Captial vs. Expense

Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
setting a text field or something.

My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
thoughts?

MAS
Thu Jun 08 13:23:02 CDT 2006

We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.

"JJKEN" wrote:

> Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> setting a text field or something.
>
> My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> thoughts?

MAS
Thu Jun 08 13:26:02 CDT 2006

A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.

"MAS" wrote:

> We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
>
> "JJKEN" wrote:
>
> > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > setting a text field or something.
> >
> > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > thoughts?

JJKEN
Thu Jun 08 13:44:01 CDT 2006

That is what I'm looking for - thanks. What does the code look like for
doing a check of the new text field and setting the new cost fields
accordingly (I do this in the custom fields?). I have never done anything
like that?

"MAS" wrote:

> A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
> mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
> the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
> at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.
>
> "MAS" wrote:
>
> > We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> > capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> > cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
> >
> > "JJKEN" wrote:
> >
> > > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > > setting a text field or something.
> > >
> > > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > > thoughts?

MAS
Thu Jun 08 13:51:02 CDT 2006

Very simple code - use the custom formula in the custom field and it aids in
setting it all up. the code would be something like this

IIf( [capital ='Y'] , [Cost] , 0)
Where capital is a user defined flag. It would be set to "n" for expense.


"JJKEN" wrote:

> That is what I'm looking for - thanks. What does the code look like for
> doing a check of the new text field and setting the new cost fields
> accordingly (I do this in the custom fields?). I have never done anything
> like that?
>
> "MAS" wrote:
>
> > A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
> > mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
> > the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
> > at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.
> >
> > "MAS" wrote:
> >
> > > We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> > > capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> > > cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
> > >
> > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > > > setting a text field or something.
> > > >
> > > > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > > > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > > > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > > > thoughts?

JJKEN
Thu Jun 08 14:16:02 CDT 2006

OK, I got that part working - any help with the macro part? Again never had
to setup a macro in Project before - thanks!

"MAS" wrote:

> Very simple code - use the custom formula in the custom field and it aids in
> setting it all up. the code would be something like this
>
> IIf( [capital ='Y'] , [Cost] , 0)
> Where capital is a user defined flag. It would be set to "n" for expense.
>
>
> "JJKEN" wrote:
>
> > That is what I'm looking for - thanks. What does the code look like for
> > doing a check of the new text field and setting the new cost fields
> > accordingly (I do this in the custom fields?). I have never done anything
> > like that?
> >
> > "MAS" wrote:
> >
> > > A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
> > > mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
> > > the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
> > > at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.
> > >
> > > "MAS" wrote:
> > >
> > > > We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> > > > capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> > > > cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
> > > >
> > > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > > > > setting a text field or something.
> > > > >
> > > > > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > > > > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > > > > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > > > > thoughts?

MAS
Thu Jun 08 14:20:02 CDT 2006

Someone I work with did that part. Could you post an email address and I'll
have him send you some details? OK?

"JJKEN" wrote:

> OK, I got that part working - any help with the macro part? Again never had
> to setup a macro in Project before - thanks!
>
> "MAS" wrote:
>
> > Very simple code - use the custom formula in the custom field and it aids in
> > setting it all up. the code would be something like this
> >
> > IIf( [capital ='Y'] , [Cost] , 0)
> > Where capital is a user defined flag. It would be set to "n" for expense.
> >
> >
> > "JJKEN" wrote:
> >
> > > That is what I'm looking for - thanks. What does the code look like for
> > > doing a check of the new text field and setting the new cost fields
> > > accordingly (I do this in the custom fields?). I have never done anything
> > > like that?
> > >
> > > "MAS" wrote:
> > >
> > > > A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
> > > > mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
> > > > the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
> > > > at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.
> > > >
> > > > "MAS" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> > > > > capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> > > > > cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
> > > > >
> > > > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > > > > > setting a text field or something.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > > > > > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > > > > > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > > > > > thoughts?

