This article details configuration options in Costs Building Settings, including setting up and distributing cost types, enabling cost conversions, CO2 emissions tracking, creating space sets, managing meters, and merging cost types for .
▶ Costs > Building Settings
This article covers all the configuration options available in Costs > Building Settings. Here you will find step-by-step guidance on setting up Cost types and how they are distributed to Tenants, converting one Cost type into another, enabling CO2 emissions tracking, creating Space sets for cost sharing, adding and managing Meters, and merging Cost types for cleaner invoicing.
If you have a special case to handle and cannot find the exact answer here, please contact our support in the Moderan chat or write to support@moderansolutions.com.
Enabling cost types for period
▶ Costs > Building Settings > Enabling cost types for period
In this table you can set up all Cost types that are managed in this specific property and how they should be distributed to Tenants in the selected accounting period.
In Building Settings > Enabling cost types for period, start by adding a new line and choosing a Cost type.
If the Cost type is not present in the drop-down list, it can be added in Admin > Cost settings (accessible only for Admin users)
If this Cost type has any subcosts (for example, electricity may be measured separately for day and night, or water as warm and cold), add these in the Enabled subcosts column.
Subcosts may also be used for some special cases, for example:
You want to measure and display certain parts of electricity consumption separately — for example when cooling or ventilation electricity constitutes a big part of the general electricity.
Some part of electricity is used to produce another cost type (for example, you have a heating station inside the building and want to add the electricity this station uses to the cost of heating). In this case you can create a heating subcost under electricity and convert it into the other cost type (see Enabling cost type converting to another cost type).
If you have a special case to handle and cannot find the exact answer here, please contact our support in the Moderan chat or write to support@moderansolutions.com.
Next, select the correct Distribution basis for distributing the general part of this cost type:
Leasable space – the general cost is divided between the total leasable area of the property. Tenants always pay their proportional share — changes in vacancy or exceptions made to any tenant do not affect other tenants. The landlord covers the cost of vacant spaces and the difference for any exceptions made to any tenant.
Leased space – the general cost is divided only to the area currently rented out. No cost is divided to vacant premises. When vacancy changes, so will each Tenant's share of this cost. The landlord covers only the cost difference for the exceptions made for Tenants (if any).
Split all between selected tenants – the entire cost is divided between the Tenants that participate in the splitting of this cost type. If any Tenant has exceptions (excluded, fixed fee, etc.), these are first subtracted from the total cost and then the remainder is split proportionally between participating Tenants. No cost is left to the landlord.
Units based – the general cost is divided between the specified number of units, ignoring the m² of the Building. For example, the cost is divided equally between the number of Tenants or apartments. You must also mark in Contract terms how many units each Tenant covers. Any difference between Total units and the aggregate number of units marked for all Tenants remains with the Landlord.
Individual usage proportion – the general cost is distributed according to the proportions of individual usage. Normally used for metered costs such as electricity or water. If any individual cost is metered on vacant spaces and remains with the landlord, then the equal proportion of the general cost also remains with the landlord.
Distribution basis affects only the General part of the Cost (including Shared Common meters) and not individual consumption
Space set – by default, the general cost is divided between all m². However, sometimes a service is provided only in a restricted area that can be defined through a Space set (added in the Enabling Space sets section).
Distribution total – shows the total number of m² or units between which this cost is divided. This depends on your Distribution basis and Space set selection. If you have selected Leased space, this number will change monthly depending on vacancy. Always make sure this is the correct number you need.
Calculated tariff – automatically calculated general cost per m² or unit (depending on the selected Distribution basis), when Bills are added.
Manual tariff – you can set a fixed price per m² or unit. Manual tariff takes precedence over Calculated tariff — if you have entered a Manual tariff, it will be used instead of the Calculated tariff.
General cost setup:
Has to be Enabled in most cases, e.g. when a Bill is split by leasable space proportion.
Unit – select (m², Month or Same as Individual) to display on invoice. Calculation is still done by Distribution basis, but on the invoice it shows the unit selected here.
Individual costs setup:
Is usually Enabled if the Cost type has meters.
Activate Show readings on invoice to add meter names and readings to the Tenant invoice.
Forward cost – only for cost types like additional works that go directly to tenants (Rental Contracts should be specified in the Bills).
Write Units (the usage of the Cost type will be displayed in these units), e.g. for Electricity: kWh or MWh; for Water: m³.
