Cashflow Graph

This is an extension of the Re-Time setting within Cashflow-Edit. Re-Time already gives you the ability to move timescales around or spread them out but it is limited to dealing with timescales in a linear fashion. The Cashflow Graph allows you to spread the values visually, by drawing (using the mouse or the cursor up/down and left/right keys) a graphic profile that will be used to subdivide the total value into its constituent monthly parts.

The Cashflow Graph is accessed from the Cashflow-Edit screen. To display the Cashflow Graph you need to highlight a Re-Timed item beforehand. This is because the Cashflow Graph works with Re-Timed items.

As you may have more than one item set as Re-Timed, you can move between them using the subject dropdown box, as shown below. You can also change item by using the Page Up and Page Down keys.

The Re-Time setting in Cashflow-Edit reallocates monthly figures but does not change the total value. The same logic applies here: the Cashflow Graph will spread individual values but will not change the total value.

The best way to illustrate its use is by examples, the first of which is a Site Deposit / Balance exercise, as follows:

•	In the Cashflow-Edit set Site Value as Re-Timed, click the ‘Graph’ button and when the Graph displays click the ‘Clear’ button. This will remove all the graph bars.

•	Using the cursor left keys or the horizontal slider control go to the first month, notice the vertical line indicates the active graph bar.

•	In the first month press the cursor up key once (or type 1 then Enter), this will draw a bar of height 1 (the Graph row in the spreadsheet will tell you the current height).

•	Press the Cursor Right key twice to highlight month 3 then press the cursor up key nine times (or type 9 then Enter), this will draw a bar of height 9 (the Graph row in the spreadsheet will tell you the current height).

You should now have 2 bars, the left hand one has a height of 1 and the right hand one has a height of 9. Proportionally that is the same as 10% and 90%. You can see in the spreadsheet that this has been applied to the total Site Value to give the 2 individual values in month 1 and 3.

You can also use it to apply more realistic profiles to construction payments as shown in the following illustration. Here the bars have been drawn to show how monthly costs in the middle of the building programme are more than those at either end. The ‘peak’ period could be drawn closer to the earlier months if the costs were considered to be ‘front loaded’.

When drawing profiles for construction costs, remember the original start and end dates as Prodev does not prevent you entering information outside these timescales (e.g. building retentions).

The (normal) left-click button will both highlight a month and draw a graph. This is useful as you can “click and drag” a graph profile. If you want to highlight a month without altering any graph heights use the right-click button.

Use the cursor left/right keys to highlight the month then use the up/down keys to raise or lower a graph bar (the Graph row in the spreadsheet will tell you the current height). You can also type in the height, to set a graph bar as height 9 type ‘9’ then Enter.

The Graph Indicator Panel tells you the relative heights of the bars and how they translate into individual values, both as absolutes and percentages.

The top line can be used to enter the graph height. To set a graph bar to a height of 9, type ‘9’ then Enter.

The Cashflow Graph is a very quick and effective way of spreading and allocating total values over the span of a cashflow. The user provides a graphic profile and Prodev will interpret that profile to decide what individual set of values fits that shape and at the same time ensure that they all add up to the original total. To achieve this Prodev need to be able to control the values it allocates in each month.

This method does not work in instances where absolute values need to be entered that should not be changed if the graph profiles are subsequently altered. The best example of this is a Building Cost Retention that is paid at the end of a project (normally 5% of the construction cost).

If you need entries of this kind then set them as Values using the ‘Value’ button. Notice that the graph bar appears below the line for items set in this way.

When editing a month set as a Value the upper graph display is not used. Instead you edit in the Graph Indicator Panel providing entries either as a value or as a percentage proportion. If you enter as a value, the Panel will calculate and show the percentage proportion, and vice versa.

You can enter more than one value. The only rule is that your graph must contain at least one (above the line) bar and that the total of all the value nominated entries is less than the total value available. This is shown in the indicator boxes underneath the Graph Indicator Panel.

An example will illustrate this best. First let us revisit the Site Deposit / Balance exercise, as follows:

•	In the Cashflow-Edit highlight the Site Value entry and ensure it is set as Re-Timed, then click the ‘Graph’ button and when the Graph displays click the ‘Clear’ button. This will remove all the graph bars.

•	Using the cursor left keys or the horizontal slider control, go to the first month, notice the vertical line indicates the active graph bar.

•	In the first month click the ‘Value’ button (or type the letter ‘v’). This will draw a bar below the line (the Graph row in the Graph Indicator Panel will tell you it is now set as a Value)

•	In the Graph Indicator Panel click in month 1 on the proportion entry (Prop%), type 10 (for 10%) then Enter. This has entered the deposit as a Value.

•	Press the Cursor Right key twice to highlight month 3 then press the cursor up key once (or type 1 then Enter). This will draw a bar of height 1 (the Graph row in the spreadsheet will tell you the current height).

You should now have 2 bars, the left hand one (below the line) is fixed as 10% of the total value, the right hand deals with the remaining 90%. You can see in the spreadsheet that this has been applied to the values.

In the case of a Building Cost you may wish to allow for a 5% retention paid 6 months after completion. To do this you can set up the main building contract as a series of graphs and then provide a Value six months after the end of the construction programme in which you enter a proportion of 5%. In this case the graph bars allocate 95% of the cost and these can subsequently be re-profiled without disturbing the retention value.

Allows you to browse and select other items set as Re-Timed (and therefore editable using the Graph). You can also use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select other items.

Fwd-1 moves the entire profile forward by one period, from the currently highlighted period. To move the information back, use the ‘Bak-1’ button. Note that once an item with a value reaches the first or last period of the cashflow then Prodev will not allow you to move the cashflow further backward or forward.

Stores the graph profile for the selected heading so you can apply it to other items. Note that the cashflow information is stored as proportions and not values.

For example you may have set up a profile for a building cost that you wish to re-use for another building cost. In this case select the item to be copied and click the ‘Put’ button, then select the item to be copied to and click the ‘Get’ button, described below (you can select different items by using the subject dropdown box or the Page Up and Page Down keys).

Get the cashflow profile already copied into memory using the Put command. This will re-allocate the currently highlighted cashflow total using the previously stored profile. Note that the total value is not changed but the allocation of that total will match the profile being retrieved.

For example you may have set up a profile for a building cost that you wish to re-use for another building cost. In this case select the item to be copied and click the ‘Put’ button (described above) then select the item to be copied to and click the ‘Get’ button (you can select different items by using the subject dropdown box or the Page Up and Page Down keys).

Used to set a month as an absolute (editable) value. To deselect, click the ‘Value’ button again. You can also use the keyboard, type the letter ‘v’.

This will clear all the graph bars (and values) for the selected item. Use with caution as the existing profile will be removed.

This will clear all the graph bars (and values) and replace them with the default profile. This will reflect the ‘Auto’ timescale, defined in the Time/Finance section. Use with caution as the existing profile will be removed.

Sets the Graph width, the default value is 30. Simply adjust using the up/down symbols until it is a suitable size.

Closes the Cashflow Graph section and returns you to the Cashflow-Edit screen, updating the cashflow information as it does so. Note that you must have some graph information present when you exit. If there is no profile information present at the time that you click the ‘Close’ button then Prodev will inform you of this and use the default (Automatic) profile for the selected item.