Setup Cash Flow Page

A detailed description of the fields and buttons located on this page is provided below:

• Select Template to Apply: If cash flow templates have been created for this account, this drop-down arrow displays for you to select a template to apply to the cash flow. Cash flow templates are created by your e-Builder account administrator. For more information, see Cash Flow Templates.
• Save: Click this button to save changes.
• Cancel: Click this button to cancel any changes you have made. All unsaved changes will be lost.
• Cash Flow Curve: Click this drop-down arrow to select a cash flow curve to apply to the budget line item. A description of each cash flow curve is provided below:
  • Manual: Manual is the default cash flow curve selection and it allows you to manually input the amount of cash expected to be used in each month. This selection might be a good fit for permits, for example, which is a one-time-payment expense.
  • Linear: The linear curve allows you to allocate an equal amount of money to each month. A linear curve might be applied to the support staff on a project, which may be paid the same amount each month throughout the duration of the project.
    
  • Bell Curve: The bell curve allocates a small amount of money in the beginning and increases each month until it reaches a peak and then declines at the same rate as it increased. If this distribution is displayed on a graph it would be shaped like a bell. The Bell curve distribution is often used for construction line items in the budget, which have little costs in the beginning of a project, followed by sharp increases and then sharp decreases as construction is completed.
    
  • S Curve: The S curve allocation is flatter at the beginning and end and steeper in the middle and end of its duration. The beginning represents a slow, deliberate but accelerating start, while the end represents a deceleration as the work runs out. For example, a budget line item for furniture, fixtures, and equipment would follow this curve as expenses start low and increase steadily.
    
  • Inverse S Curve: The inverse S curve is the reverse of the S Curve. It allocates a large amount of funds in the beginning and then rapidly declines. For example, design fees on a project will typically be higher at the start of a project and then decrease as design is concluded.
    
• Schedule Link Type: The schedule link type that is selected determines the months in which the cash is allocated for the budget line item. The link type works in tandem with the cash flow curve to project when cash will be needed throughout the project. A description of each link type is provided below:
  • Link to Schedule: The Link to Schedule option links the cash flow curve you select to the overall Start and Finish dates of the project schedule. This option is used when a budget line item will utilize cash for the entire duration of the project schedule.
  • Link to Tasks: The Link to Tasks option links the cash flow curve you select to the Start and Finish dates of one or two tasks in the schedule. This option is used when a budget line item will only utilize cash during part of the project. For example, a line item in the budget for construction may only be utilized during the construction phase of the project.
  • Link to Project: The Link to Project option links the cash flow curve you select to the Start and Target dates of the project details. This option is used when a budget line item will utilize cash for the entire duration of the project, which may not correspond with the schedule.
• Task 1/2: These fields display if Link To Tasks was selected in the Schedule Link Type drop-down arrow. These drop-down arrows allow you to choose a task in your schedule to link the cash flow curve to.
• Payment Lag (In Days): The payment lag refers to the amount of days you wish to extend your cash flow in order to account for payments. This setting allows you to track when checks are written and out the door. Depending on how your cash flow is setup, the payment lag will add additional days to the end of the project (if the cash flow is linked to the project start and end dates), the end of the schedule (if the cash flow is linked to the schedule), or to the end of the task (if the cash flow is linked to a particular task).