REPLICATE. This option is hidden by default. To turn it on, click on the arrow down in the column header > Columns > check-mark Replicate.
Example & Use Case:
The most common use case: you want to split Electricity and Network fees separately, but the Network fees should be split exactly the same way as the Electricity is being split.
In this case, create a Network fee which replicates the electricity — when you click Replicate and choose Electricity, all other fields are filled automatically according to Electricity settings.
Replicate function uses the same quantities, but not the cost.
Notes. There are two fields for Notes where you can add comments and explanations about the cost allocation logic or any other specific information about the cost type. We highly recommend adding as many detailed comments as possible, including exceptions and other important information, so that both you and your colleagues can understand the cost-sharing principles
By default, Notes fields are hidden.
Enabling cost type converting to another cost type
▶ Costs > Building Settings > Enabling cost types converting to another cost type
You can easily convert any cost type to another, converting all usage or only part of it (if dedicated sub-cost meters are used). There are 3 types of conversions in Moderan:
1. How many units of Source cost you need to create 1 unit of Target cost? Enables conversion of one cost type or the usage of certain meters into another cost type, shared between tenants according to the Distribution basis logic. For example, you use central heating (kWh) to heat water (m³) — you determine how many units of heating are needed to heat 1 unit of water. The conversion rate can be retrieved from the Service provider or calculated manually. Commonly used for: Electricity or gas converted into Thermal energy/Heating; gas or electricity converted to hot water.
2. Transfer all Source cost to Target cost. Allows you to completely transfer the consumption of one cost type or selected meters to the consumption of another cost type, distributed among tenants according to the settings made. For example, you want to distribute all incoming gas as thermal energy to tenants, or divert the electricity usage of one sub-cost meter (e.g. Electricity – Ventilation) into heating.
3. Transfer Source usage and cost to Target cost. Allows you to completely transfer the consumption and the cost of the Source cost type or selected meters to the consumption and cost of another cost type. The usage that is converted is also visible on reports (grey lines).
When Conversions are enabled, you will be able to see the calculations in the separate tab — Conversions:
Enabling CO2 emissions conversion
▶ Costs > Building Settings > Enabling CO2 emissions conversion
It is possible to enable CO2 emissions conversion, for example if you are planning to gather information for sustainability reporting about Building emissions from purchased electricity, heat, etc. To activate the conversion, the CO2 emissions factor should be added for each Cost type. You can obtain the necessary information from your Service provider.
After CO2 emissions conversion is activated, a new tab — CO2 emissions — will be available, where you can check the CO2 emissions calculated for each Tenant and the Total for the whole Building(s):
This information is also available in Reports > Tenant Costs and Reports > Property Costs — a more convenient view if you want to compare data over time. Click on the report names to get more info about Tenant Costs and Property Costs reports.
Enabling Space sets
▶ Costs > Building Settings > Enabling Space sets
Create different Space sets based on how you need to group building spaces to share costs. You can define floors, areas, different Tenant spaces, etc. You can also add a Space set to a meter (for example, when the usage of a selected meter is shared among the tenants in the created Space set).
Select all spaces in a Space set, write a Name and additional Notes if needed, and Save. You can modify Space sets at any time in the selected cost period.
Enabling meters
▶ Costs > Building Settings > Enabling meters
You can enter all Meters manually or, if the Building/Property has too many meters, the Support team can help you with the import. Contact us at support@moderansolutions.com and we will provide you with the Meters import template.
You can find an in-depth article about Adding Meters into Moderan here.
Merging cost types
▶ Costs > Building Settings > Merging cost types
You might have Cost types with separate Bills from the Service provider that are split by different rules, but only one line is shown on Tenant invoices. For example, there could be two separate bills for services like Security or Cleaning.
Additionally, some cost types may consist of multiple components. For instance, a water bill from the provider might include three separate charges distributed differently among tenants. Instead of displaying each charge separately, these components can be merged into a single line, e.g. Water General: Water and Sewage (measured by meters), Monthly Fee for Water Connection (allocated based on square metres), and Rainwater (allocated based on square metres).
The option to merge cost types is available at the bottom of the Building Settings page. By default it is hidden under the SHOW/HIDE button. To merge cost types:
Click the SHOW/HIDE button to reveal all lines of Cost types.
Drag the cost type you wish to merge and drop it under the main cost type.
To undo a merge, simply drag the merged cost type back onto the Grey Header and release.