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Werne · Larnaca (PBC EUROPE LTD.)hello@pb-consult.com

pBC Construction Trades – Help & documentation

pBC Construction Trades is the industry solution for construction trades in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Here you find how to set up and use the app. The app's user interface is German; names of pages, fields and actions are quoted in German as they appear in Business Central. For personal help see “Support” at the end of the page.

Getting started

Requirements

  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Online, German localization, Essentials or Premium.
  • A license agreement for pBC Construction Trades with pB Consult GmbH (see license terms).
  • No other apps are required.

1. Installation

  • Via Microsoft Marketplace: In Business Central open the page “Erweiterungsmarktplatz” (Extension Marketplace), search for “pBC Construction Trades” and choose “Contact me”. We get back to you and set up the installation with you.
  • Via pB Consult: We send you an installation link for your environment. A user with administrator rights in Business Central performs the installation.

2. Assign permissions: Assign one of these permission sets to the users, via the page “Benutzer” (Users) or via security groups:

Permission setRights
PBB Bau – VollzugriffAll pBC Construction Trades functions: view, create, edit, delete, execute
PBB Bau – LesenView all pBC Construction Trades data

3. Setup: Use search (Alt+Q) to open the page “Bauvorhabenkarte Einrichtung”.

  • Set up the number series for technical installations, project quotes, project orders, requisitions, maintenance contracts, maintenance contract prices, transports and transport returns.
  • In the field “Baustelle” set the construction site location.
  • For automatic consumption: switch on “Artikelverbrauch automatisch buchen” and enter the journal template, journal batch and reason code for consumption.
  • For transports: “Wareneingang mit Transport buchen” defines whether the transport also posts the receipt at the site.
  • Who may post transports manually is set on the page “Benutzer einrichten” (User Setup) with “Manuelles Buchen von Transporten zulassen”.

4. Create master data: Create your technical installations (see “Technical installations”). We are happy to support you with the initial setup.

Technical installations

Technical installations are, for example, sprinkler, heating, ventilation or electrical systems. Each installation has its own card with installer, attributes, comments and attachments.

To create an installation:

  1. Use search (Alt+Q) to open the page “Technische Anlagen”.
  2. Choose “Neu” (New) and enter the installation data.
  3. Add further data with “Errichter der Anlage” (installer) and “Attribute”.

From the installation card you open the related “Projektangebote” (project quotes), “Projektaufträge” (project orders) and “Wartungsverträge” (maintenance contracts). With “Neuen Beleg erstellen” you create a quote or an order of type new installation, modernization, maintenance or repair, or a maintenance contract.

Project quotes and project orders

New installations, modernizations, maintenance and repairs run as project quote and project order on the technical installation, all in the same Business Central.

  • Quote: On the page “Projektangebote” you enter lines, opening and closing texts (action “Texte”) and a structure with “Positionsnummern erstellen”. Release the quote with “Freigeben” or “Genehmigung anfordern” (request approval). “Auftrag erstellen” transfers the quote to a project order, “Wartungsvertrag erstellen” to a maintenance contract.
  • Order: In the project order you set the “Vertragsart” (contract type): Pauschal (fixed price), Aufmaß (measured work) or Regie (time and materials). Check that the customer is filled in. Release the order with “Freigeben”. Under “Drucken/Senden” you find order confirmation, project cover page, delivery note, work order and pick instruction.
  • Change orders: Additional work is recorded as a change order (Nachtrag). “Schwebende Nachträge” shows open change orders, “Nachträge zur Abrechnung hinzufügen” adds them to invoicing.

Maintenance, repair and warranty

  • Maintenance and repair: A maintenance or repair order is a project order of type Wartung or Instandsetzung. You create it on the installation card with “Neuen Beleg erstellen”. Maintenance orders are also created from maintenance contracts (see “Maintenance contracts”).
  • Warranty: For a warranty case, set the “Projektart” (project type) Gewährleistung in the project order, select the original order in “Gewährleistung Hauptauftrag” and the reason in “Grund für Gewährleistung”. If the reason is set up as a material defect, you select the affected delivered items. They are then listed under “Gewährleistungsartikel”. Reasons and “Fehlerursachen” (causes of defect) are set up on the pages of the same name.
  • Documents such as inspection reports are attached to the project order as attachments.

