Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) are increasingly used for government projects in several Australian states and in the UK. For these projects, all subcontractors or suppliers that meet the criteria MUST be paid using the project bank account, and ONLY these subcontractors or suppliers may be paid from the PBA.
In the UK, a Project Bank Account is a single trust account.
In Australia, a Project Bank Account is a set of three trust accounts which secure progress payments, disputed funds and retention money, until they are paid.
Project Bank Accounts – Configuration
Parameters
To enable project bank accounts, set the JC parameter PROJBANK to Yes.
JC/PROJBANK
Project Bank Account in use
Whether project bank accounts are in use (Y or N).
If project bank accounts are enabled, a contract can be set up to use a project bank account, in which case all subcontractors or suppliers that meet the criteria MUST be paid using the project bank account, and ONLY these subcontractors or suppliers may be paid from the project bank account.
You can override this for individual bank accounts using Bank Accounts.
The Cash Book parameter ALDUPBNK controls whether to allow bank account records to be created with duplicate account numbers (for example, if different banks assign the same account number).
CB/ALDUPBNK
Allow Duplicate Bank Account Number
Whether to allow bank account records to be created with duplicate account numbers (for example, if different banks assign the same account number).
Yes - Duplicate bank account numbers can be used.
Warning - COINS displays a warning if a record with the same bank account number already exists.
No (or blank) - COINS displays an error if a record with the same bank account number already exists, and does not let you save the record.
You can override this for individual bank accounts using Bank Accounts.
The following Cash Book parameters control the creation of EFT files for bank transfers created in Cash Book.
CB/BACSEXEC
BACS O/S Executable Command
An optional operating system command that is run after COINS creates an EFT file.
For example, a command to copy the file to a tape or send it to an output device, such as the port to which a BACSbox device is attached as a pseudo-printer.
The following Unix environment variables are available for use in the scripts:
$COMPANY - the company number of the generating COINS company.
$BACSFILE - the file name of the EFT output file (as defined by the parameter BACSFILE) or in the case of an overridden media type, the full path name with appended media type.
CB/BACSFILE
BACS File (Full Path Name)
The full path and file name for the EFT details file.
The file name can contain tokens in square brackets that will be replaced when creating the file. This is necessary if you are creating more that one file in a run.
The tokens that can be used are:
[SECTOR] Sector based ledgers only. Replaced with the sector code.
[IBANBANK] UK use only. When creating separate files per bank being paid from, this will be replaced with the IBAN code for the bank.
[SPLIT] Intended for UAE and the production of WPS. This will be replaced with the sponsor employer ID.
[DATE=YYYYMMDD] Replaced with the creation date in the format specified.
[TIME=HHMMSS] or [TIME=HHMM] Replaced with the creation time in the format specified.
[BANK] Replaced with the bank code.
[KCO] Replaced with the number of the logged-in company.
[USER] Replaced with the user ID of the current user.
CB/BACSMED
Format for BACS Output File
The medium for EFT files.
The options are:
1 = 5¼" floppy disk
4 = Datacom
5 = BACSbox. The EFT file generated with media 5 will contain an optional ID field (account/employee number) if the CO parameter BACS-REF is set to Y. This ID is appended at the end of the line.
6 = ANZ Direct Credits format
7 = Bank of Ireland format
8 = Australian format
9 = Configurable format. This is configured using the CB parameter BANKORD.
10 = HSBC Hexagon format
11 = HSBC Hexagon format (alternative)
12 = Allied Irish Bank format
14 = National Bank of New Zealand Direct Link Domestic File Transfer
16 = USA format.
17 = Bank of America Paymode format (in accounts payable and Subcontract Ledger modules); not used in Payroll module.
19 = Canada.
code = The code of a file format configured using EFT File Definition.
You can override this for individual bank accounts using Bank Accounts.
CB/BACSUSER
BACS User Id
The EFT user ID.
You can override this for individual bank accounts using Bank Accounts.
Accounts Payable and Subcontract Ledger manual payments
To allow manual payments in Accounts Payable and Subcontractor Ledger, set the following parameters to Yes.
AP/PBAMAN
Allow manual payment of Project Bank Accounts
Whether AP manual payments can be made using project bank accounts.
If this is set to Yes, when entering a manual payment in Accounts Payable the Bank selection list includes bank accounts that are identified as project bank accounts.
SC/PBAMAN
Allow manual payment of Project Bank Accounts [Y/N (Default=N)]
Whether SC manual payments can be made using project bank accounts.
