FAQ: Tracking Periodic Project Expenses

Published on April 23, 2026 QuoteX

This guide explains how to manage Travel & Expenses (T&E), Other Costs, discounts, resource pricing, and timeline-level cost calculations in QuoteX.

Quick Reference: QuoteX allows you to track project expenses at the timeline, phase, resource, and cost level. T&E and Other Costs can be configured as billable or non-billable, while QuoteX automatically incorporates applicable costs into the timeline's fee and cost calculations.

Setting Up Project Expenses

1. How do I enable T&E (Travel & Expenses) and Other Costs options when setting up a new timeline?

A: When you create a new timeline, you’ll see an option to enable Show T&E Detailed View. Turn on this flag if you plan to add travel expenses at a granular level. The Other Costs tab is always visible for adding associated project costs.

2. How can I add T&E costs to my timeline?

A: After enabling T&E, follow these steps:

1. Go to the T&E tab within the timeline.
2. In the resource section, locate the specific resource or role to which you want to allocate expenses.
3. Click the cell for the appropriate time period or phase and enter the cost.

Example: If the Manager - Principle incurs a $100 travel expense in the First Phase, enter $100 in the First Phase cell for that role.

T&E costs can vary by phase, allowing you to assign different amounts for different timeline phases or periods.

3. How do I add Other Costs to my timeline, and what types of costs can be added?

A: Once the Other Costs tab is available, you can add costs such as materials, licensing, or other project-specific expenses.

1. Go to the Other Costs tab.
2. In the resource section, click the cell where you want to add a cost.
3. Start typing to display the dropdown list of predefined QuoteX Other Costs.
4. Select the appropriate cost from the list.

Quick Tip: Press the Spacebar in any cell within the Other Costs tab to quickly display the list of available costs.

Understanding Timeline Costs

4. How can I view a summary of the total costs on my timeline?

A: In the Overview tab, the Total Costs value summarizes the total costs expected in the current timeline.

5. What are the Timeline Overview Totals, and what do they include?

A: The Timeline Overview Totals provide a high-level summary of costs in the timeline. This includes:

1. Nearshore, Offshore, and Blended Rates: Resource costs broken down by where the work is performed.
2. Travel & Expenses: Anticipated travel and expense costs for the timeline.

Enter the total anticipated travel or expense amount in the Travel & Expenses box. This automatically adds these expenses to the overall Total Fee calculation.

Important: The Travel & Expenses value is editable when the detailed T&E view is not selected. When the detailed T&E view is enabled, the field becomes read-only and displays the Total Expenses.

Discounts and Fee Calculations

6. Can I add a discount to the quote, and how is it applied?

A: Yes. QuoteX allows you to add a discount at the timeline level, header level, or both.

1. Go to the Disc % field in the timeline overview section.
2. Enter the discount percentage you want to apply.
3. Use the dropdown associated with the discount label to change the mode from percentage to amount when required.

Discount Calculation: QuoteX combines the Timeline Level Discount and Header Level Discount to provide the overall discount impact.

7. How does QuoteX calculate the Total Fees and Total Costs?

A: QuoteX applies different calculations based on the selected fee type and options.

These calculations update automatically based on whether the timeline uses Fixed Fee or Time & Materials (T&M) and on the options selected.

8. What happens if I need to change the quote type from Time & Materials (T&M) to Fixed Fee?

A: You can switch between T&M and Fixed Fee from the quote type dropdown in the timeline overview.

1. Open the dropdown menu in the timeline overview.
2. Select the required quote type.
3. When Fixed Fee is selected, you can enter a fixed fee buffer and other applicable settings.

Tip: Changing the quote type recalculates Total Fees and adjusts costs to fit the selected pricing model.

Quote Summary and Reporting

9. What are Summary fields on the Quote Object, and how are they used?

A: Summary fields are fields labeled with Summary in both their name and API label. They contain aggregated data from all active timelines in a quote.

These fields are available on the Quote Object and help track overall costs and metrics at a glance. They are especially useful for creating reports or highlighting key metrics in the quote header.

10. What’s included in "Total Other Costs" and "Total Expenses"?

Resource Pricing and Expense Adjustments

11. How does QuoteX handle resource pricing across phases or roles?

A: Each resource role can have specific costs associated with each timeline. The Total Resource Price field automatically aggregates the costs for each resource across all phases.

These roll-up costs provide a complete view of resource pricing and show the total impact of resource allocations.

12. How do I add or adjust T&E expenses if project needs change?

A: Return to the T&E tab within the timeline and update the expense amount for the relevant resource in the appropriate phase or cell.

Result: Changes are instantly reflected in the Total Fee summary.

Quote Header and Other Costs

13. Can I customize which fields are highlighted in the Quote header?

A: Yes. QuoteX allows you to highlight fields in the quote header. Look for fields labeled Summary on the Quote Object. These fields display consolidated data across all timelines and can be used to showcase key information at the top of a quote.

Use Highlight Items in the PSC Pre Sales Admin app to configure the highlighted fields.

14. Are there any tips for quickly finding Other Costs in the timeline?

A: Yes. When adding Other Costs in the timeline, press the Spacebar to display a quick list of available costs. This makes it faster to locate and add the required item.

Billable vs. Non-Billable Expenses

15. What’s the difference between Billable and Non-Billable T&E and Other Costs?

A: Billable Costs are expenses passed on to the client, while Non-Billable Costs are typically internal expenses that do not appear on the client invoice.

When adding T&E or Other Costs, specify whether the cost is Billable or Non-Billable. This distinction is reflected in the Total Expenses and Total Other Costs summaries.

Quick Reference

Key Takeaway: QuoteX brings resource costs, Travel & Expenses, Other Costs, discounts, and quote pricing together at the timeline level. The selected quote type and expense options determine how Total Fees and Total Costs are calculated.

Knowledge Article Number: KA-00038