Intuit Master Builder

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"Master Builder" Intuit Evaluation

Dave

Lisa

From our experience 4-5 years. We made the mistake of buying Master Builder and have been paying for it ever since. Plan on changing the way your entire operations run because the software is so far out of touch with normal accounting processes. We just finished moving our accounts receivable BACK into our old DOS program because of the problems with Master Builder. I've noticed on this and other web forums that finally Master Buidler users are coming out and informing other potential 'victims' to beware.
They should have a sign "enter at your own risk".

Maybe that's why we're seeing postings on these forums offering to convert Master Builder data into other accounting applications. There must be lots of customers!

LM

Dave Wilmont

Thanks for the posting. We saw your message as we were just about to purchase MB and decided to look at another system.

Sarah9910

If anyone needs training on Intuit Master Builder, email me, I can help at a reasonable rate as long as you'll refer me to more people when you are happy. If you aren't happy, we'll try to find someone to buy your program. I know the program like the back of my hand and I love it. It used to be owned by Omware, Inc, and was written by a contractor, then Intuit bought Omware out and has been upgrading it to be more user friendly since. It's a great product when you get used to it. Anything takes adjustment, I can try to make the adjustment as painless as possible for you.

Sarah

Unregistered

Did you know that if your system crashes and you restore from a system backup or from a tape drive that your data will be corrupt. We lost our RADI drives and had to recover from tape and the data ws corrupt. I was told that the databases don't restore correctly and that you have to rebuld and reindex the databases. We even had to take databases off of one of the desktops to get it to work. The software has potential but, it is lacking alot. Our bigest problem is it is not setup correctly, and we are paying for it now.

Mike Finley

I have zero experience with this product Master Builder, it seems there are 2 camps, love it or hate it and no inbetween, with the majority on the hate it side. This maybe a wonderful product that just has a huge learning curve to it, but that being said, that makes it a horrible product in my book, no matter what it can do for you.

I personally wouldn't even consider looking at it at this time. Whether some of the users are justified or not in hating it, isn't even relevant in my opinion. Just the shear number of people who can't get it to work in a satisfactory manner, whether it is their own short-comings or not speaks volumes about the product. No matter if it is a accounting software package or a bowl of soup, it is a failure if the customer it was intended to serve finds it too hard to use. If it takes a professional 3rd party to set it up and train you, it should be marketed that way, at least customers expectations would be set at the proper level and so many users wouldn't be so disappointed.

I'm amazed that Intuit ownes this product since they also own Quickbooks which is the most popular and successful accounting software in existance.

captpackrat

The price tag for Master Builder is simply outrageous, so I'm trying to figure out a way to allow more users to use the software without having to shell out thousands more for the damn licenses.

Previously in the thread someone mentioned that they were able to use MB with Terminal Services.

Does this require an authorization code for each client machine, or just one for the server?

Unregistered

Hi Sarah,

How long is the learning curve for Master Builder for a typical sub-contractor?

Bernie

Cole

Great Question, Bernie!!! I am wondering the exact same thing.

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Sarah9910

Learning Curve on Software: Wow...it is so hard to determine this, sort of like asking, would I understand a set of blueprints if you sat me down and showed me. Learning Curve all depends on the knowledge of your staff. Consider how well they use Excel now, do they use workbooks and worksheets? Do they know how to set up and manage tables in Word? If so, they can probably grasp the concepts of the screens. As for the accounting staff, someone needs to understand the debit/credit concept and be willing to either read the manual or take some classes (included with the software) on line. (It's not just like QuickBooks, doesn't look like a check register). It's a full fledged integrated construction system, has the capability to manage estimates, purchase orders, subcontracts, proposals, payroll (certified and davis bacon), progress billings, loan draw requests, T & M Billings, can even manage your equipment or vehicles or tools. Can create schedules, other modules can handle inventory, service work with a dispatch board and of course, all payroll and accounting. This software isn't for the little guy, should be at least 3MM in sales to consider it.

As for getting the software up and running:
Let's see: if you can make a decision on your cost codes (phases) right away and on your chart of accounts (or use our default) and if you have a clean (in balance) trial balance from a given period of time. Then, it can actually happen quite quickly. . Do you want your in progress Subcontracts to be entered and your partially filled purchase orders. Do you have a job cost summary report so we can enter in the costs of the jobs that are partially completed at cut over date?

