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Can I create a project budget that only I can see?

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Seth Stark

03 Jan, 2014 12:32 PM

I like to provide simple, streamlined estimates for my clients as flat fees - and I love how Cashboard does this. But is there a way for me to privately build a project budget that only I can see? It would include all the expenses I am likely to incur on a project, such as: my time, subcontractors, project supplies, meals, travel, mileage, postage, etc.? This would help me calculate my total expenses so that I can just present them with a lump sum in the estimate.

1. Support Staff 1 Posted by Seth B on 03 Jan, 2014 05:41 PM

   

   Can you clear up exactly where you'd want to "hide" these expenses? Only on the estimate itself?

   If that's all you want to do, simply don't turn on the "show detailed expenses" checkbox under Advanced Options while editing an invoice.

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2. 2 Posted by Seth Stark on 04 Jan, 2014 02:58 PM

   

   Thanks for the advice. I am very impressed with your platform, but I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for. Let's say my client needs me to give them an estimate for an upcoming project. I start by budgeting my own costs, and let's say I create 10 line items (my time, travel cost, lodging, airfare, subcontract help, supplies) to my estimate and the total is $9400, and I want to round up and make the total estimate a simple flat fee of $10,000 for the client. It seems to me that the estimate would automatically include all 11 items in the estimate with a total of $19,400 with no way for me to hide my behind-the-scenes calculations of $9400. I only want the client to see one line item at $10,000. This way, as I'm doing the project and the actual expenses start rolling in, I'll be able to see how they compare and make sure I'm making a profit. So again, I'm essentially wanting to do a budget for a project, then create a simple estimate for the client, then be able to compare actual expenses as they come in with the budgeted ones. Make sense?

   Thanks!

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3. Support Staff 3 Posted by Seth B on 04 Jan, 2014 08:24 PM

   

   Sure no problem…

   To do this you could modify the Estimate template, under Settings > Doc
   Templates. You'd need to remove all the code that prints out each line
   item, and just present them with a total. The total prints out at the
   bottom of the estimate table, so you could make this change simply by
   removing code, and not modifying anything else.

   However, I think doing that would make the estimate look a bit weird and
   you'd probably need to do some other design modifications to make it look
   nice again.

   Best regards,

   - Seth

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4. 4 Posted by Seth Stark on 06 Jan, 2014 02:07 PM

   

   Thanks. Based on a suggestion in your Help section, I ended up simply creating a "stock" estimate that I can use to create the budget and then I create a second estimate -- for the client -- with just a few line items that includes the lump sums and is easier for them to digest. Thanks again.

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5. Support Staff 5 Posted by Seth B on 06 Jan, 2014 05:34 PM

   

   Good to hear! Please let us know if you need anything else.

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