Quickbooks for Contractors - Page 2 - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

fireguy · 12-24-2007, 11:42 PM

I wish someone would come up with an easy to understand and use Excel program so I could enter job operations and the amount of time they take. My estimates would be more accurate and help me make more profit. I know the theory behind Excell, but I cannot make it do what I want.

a1propertyclean · 12-25-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mseneker

Thanks A!. Sounds like I really do not need the contractors addition. I'm just worried that if I start inputing estimates and using bill paying that I'll mess up the data in quick books. We use QB payroll and I'm also worried about the need to input employee time cards and charge them back to a job. Especially as we don't get time cards until after the payroll is completed (which may have to change)

Mseneker ~

If you need help understanding the steps to get everything set up, let me know. I can give you a few pointers that will make it easy for you to develop a very good system of generating estimates and change orders.

Linda

mseneker · 12-25-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1propertyclean

Mseneker ~

If you need help understanding the steps to get everything set up, let me know. I can give you a few pointers that will make it easy for you to develop a very good system of generating estimates and change orders.

Linda

I would really appreciate the help. Should I keep the QB Contractor Addition for this or can you make QB Professional work. I understand financial statements but wonder if QB Professional will give me the job cost data provided by the Contractor Addition?

a1propertyclean · 12-25-2007, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireguy

I wish someone would come up with an easy to understand and use Excel program so I could enter job operations and the amount of time they take. My estimates would be more accurate and help me make more profit. I know the theory behind Excell, but I cannot make it do what I want.

Fireguy ~

Are you using Quickbooks Pro at all? Excel's wonderful, but it doesn't do the whole job. You need to understand using the @ functions in order to get it to do any automation at all.

Quickbooks Pro can track hours and costs by customers, vendors, and/or employees. You can run profit and loss comparisons by week, month, quarter, year to find much of what you need to know.

In the Pro series, you can export your report into Excel if you want to play with the numbers to see what your options would be regarding cutbacks in expenses or even in changing your profit margins.

Like I said, Excel will only do so much, even for advanced users. There's still a lot you have to do by hand.

If you don't already use QB Pro, think about it. Most everyone I know upgrades about once every 3 years so the cost is well worth it.

Linda

a1propertyclean · 12-25-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mseneker

I would really appreciate the help. Should I keep the QB Contractor Addition for this or can you make QB Professional work. I understand financial statements but wonder if QB Professional will give me the job cost data provided by the Contractor Addition?

Did you buy the Contractor's version already? If not, the QB Pro will work just fine. If you did, you can always take the unopened package back to the store or Intuit will send a refund if you decide to remove it from your system.

I've got to run out the door right now to look at a job [believe it or not] but will be in my office most of the day tomorrow.

Why don't you PM me with a phone number and the best time to call you?

Linda

mseneker · 12-25-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1propertyclean

Did you buy the Contractor's version already? If not, the QB Pro will work just fine. If you did, you can always take the unopened package back to the store or Intuit will send a refund if you decide to remove it from your system.

I've got to run out the door right now to look at a job [believe it or not] but will be in my office most of the day tomorrow.

Why don't you PM me with a phone number and the best time to call you?

Linda

Bought the contractors addition last year. My CPA has office help to walk me through the process. You answered a good question for me in that perhaps I don't need to update my Contractors Addition in the future. You are very nice to offer the help but I can't expect you to teach me how to convert over to using QB for job costing and reports by customer. That is too much to ask. I might also be able to find a thread in the QB Forum at their site.

Tom F. · 12-25-2007, 03:16 PM

I am primarily a spec house builder. Generally I build about 3 big houses per year. I had been keeping all my expenses in line with a simple Excel spreadsheet for each project. I bought Contractor's version 2 years ago, did all the setup, etc, but finally decided it was taking too much of my time to use it. I came to the conclusion that for minimal numbers of projects like I do, it didn't pay off. I just keep a regular checkbook, not a quicken type.

Am I missing something about QB that should make it more valuable to me? I was actually pretty disappointed.

Tom

a1propertyclean · 12-26-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mseneker

Bought the contractors addition last year. My CPA has office help to walk me through the process. You answered a good question for me in that perhaps I don't need to update my Contractors Addition in the future. You are very nice to offer the help but I can't expect you to teach me how to convert over to using QB for job costing and reports by customer. That is too much to ask. I might also be able to find a thread in the QB Forum at their site.

Mseneker ~

If your CPA's office can help, that's great. But the offer is there nonetheless so if you need me, just let me know. [BTW ~ this really IS just an offer to help. No sales.]