JJKEN
Thu Jun 08 14:30:02 CDT 2006

Thanks - jjken999@hotmail.com

"MAS" wrote:

> Someone I work with did that part. Could you post an email address and I'll
> have him send you some details? OK?
>
> "JJKEN" wrote:
>
> > OK, I got that part working - any help with the macro part? Again never had
> > to setup a macro in Project before - thanks!
> >
> > "MAS" wrote:
> >
> > > Very simple code - use the custom formula in the custom field and it aids in
> > > setting it all up. the code would be something like this
> > >
> > > IIf( [capital ='Y'] , [Cost] , 0)
> > > Where capital is a user defined flag. It would be set to "n" for expense.
> > >
> > >
> > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > >
> > > > That is what I'm looking for - thanks. What does the code look like for
> > > > doing a check of the new text field and setting the new cost fields
> > > > accordingly (I do this in the custom fields?). I have never done anything
> > > > like that?
> > > >
> > > > "MAS" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
> > > > > mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
> > > > > the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
> > > > > at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.
> > > > >
> > > > > "MAS" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> > > > > > capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> > > > > > cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > > > > > > setting a text field or something.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > > > > > > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > > > > > > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > > > > > > thoughts?

Steve
Thu Jun 08 17:10:58 CDT 2006

How can a task be either one? The tasks themselves (contrasted with their
costs) are not single expenditure categories. I am not an accountant but
I've always understood "capital" and "expense" to be accounting concepts
that categorize expenditure accounts based on their lifetime but a "task"
isn't a line-item expenditure account in the same sense that purchases of
electricity or a new truck might be. A project task is always an observable
physical activity being performed by a resource that results in the creation
of a concrete deliverable. The cost of the task is the cost of the assets
incorporated into the deliverable and the labour costs incurred paying the
resources performing the work. It seems to me that from an accounting
standpoint labour and material costs would always be expenses and never
capital expenditures. Never heard of anyone paying an engineer X dollars in
salary at the end of the month and then depreciating that amount over a 3 or
5 year schedule the way you would depreciate the purchase price of a piece
of capital equipment <grin>.

"Task X" would not be a budget category at all, but the labour that is spent
doing task X would probably be attributed to an expense budget category
while a special piece of equipment purchased in order for the resource to do
the work may well be a capital acquisition in the capital expenditure
category. So where would you place that task in the balance sheet?

I comment because it is important to remember that Project is a work
scheduling program, primarily intended to plan the activities of human
beings and it is NOT an accounting program except in that it can estimate
projected costs and provide data for input into a real accounting
application. It's always a good idea to use the right tool for the job at
hand.

--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs



"JJKEN" <JJKEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2E56C0C8-1CC6-4E95-BB0C-E31D283373BD@microsoft.com...
> Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> setting a text field or something.
>
> My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with
> budget
> number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator.
> Any
> thoughts?

JJKEN
Thu Jun 08 19:34:02 CDT 2006

Actually when doing software development for a new application or system,
tasks associated with building the system are considered capital expenditures
and are included in the cost of the system - therefore can be depreciated.
Otheritems are not - training, project administration, data migration,
process improvements.

I get your point about project not being a cost tracking tool, but for the
lack of having one it is the best thing we have that allows for tracking
project tasks and actual work effort/costs.

"Steve House [MVP]" wrote:

> How can a task be either one? The tasks themselves (contrasted with their
> costs) are not single expenditure categories. I am not an accountant but
> I've always understood "capital" and "expense" to be accounting concepts
> that categorize expenditure accounts based on their lifetime but a "task"
> isn't a line-item expenditure account in the same sense that purchases of
> electricity or a new truck might be. A project task is always an observable
> physical activity being performed by a resource that results in the creation
> of a concrete deliverable. The cost of the task is the cost of the assets
> incorporated into the deliverable and the labour costs incurred paying the
> resources performing the work. It seems to me that from an accounting
> standpoint labour and material costs would always be expenses and never
> capital expenditures. Never heard of anyone paying an engineer X dollars in
> salary at the end of the month and then depreciating that amount over a 3 or
> 5 year schedule the way you would depreciate the purchase price of a piece
> of capital equipment <grin>.
>
> "Task X" would not be a budget category at all, but the labour that is spent
> doing task X would probably be attributed to an expense budget category
> while a special piece of equipment purchased in order for the resource to do
> the work may well be a capital acquisition in the capital expenditure
> category. So where would you place that task in the balance sheet?
>
> I comment because it is important to remember that Project is a work
> scheduling program, primarily intended to plan the activities of human
> beings and it is NOT an accounting program except in that it can estimate
> projected costs and provide data for input into a real accounting
> application. It's always a good idea to use the right tool for the job at
> hand.
>
> --
> Steve House [Project MVP]
> MS Project Trainer & Consultant
> Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs
>
>
>
> "JJKEN" <JJKEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:2E56C0C8-1CC6-4E95-BB0C-E31D283373BD@microsoft.com...
> > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > setting a text field or something.
> >
> > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with
> > budget
> > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator.
> > Any
> > thoughts?
>
>

