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EDIFACT message guide · Projects and construction

PROCST Project cost reporting

The UN/EDIFACT message used to exchange project budget baselines, actual costs, progress and estimates to complete.

Sent by
Contractor or project manager
Received by
Client or other project parties
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
839 Project Cost Reporting

What is the EDIFACT PROCST message?

PROCST is the UN/EDIFACT project cost reporting message. The directory describes it as used in various industry sectors where all parties involved in a project need to establish and exchange budget baseline, actual, progress and estimate-to-complete cost information formally.

Cost reports let clients track how a project is performing against budget, often using earned value methods that combine cost and schedule data. PROCST complements the schedule information exchanged with PROTAP. Costs are usually reported per work package, using the same breakdown structure as the schedule, so that cost and schedule data can be compared.

How the EDIFACT PROCST message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT PROCST Project cost reporting message. Contractor or project manager sends it to client or other project parties. It usually follows PROTAP. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG6 loop with LIN (Line item). 6 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT PROCST message worksProject cost reporting: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSPROTAPProject tasks planningPROCSTSENDERContractor or projectmanagerRECEIVERClient or other projectpartiesCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage PROCSTUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG6 · repeats up to 99LINLine item+ 6 conditional groups, starting with:RFFQTYPNAEFIIDEBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for PROCST. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT PROCST message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT PROCST Project cost reporting message. Contractor or project manager sends it to client or other project parties. It usually follows PROTAP. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG6 loop with LIN (Line item). 6 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT PROCSTmessage worksProject cost reporting: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSPROTAPProject tasks planningPROCSTSENDERContractor orproject managerRECEIVERClient or otherproject partiesCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message PROCST (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG6 · repeats upto 99LINLine item+ 6 conditional groups, starting with:RFFQTYPNAEFIIDEBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for PROCST.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends PROCST, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around PROCST and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Reporting actual costs against budget
  • Submitting estimates to complete
  • Supporting earned value management

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows PROTAP Project tasks planning
This message PROCST Project cost reporting

Structure

Mandatory segments in PROCST (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the PROCST message has 60 segment positions arranged in 16 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • SG6 (LIN)
  • UNT

Practical example

PROCST in practice

A contractor building a naval vessel sends the client a PROCST each month with the budget, actual cost and earned value for each work package, and the revised estimate to complete. The client's analysts calculate cost and schedule variances and discuss the overruns at the monthly review.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for PROCST

  • Use the same work breakdown as the schedule.
  • Agree the cost categories and reporting periods.
  • Reconcile reported actuals with accounting records.
  • Explain significant variances alongside the data.

How ECOM helps

Automate PROCST with ECOM

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Solution

Enterprise Integration

Any-to-any integration across partners, systems, protocols, security requirements, formats and ERPs, in batch or real time.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

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