Jobs & Job Cost: step-by-step videos
Load your cost codes, create a job, keep its cost-to-complete forecast current and read the Job Cost dashboard.
Import your cost codes
Download the template, fill it in and upload it as a cost code set.
Before you start
- Have your code list: code, description, and which rows are headings.
- Codes are numbers like 5 or 5.03. Headings group codes and never carry cost.
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Open Cost Codes
From the Job Cost dashboard, click Cost Codes. Cost Code Sets lists every set, how many codes it holds and which one is the default for new jobs.
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Download the template
Click Download Template. It's an Excel file with the columns CortexPM reads: Code, Category, Description, Typical Scope, Default Type, Unit of Measure, Is Heading, Is Margin and Is Mgmt Fee.
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Fill it in
One row per code. Codes are numbers, like 41 or 41.01. Put Yes under Is Heading for the rows that group codes. Default Type and Unit of Measure are optional and pre-fill on estimates.
Tip: Add a catch-all like 41.99 External Works Costs to each trade for lump-sum invoices. Headings can't take cost.
Watch out: Importing a code number you already have updates that code everywhere it's used, including its description and heading flag. Use new numbers, or make sure the row matches the code you have.
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Choose Upload Cost Codes
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Name the set and pick the file
- aName the set. It's how you'll find it when you start a job.
- bChoose the file you filled in.
- cTick Set as default only if this is your standard list. New jobs start from the default set.
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Upload
Click Upload. The result shows how many codes were created, and lists any rows it skipped with the row number and the reason.
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Check the set
Click the new set to see its codes. You can add or remove codes, export the set, or make it the default from here.
What happens next
Next, create your first job. New jobs start from the default cost code set.
Create a job
Add a job with its client, site address and budget. CortexPM numbers it and sets up the site geofence.
Before you start
- Add the client first, in Clients (see the CRM & Client Selections guide and its videos). You can also start a job from the client's record, which fills in the client for you.
- Have the site address.
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Choose Add New Job
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Name the job
Use the name your team and the client know it by.
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Enter the site address
The address also sets up the job's site geofence, so the team can sign in on site from the mobile app.
- aStart typing and pick the address from the list.
- bSuburb, state and postcode fill in for you.
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Choose the client
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Enter the client budget
Client budget is the figure the client is working to, for sales and expectations. Your cost budget comes later, from the approved estimate.
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Check the status
- aLead, Contract, Pre-Construction, Construction, Handover, Warranty. It moves as the job progresses.
- bLeave the site time zone as the company's unless the site is in another state.
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Create the job
Click Create Job. CortexPM gives it the next job number, sets the geofence and opens the job.
- aCreated, and the site geofence is set from the address.
- bThe job number is assigned for you, with the details you entered.
What happens next
Next, build the job's estimate (Estimating guide). Approving it creates the budget.
Update cost to complete
Forecast what's still to spend on each line and see the job's forecast at completion and gain or loss.
Before you start
- The job has a budget, from its approved estimate.
- Orders and supplier invoices are up to date, so committed and actual are current.
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Open Projects
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Open the job's forecast
Each card shows the job's budget, actual, forecast and margin. Forecast opens its cost to complete.
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Read each line
Cost to complete starts as what's left to pay: committed less actual, or budget less actual where nothing's committed yet.
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Enter what's left to spend
Include anything committed but not yet invoiced, plus anything you expect on top. Here, rock in the bulk dig adds $6,000 to Earthworks.
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See the effect
- aForecast at completion = actual + cost to complete.
- bGain or loss = budget less forecast. A loss shows in red.
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Save the forecast
Click Save forecast. The dashboard and the cost reports use it from now on. Only the lines you changed are saved: they're outlined and keep your figure, and every other line keeps following new orders and invoices.
Tip: Save a snapshot after each monthly review to compare months later.
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Back to the default
The arrow beside a line you've set puts it back on its default. Save, and the line follows its orders and invoices again. Recalculate does the same for every line on the job.
What happens next
Check the Job Cost dashboard to see how the change moves the portfolio.
Read the Job Cost dashboard
See how every job is tracking, from budget to margin, and drill into the ones that need attention.
Before you start
- Jobs have budgets, and orders and invoices are up to date.
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Open Job Cost
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Read the tiles
Total Projects (with how many are over budget or at risk), Total Budget, Committed Cost, Total Actual Cost, Forecast at Completion and Net Gain or Net Loss.
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Where the budget has gone
Budget vs Committed vs Actual splits the budget into what's paid, what's committed but not yet billed, and what's left.
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Watch the margin
Forecast margin against the margin in your original budget, overall and by job. Margin erosion shows here before overruns reach the variance columns.
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Trade performance
Trade Package Performance rates each trade against its budget. Click a row to drill in.
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Cash position
Cash Position flags any job spending ahead of what you've billed.
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Switch to Projects
Cards by default, filtered by status and searchable by client or job. Each card links to the job and its forecast.
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Sort the table
Table gives Job #, Client, Status, Budget, Actual, Forecast, Margin %, Variance and Billing %, all sortable, with an Over Budget, At Risk, On Track, Under Budget or Complete badge.
- aEvery job on one row.
- bClick a column to sort. Here, by variance.
What happens next
From a job's card, open its forecast to update cost to complete.
Recorded 18 October 2026 in a demo workspace. What you can see and do depends on your role and your company's permissions, and screens may differ slightly as CortexPM is updated. The written guide is here.