Steve
Fri Jun 09 07:50:08 CDT 2006

Question though - I've never heard of labour costs being considered capital
costs. Aren't salaries, rents, utilities, expendable supplies, etc always
operating expense items, not capital items? The costs of tasks are almost
always made up of those sorts of expenditures, at least I can only think of
one or two exceptions. Even when a piece of capital equipment like a new
bulldozer is purchased explicitly for the project its full purchase price is
not a part of the project cost or budget - only the portion of the
depreciation of that asset that is attributable to the hours it used within
the project counts in the project budget and the rest of the cost must be
accounted for elsewhere in the firm. Only when a capital asset is
acquired - a new server perhaps - that is physically incorporated into the
final project deliverable and is turned over to the customer at the
conclusion of the project does its full cost get included in the project
costs.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs



"JJKEN" <JJKEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B457A039-1B05-4FC3-91AC-5E7E9C7F1A15@microsoft.com...
> Actually when doing software development for a new application or system,
> tasks associated with building the system are considered capital
> expenditures
> and are included in the cost of the system - therefore can be depreciated.
> Otheritems are not - training, project administration, data migration,
> process improvements.
>
> I get your point about project not being a cost tracking tool, but for the
> lack of having one it is the best thing we have that allows for tracking
> project tasks and actual work effort/costs.
>
> "Steve House [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> How can a task be either one? The tasks themselves (contrasted with
>> their
>> costs) are not single expenditure categories. I am not an accountant but
>> I've always understood "capital" and "expense" to be accounting concepts
>> that categorize expenditure accounts based on their lifetime but a "task"
>> isn't a line-item expenditure account in the same sense that purchases of
>> electricity or a new truck might be. A project task is always an
>> observable
>> physical activity being performed by a resource that results in the
>> creation
>> of a concrete deliverable. The cost of the task is the cost of the
>> assets
>> incorporated into the deliverable and the labour costs incurred paying
>> the
>> resources performing the work. It seems to me that from an accounting
>> standpoint labour and material costs would always be expenses and never
>> capital expenditures. Never heard of anyone paying an engineer X dollars
>> in
>> salary at the end of the month and then depreciating that amount over a 3
>> or
>> 5 year schedule the way you would depreciate the purchase price of a
>> piece
>> of capital equipment <grin>.
>>
>> "Task X" would not be a budget category at all, but the labour that is
>> spent
>> doing task X would probably be attributed to an expense budget category
>> while a special piece of equipment purchased in order for the resource to
>> do
>> the work may well be a capital acquisition in the capital expenditure
>> category. So where would you place that task in the balance sheet?
>>
>> I comment because it is important to remember that Project is a work
>> scheduling program, primarily intended to plan the activities of human
>> beings and it is NOT an accounting program except in that it can estimate
>> projected costs and provide data for input into a real accounting
>> application. It's always a good idea to use the right tool for the job
>> at
>> hand.
>>
>> --
>> Steve House [Project MVP]
>> MS Project Trainer & Consultant
>> Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs
>>
>>
>>
>> "JJKEN" <JJKEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:2E56C0C8-1CC6-4E95-BB0C-E31D283373BD@microsoft.com...
>> > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
>> > setting a text field or something.
>> >
>> > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with
>> > budget
>> > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have
>> > an
>> > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator.
>> > Any
>> > thoughts?
>>
>>

MAS
Fri Jun 09 09:59:02 CDT 2006

Labour costs are absolutely considered capital. If a resource is working on
an item that can be capitalized - coding a new system - the cost associated
with that task (their fully loaded salary) are capital. This is a very common
practice in business. Many times costs associated with the development of a
system or application are capitalized.
Also, you are correct that Project is not an accounting tool. But, project
provides the mechanism for actual costs in addition to "estimated" costs.

