That makes sense, we use Spectrum as well, thank you for sharing!
Original Message:
Sent: 12/3/2025 4:33:00 PM
From: Kim Niswender
Subject: RE: Subcontract Accruals
It would be an adjustment to the AP sub pay app entry, directly in AP. We use Viewpoint Spectrum. To clarify, this is our process:
- Get approved pay quantities from DOT for the period.
- Create all related subcontractor pay apps for the period, based only on the pay quantities from DOT.
- Receive the sub's invoice (late or never sometimes).
- Review the sub's invoice against what was already processed in AP in 2nd step.
- If there are differences between what we entered in step 2 versus their submitted invoice, the discrepancies are reviewed by a PM, and either approved or rejected.
- If the differences are approved, we create an additional sub pay application to bring the amount we already entered in line with their submitted invoice. (If we used pay app #25035-02 as the invoice # in step 2, then this additional sub pay app would be posted in the next period as #25035-02A.)
This ensures that not only are we capturing the costs in the proper period, but that our AP is not understated either. This helps to maintain accurate cash flow projections.
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Kim Niswender
Controller
Baseline Contracting, Inc.
Coplay PA
(610) 799-5859
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-03-2025 14:50
From: Chris Graham
Subject: Subcontract Accruals
Thanks for the detail Kim – when you say adjustments in the next period what do you mean specifically? Journal entries to credit/debit job cost to get the prior pay app in line with what is received?
Original Message:
Sent: 12/3/2025 2:43:00 PM
From: Kim Niswender
Subject: RE: Subcontract Accruals
As mentioned earlier, we work for PADOT. We post a sub payment application in AP based on what we are billing out to PADOT and make any adjustments in the next period for any discrepancies between our calculated sub payment application and the invoice that is subsequently received, assuming that the discrepancies are approved for payment. While an accrual for job cost will get you the amounts you need for your WIP, it will not accurately reflect your true AR to AP ratio. Not showing the accrual in AP can adversely affect cash flow projections.
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Kim Niswender
Controller
Baseline Contracting, Inc.
Coplay PA
(610) 799-5859
Original Message:
Sent: 12-03-2025 11:23
From: Richard Larson
Subject: Subcontract Accruals
We don't do any highway work but do have a lot of subcontracts. We use GCPay to manage their AIA's, which they usually submit by the 25th and GCPay has a 'no later than' setting which we set as the 30th. So on the 1st we're ready to export of of GCPay and right into Vista SL module.
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Richard Larson
Controller
The Anderson Company LLC
Manassas VA
(703) 217-7993
Original Message:
Sent: 12-01-2025 20:27
From: Chris Graham
Subject: Subcontract Accruals
Curious as to how others would handle this issue. We are a prime contractor for the FDOT so we follow their cutoffs. Typically I ask our subs to send us their invoices by the Friday after the cutoff so we can review and approve in a timely manner. So November's cutoff was 11/16 with a 11/21 requested receipt date.
Frequently we will have subs miss this cutoff and, for example, send invoices dated 11/26 for work performed 10/19 - 11/16 to us on 12/10. Our PMs know they performed the work and billed accordingly in November without having said invoice in hand.
In order to rectify would you:
a. Accrue the cost 11/30, reverse 12/1, and post invoice in December upon receipt in December
b. Reopen November and post in November upon receipt in December
c. Do nothing in November and post in December upon receipt
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Chris Graham CCIFP
Operations
Cone & Graham, Inc.
Tampa FL
(813) 623-2856
cgraham@conegraham.com
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