Where it starts
Run until now from a timesheet spreadsheet filled in at the end of each week. The business in this demonstration: 18 consultants working on several client projects at once.
This is a product demonstration with a made-up business, not a customer story.
What the app takes care of
- Hours were logged in a spreadsheet at the end of the week, often late and incomplete. A weekly grid already lists each consultant's projects, so hours are typed in during the week, and unsubmitted weeks show to the managers.
- Invoices went out late and the firm under-billed. Approved hours and completed milestones are collected for finance, who turn them into a draft invoice in a few clicks.
- No one could see who is overloaded and who is free for the next project. A staffing grid shows each person's load week by week, with overbooked and free hours in colour.
- Project budgets were blown before anyone noticed. Each project's budget used is drawn against its schedule, with warnings at three levels and a forecast.
- Utilisation, project profitability and this month's billing were not in one place. Ask what the firm will bill this month and what is holding it up, and the crew answers from the records.
The screens the crew designed
- The practice, this month, for Partners: What the firm expects to bill this month, what is held up by timesheets, utilisation against target, the budgets to watch and who has hours missing.
- My week, in a few numbers, for Consultants: The week already lists the consultant's projects. Logging is typing hours any day, with a note for the invoice line.
- Who is free, who is overbooked, for Partners: Eight weeks, person by person, in colour: overbooked, full, partly booked and free, with the people who have the most free hours listed beside it.
- Budgets, before they are blown, for Project leads: Each project's budget used against how far through its schedule it is, with a forecast and the date it reaches the next alert.
- Approving a week, for Project leads: Submitted weeks day by day, with the hours that need a second look flagged, and what approving puts on this month's invoices.
- From approved time to an invoice, for Finance: Approved hours and completed milestones are ready to add to a draft invoice, and the draft shows its lines, VAT and due date before it is issued.
- Which projects earn their keep, for Partners: Revenue earned against the time cost for each project, with the margin to date and the margin the project is heading for.
Routines it runs
In this session the crew planned budget alerts and timesheet reminders to be recorded and sent by a person, so nothing goes out on its own.
- Ready to bill. When a project lead approves a week: The hours appear in the amount ready to bill for that client, at the bill rate, for finance to add to a draft invoice.
- Budget alerts. When a project passes 75%, 90% or 100% of its budget: The project shows its budget state, and the project lead records the alert, which tells the lead and the partner.
- Missing timesheets. When a week closes with hours missing: The partner's overview lists who is missing hours and how many, with a reminder a person chooses to send.
What changes for the owner
- Invoices that leave on time. Hours are logged and approved during the week, so what is ready to bill is known and nothing is left behind.
- Who is free, at a glance. The next project is staffed from the colour grid of free and overbooked hours, not by asking around.
- Budgets that warn early. Every project's budget is set against its schedule, so an overrun shows while something can still be done.
Who works on it
Leo, the lead, brought in the experts this job needed: Leo, Archie, Ana, Dax, Dez.
Related answers
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