Expense Change Orders
Applicable Packages This article applies to the Kahua for K-12 Education, Kahua for Owners, Kahua for General Contractors, and Kahua for Subcontractors packages. If you are not sure if this is relevant to you, please contact your domain administrator.
The Expense Change Orders app allows you to create a change order from scratch or by processing an approved change request. Change order values are tracked in Work Breakdown according to status.
Key elements to know about this application include the following:
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You can create a new change order directly in the Change Orders tab, or create one from an initiating Change Request (if your process uses change requests).
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Change order line items are entered in the Items grid, where you can insert multiple lines and assign cost codes and related details.
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You can add items from Issues as line items in a change order by selecting Import Issue Items from the Change Order record action bar.
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Supporting files can be added in References, including uploaded files, documents stored in File Manager, and Approval Docs used for review/signature workflows.
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If workflow is enabled, dates and routing can be automated; if workflow is not enabled, you can manually update status using the Set To options (Projected, Pending, Approved, Approved & Lock).
How to . . .
To create a new change order, complete the following steps:
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Review the header to ensure that you are in the correct project or partition.
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Navigate to the Change Orders application (Apps > Cost Management > Expenses > Change Orders).
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Click New in the action bar to open a new record in the detail pane.
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Complete the following fields and sections as appropriate:
Note Depending on how this app is configured for your domain, there may be fields or sections listed here that do not appear for you, fields and sections that appear for you which are not listed here, or fields and sections which appear in a different order. If you have any questions, check with your domain administrator.
Field/Section Description Contract Details Contract Select the appropriate expense contract. Number Allow Kahua to auto-number the record, or enter a different value.
Note The number format can be configured by your domain administrator. Refer to Number.
Date Select the appropriate date. Enter the value manually or click on the Date selector icon
to open the calendar.Description Enter a clear summary of the scope and purpose of the change.
Type Select the change order type.
Note This lookup list is managed in the Configuration app. Refer to Lookups.
Location Select one or more locations if applicable.
Note Locations are set up in the Locations app. Refer to Setting up locations.
View Template If appropriate, select a portable view template other than the default here.
Note For more information on portable views, refer to Portable Views.
Scope Extension (days) If applicable, enter the number of days associated with the change.
Scope of Work Enter the scope of work. Notes Enter any additional notes as desired, such as any assumptions or constraints relevant to the change order.
Dates & Workflow Revised Completion Enter a revised project completion date if the change impacts the schedule.
Workflow Dates If using the available workflow options, date fields will auto-populate as the contract moves through the workflow. Remaining fields can be completed manually. Refer to Submitting into Workflow
Items Currency This is the default currency selected for the project.
Note Currency for a project is managed on the Currency tab in the Configuration app. Refer to Currency.
Status The status updates automatically. Entry Type Select the appropriate value:
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Unit Price
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Total Value
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Unit Price Calculated
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Lump Sum
Items Grid Click Insert to insert the selected number of lines on the grid. For more information on working with grids, refer to Item grids.
Alternatively, select Import Issue Items to add issue items as change order line items.
Number This field auto-populates and is read only. Activity Code Select an activity code. Cost Item Type Select the appropriate cost item type, Materials or Services. Description Enter a description of the item.
Note If Default Description to Activity Code Description is selected in Configuration, the activity code description will be applied by default but can be edited.
Entry Type This value defaults to the selection made above. Modify if appropriate Tax Rate This field auto-populates and is read only.
Note This field displays when the Separate Line Item Tax Type is selected.Is Manual Check if appropriate.
Note This field displays when the Separate Line Item Tax Type is selected.Taxable Check if appropriate.
Note This field displays when the Separate Line Item Tax Type is selected.Status This field will auto-populate. Total This field will auto-populate once an activity code is selected. Modify if appropriate. Items Grid Detail Additional fields are available for individual line items. From the Items grid, click on the Details icon
on a line item. From the detail view, click on the View Details icon
.For more information on working with grids, refer to Item grids.
Funding Change Order / Funding Change Order Item If applicable, select the approprite funding change order and change order item to associate with this expense change order. Issue / Issue Item If applicable, select the related issue and issue item from the Issues app. Change Reason Select the appropriate change reason.
Note This lookup list is managed in the Configuration app. Refer to Lookups.