Maintenance contracts

  1. Use search (Alt+Q) to open the page “Wartungsverträge Liste” and choose “Neu”, or create the contract on the installation card.
  2. Enter customer and technical installation. In the “Wartungsvertragszeilen” (contract lines) choose the interval per line (Jährlich, Halbjährlich, Vierteljährlich, Monatlich or Wöchentlich – yearly to weekly) and the price per interval.
  3. “Vertrag sperren” (lock contract) completes editing. If required data is missing, Business Central names the missing field. “Vertrag öffnen” opens the contract for changes again; earlier versions are in the archive of the contract lines.
  4. Create orders: “Projektauftrag erstellen” on the contract creates the next maintenance order. The batch job “Projektauftrag erstellen” (search Alt+Q) creates the orders for all locked contracts due in a period.
  5. “Vertrag drucken” prints the maintenance contract. “Wartungsvertragspreise vorschlagen” suggests new prices, for example for a price increase.

Invoicing

  1. In the project order lines, mark the lines to invoice with “Zu Berechnen”.
  2. In the released project order choose “Auftrag abrechnen”. An unposted sales order with these lines is created.
  3. Open it with “Abrechnung öffnen” and post it as usual with the standard Business Central invoice.

The commercial status on the project order shows the progress: Kaufmännisch-offen (open), Kaufmännisch teilweise abgerechnet (partly invoiced), Kaufmännisch Schlussgerechnet (fully invoiced), Kfm. Abgeschlossen (closed).

Guarantees / sureties (Bürgschaften)

You record sureties on the project order (Projektauftrag).

  1. Open the project order.
  2. Choose the function “Bürgschaften” and then “Neu” (New).
  3. Enter the type (advance-payment, performance or warranty surety), amount, expiry date and return date.

This way you keep track of all sureties for your jobs.

Progress invoices

Progress, prepayment and final invoices and the payment plan on the order are part of pBC Construction Trades Plus. Plus is available · from +€10/month/user, only with Construction Trades. Details under Pricing. In the base edition you invoice project orders with “Auftrag abrechnen” and the standard Business Central invoice (see “Invoicing”).

Materials and stock

  • Requisitions: In the project order lines choose “Bedarfsanforderung erstellen”. From the “Bedarfsanforderung” (requisition) you create the purchase order with “Einkaufsbestellungen erstellen” or the transfer to the site with “Umlagerungsauftrag erstellen”.
  • Returns: Unused material is returned with “Artikel Rücklieferung”. “Projektrückgaben öffnen” shows the returns for the order.
  • Inventory valuation: “Bewertung erstellen” values the stock with your “Bewertungsfaktoren” (valuation factors), for example by range of coverage. Print the report “Lagerbewertung Inventur” for the physical inventory.
  • Labels: Item and bin labels are printed in several sizes.

Transports

A transport groups one or more warehouse shipments. Each shipment is one shipping unit (Versandeinheit).

Requirement: The source location requires warehouse shipments, the construction site location requires receipts. Weight, goods value and dangerous goods data come from the item (net and gross weight, unit cost, dangerous goods).

  1. Create a warehouse shipment from the transfer or sales order and fill in the quantity to ship.
  2. Use search (Alt+Q) “Transportauftrag” to create a transport and choose “Warenausgänge hinzufügen”. Only shipments not yet assigned to a transport are offered. Weight, goods value and dangerous goods (UN number, hazard class) are calculated.
  3. Choose “Auf Versandbereit setzen” and print “Transportschein” (transport slip with QR code), “Lieferschein” (delivery note), “Frachtbrief drucken” (consignment note) and, for dangerous goods, “Gefahrgut-Transportpapier drucken”.
  4. Choose “Warenausgang und Wareneingang buchen”. Or choose “Zur Buchung planen” to have the job queue post in the background. “Buchungsplanung abbrechen” cancels the schedule.

For project orders with contract type Pauschal or Aufmaß, material consumption at the site is posted automatically with the receipt. For Regie nothing is consumed automatically. You switch this on or off on the page “Bauvorhabenkarte Einrichtung”.

Material coming back from the site is recorded in the “Transportrückgabeaufträge” (transport return orders).

FAQ

Does pBC Construction Trades need the Business Central Premium license? No, pBC Construction Trades runs with Essentials and Premium.

Do I need other apps? No. The QR code on the transport slip is also generated inside Business Central, without an external service.

In which countries and languages is pBC Construction Trades available? In Germany, in German.

How do I get a license? Via pB Consult. Choose “Contact me” on Microsoft Marketplace or write to hello@pb-consult.com.

Are progress invoices available? Yes, with pBC Construction Trades Plus. Plus is available · from +€10/month/user, only with Construction Trades. Details under Pricing.

How do I get updates? We provide updates via Microsoft Marketplace or the Business Central admin center.

What happens to my data when I uninstall? Back up the app data first, for example by export. When the app is removed with data cleanup, its data is deleted.

Who sees my data? Your data stays in your Business Central company at Microsoft. We only see it if you give us access for support. See privacy policy.

Support

Please include your company name, the Business Central environment and, if possible, a screenshot of the message.

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