Running the Lot Start Process

This chapter provides an overview of the Lot Start process and discusses how to:

• Work with the Lot Workbench.

• Generate the lot start workfile.

• Manage information in the lot start workfile.

• Generate Homebuilder commitments.

Understanding the Lot Start Process

To build and manage effectively, you must create a structure for establishing the budget, managing costs, creating commitments (purchase orders and subcontracts), managing suppliers and subcontractors, and revising lot configuration information. The Lot Start process helps you manage all of these tasks.

The Lot Start process is designed to:

• Streamline the setup of and provide more control over jobs, budgets, and commitments.

• Manage changes, including supplier changes and option changes.

• Identify the status of lots throughout the construction process, including the status of pending and committed costs for each lot.

• Enable you to manage the progression of lot start information, including budgets and commitments.

• Enable you to manage profitability at a detailed level, from initial lot start through completion and sale.

• Track activity by using historical records.

  For example, you can research why a specific commitment line was generated or canceled by reviewing historical records.

The Lot Start process has three steps:

1. Generate the workfile.

2. Review and maintain the workfile.

3. Generate commitments.

The Lot Start process produces several documents, including:

• A configuration list.

  Many builders refer to this list as a garage sticker. They post the configuration list on the job site for subcontractors.

• A notice to proceed.

  A notice to proceed is also known as the AIA (American Institute of Architects) document.

• Purchase orders.

  Purchase orders are based on both bids and takeoffs.

The JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Job Cost system and the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Procurement system interface with the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Homebuilder Management system to provide the structure for cost management, analysis, and control.

See Also

Interacting with the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Job Cost System

Interacting with the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Procurement System

Working with the Lot Workbench

This section provides an overview of the Lot Workbench program (P44H200A), lists a prerequisite, and discusses how to:

• Set processing options for the Lot Workbench (P44H200A).

• Review lot information.

Understanding the Lot Workbench Program (P44H200A)

Beginning with an initial review of all lots in a area, use the Lot Workbench program (P44H200A) to access a hierarchy of data, including groups of lots by status, a single lot, and a single option.

Use the P44H200A program to review and revise:

• Community and phase (if enabled) information.

• Lot inventory information.

• Lot sales information.

• Review and validate the lot configuration information.

Note. You can review the job in the Job Status Inquiry program (P512000) by selecting Job Status from the Row menu on the Lot Workbench form.

Prerequisite

Before you complete the tasks in this section, you must set up any lot configuration information, including buyers and options.

See Processing the Sale of a House.

Form Used to Work with the Lot Workbench

Setting Processing Options for Lot Workbench (P44H200A)

Processing options enable you to specify the default processing for programs and reports.

Default

Versions

If you leave the following processing options blank, the system uses the ZJDE0001 version.

Reviewing Lot Information

Access the Lot Workbench form.

To review lots:

1. Enter values in the Area and Community fields.

2. To review lot information by status, click the Display Lots by Status check box and click Findor Refresh.

3. Expand any of the statuses listed below to review the lots associated with that status:

   • Not Available (Letter X button)

   • Not Sold/Not Started (Gray Dollar Sign/Gray Hammer button)

   • Not Sold/Started (Gray Dollar Sign/Brown Hammer button)

   • Sold/Not Started (Green Dollar Sign/Gray Hammer button)

   • Sold/Started (Green Dollar Sign/Brown Hammer button)

   • Not Sold/Complete (Gray Dollar Sign/Blue Check Mark button)

   • Sold/Complete (Green Dollar Sign/Blue Check Mark button)

   • Closed (Red Lock button)

4. To review all of the lots in the community, clear the Display Lots by Status check box and click Find or Refresh.

5. Expand the community to see all the lots.

   Regardless if whether you select or clear the Display Lots by Status check box, the system displays the following buttons next to each lot to indicate its status:

   Button	Status
   Gray or White House	House in Process/Details Available
   Green House	House in Closed
   Blue House	House is a Model

6. To review information about a lot, select a lot and then select the Lot/Construction and Sales Details tabs.

7. To review the options that are attached to the lot, expand the lot.

   The system displays one of the following buttons to indicate the option status:

   Button	Option Status
   Red filing cabinet	No commitments have been generated for the option.
   Gray filing cabinet	Commitments have been generated for the option.

8. To review information about a specific option, select the option and review the information available on the Option Details tab.

9. To review additional information, select a community, phase, or lot, and then select one of the programs, such as Community Master or Option Master, from the Row menu.

Generating the Lot Start Workfile

This section provides overviews of the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H700) and the data selection hierarchy, lists prerequisites, and discusses how to:

• Run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program.

• Set data sequencing for the Lot Start Workfile Generation program.