"Steve House [MVP]" wrote:

> Question though - I've never heard of labour costs being considered capital
> costs. Aren't salaries, rents, utilities, expendable supplies, etc always
> operating expense items, not capital items? The costs of tasks are almost
> always made up of those sorts of expenditures, at least I can only think of
> one or two exceptions. Even when a piece of capital equipment like a new
> bulldozer is purchased explicitly for the project its full purchase price is
> not a part of the project cost or budget - only the portion of the
> depreciation of that asset that is attributable to the hours it used within
> the project counts in the project budget and the rest of the cost must be
> accounted for elsewhere in the firm. Only when a capital asset is
> acquired - a new server perhaps - that is physically incorporated into the
> final project deliverable and is turned over to the customer at the
> conclusion of the project does its full cost get included in the project
> costs.
> --
> Steve House [Project MVP]
> MS Project Trainer & Consultant
> Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs
>
>
>
> "JJKEN" <JJKEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B457A039-1B05-4FC3-91AC-5E7E9C7F1A15@microsoft.com...
> > Actually when doing software development for a new application or system,
> > tasks associated with building the system are considered capital
> > expenditures
> > and are included in the cost of the system - therefore can be depreciated.
> > Otheritems are not - training, project administration, data migration,
> > process improvements.
> >
> > I get your point about project not being a cost tracking tool, but for the
> > lack of having one it is the best thing we have that allows for tracking
> > project tasks and actual work effort/costs.
> >
> > "Steve House [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> How can a task be either one? The tasks themselves (contrasted with
> >> their
> >> costs) are not single expenditure categories. I am not an accountant but
> >> I've always understood "capital" and "expense" to be accounting concepts
> >> that categorize expenditure accounts based on their lifetime but a "task"
> >> isn't a line-item expenditure account in the same sense that purchases of
> >> electricity or a new truck might be. A project task is always an
> >> observable
> >> physical activity being performed by a resource that results in the
> >> creation
> >> of a concrete deliverable. The cost of the task is the cost of the
> >> assets
> >> incorporated into the deliverable and the labour costs incurred paying
> >> the
> >> resources performing the work. It seems to me that from an accounting
> >> standpoint labour and material costs would always be expenses and never
> >> capital expenditures. Never heard of anyone paying an engineer X dollars
> >> in
> >> salary at the end of the month and then depreciating that amount over a 3
> >> or
> >> 5 year schedule the way you would depreciate the purchase price of a
> >> piece
> >> of capital equipment <grin>.
> >>
> >> "Task X" would not be a budget category at all, but the labour that is
> >> spent
> >> doing task X would probably be attributed to an expense budget category
> >> while a special piece of equipment purchased in order for the resource to
> >> do
> >> the work may well be a capital acquisition in the capital expenditure
> >> category. So where would you place that task in the balance sheet?
> >>
> >> I comment because it is important to remember that Project is a work
> >> scheduling program, primarily intended to plan the activities of human
> >> beings and it is NOT an accounting program except in that it can estimate
> >> projected costs and provide data for input into a real accounting
> >> application. It's always a good idea to use the right tool for the job
> >> at
> >> hand.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Steve House [Project MVP]
> >> MS Project Trainer & Consultant
> >> Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "JJKEN" <JJKEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:2E56C0C8-1CC6-4E95-BB0C-E31D283373BD@microsoft.com...
> >> > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> >> > setting a text field or something.
> >> >
> >> > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with
> >> > budget
> >> > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have
> >> > an
> >> > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator.
> >> > Any
> >> > thoughts?
> >>
> >>
>
>

