---
title: "Update Cost Block: Push Material, Labor, Equipment, or Subcontract Costs into Project Budgets"
url: "https://help.ontraccr.com/en/article/update-cost-block-push-material-labor-equipment-or-subcontract-costs-into-project-budgets"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-05-26T22:04:21.439Z"
---

# Update Cost Block: Push Material, Labor, Equipment, or Subcontract Costs into Project Budgets

## 📄 Update Cost Block: Push Material, Labor, Equipment, or Subcontract Costs into Project Budgets  
 

The **Update Cost Block** lets you automatically push cost data from submitted forms into the **Budgets tab** of a project profile. It’s perfect for real-time job costing, progress tracking, and ensuring every form action has a financial impact.

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## 💰 What Is the Update Cost Block?

This workflow block:

-   Converts **form-based inputs** (materials, time, equipment, subcontracts) into cost entries
-   Updates the **Budgets** or **Progress** tabs of a linked project
-   Ensures field activity is immediately reflected in cost tracking

> ✅ Best for tracking labor, materials, subcontractor spend, or earned value—all from one form

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## 🛠 How to Use It

1.  Go to **Step 3: Workflow**
2.  Drag the **Update Cost Block** into the workflow
3.  Connect it to a relevant block (Submit, Approve, etc.)
4.  Click the block to configure:

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## ⚙️ Configuration Options

### 1\. **Source Type**

Select what type of cost is being recorded:

| Type | Example Source |
| --- | --- |
| **Labor** | Time Entry Table |
| **Materials** | Materials Table |
| **Subcontract** | Line item field or table |
| **Equipment** | Equipment Table |

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### 2\. **Cost Application Options**

-   Choose if the cost should be:
    -   **Applied immediately**
    -   **Queued for approval**

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## 📊 What It Impacts

Costs pushed by this block show up in:

-   **Budgets** tab of the project profile (If ‘**Update Budget’ step** is checked
-   **Progress tracking**
-   **Job costing reports**
-   **Forecasting tools (if enabled)**

Each entry is **linked back to the originating form**, giving full auditability.

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## 🧠 Use Case Examples

| Form | Cost Type | Result |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Report | Labor + Materials | Time + material usage posted to project |
| Subcontractor Invoice Form | Subcontract | Adds cost entry under vendor line item |
| Equipment Usage Log | Equipment | Logs rental cost based on hours × rate |
| Safety Correction Form | Other | Adds indirect overhead cost to admin code |

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## 📌 Tips & Best Practices

-   ✅ Ensure every form includes a **project field**
-   🧩 Use standard tables (e.g., Time Entry Table) to reduce mapping errors
-   📥 Apply **cost code filters** to guide users toward the right selection
-   📊 Use this block to **automate earned value reporting**

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## 🔍 Audit & Reporting

-   Each budget entry shows:
    -   Source: Form Name + Submission #
    -   User who submitted
    -   Time/date of update
-   Supports export to CSV or integration with cost tracking tools