All Scheme Costs are reported to the Client against a series of Network Cost Route Centres - with each Cost Route covering a modest length of a Network Road or Route. The precise division of Network Cost Route Centres will vary from contract to contract and will be defined under the following guidance rules:
Short sections of carriageway under a single Route or Road Number will held as a single Cost Route. For example short spurs or routes running to the periphery of the Network Area.
Major Routes will divided into shorter sections, typically covering between 3 and 6 junctions say.
Sections of a Route with very different characteristics will be split into different Cost Routes (e.g. separating Single from Dual Carriageway lengths)
Where adjacent Cost Routes are listed with overlapping Junction Numbers, e.g. M6 Junctions 7 to 11, and M6 Junctions 11 to 15, the convention is that works at a Junction are carried by the Cost Route that lists the Junction number as it's start reference. Thus all Works at Junction 11 in the above example are carried by the 11 to 15 Cost Route.
Cost Routes are defined so as not to span any regional operational areas within the Contract Network Area, e.g. for areas under North, Central and South Depot responsibilities.
A single Scheme may fall within a single Network Cost Route, or span one or more such routes. To enable the Client Cost reporting, it is important that the Schemes are allocated to the relevant Network Cost Routes. This is achieved by clicking on the Route Details… command button on the Scheme Details panel. If no previous definition has been established HighStone will prompt for a new definition.
The definition may be entered in a number of ways:
By a Single Chart Section (Location Record) - this uses the Network Chart Section entered against the Scheme in the Location record (above). The appropriate Network Cost Route is established by HighStone and 100% of all Scheme Costs will be allocated to that Cost Centre. This type of selection is appropriate when only one Network Chart Section is covered by the works, or all works fall in the same Cost Route definition as the Network Chart section listed.
By Single Cost Route - a similar definition in that all Scheme Costs will be allocated to the selected Network Cost Route. This may often be the easiest way to set the required entries.
By defined Survey Route. This prompts for a single selection from defined Survey Routes as held on the system. The Network Chart Sections covered by the Survey Routes are held by the system, and hence all Scheme Costs will be apportioned across the necessary Cost Routes depending on the lengths of carriageway falling under each definition. Only use this type of selection if the Scheme Works do cover the full length of the Survey Route.
Multiple Chart Sections - this uses a multiple-selection prompt panel to determine those Network Chart sections that are covered by the Scheme Works. Scheme Costs are apportioned between Cost Routes based on the proportion of carriageway lengths that fall within each Cost Route. This is the most appropriate entry for Schemes that span more than one of the defined Cost Routes.
Multiple Cost Routes - this is a multiple option selection using the actual Cost Route Centres. Scheme Costs will be apportioned between the Cost Routes based on the length of carriageway falling within each definition. This selection should not be used unless the target Scheme does cover the entire length of each Cost Route (as Costs would be apportioned incorrectly). Use the Multiple Chart Section prompt if the key requirement cannot be met.
Multiple Survey Route selection - a similar multiple choice option. But here also it is only appropriate if the Scheme Works cover the full length of all selected Survey Routes.
Across Entire Network - This selection will apportion all the Scheme Costs across the entire Network Cost Routes - using the lengths of carriageway within each Cost Route to establish the relevant proportions. This selection should be applied to Schemes that do truly span the entire Contract Network.
No Route Cost Analysis - if this is selected then all Scheme Costs will be omitted from the Route Cost reporting. This selection is not usually valid (only for off-Network works).
The initial option selection is followed by a prompt pop-up relevant to the selection made. Upon completion HighStone will save the definition and the settings required to drive the relevant Cost Reporting.
If the Cost Reporting options have already been set up on a Scheme Record, clicking on the Route Details… command button offers two review options:
View Route Selection for the Scheme - This displays the settings made previously for the Scheme record and shows the current basis for Cost Reporting.
View Route Cost Centre Proportions - This displays the proportions (percentage) of the total Scheme Costs that will be apportioned to the relevant Route Cost Centres. The display will list 1 or more records - with the percentages down the rows adding up to 100%.
If the Cost Route definition for a Scheme is to be changed then use a Right Mouse Click on the Route Details… command button to start a new selection. On completion of the selection the original definition will be deleted and the new selection applied. The new selection will be applied to all Cost reporting run after this time.
HighStone may lock the opening of any Works Stages for Staff Timesheet booking, or Purchase Ledger usage, if no Network Route Cost Centres have been defined for the target scheme.