• Set processing options for Lot Start Workfile Generation (R44H700).

Understanding the Lot Start Workfile Generation Program (R44H700)

To begin the Lot Start process, you must first run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H700) to generate records in the Lot Start Workfile (F44H711). The workfile records contain detail by lot, cost code, and contract number and specify whether the price was determined by national purchasing. You can use the Work with Lot Start Workfile form to manage budgets and commitment generation.

You can run the R44H700 program in one of these three modes:

• Prestart

  Prestart mode creates lot job master records and accounts, which are copied from the area job for a specified cost code range. Prestart mode also creates invoices and payments for administrative cost codes, such as permits. Prestart mode does not generate workfile records in the F44H711 workfile or create budgets or commitments.

• Proof

  Proof mode allows you to verify contracts prior to committing a lot. Proof mode creates lot job master records if they were not previously created, copies template accounts, and creates records for verification in the Lot Start Generation Workfile (F44H71W1). Subsequently, the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H700) uses data from the F44H71W1 table and creates a report. Proof mode does not save records in the F44H711 workfile. It does not create budgets, regardless of the processing option settings related to budget creation, nor does it retrieve purchase order numbers.

• Final

  Final mode creates lot job master records if they were not previous created, copies template accounts, optionally copies template budgets, and creates commitments and budgets in the F44H711 workfile. You can set processing options to specify if commitments and budgets are created in final mode.

  See Generating Homebuilder Commitments.

When you generate the F44H711 workfile, the system integrates the following information from other tables in the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Homebuilder Management system:

During the initial workfile generation, the system uses this information:

• The plan, elevation, and swing from the lot configuration (when you run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program in proof or final mode).

• The account structure from the cost code template that is identified in the plan or overridden in the Lot Master (F44H201).

• The start date and contract release-through phase from processing option settings or from the F44H201 table.

• The unprocessed options in the F44H511 table.

  The program will not select options that have been included in a previous workfile generation.

You must specify a commitment start date in the processing options before you run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program. You can either enter a date or specify that the system uses the date that appears in the Lot Master table (F44H201).

When you run the R44H700 program, the system assigns a lot start generation number to each record that is created. You can use this number to search for a workfile record in the Lot Start Generation Workfile (F44H71W1). The system will enter a flag next to each bid and takeoff record that uses the national purchasing item prices. Each record also has a lot construction sequence number in the Lot Master (F44H201). You can either manually preassign that number or let the system automatically assign the next available sequence number. The system maintains lot construction sequence numbers within each community only.

You can review tax information for bid contracts and takeoffs, when available, on the Workfile Detail Preview form. For example, you can view the tax commitment amount for taxable lines. If the takeoff detail records do not contain tax information, the system first searches the job, and then the supplier address book for tax information.

Understanding the Data Selection Hierarchy

The Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H7000) analyzes bids and takeoffs and, using supplier assignments, determines the appropriate commitments and budgets to create for each lot. When multiple bids and takeoffs exist for a specific cost code, the system uses a set of defined rules and hierarchies to determine which items to select.

The R44H700 program uses a specific to general selection hierarchy for supplier assignments and bids, and cumulative selection for takeoffs. For bids, the program selects transactions in this hierarchical order:

1. Any detail transactions for bids that are designated as preferred subcontractor.

   You can designate a supplier as a preferred subcontractor. If a preferred subcontractor exists for a cost code, or a cost code and option combination, the R44H700 program selects that bid and the search is finished. The R44H700 program selects a preferred subcontractor at any tier level even when there is a more specific, nonpreferred supplier bid at a more detailed level. If a preferred subcontractor is used, national purchasing is bypassed.

2. Supplier assignments.

   A bid requires a supplier assignment when no preferred subcontractor is designated.

3. Bid detail transactions for all assigned suppliers.

When multiple valid bid records appear at the same level of specificity, the R44H700 program selects all of them.

Note. You must understand the hierarchical order in which the R44H700 program chooses supplier assignment, bid, and takeoff records to use wildcards efficiently and ensure predictable and accurate results.

Supplier Assignment Hierarchy

You define a supplier assignment at the area level, but you can also further define the assignment at the community, phase, lot, or option level. You can also define a supplier within the national purchasing structure.

The R44H700 program first searches for the greatest level of specificity. If it finds no matching record, the system continues to the next level, and so on. The eight levels of specificity for supplier assignments, from most specific to most general, are:

If the R44H700 program does not find a preferred subcontractor, it searches for an assigned supplier in the order illustrated in the previous table. The program selects the most specific assignments for a bid for the appropriate date range. For example, the commitment start date is within the start and expiration dates of the supplier assignment record. When the system finds all valid supplier assignment records (all assignments at the same level are valid), it uses the associated bid or takeoff record.

