Linking a CLIN to a project structure

You can link multiple contract lines (CLINs) to a project ( element structure/ activity structure). This enables you to track direct costs, compare revenues, and also estimate indirect costs (such as project management or testing) at the CLIN level. This functionality is applicable for all contract types ( Fixed Price, Time & Materials and Cost Reimbursement, see Contract types for more information).

The related costs are displayed in the Cost Transactions (tpppc2100m000) and Financial Transactions (tpppc2100m100) sessions.

Note
  • You can link a specific project peg (element/activity) to only one contract line.
  • You cannot link a project to multiple contract lines, if the contract types are different, because a project can have only one revenue recognition option.
Example

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A contract with two contract lines (CLIN1 and CLIN2) is linked to the project PRJ100. Each CLIN has an activity of the type Control Account, linked to a deliverable. However, you can only view the costs associated with the activities linked to the deliverable, because the other activities recording the costs are not linked to the CLIN. The WBS element (WBS E100) is the parent to PCA200, PCA300 and PCA PM10. The activities (WP A210, A220, A310, A320) record the costs that are associated with costing breaks. Since there is no link between the WBS Element or activities to the CLIN, Infor LN cannot recognize which CLIN must be linked with the costs of these activities.

Therefore, for project PRJ100 with activity PCAA100, the WBS Element E100 is linked to CLIN1, effectively all the levels below E100 are also linked to CLIN1, enabling you to view all the related costs.

For the project PRJ100 with activity PCAA100, you can link specific activities to specific CLINs, in case the WBS element (WBS E100) is not considered.

Link a CLIN to an element

A CLIN can be linked to multiple deliverables and each deliverable is linked to an element, which allows you to view the costs for the deliverable. However, only elements for which the cost control levels are checked, in the General Project Parameters (tppdm0100s000) session, are linked to a CLIN, as costs can be collected only for these elements.

Link a CLIN to an activity

Activities, of the type Control Account and Work Package, can only be linked to a CLIN as these activities record the actual costs of the project.

Infor LN links all activities, not linked to a CLIN deliverable, to the related contract line. You can map the WBS of the element type activities to CLINs because, by default, Control Accounts are linked to WBS elements.

If WBS elements are not used, Infor LN determines the CLINs applicable to a Work Package, based on the parent/child relationship between a Control Account and a Work Package.

Link an element and activity structure

A project can also be element and activity controlled. You can link an element with an element structure and then add activities, as required. If the elements are linked to an activity that is cost controlled, both the element and activity, by default, are linked to the contract line.

Note

When the element and activities relationships are not specified, only elements that are cost controlled can be linked to a CLIN.

Link contract lines to the project structure

Use the Contract Link to Project Structure (tpctm0160m000) session to link contract lines to a project structure. You can also access the session using the Link to Project Structure option in the References menu, in the Contract (tpctm1600m000) and Contract Lines (tpctm1110m000) sessions.

To link a contract line to a project structure:

  • Specify a contract, the related CLINs, and link activities of the type Control Account.
  • If the project has no control accounts, link activities, of the type Work Package, to the CLINs.
  • If the Cost Incurred and Revenue Incurred check boxes are selected in this session, it indicates that costs and revenue are incurred and the CLIN link cannot be modified or deleted.
Note
  • You can only modify a CLIN before costs or revenues are booked for a specific activity.
  • If a project (with a Work Package and Control Account structure) is linked to two CLINs, and costs are only incurred at the parent (Control Account) level, you can only modify the CLIN at the child (Work Package) level.
  • In case, only the element is specified, Infor LN, by default, links all activities related to the element to the CLIN. You can also specify the activities as required.