--- title: Cost Indices description: Create company standard cost indices to adjust historical costs by time and/or location. --- [Skip to content](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/cost-indices#main-content) [Contact Join Support](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [![Join Help Center](https://success.join.build/hubfs/Join%20Help%20Center.svg)](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact Join Support](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) - [Login](https://app.join.build/) [Login](https://app.join.build/) Hi! 👋 How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Join - Help Center](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Company Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/company-settings?hsLang=en) 3. [Company Standards](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/company-settings?hsLang=en#company-standards) # Cost Indices ## Create company standard cost indices to adjust historical costs by time and/or location. ### Types of Cost Indices #### Time Indices Use a Time Index to adjust the costs of projects from the Milestone date to the latest period of the index. Time indices can be utilized for the [Time Factor](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/escalating-historical-costs?hsLang=en#time_factor) in a Project Comparisons report. ***Note:** Values can only be entered for time periods that have been completed. To escalate costs to the future, use the manual [Future Time Factor](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/escalating-historical-costs?hsLang=en#future_time_factor).* #### Location Indices Use a Location Index to adjust the costs of projects from one city to another. Location indices can be utilized for the [Location Factor](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/escalating-historical-costs?hsLang=en#location_factor) in a Project Comparisons report. ### Creating a Cost Index Create custom cost indices for your company to adjust historical costs by time and/or location within a [Project Comparisons](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-comparisons-report?hsLang=en) report. To create custom cost indices, your company must have access to [Benchmarking](https://join.build/platform/validation-and-programming/), and you must be a [Company Administrator](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/managing-employees-in-join#company_roles). #### Creating a Time Index To create a custom time index, follow these steps: 1. Click **Company Settings** in the navigation panel. 2. Click the **Standards** tab. 3. Click **Cost Indices** on the left. 4. Click the **+ New Cost Index** button and select **Time Index**. 5. Enter a name for the index. 6. Enter a description for the index (optional). 7. Select a **Value Type** based on how you'd like to enter your index data. 1. **Index Values** - Use this option when your index uses a base value in the first time period and then is increased as time goes on. This is the most common format used in most published indices like RSMeans, Engineering News Record (ENR), Turner, Mortenson, etc. 2. **Percentages** - Use this option when you want to enter a simple annual percentage increase for each year. 8. Select a **Time Increment** based on how often your index is updated. 1. **Months** - Use this option for entering index values for each month of the year. 2. **Quarters** - Use this option for entering index values for each quarter of the year. These are based on calendar quarters. 3. **Years** - Use this option for entering a single index value for each year. When selecting **Percentages** as your **Value Type**, **Years** is the only option available. 9. Select the **Start Year** of your index based on how far back your index data goes. The earliest year you can select is 1990. 10. Click the **Create as Draft** button and then open the newly created index by clicking its name in the list. 11. Enter your index values for all available time periods. You can only enter index values for completed time periods. After the next time period has been completed, you will be allowed to enter a value by editing the published index. 12. When all required fields are filled out, click the **Publish** button. 13. Click the **Publish** button again in the confirmation dialog. This will publish the index and make it available for use by your company. Once published, a Cost Index cannot be unpublished. ![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-12-2025-12-15-56-8443-AM.png?width=213&height=151&name=image-png-Dec-12-2025-12-15-56-8443-AM.png) #### Creating a Location Index To create a custom location index, follow these steps: 1. Click **Company Settings** in the navigation panel. 2. Click the **Standards** tab. 3. Click **Cost Indices** on the left. 4. Click the **+ New Cost Index** button and select **Location Index**. 5. Enter a name for the index. 6. Enter a description for the index (optional). 7. Click the **Create as Draft** button and then open the newly created index by clicking its name in the list. 8. Click the **+ Add Row** button to add a row for each city in your index. 9. In the **Location** column, start typing the name of the city and select the closest match from the list. 10. Enter an index value for each city. 11. When all required fields are filled out, click the **Publish** button. 12. Click the **Publish** button again in the confirmation dialog. This will publish the index and make it available for use by your company. Once published, a Cost Index cannot be unpublished. ![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-12-2025-12-16-24-4931-AM.png?width=213&height=151&name=image-png-Dec-12-2025-12-16-24-4931-AM.png) ### Deleting a Cost Index Deleting a cost index will permanently remove it for all users in your company. If it was previously used on saved Project Comparisons reports, the escalation data on those reports will not be affected or deleted. To delete a custom location index, follow these steps: 1. Click **Company Settings** in the navigation panel. 2. Click the **Standards** tab. 3. Click **Cost Indices** on the left. 4. Click the **Options** button to the far right of a custom index and select **Delete**. 5. Click the **Delete** button again in the confirmation dialog. ![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-12-2025-12-30-22-4747-AM.png?width=670&height=355&name=image-png-Dec-12-2025-12-30-22-4747-AM.png) ### Disabling RSMeans Indices [Gordian’s RSMeans](https://www.gordian.com/products/rsmeans-data-services/) Historical and City Cost Indices are provided and updated by Join for your use. If your company prefers not to use them, they can be disabled, preventing them from being used by all users within your company. To disable the RSMeans indices, follow these steps: 1. Click **Company Settings** in the navigation panel. 2. Click the **Standards** tab. 3. Click **Cost Indices** on the left. 4. 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