Committed Date / Scheduled Start / Schedule End / Started On / Completed On
Enter date values as appropriate. Scope of Work / Notes / Comments Enter as appropriate.
Note Comments are threaded. The author's name and date and time posted populates automatically when the record is saved.
References Upload any relevant files or documents. For more information on using this section, refer to References section. Reviewers Reviewer information appears here.
Note To use the review workflow, the Use Review Workflow setting must be enabled on the Settings tab in configuration and the approval must be configured in Configuration > Approvals. Refer to Approval configuration.
Signatures Signature information appears here.
Note To use the signature workflow, the Use Signature Workflow setting must be enabled on the Settings tab in configuration and the approval must be configured in Configuration > Approvals. Refer to Approval configuration.
Comments New Comment Enter a comment as desired.
Note Comments are threaded. The author's name and date and time posted populates automatically when the record is saved.
References Upload or select any relevant files or documents. You can use drag and drop to add a file to this section. For more information on using this section, refer to References section.
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When you are finished, click Save/Close. Prior to submitting into workflow, your process may require creating an approval document.
Your project may be configured to require an approval document as part of the approval workflow for change orders. An approval document is created in the References section of a record. To create an approval document, select Add Approval Doc, name the document, and select the appropriate supporting files. Those files are combined into a single PDF that can be routed through review/signature workflow.
For more detailed information, refer to Create an approval document.
For information on setting up approvals, refer to Approval configuration.
If approval workflow has not been configured for this application in your environment, you can increment the status manually by using the Set To button at the bottom of the record. Options typically include Projected, Pending, Approved, or Approved & Lock. The selected status determines how values appear in Work Breakdown.
If workflow is enabled on your project, Kahua supports both a review process and a formal signature process. For general information on approvals and workflow, refer to Submitting into Workflow.
You can generate a report from a selected log view, or use one of the built-in reports available by default in each application. For more information on creating your own reports, including how to set up scheduled reports, refer to Creating ad hoc reports.
Note For information on modifying the logo that appears on reports in your project, refer to Managing report logos.
To generate a report from a log view with up to 10,000 records, click the More icon
and select Print. If your log view contains more than 10,000 records, the Print option will be disabled and you can select
to download the records to a CSV file instead.
To generate an application report, complete the following steps:
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Navigate to the application.
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Select Reports in the application title bar.
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Select the report you want to run.
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Apply any desired filters.
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Select View or Download as appropriate. For more information, refer to Viewing Reports.
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Click the Close icon
when you are done.
(print, send, view history, delete, etc.)
From the detail view of a record, there are several standard actions you can take. Depending on your permissions, some or all of the following options may be available to you:
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View and View w/References - Select View or View w/References to open a PDF view of the current record. The PDF file can be printed or shared from the viewer by clicking on the Open PDF icon
.Note Only references where the Include on Send value is set to "Yes" are included in the View w/References.
Additionally, if Include Markup on Send is set to "Yes", any markups on the file are included. -
Discussions
- Select this icon to open the Discussions panel. If enabled in your domain, the discussions feature allows you to participate in public or private conversations associated with specific records. For more information, refer to Discussions. -
View History
- Select this icon to open the History page for the record. The history page provides details regarding all activity (creation, edits, saves, etc.) performed on the record. Click view edit to drill down into more detail on a specific action. Click hide edit to close the action detail. Click the Close icon
to close the history page. -
Send actions
- Click this icon to select an appropriate Send action for the record. The following options may be available to you:-
Copy Link and Copy Portable View Link - Select this option to copy a URL link for the record or record's portable view to your clipboard. This link can be sent outside of Kahua. Users with the appropriate permissions will be able to open Kahua directly to that record or portable view by using the link.
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Copy QR Code and Copy Portable View QR Code - Select this option to generate a QR code for the currently open record or record's portable view. The QR code can be shared directly from your screen, or copied to your clipboard to be shared as appropriate. This QR code can be shared outside of Kahua. Users with the appropriate permissions will be able to open Kahua directly to that record or portable view by using the link.
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Send - Select this option to open a new Kahua message with the open record included as an attachment. References with the Include on Send value set to "Yes" are also included. For more information, refer to Messages app.
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Delete
- Select this option to delete the open record. You must agree to the confirmation message before the record is deleted.Alternatively, right-click on the record in the log view and select Delete, or select multiple records from the log view and select Delete.
