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Fundamentals of Next

This article provides an introduction to the basic setup and use of Next Project, including a walkthrough of the project startup checklist. You will learn about important project fields such as compensation type, project manager, customer, and status, as well as how the integration with the accounting system works via Next Connect.

Follow the startup checklist

If you have imported ongoing projects (via Excel file or entered them manually), you should go through the following points:

  • Compensation type: Affects calculations in Next as well as a follow-up option. Additional options are added under Administration → Settings → Types.
  • Project type: Tagging for follow-up in the project overview. Additional options are added under Administration → Settings → Types.
  • Project manager: Responsible for the project. Appears on some documents and has approval 1 in cases where you use Next e-invoice for handling supplier invoices.
  • Project category: Tagging for follow-up in the project overview. Additional options are added under Administration → Settings → Types.
  • Nature of assignment: Tagging for follow-up in the project overview. Additional options are added under Administration → Settings → Types.
  • Customer: Invoice recipient. New customers are added in Next (Next is the master register for customers) and transferred to the accounting system in connection with project export.
  • Customer reference: Marking on the customer invoice.
  • Status: Gives you the ability to track the project's progress and is a follow-up option in the project overview. Additional options are added under Administration → Settings → Types. Note! Statuses in projects affect the ability for mobile reporting and what is transferred to the accounting system. The following applies in a basic installation of Next Project:
    • Statuses with code 40 and above are transferred to the accounting system (cannot be changed).
    • Statuses with code 39–89 are displayed in Next Mobile (can be changed – contact us if you have any requests).
    • Status with code 90 closes the project in Next and the accounting system (cannot be changed).
  • Markup template: Applies to ongoing billing where the supplier invoice is billed on with a percentage markup. Also affects follow-up of accrued income and billable amount.
  • Budget table: If you do not work with account-based budgets and forecasts, you can enter a project-wide budgeted cost and income as well as number of hours.
  • If needed, you can update the projects with payment plans. If you have progressed some way into the projects and wish to get up to date with your payment plan, you are welcome to contact us for assistance.

Integrations – Accounting system

If you have an integration between Next and your accounting system, you can send information between the systems using Next Connect. This is a separate program that must be installed on your computer.

Next is the master system for projects, and these are sent to the accounting system via project export when they have a status with at least code 40. When the project is exported, new customers are included, as well as updates to existing customers, to the accounting system. Note! The project number is what is matched between Next and the accounting system. Once the project has been exported to the accounting system, the project number cannot be changed – it will then be interpreted as a new, unique project.

  • Transactions can be imported from the accounting system to Next, provided that the following criteria are met:
  • The transaction is posted in a series that you have set up to be imported.

The transaction must be posted to a project that exists in Next. The most common transactions retrieved are supplier invoices and manual entries. The income from the customer invoice is received directly in Next when the invoice is locked, but it is possible to choose to retrieve the posted customer invoice verification. In exceptional cases, payroll transactions can also be retrieved.

Customer invoices are created and sent from Next. The customer invoice basis is sent to the accounting system for posting and payment follow-up, but the invoice itself is sent from Next to the customer. See the separate section on invoicing for important things to keep in mind. It is also possible to invoice from the accounting system and import customer invoice verifications.

Integrations – Payroll system

In Next, you can extract a payroll file that corresponds to the reported time in Next Project. This can be imported into your payroll system.

  • Each payroll type used must have a corresponding selectable option in Next – for example, regular hours, weekend overtime, compensation, vacation, and mileage allowance. The registration codes/time codes used can be found in your payroll system. See the separate guide for how your specific payroll system works.
  • In connection with the payroll run, the payroll file is extracted from Next and imported into the payroll system.
  • What is imported into the payroll system is only a basis – it is possible to make adjustments in the payroll system before the salary is paid out.

Statuses in Next

Statuses exist on projects, work orders, change orders, deviations, and invoices. In some cases they are used only for follow-up and control, while in other cases they serve several functions. You can find the statuses under Administration → Settings → Statuses.

Here are some important things to keep in mind when working with statuses:

  • The status code must be unique.
  • You choose a color by typing the color name in English or finding a six-digit color code (#000000).
  • Examples can be found here: HTML color codes

Project status

  • Statuses with code 40 and above are sent to the accounting system. This is not configurable.
  • Statuses with code 90 close a project in Next and in the accounting system. This is not configurable.
  • Statuses with code 39–89 are displayed in Next Mobile and are open for feedback. This interval can be configured.
  • Changing status is manual – there is no automation.
  • Only client users can change project status. We do not recommend that mobile users do this.

Work order and change order status (E&T)

  • All work order statuses are displayed in Next Mobile, provided that the project is visible in Next Mobile.
  • Changing status is generally a manual process. There are some options that can be set, for example closing a work order when it is invoiced.

Both client and mobile users can change a work order status.