## Concepts Overview Before diving into specific features, it's crucial to understand these foundational concepts that underpin PAI's workflow: - [[Projects & Estimates|Projects and Estimates]] - The fundamental organizational structures in PAI - [[Days In PAI|Days in PAI]] - The importance of days as a core building block - [[02-Core-Concepts/Budgets|Budgets]] - How budgets work and relate to estimates - [[Fringes|Fringes]] - Understanding percentage-based markups - [[Reference Numbers & Job Codes|Reference Numbers]] - How PAI's numbering system works - [[Notifications|Notifications]] - How the notification system keeps everyone informed - [[Default Fringes|Organization Default Fringes]] - Standardized fringe settings across projects ### Projects and Estimates **Projects** are the central organizational unit in PAI, containing all aspects of a production from estimation through delivery. Each project starts with **Estimates** - detailed financial projections with multiple versions created during the bidding phase. Projects follow a defined lifecycle: - Start as opportunities with draft estimates - Progress through client approval - Convert to active production when approved - Include budgeting, production logistics, and final delivery ### Days in PAI [[Days In PAI]] are logical entities that form the backbone of scheduling, resource allocation, and document generation. They're not just time periods but structured objects with: - Specific attributes (name, type, location) - Associated resources and expenses - Document generation capabilities - Calendar integration Understanding how days work in PAI is essential for effective production planning. ### Budgets [[Budgets]] are working financial plans converted from approved estimates that evolve during project execution. The budget system tracks: - Expenses against approved estimates - Vendor assignments and payments - Financial variance and performance - Production costs in real-time ### Fringes [[Fringes]] are percentage-based markups applied at various levels to account for additional costs. They provide a flexible way to manage: - Production fees - Insurance - Agency markups - Payroll taxes - Contingencies Fringes can be applied globally, by category, by department, or to individual line items. ### Reference Numbers PAI automatically generates and manages [[Reference Numbers & Job Codes]] for projects as they move through their lifecycle: - **Estimate Numbers** (e.g., E101) identify projects during the bidding phase - **Project Numbers** (e.g., P101) are assigned when estimates are approved - These reference numbers serve as unique identifiers throughout the system ### Notifications PAI's **[[Notifications]] system** keeps users and vendors informed about important events and status changes through: - Email alerts for key actions - Status updates for vendors - Document distribution notifications - System-wide communication > [!tip] Learning Path > We recommend reviewing each concept in the order presented here, as later concepts build upon earlier ones. Start with Projects and Estimates to understand the core organizational structure before moving to more specific concepts. ## Related Topics - [[Intro To PAI|Introduction to PAI]] - [[Projects & Estimates]] - [[TimeLine View]] - [[Production Days|Production Days]] © 2025 PAI Tech, Inc. [paihq.com](https://www.paihq.com/)