Seminar Lesson 1 - Job Cost Centers (Cost Codes)

The backbone of CHS is that it uses Cost Codes to identify job cost centers such as plan costs, framing, plumbing, etc.  Quickly load the recommended NAHB cost codes (and edit, add to, or delete them as needed) OR set up your own cost codes from scratch.  Group Cost Codes by category AND by job stages (or phases). Set up defaults for each cost center that help populate job budgets (job estimates) with spec quantities from job, initial default unit costs, general notes, or scope of work attachments.

Cost Codes are used throughout CHS when preparing bid requests, job budget estimates, change orders, purchase orders, and posting actual job cost bills. This means all of those estimated, committed, and actual costs can be brought together at the click of a button to instantly calculate and show today’s Estimated Costs At Completion (ECC) and Cost Variances. See more tips below video.

TIP ABOUT USING ITEMS: To keep your Cost Codes from becoming too detailed, lists of Items can be attached to Cost Codes to help you estimate for your job budgets or build detailed purchase orders. 

Attach ITEMS to Cost Codes to use as the detail for reminders, materials lists, labor units, etc., that are associated with the cost center.  Items can be loaded into job budgets for budget detail, to requests bids from trades (subcontractors) or suppliers, to create Purchase Orders, or to set up home buyer selections lists.