If this is set to Yes, when entering a manual payment in Subcontract Ledger the Bank selection list includes bank accounts that are identified as project bank accounts.
You also need to enable strict bank security using the CB parameter BNKSECST, to allow you to control which modules each PBA account can be used in.
Non-order invoices
You can let users choose whether non-order invoices are paid out of the project bank account or the main bank account.
AP/INVPBA
Default bank account for specific invoice
Lets you specify whether a non-PO AP invoice should be covered by the project bank account (PBA) entered against the contract.
M - Main Bank Account (Pay Run Selection) All non-PO invoices are paid out of a main bank account – chosen at the point the EFT file is created.
P - Project Bank Account Every non-PO invoice has to be paid out of the PBA if one exists against the contract.
A - Allow Choice (Default to Pay Run Selection) Users can select on the invoice whether the PBA account is to be used or not, The default on the invoice is to not use the PBA.
C - Allow Choice (Default to Project Bank Account) Users can select on the invoice whether the PBA account is to be used or not. The default on the invoice is to use the PBA.
SC Remittance Print
RO fields are available for use on the remittance print. You will need to configure documents to meet legislative requirements.
Table
Fields
sc_check
RO_scs_pba_retn - value transferred to remittance account (sum of sc_pay.spy_pba_retn)
RO_scs_pba_disp - value transferred to disputed account (sum of sc_pay.spy_pba_disp)
Project Bank Accounts – Bank Account Maintenance
If Project Bank Accounts are enabled, a PBA/Trust tickbox in Bank Accounts allows you to indicate that an account is a project bank account.
Bank Accounts – PBA Field
The Bank Account field has been made wider throughout Coins ERP+ (on screens and reports) to allow for longer account codes which may be required when setting up lots of project bank accounts.
Project bank accounts are restricted to the following actions:
Cash receipts through Contract Sales.
Subcontract and Accounts Payable payments only when used as the PBA for a contract (automatically assigned).
Bank transfers.
Project bank accounts are excluded from most bank selection lists. In the few places that allow manual selection of a bank account flagged as a “PBA/trust” account, the selection list is replaced with a text field and lookup.
If Project Bank Accounts are enabled, Cash Book fields are available on the “EFT Details” and “EFT Forms” layouts, to allow override of the EFT-related Cash Book parameters by bank account.
Bank Accounts – EFT Fields
Restricting bank accounts by module
If bank account security is enabled (that is if the CB parameter BNKSECST is set to Yes) you can limit which bank accounts can be used for transactions in selected modules.
In Bank Accounts, in the Bank Security section, select the modules you do not want the account to be used in.
Setting Project Bank Accounts on Contracts
Fields on the Advanced Settings tab of the contract record allow you to specify the project bank accounts for the contract.
Contracts – Project Bank Accounts Fields
Field
Description
General
The account used for receiving payments and paying subcontractors and suppliers.
Retention
The account used to hold subcontractor retentions.
Disputed
The account used to hold any “disputed” amounts; for example, where a subcontractor will be paid less than claimed and no payment schedule was provided.
The following combinations are allowed:
General | Retention | Disputed | Notes |
None | None | None | Project Bank Accounts not used |
Specified | None | None | UK configuration |
Specified | Specified | None | Western Australia configuration |
Specified | Specified | Specified | Queensland configuration |
None | Specified | None | New South Wales configuration |
If specified, the bank account must exist and must be flagged as a “PBA/trust account'.
The same bank account can be used as a PBA on multiple contracts (for example, to cater for large projects split internally into multiple Coins ERP+ contracts).
Using Project Bank Accounts on Orders
Subcontract Orders
If the contract for a subcontract order uses a General or Retention project bank account, the following fields are available:
Field
Description
Covered by PBA
A tickbox that allows you to specify whether the order is covered by a project bank account. If this is ticked, payments to the subcontractor will be made from the general PBA and/or retentions will be held in a retention PBA. If the order is committed, this tickbox is no longer updateable, and an amendment order will need to be raised to change the setting.
PBA Retention Description
This is displayed if the Covered by PBA tickbox is ticked, and the contract uses a retention PBA. It allows you to specify the text that will appear in the bank transfer to the retention account (this differs by region).
For example:
- Qld – “Retn – BS Steel” (subcontractor name or initials)
- WA – “16 000 011 058” (ABN / VAT registration number)
The retention text field will be updatable on the latest version of the order, even if the order is committed.