Bid Hierarchy

The R44H700 program first searches for the greatest level of specificity. If the system does not find a matching record, the system continues to the next level, and so on. The nine levels of specificity for bid detail records, from most specific to most general, are:

The R44H700 program selects the contract lines that are at the most specific level for every cost code and for every cost code and option combination that you are processing. When two contracts are set up at the same level for the same cost code, or the same cost code and option combination, the system selects both contracts. If the system selects a supplier assignment record with a National Purchasing Area, the system will use the associated national purchasing information.

Takeoff Hierarchy

The R44H700 program searches all levels of the organizational structure of the takeoff, such as area, community, and phase, to find all material requirements. Takeoff selection is cumulative. For example, the system creates a purchase order for 3655 bricks during the Lot Start process if the following information applies:

• Area: The area requires mail boxes to be set in brick pillars, which requires 30 bricks.

• Community: The community has a unique pillar design, which requires 15 additional bricks.

• Phase: The pillar in the first phase was enhanced, which requires 10 additional bricks.

• Plan: The plan requires 1000 bricks.

• Elevation: The elevation requires 2000 bricks.

• Options: The homeowners selected the option for brick front steps, which require 600 bricks.

If the system selects a supplier assignment record with a national purchasing area, the system will use the associated national purchasing information, such as the national commodity item number and material pricing information.

Prerequisites

Before you complete the tasks in this section, you must:

• Set up the cost code templates.

  See Setting Up Cost Code Templates.

• Set up all construction activity rules.

  See Setting Up Activity Rules.

• Set up the lot configuration.

  When you run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H700) in prestart mode, lot configuration is not required.

  See Understanding Lot Configuration.

Running the Lot Start Workfile Generation Program

Select Building and Manage (G44H25), Lot Start Workfile Generation.

Setting Data Sequencing for the Lot Start Workfile Generation Program

Do not change the existing data sequencing because unpredictable results might occur.

Setting Processing Options for Lot Start Workfile Generation (R44H700)

Processing options enable you to specify the default processing for programs and reports.

Process

Account Creation

Versions

Managing Information in the Lot Start Workfile

This section provides overviews of lot start workfile management, canceling and deleting records in the F44H711 workfile, and supplier TBD assignment, lists a prerequisite, and discusses how to:

• Set processing options for Lot Start Workfile Review (P44H711).

• Cancel workfile records.

• Delete workfile records.

• Place workfile records on hold.

• Release workfile records on hold.

• Revise takeoff quantities.

• Assign suppliers to TBD records.

Understanding Lot Start Workfile Management

After you run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (P44H711), you can manage the information at a detailed level in the Lot Start Workfile (F44H711) using established activity rules.

Use the Lot Start Workfile Review (P44H711) to manage information in the F44H711 workfile. Managing information includes:

• Creating commitments for records.

• Canceling records.

• Deleting records.

• Placing and releasing records on hold.

• Revising estimated takeoff quantities.

• Assigning TBD suppliers or changing suppliers.

• Removing options.

• Reviewing and managing budgets.

Unless you delete records, the lot start information remains in the F44H711 workfile after the system processes the lot in the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Job Cost and JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Procurement systems. This information provides an important audit trail between the purchasing detail information and the information in the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Procurement system.

Record Status in the Lot Start Workfile

This table shows the correlation between the color of a record in the detail area of the Work with Lot Start Workfile form and the commitment status of the record:

Workfile records with a commitment status of P include additional detail to alert you of additional transactions that occur in the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Procurement system.

For records with a commitment status of P, this table shows the correlation between the color of a record in the detail area of the Work with Lot Start Workfile form and the transaction status:

Records with a 1 in the Natl Pur field on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form use national purchasing prices.

Understanding Canceling and Deleting Records in the F44H711 Workfile

You should be cautious when canceling or deleting workfile records because it might affect budgets or commitments. This table describes what the system does when you cancel and delete records in the F44H711 workfile, based on the budget and commitment statuses:

Understanding Supplier TBD Assignment

Often, you are unable to determine which supplier will be performing certain tasks until the time of construction. The supplier to be determined (TBD) feature streamlines the process of updating a bid or a takeoff with the correct supplier number. If you do not use the supplier TBD feature, you must cancel the existing purchasing document and create a new commitment with the appropriate supplier.

When you assign suppliers to specific commitments, the system stores the information in the Lot Start Workfile (F44H711). The system updates the records in the F44H711 workfile with the supplier number and supplier description, as defined on the Supplier Assignment Maintenance form.

Where appropriate, the supplier TBD feature allows you to update pricing based on the newly-assigned supplier's prices. You can modify uncommitted transactions on the Select from Allowed Suppliers form , and process the transactions in the Generate Homebuilder Commitments program (R44H7113).

