Costpoint 2026.1: Targeted Improvements That Simplify Daily Work

I spent most of my career in government contracting as a project manager. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: the biggest wins don’t usually come from massive system overhauls or sweeping process changes. They come from the thoughtful improvements that make everyday work just a little easier.

The approval that doesn’t get stuck.

The report you don’t have to rebuild.

The data that’s already there when leadership asks for it—again.

Those small moments add up. And when they don’t work, they add up just as fast in the other direction.

Why Small Improvements Matter More Than Ever

Today, government contractors are under even more pressure. Expectations for speed, transparency, and accountability keep rising. Labor is harder to find. Margins are tighter. Oversight is more frequent.

What hasn’t changed is the reality of the work: it still happens one task at a time.

That’s why I’m such a believer in improvements that show up where people actually work. When everyday tasks are simpler, clearer, and more reliable, teams move faster—and leadership gets better outcomes without asking people to work harder.

That mindset is what’s behind the Costpoint 2026.1 release launching January 21st, 2026. This release isn’t about flashy change—it’s about removing friction in the moments that slow people down. And the impact shows up most clearly in the roles doing that work every day.

For IT and System Administrators: Reducing Bottlenecks While Enabling Trusted Automation

I’ve seen how quickly systems can become a bottleneck as organizations grow—especially when the challenge shifts from simply keeping systems running to enabling the business to move faster without increasing risk.

Costpoint 2026.1 introduces enhancements that give administrators greater control, flexibility, and efficiency—while preserving governance and auditability.

• Extensibility Tool: AI Agents Framework
  Organizations can now build and deploy custom AI agents within Costpoint and across Deltek’s ecosystem. These agents enable consistent, intelligent workflows triggered by real business activity—supporting automation that is transparent, explainable, and aligned to governance requirements.
• Parallel Processing for Organizational Changes
  Parallel Processing removes single-thread bottlenecks when processing large organizational updates, allowing teams to execute changes faster and keep systems responsive during periods of growth or reorganization.
• UDEF Preprocessor for Scaled Data Management
  Manage User-Defined Fields (UDEF) more efficiently across large data sets, improving consistency and reducing administrative overhead as system complexity increases.

Outcome: Scalable administration that supports business agility, faster response times, and operational confidence under pressure.

For Manufacturing and Supply Chain Teams: Faster Decisions with Clearer Insight

When you’re trying to keep work moving, visibility matters. Being able to create RFQs for multiple vendors in one step or see the full picture of a manufacturing order without clicking through multiple screens might sound small—but it changes how quickly decisions get made on the floor and in planning meetings.

Costpoint 2026.1 delivers targeted enhancements that simplify everyday work while improving visibility into manufacturing orders and purchasing activity.

• Create RFQ Agent
  Draft RFQs for multiple vendors in a single step directly from a requisition, reducing repetitive data entry and shortening sourcing cycles.
• Manufacturing Order (MO) Smart Summary
  AI-powered summaries surface priority status, late indicators, routing details, and cost information in one view—eliminating the need to navigate multiple subtasks to understand order health.

  

  
  

  To eliminate the need to drill into subtasks or other screens, users can generate an MO summary that includes status, issued requirements, late indicators, routings & costs.

• Vendor Punchout Catalog Integrations
  Shop vendor e-commerce sites directly within Costpoint, use shopping carts to create requisitions, and exchange confirmations, shipping notices, and invoices through integrated workflows—streamlining procure-to-pay while maintaining system-of-record integrity.

Outcome: Faster sourcing decisions, clearer production insight, and more efficient purchasing workflows that support execution at scale.

For Finance and Accounting Teams: Faster Close with Confidence

I’ve lived through enough month-end closes to know where time disappears i.e. waiting on approvals; tracking down subcontractor costs; explaining variances after the fact.

Automating routine approvals, accruing costs earlier, and centralizing financial insight doesn’t just speed close—it reduces stress and makes conversations with leadership much easier.

Costpoint 2026.1 helps finance teams move faster by embedding trusted AI and centralized insight directly into financial workflows.

• Smarter AI Approvals with Full Transparency
  Automate high-volume approvals across invoices, vouchers, journal entries, and timesheets—while capturing AI reasoning, timestamps, and confidence levels on each transaction. Teams gain speed without losing visibility or control.

  

  
  

  Enhanced Accounts Payable (AP) voucher scanning reduces errors and speeds invoice processing with improved vendor matching and fewer manual corrections.

• Accrued Subcontractor Time & Expense
  Avoid month-end delays caused by pending subcontractor approvals by accruing subcontractor costs for financial transactions and reporting—ensuring more accurate, timely financials.
• Financial Statement Inquiry & Command Center Financial Review Tab
  Analyze and compare financials across periods, drill into variances, and centralize insight in a unified workspace—helping teams identify issues earlier and close with confidence.

Outcome: Faster closes, clearer financial insight, and fewer last-minute scrambles at month end.

When Small Changes Lead to Bigger Results

What I’ve seen over the years is that when everyday work gets easier:

• Teams spend less time reacting and more time planning
• Data becomes something you trust, not something you double-check
• Leaders get answers faster—and with more confidence
• Organizations are better prepared when scrutiny increases or demand spikes

That’s when the bigger results show up: faster execution, stronger financial control, and a workforce that isn’t constantly fighting the system.

Why This Matters Now

Government contracting isn’t getting simpler. Expectations aren’t going down. And none of us have time for tools that make our jobs harder.

Costpoint 2026.1 is about respecting the reality of the work—how small inefficiencies pile up, and how thoughtful improvements can make a real difference. It’s about helping people get through their day with fewer obstacles, while helping organizations perform better as a whole.

Because in this business, the path to better outcomes almost always starts with making everyday work just a little easier.