Profit
Profit is a read-only analysis screen that calculates the invoiced value, amount received, costs, profit, margin, cash contribution, and budget burn per job. This screen doesn't change transactions; the numbers are only as good as the completeness of the source data.
Profit and cash answer different questions. Profit compares invoiced revenue with recorded costs, while cash contribution compares money already received with cash paid out. A job can look profitable but still be cash negative if the client hasn't paid.
Before you start
Have this ready
- Make sure client invoices and payments received are linked to the right job.
- Complete the expenses, payroll/labor, materials used, vendor purchases, subcontractors, and equipment costs.
- Check the project budget if you will read burn.
- Agree on the meeting cut-off period so late transactions aren't misread.
Done when
- The team can tell revenue, collection, cost, profit, margin, and cash contribution apart.
- Jobs without revenue or costs aren't misread as performing at zero.
- Differences are traced to the source, not corrected on the Profit screen.
- The export is made after the filters and sorting are verified.
Read each Profit number
| Metric | Calculation/meaning | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Invoiced | Total revenue/invoices for the job | Not necessarily received yet |
| Received | Client payments that have been recorded | Not the contract value |
| Total cost | Approved costs, labor, materials used, purchases, subcontractors, and related costs | Commitments not yet recorded aren't visible |
| Profit | Invoiced minus total cost | Not a bank balance |
| Margin | Profit divided by revenue; empty/0 if there is no revenue | Extreme percentages need source verification |
| Cash contribution | Received minus cash paid out | Can be negative even when profit is positive |
| Budget burn | Actual cost compared with budget | An empty budget makes the comparison meaningless |
No financial action on this screen
Profit only reads data. Changing filters, sorting, or exporting doesn't create any new journal, payment, or cost.
Analyze profit without drawing the wrong conclusion
- 1
Set the cut-off
Agree on the report date and make sure important transactions up to that date have been recorded.
Result: Comparisons between jobs use a consistent period.To cancel / undo: No data changes; change the cut-off in the source process, then reload. - 2
Read the total cards
Compare total invoiced, received, cost, profit, and margin before drilling into a single job.
Result: Company-level anomalies show up earlier.If something goes wrong: If a total differs from another report, check the definition and the transaction source instead of adding up manually on screen. - 3
Search and sort jobs
Use search, then sort by profit, margin, cost, or whichever metric you're analyzing.
Result: Jobs that need checking first appear at the top.To cancel / undo: Clear the search/sort; the data doesn't change. - 4
Compare profit and cash
For each job, read profit together with cash contribution and the amount received.
Result: The team can tell margin problems apart from billing/collection problems.If something goes wrong: Positive profit with negative cash usually means payment hasn't been received or cash went out faster. - 5
Trace abnormal costs
Open the source module for expenses, payroll, stock/materials, purchasing, subcontractors, or assets to check the reference and the job.
Result: Corrections are made on source records that can be audited.To cancel / undo: If the source is correct, don't change it just to make the margin look better. - 6
Export after the final filter
Check the jobs shown and any sensitive data, then export through the table.
Result: The file reflects the view/filters currently in use.To cancel / undo: Delete the local file if you exported by mistake; exporting doesn't change Vasco.
Number patterns that need follow-up
| Pattern | Initial meaning | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Positive profit, negative cash | Profitable on an accrual basis but collections are lagging | Client invoices and payments |
| Negative profit | Costs are higher than recorded revenue | Costs on the wrong project, scope, price, revenue not yet invoiced |
| Empty/0 margin | Revenue is zero or unavailable | Link between invoices and the job |
| Burn >100% | Costs exceed the budget | Budget, change orders, and actual costs |
| Cost 0 on an active project | The source data may be incomplete | Payroll, materials, purchasing, and expenses |
Undo, correct, or delete safely
| Situation | The right action | What still happens |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong filter/sorting | Reset the search or choose a different sort | No transactions changed |
| Wrong export | Delete the local file and export again | Vasco stays the same |
| Number is wrong because of a source transaction | Correct the source following its procedure | Profit will change after reload |
| Source transaction is final | Use an official correction/reversal; don't hard delete | The audit history is preserved |
Don't invent an undo
If the screen doesn't offer an undo, edit, or delete button after a transaction is saved, this documentation does not assume the action can be reversed. Note the reference, stop any follow-up actions, then ask for a correction through the main admin or Vasco support.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Possible causes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Job doesn't appear | It has neither revenue nor costs, or it's filtered out | Clear the search and check the transaction source |
| Cost is too low | Transactions without a job, or material prices are empty | Complete the job/price at the source |
| Costs look doubled | Activity recorded through two flows | Trace each source's reference and correct any legitimate duplicates |
| Margin can't be calculated | Revenue is zero | Check the invoices; don't divide manually and store the result elsewhere |
| Export differs from the cards | The table filter or the aggregate scope is different | Align the filters and definitions before comparing |
Questions and answers
Is Profit the same as the money in the account?
No. Profit uses invoiced revenue minus costs, while cash contribution uses receipts minus cash paid out.
Can numbers be edited from Profit?
No. Corrections are made on the source transactions.
Why does a job without invoices have no margin?
Because margin needs revenue as the divisor. Costs can still be shown even if the margin is meaningless.
Are all future commitments included in costs?
Only costs/commitments that have been recorded by a supported source. Orders or work that haven't been recorded can't be counted.
Does changing a filter change the company's reports?
No. Filters only change the rows that are shown or exported.