Note If a record is deleted in error, your domain administrator may be able to recover it through the Recycle Bin app. For more information, refer to Using the Recycle Bin.
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Open in a new window
- Select this option to open the current record as read-only in a new window (desktop host) or browser tab (web host). This allows you to navigate to other records in the original Kahua instance while keeping the read-only window or tab open for reference. To re-open the record on the read-only window or tab in Kahua, select Open in the header. -
Maximize
and Minimize
- Select Maximize
to open the record to a full screen view. From the full screen view, select Minimize
to return to the original view. -
Close
- Select the close icon
to close the currently open item.
Your domain administrator or another user with the appropriate permissions can configure the app in the Configuration application.
Important When working in the Configuration app, it is important to review the header and ensure that you are working at the correct level in the hierarchy, either the root domain or at a partition or project level.
Settings that you establish at the root domain or lower levels will inherit down the hierarchy until they are overridden. For more information on the hierarchical structure of Kahua, refer to Understanding the hierarchical structure of Kahua.
The Configuration app can be accessed directly through the apps list (Apps > Administration > Configuration), or, in some applications, by right-clicking on an application in the launch bar and selecting Configure. When you select Configure for an app from the launch bar, the detail view of the configuration page for that application opens automatically.
For general information on configuring this app in Configuration, refer to Application configuration.
The following items are commonly configured for this application (availability depends on your environment and permissions):
| Options | Description |
|---|---|
| Settings tab | |
| Use Review Workflow |
Select this option to make the Review workflow available. Note You must also configure the Review approval in Configuration > Approvals. Refer to Approval configuration. |
| Use Signature Workflow |
Select this option to make the Signature workflow available. Note You must also configure the Signature approval in Configuration > Approvals. Refer to Approval configuration. |
| Use Board Prep and Approval Task | |
| Use Manual Status Override |
Select this option to allow users with the appropriate permissions to use workflow action buttons to increment status of a record (to Pending, Approved, etc.). This option is typically used when workflow is not enabled. |
| Use Manual Approve & Lock |
Select this option to have the Set to Approved and Lock option available to users with the appropriate permissions. When Set to Approved and Lock is selected, the status of both the document and its items are set to "Approved" and the document moves to the "Locked" step in the workflow. |
| Cost Status Read Only |
Select this option to have the cost status of the contract and line items appear as read-only. The fields cannot be manually edited. This requires the status field to be updated by only workflow or the selection of action items (e.g. Set to Pending, Set to Approved, etc.), depending on other cost configuration selections. |
| Default Description to Activity Code Description |
Select this option to have the activity code's description applied to the Description field of an item in a cost items grid. The activity code's description is applied as the default value, but it can be edited. |
| Settings tab - Cost Unit Settings | |
| Default Entry Type | Select a default value for this field. |
| Can View? | If selected, the Entry Type field is visible on the Items section. |
| Can Change? | If selected, the Entry Type field is editable. |
| Allow Item Entry Type Selection? | If selected, the Entry Type field appears in the grid for individual items. |
| Excluded Entry Types | Select entry types to remove them from the Entry Type drop-down list. |
| Settings - Tax Settings | |
| Default Tax Entry Type | Select None or Separate Line Item. |
| Can View? | If selected, the Tax Type field is visible on the Items section. |
| Can Change? | If selected, the Tax Type field is editable. |
| Allow Manual Tax Entry? | |
| Set Taxable on New Items? | |
| Excluded Entry Types | Select tax entry types to remove them from the drop-down list. |
Application roles determine which actions users can perform in the app. Roles are assigned to groups in the Groups app > Permissions tab. Members of the group then have the permissions associated with the roles assigned to the group.
The following roles are available for this application:
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| Administrator |
Full administration, including add, configure, create lists, edit, import, export, share, view, send, process, remove, and edit view templates. |
| Contributor |
Can add, edit, open, view, send, and process records. |
| Moderator |
Can add, edit, import, export, remove, share, open, view, send, and process records. |
| Observer |
Can open, view, send, and process records. |
| Referencer |
View-only access to records. |
| TemplateEditor |
Can edit view templates. |
Note To manage these permissions, open the Groups app and assign the appropriate application role to the group. Only users with the appropriate permissions can manage application roles. For more information, refer to Managing Permissions.









