Budget Item Codes

Each budget item in the system has both a name, and a "code." The code is alpha-numeric, and it is typically automatically filled in when you click the save button on the project dashboard's Estimates...Add/Edit screen.

The code is used to provide a sorting capability that isn't dependent on the project's name. Assume, for example, you have a three phase project as follows:

Design
Development
Deployment
Additional Expenses

If you were sorting your estimate by "name," then this order would be lost (since, "Additional Expenses" would sort before "Design"). To preserve your item entry order, BigTime uses the estimate item code field. It would assign a "code" of "001" to the Design phase, a code of "002" to the Development phase, etc. Then, when you examine your budget items, they sort in your entry order (instead of alphabetically).

How is Code-based Sorting Used

The system picks up your code-based sort order in a number of screens and reports. Your project dashboard's Estimate... Budget Status screen supports Code-order sorting (it's one of the Group By options), and line items on invoices that are sub-totalled by budget item will use code-based sorting by default.