If you have all the above and are really willing to make it happen quickly and willing to hire me (very reasonable rates if done remotely). I can probably get you set up within a week, maybe less depending on the size of your company. If you don't have all of the above, then we need to talk because you probably don't know the true costs of your jobs now and you really need to do something, be it QuickBooks, Master Builder or anything.

I can help in all cases. Email me if you are interested in remote help or a demonstration.

Sarah

rwbiggs

Sarah,
We are looking at Master Builder. I get the feeling from some of the email threads that the respondants, since there are comparing Master Builder to QuickBooks, etc., may be small companies. We are a general commercial contractor doing about $50MM in annual volume; do you have any feedback on implementation from companies in that category?

Sarah9910

Thanks to this site, I gained a new client and trained them on Intuit Master Builder just this month. I can confidently say, they are pleased with the training and with the program. I will wait for them to respond via this site for you all to hear and comment. I'm available to anyone for training on Intuit Master Builder or QuickBooks. My prices are reasonable, you would need to cover my travel expenses if you want me on site otherwise, I can train via the internet :Thumbs: . Thanks to Nathan and all for reading, great networking going on here.

Sarah9910

I can give you references, would prefer to have your email address to do that. Yes...$50MM annual volume is not a problem. QuickBooks and Master Builder are entirely different products, written differently, both are great at the right time for a company. Some companies never need to go to Master Builder, but if integration of data entry, analyzing reports and more are important to you, and it's in your budget, it's a great program if you budget training into the cost of the program. Email me at winterpalms2004@yahoo.com and I will reply with references.

Sarah9910

Depends on if you allow access via your web site. Also consider palm's or pocket pc's for the field instead of entire versions of the software or licenses. Depending on what they need to do, daily field report, punch list, etc, they can access data from the field with one of these devices and it's much less expensive than purchasing a laptop for them and a license. And...less confusing for the project manager if they aren't technically inclined wth computers.

Sarah9910

Only think about Quicken Nathan is that I'm not sure it will produce a real trial balance as you will get with QuickBooks. But I'm not sure, I haven't used Quicken in years.

TJbuilder

Hi all,

How does Quickpro ( or quickbooks) for contractors fair with in-house accounts such as workmens comp, payroll, employee information and other details? how does it compare to the master builder? we are currently battling with the master builder program and basically going nowhere because it is SO VERY COMPLICATED. It's costing us a fortune and we can't get ourselves up and running yet!! would love some insight.

Thanks!

over-the-hill

I replied regarding Master Builder use with Terminal Services; I use it that way all the time from home and I need a license for my laptop as well as my desktop computer in my house.

By the way, Sarah's suggestion's are absolutely correct and are a good way to save money.

dougsx1

We are looking at Master Builder for our company. The program is simple compared to our current software but we are a larger company than probably most of the visitors here with annual sales of hundreds of millions of dollars. I come from a technical background and really never had much exposure to business classes in school. I did run my own contracting business years ago but my bookkeeping was non existent. Money came in and money went out (mostly out) and that’s probably why I now work for someone else. I’m a computer guy now and work in the IT department of our company. Over the last 18 months or so I’ve had to step in and provide support to our accounting department, not only with the computer systems but also with the design of new accounting applications. It has been a steep learning curve for me. I’ve gone from knowing very little about professional accounting methods and systems to a good basic understanding of all the pieces and parts. One thing is very clear to me, it takes a lot of experience and training to run any accounting system properly. From what I’ve seen of MB at this point I would consider it to be a complete professional accounting system bundled with the specific tools that contractors need. That said, my hat’s off to any of you contractor guy’s and gal’s that run a full accounting system. You need to be experts at your trade and have a good business education. I’ll try and get back here to post our progress with Master Builder, hopefully it will be a help to others. If Grumpy will allow me, I want to thank Sarah for her several emails. I asked her several questions and she was gracious enough to answer them all. Thanks again Sarah.

Rusty Nails

I'm glad we are using Timberline. It sounds like Master Builder is WAAAY to much trouble.

It's cumbersome to start but is a great program for cost accounting and project management.

hatchet

Yall don't even know cumbersome - I work for a very large commercial contractor and they have this dos based system from JD Edwards - custom built for us. What a huge PITA it is. Picture green text on a black screen I guess they are trying to get a web based version functioning :roll:
I've heard really good things on Timberline (I've only looked at their demo.. if you don't mind me asking Rusty Nails - what was the cost of it?

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