Create/edit charges & set budgets

Owned by Fiona Wilson
Last updated: Jun 13, 2023
5 min read

This guide has been reviewed against our global client base and classed as relevant to all regions

This page outlines how to create and add charges, ground rent, reserve funds and management fees to an estate record via the Manage Charges screen

This screen allows preferred suppliers to be set for charges, plus current and next year budgets to be set

For more information on apportioning charges, click here

1. Accessing the Manage Charges screen

From the estate record:

  • Click Charges/Budgets button (top left)

    The Manage Charges screen is displayed

2. Manage Charges screen

The following charges are added from here: Service Charge, Ground Rent, Reserve Funds, Management Fees

To add a new charge:

  • Click  to add the charge
    See next sections for information on adding/editing each charge type

To edit charge details: 

  • Double-click the entry
    Screens shown in step 3 will be displayed

To enter the charge amounts:

  • Click into the available fields to enter the relevant figures

The Print button provides a shortcut to running the Budget report - which is also accessible via the Reports button, click here for more information

3. Add charges

See the relevant section, depending on the type of charge you are adding

 

- In Charge Type select Service Charge
- - - Enter a Description for this charge

- Select a Category for this charge

- Select a Nominal Code

- Enter any Notes

- Click Save and Exit (top right)

- In Charge Type select Ground Rent

- Enter a Description for this charge

- Select a Category for this charge

- Select a Nominal Code

- If this charge will increase at set intervals, use the Increase Frequency field

- To change to days or months, click the years menu
(or leave set to years)

- Enter the figure

- Where a Collection Fee is involved, enter the percentage figure

- Enter any Notes

- Click Save and Exit (top right) to return to the Manage Charges screen

- In Charge Type select Reserve Fund

- Enter a Description for the charge

- Category and Nominal Code should already be set as required, as shown right

- Enter any Notes

- Click Save and Exit (top right) to return to the Manage Charges screen

- In Charge Type select Management Fee

- Description, Category and Nominal Code should already be set as required, as shown right

- Enter any Notes

- Click Save and Exit (top right) to return to the Manage Charges screen

4. Budget details

After adding Charge Details and clicking Save, the Budget Details tab (within the same screen) becomes available

  • Click Add for options to add budget details for this year, next year or another year

    This adds fields for the budget details to be entered

  • Enter Budget and Deficit charge figures, as required

  • Click Add to add details for other year(s)
    When adding details for a future year, see 4a

  • Click Save and Exit

 

 

Budget figures can also be added on the main Manage Charges screen

4a. Adding budget for future years

When adding budget details for a future year, you can set the budget amount based on the previous year's amount

  • Click the Actions menu

5. Setting preferred suppliers

Preferred suppliers can be set for Service Charges

  • In the Preferred Supplier(s) column, click Select
    The Search Companies screen is displayed - see 5a 

  • Double-click when found 
    (if no record exists, click Add)

  • Click Accept on the company/supplier record

    The selected record is now shown as a Preferred Supplier - for information on adding more suppliers or clearing existing ones, see 5b

 

The Search Companies screen is displayed, showing a list of your current Supplier records:

- If the supplier you need is displayed, double-click to add them as a preferred supplier

- If not displayed, click Add to add a new record

Or, if you have lots of supplier records, use the search fields at the left of the screen to search by name, telephone/email and/or address, before adding any new records

6. Setting budgets

The current financial year budget is set from this screen, plus the next year budget

To set the current year budget, in the YY-YY Budget column:

  • Enter each budget figure

To set the next year budget, in the NY Budget column:

  • Enter each budget figure
    OR

  • Right-click over a field for options to copy current year figure(s) or copy plus percentage increase

  • If choosing to + percentage, enter the percentage figure and click Accept

7. Charges shown on unit screen

Once charges are setup, they are broken down and displayed on the individual unit records (bottom left)
For further information on the individual unit record, click here

  • Click the arrow beside the charge type to display more detail

  • Hover over a charge to see the percentage figure

  • Total charges for the unit is displayed at the bottom of the screen