You use Job Planning Lines to list your expectations of the job, either schedule (what items, resources and G/L expenses you expect to use) or contract (what you agree with your customer that he should pay for the job).

You can set up planning lines for each job task on the job. If you have agreed with your customer that he should pay one total amount for the entire job, regardless of the usage on the individual job tasks, you only have to set up one job planning line of type Contract for the entire job.

Only planning lines of type Contract or Both Schedule and Contract can be invoiced. Planning lines of type Schedule are regarded as not chargeable.

The confusing part is that a “Planning Line” can have multiple uses:
a. BOM
b. Task Cost Estimate Details
c. Billing information

We recommend to our Project/Job customers that you setup lines as either Schedule (Estimate) or as Contract (Price), but not both. Both is too confusing, make two separate entries to make it easier to track.

To assist in the process we recommend you setup tasks for each type of work that you do, to further separate the job allocations. Example: Welding, Painting, Installing, Developing, Training, CNC, or Demolition. Under each of these tasks add your “Planning Lines” to hold the detail estimate of that task.

If your business is project/job oriented you can view a video that shows how a well placed task line can clarify your work breakdown structure.