Prerequisite

Before you complete the tasks in this section, you must verify that the supplier assignment is set up.

See Assigning Suppliers to Areas.

Forms Used to Manage Information in the Lot Start Workfile

Setting Processing Options for Lot Start Workfile Review (P44H711)

Processing options enable you to specify the default processing for programs and reports.

Defaults

Versions

Budgets

Canceling Workfile Records

Access the Work with Lot Start Workfile form.

To cancel a workfile record, select a record and then select Cancel from the Row menu.

When you select a single record or an entire lot to cancel, the system:

• Determines whether each record is eligible for cancellation.

• Changes the existing workfile records and automatically reduces the open amount to zero in the Purchase Order Detail File (F4311).

• Reduces the PA, HA, JA ledger type balances in the Account Balances table (F0902).

• Changes the value in the Commitment Posting Status field on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form to C and the text color to gray.

  Note. After you select Cancel, the cancellation occurs with no further warning. You cannot reverse a cancellation. Canceled records continue to appear in the F44H711 workfile, but will not be included on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form the next time you run the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H700). If you cancel a record in error, you must delete the transaction and then reenter it into the system through the selection process when you run the R44H700 program.

Deleting Workfile Records

Access the Work with Lot Start Workfile form.

You can delete records as often as necessary. Deleted records appear as deleted the next time you run the R44H700 program.

Select a record and click Delete.

Placing Workfile Records on Hold

Access the Work with Lot Start Workfile form.

Select a record and then select Hold from the Row menu.

You can place a hold on records in the F44H711 workfile to prevent the system from generating commitments for those transactions. The system changes the Com PS (commitment posting status) field to H and the text color to purple to indicate the transaction is on hold.

Note. You can only place records with a blank commitment posting status on hold.

Releasing Workfile Records on Hold

Access the Work with Lot Start Workfile form.

Select a record and then select Release from the Row menu.

You can release the records on hold when you are ready to continue processing them.

Note. After you release a record that was on hold, the system returns the commitment posting status to blank.

Revising Takeoff Quantities

Access the Work with Lot Start Workfile form.

To revise takeoff quantities:

1. Enter values in these fields on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form:

   • Area

   • Community

   • Lot Job Number

2. Select a record and then select Revise Takeoff from the Row menu.

   You can revise only records that have a value of Ein the Com PS(commitment posting status) field.

3. On the After Start Processing form, enter a value in the Quantity field and click OK.

Assigning Suppliers to TBD Records

Access the Select from Allowed Suppliers form.

To assign TBD suppliers:

1. Select a blue record on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form and select Assign Supplier from the Row menu.

2. Click Find on the Select from Allowed Suppliers form to view available suppliers for the header information.

3. Select a supplier and click Select to assign a supplier to the TBD record.

4. On the Work with Lot Start Workfile form, the system will recalculate the price for both bids and takeoffs after the supplier is selected.

Generating Homebuilder Commitments

This section provides an overview of budget and commitment generation, lists a prerequisite, and discusses how to:

• Run the Generate Homebuilder Commitments program.

• Set processing options for Generate Homebuilder Commitments (R44H7113).

Understanding Budget and Commitment Generation

There are three ways in which you can create budgets and commitments:

• Set processing options in the Lot Start Workfile Generation program (R44H700).

• Run the Generate Homebuilder Commitments program (R44H7113) from the menu.

• Create commitments manually on the Work with the Lot Start Workfile form.

If you create commitments manually on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form, select only one record to generate commitments for all eligible records for a lot. The system generates commitments for those records with a blank commitment posting status. The system processes the selected lot and then updates the Com PS field on the Work with Lot Start Workfile form with the value P.

When commitments are generated in the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Homebuilder Management system, records are also created in the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Procurement system, specifically in the Purchase Order Header (F4301) and Purchase Order Detail File (F4311) tables. The system also updates the Procurement fields, such as Original Document, Document Type, Original Line Number, and so on, with the corresponding information from the bids or takeoffs.

Prerequisite

Before you complete the task in this section, you must verify that the takeoff document type exists in UDC 40/CT to ensure that the system creates proper PA ledger commitments.

Run the Generate Homebuilder Commitments Program

Select Build and Manage (G44H25), Generate Homebuilder Commitments.

When you specify the data selection, the system prompts you to generate workfile records for a specific area, community, phase, or lot only.

Do not change the existing data sequence because unpredictable results might occur.

Setting Processing Options for Generate Homebuilder Commitments (R44H7113)

Processing options enable you to specify the default processing for programs and reports.

Defaults

Versions

If you leave either of the following processing options blank, the system uses the ZJDE0001 version.

Budgets