SC Order - PBA Tickbox
Material and Plant Orders
If the contract for a material or plant order uses a General project bank account, the following fields are available:
Field
Description
Covered by PBA
A tickbox that allows you to specify whether the order is covered by a project bank account. If this is ticked, payments to the supplier will be made from the general PBA and/or retentions will be held in a retention PBA. If the order is committed, this tickbox is no longer updateable, and an amendment order will need to be raised to change the setting.
Payments from Project Bank Accounts
Coins ERP+ puts payments for invoices or certificates that need to be paid from a project bank account (PBA) into a separate batch, stamped with the code of the General PBA for the contract. The Payment Batch browse has a column to show the PBA for the batch – this is blank for batches not using a PBA.
Payment Batch Browse
This field is also shown on the payment batch summary.
Suppliers and subcontractors paid from project bank accounts must be configured for electronic payments.
Manual payments are prevented for invoices or certificates that need to be paid from a project bank account.
SC Create EFT
SC payment runs automatically transfer any retention or unpaid balance to the appropriate retention or disputed project bank account (if specified).
Accounts Payable Invoices
A single invoice can be linked to multiple purchase orders. When additional orders are added they will be checked to ensure that they have the same PBA settings as the order on the invoice header. All orders must either use the same PBA or not use a PBA – you cannot mix PBA orders and non-PBA orders on the same invoice, or invoices for different PBAs.
Whether an invoice is paid from a project bank account
The Covered by PBA field shows whether a particular invoice will be paid from a PBA. This depends on:
Whether the invoice is for an order that is covered by a PBA.
Whether the supplier is configured for electronic payments.
For a non-order invoice (entered directly against a contract), whether the contract is flagged as a PBA contract, and whether such invoices must be or can be paid from a PBA.
If you can choose whether a non-order invoice is paid from a PBA, a Force PBA tickbox is enabled on the invoice record.
Payment Listing
The Accounts Payable and Subcontract Ledger Payment Listing reports have field sets that allow you to show:
Standard – this will be defaulted automatically
Bank Details
Supplier or subcontractor code
Payee Name
Bank account details
Financial Institution (from BSB lookup table)
BSB
Account Number
Payment Date
Payment Amount
The Subcontract Ledger Payment Listing report also has fields sets to show:
Retention Amount (for regions using the retention PBA) – As for Bank Details above but also showing retention (as transferred to/from retention PBA).
Disputed Amount (for regions using the disputed PBA) – As for Bank Details above but also showing disputed (as transferred to/from disputed PBA).
These can be flagged as not "In Use" in Report Field Set Maintenance, if they are not needed.
Payment Posting Report
On the SC Payment Batch Posting and SC Cancel Payment Batch Posting reports, lines related to Retention and Disputed PBA transfers are shown in the GL Summary section.
Project Bank Accounts – Bank Transfers
Cash Book Transactions
Cash Book transactions can be used for bank transfers, to manually transfer money between the three project bank accounts (General, Retention, and Disputed), or to transfer any remaining funds in the General project bank account to the contractor's normal bank account.
If project bank accounts are in use (that is, if JC/PROJBANK = Y), the Manual/Print selector on the batch header has an additional option: EFT, and the Bank Code selector changes to an input field.
If you select EFT, you can only use a project bank account. Similarly, if you enter a bank account marked as a project bank account, you can only select EFT. In this case, the only ledger type available for selection is “BK” (bank transfer). You cannot use a project bank account to pay a supplier or subcontractor from Cash Book.
The Bank field is shown on the CB Transactions browse and summary pages, because the bank for a generated transaction might be different from the bank on the transaction batch.
CB Create EFT
If project bank accounts are in use, a Create EFT item is available on the Cash Book menus. This is used for bank transfers created in Cash Book.
The browse shows unposted batches flagged as “EFT”.
CB Create EFT Browse
Following the link on the Batch Number takes you to the “Create EFT” screen.
Enter a range of cheque references within the selected batch. Click Next (
) to generate the EFT file.
Enquiries
If JC/PROJBANK is set to Y and the contract has a “general” project bank account assigned, the Contract Status Enquiry has a "Project Bank" tab group. This includes the following enquiries:
Orders – a list of orders flagged to use project bank accounts
Transactions – Cash Book transactions for the contract’s project bank account(s).
Cash Requirements – The current balance of the “general” PBA and all open items due to be received or paid.