
Going two cost assignments each one related to a different alarm threshold. 50% allocated cost assignments. Each cost assignment will then count for £300.
Given cost assignment 1: £300 < $400
Given cost assignment 2: $300 < $500
None of the allocations will exceed the thresholds, so no alarm would be triggered.
Good to know
- Alarm threshold validation does not take place when creating contracts nor when auto-approving invoices at the moment.