Rob
Fri Jun 09 11:00:30 CDT 2006

Steve House [MVP] wrote:
> Question though - I've never heard of labour costs being considered
> capital costs. Aren't salaries, rents, utilities, expendable supplies,
> etc always operating expense items, not capital items? The costs of
> tasks are almost always made up of those sorts of expenditures, at least
> I can only think of one or two exceptions. Even when a piece of capital
> equipment like a new bulldozer is purchased explicitly for the project
> its full purchase price is not a part of the project cost or budget -
> only the portion of the depreciation of that asset that is attributable
> to the hours it used within the project counts in the project budget and
> the rest of the cost must be accounted for elsewhere in the firm. Only
> when a capital asset is acquired - a new server perhaps - that is
> physically incorporated into the final project deliverable and is turned
> over to the customer at the conclusion of the project does its full cost
> get included in the project costs.

Steve,

When building a house, the cost of labor to build the house adds to the
capital cost of of the house. Lots of examples where costs are capitalised.

Steve
Fri Jun 09 11:50:50 CDT 2006

Thanks for the info - never have understood accounting, even with a minor in
economics

--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs


"Rob Schneider" <honeycreek2006-guard@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ufM3V39iGHA.4776@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Steve House [MVP] wrote:
>> Question though - I've never heard of labour costs being considered
>> capital costs. Aren't salaries, rents, utilities, expendable supplies,
>> etc always operating expense items, not capital items? The costs of
>> tasks are almost always made up of those sorts of expenditures, at least
>> I can only think of one or two exceptions. Even when a piece of capital
>> equipment like a new bulldozer is purchased explicitly for the project
>> its full purchase price is not a part of the project cost or budget -
>> only the portion of the depreciation of that asset that is attributable
>> to the hours it used within the project counts in the project budget and
>> the rest of the cost must be accounted for elsewhere in the firm. Only
>> when a capital asset is acquired - a new server perhaps - that is
>> physically incorporated into the final project deliverable and is turned
>> over to the customer at the conclusion of the project does its full cost
>> get included in the project costs.
>
> Steve,
>
> When building a house, the cost of labor to build the house adds to the
> capital cost of of the house. Lots of examples where costs are
> capitalised.

MSPLearner
Sat Jun 24 08:04:02 CDT 2006

I could use the same code - anyway you could post it to this thread?

"MAS" wrote:

> Someone I work with did that part. Could you post an email address and I'll
> have him send you some details? OK?
>
> "JJKEN" wrote:
>
> > OK, I got that part working - any help with the macro part? Again never had
> > to setup a macro in Project before - thanks!
> >
> > "MAS" wrote:
> >
> > > Very simple code - use the custom formula in the custom field and it aids in
> > > setting it all up. the code would be something like this
> > >
> > > IIf( [capital ='Y'] , [Cost] , 0)
> > > Where capital is a user defined flag. It would be set to "n" for expense.
> > >
> > >
> > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > >
> > > > That is what I'm looking for - thanks. What does the code look like for
> > > > doing a check of the new text field and setting the new cost fields
> > > > accordingly (I do this in the custom fields?). I have never done anything
> > > > like that?
> > > >
> > > > "MAS" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > A little more detail - in order to get a project total for the cost field
> > > > > mentioned below you need to add a macro that copies the task summary field to
> > > > > the project cost field. So we actually had a cost field at a task level and 2
> > > > > at the project level. The macro that we fired was on a save event.
> > > > >
> > > > > "MAS" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > We had similar need. We created a text field to indicate tasks that are
> > > > > > capital vs expense and then created 2 new cost fields. Capital cost was = to
> > > > > > cost if text field was capital and vice versa. I hope this helps.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "JJKEN" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Is there an easy way to classify a task as capital or expense? Perhaps
> > > > > > > setting a text field or something.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > My goal is to either sum up all the Cap and Exp items to come up with budget
> > > > > > > number for each and actual tracking once the project begins. If I have an
> > > > > > > indicator, I suppose I can dump into excel and sort by this indicator. Any
> > > > > > > thoughts?