Project/Shipment Costing

We are a freight and logistics organisation based in Malawi, Africa. We arrange logistics and shipment of cargo to and from rest of the World and Malawi. Malawi is a landlocked country with no direct access to sea coast. The cargo is usually packed into shipping containers and various means of transportation is used including, air, sea, road and rail. Various services are provided by numerous service providers. All the service providers have to be paid on time and per the budgeted cost when quoting the shipment. If over budget then a query to be raised and only a Manager can then allow for invoice to proceed in excess of budget, or Manager to amend the budget. We need to also ensure that service providers do not duplicate service invoice, and our own accounts department do not duplicate any payments as well. In addition we are in Malawi (Local Curreny: Malawi Kwacha [mk]) but majority of our transactions are US Dollar (USD) based. Therefore almost all transaction will have USD and MK equivalent. We need to ensure that the rate of exchange being used is also correct. None of the costs to be paid unless they are first matched to the budget, then approved by Manager and to check that relevant revenue invoice pertaining to particular costs has been invoiced out. At present we are using excell as per attached but it is very cumbersome and difficult to keep track. You will note the different months schedules. There is a schedule for actual and another for budget for each month. At the end of each month whatever figures that have not been receiver are then accrued, be it income or expense. This helps us secure profit and loss for monthly basis. We can also obtain by client. Each service is sold as a product. I have colour coded each revenue and corresponding expense in same colour so that u may differentiate more easily. In addition one of the columns is highlighted in black to separate income from expense. We would like this process to be automated as well as give us period reports based on date of arrival of shipment. Monthly Profit and Loss and Porift and Loss by client. Profit and Loss by Service Product.