Linda

B1111 · 12-26-2007, 11:50 PM

This is the best program for us, we love it, very easy to use...

mseneker · 12-27-2007, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom F.

I am primarily a spec house builder. Generally I build about 3 big houses per year. I had been keeping all my expenses in line with a simple Excel spreadsheet for each project. I bought Contractor's version 2 years ago, did all the setup, etc, but finally decided it was taking too much of my time to use it. I came to the conclusion that for minimal numbers of projects like I do, it didn't pay off. I just keep a regular checkbook, not a quicken type.

Am I missing something about QB that should make it more valuable to me? I was actually pretty disappointed.

Tom

Tom, quick books has a lot more reporting capabilities than job costing. I could see how it would be hard to track job costing while building homes in QB because, for example, not all the concrete budget is spent at one time.

I like QB Premier for the payroll and check writing. I like being able to get quick reports on P&L in different formats. If you know someone running QB Premier sit down and have them show you why they like it. I currently job cost track outside of QB. However, use QB for everything else. I pay all my bills and enter my invoices for example. Then I can get the overall view of the company financially.

hvacman · 12-27-2007, 10:23 AM

Quickbooks Contractor is the way to go. Its set up so you don't have to be an accountant to operate it and really tracks everything very well. It will save you $450 in time.

PARA1 · 12-27-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L. B. Condulet

Quickbooks Pro Contractor Edition is the backbone of my business.

I'M SORRY.

agreater · 12-30-2007, 11:27 PM

I am using quick books pro for my contracting business and it work great. Last year I thought I would try out the contractors addition but it i was almost the same thing but twice the money.

I also tried out office accounting pro 2007 but I found that most things integrate better with quick books.

I have a copy of quick books premier 2006 with all the manuals in the box if somebody wants to purchase it at a reduced price.

Agreater

sauers513 · 01-07-2008, 12:01 PM

You will be amazed at how helpful Quickbooks is. Our company has been running quickbooks pro since 2000 and it's great. I wouldnt suggest getting a bookkeeper, you and your son should do fine with the program. It is very user-friendly. If you are unsure, there are always classes advertised for taking classes on it. You could get a sneak peak at it before buying it if you took a class.

tbruening · 01-07-2008, 06:14 PM

My problem with quickbooks is setting up the chart of accounts. I would like to know if anyone has a good program that helps you set this stuff up.

At this time All I can do are proposals, invoices (which are a pain if I have to invoice parts at a time).

Thanks Todd

mseneker · 01-11-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbruening

My problem with quickbooks is setting up the chart of accounts. I would like to know if anyone has a good program that helps you set this stuff up.

At this time All I can do are proposals, invoices (which are a pain if I have to invoice parts at a time).

Thanks Todd

Man, you should not need program to help setup another program.

My CPA setup my chart of accounts. I'm lucky they use quickbooks. I'm starting down the road to job costing in quickbooks. It is going easier than I thought.

So far, going to not use the estimate feature. Will think about using the hourly time sheets. Am not using bill paying. Am making good use of the item and class features. Thinking about using the workman's comp section because I heard it's cheaper to pay by the month based on actuals.

Anyone got any ideas how to capture your overhead so the profit is not over-stated in the contractor job reports?

What about left-over materials on the job. Any idea how to off-set that per job? For that matter, what about inventory taken to jobs when you are short?

zerolando · 01-19-2008, 04:48 PM

I use Quickbooks Pro Contractor Edition. I was always interested in Foundation from Maxwell systems. anyone tried it before?
good day

Tim C. · 01-19-2008, 06:33 PM

I have Quickbooks Pro 2002 and was wondering if I can use it for payroll and how difficult it is to setup? It seems according to the book I have to subscribe to somekind of monthly payroll service of theirs.

RCPainting · 01-19-2008, 06:55 PM

I got QB pro a few months ago and struggled with setting up acct, vendors etc. I went to my accountant who spent 2 hours with me and my laptop and helped me set it up. It was great, he helped understand it from an accounting point of view. He works with the local Tech college which offers courses as well. It was well worth it!

a1propertyclean · 01-20-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim C.

I have Quickbooks Pro 2002 and was wondering if I can use it for payroll and how difficult it is to setup? It seems according to the book I have to subscribe to somekind of monthly payroll service of theirs.

Tim ~

I'm not sure the payroll function would work in Pro 2002. Typically, software updates are only made available going back 3 years.

What you might do is call Intuit and find out if it will or consider purchasing a newer version of the Pro Series.

Having an older version has a few drawbacks. If you ever outsource your bookkeeping and/or payroll, your backup will update to the version being used by the bookkeeper or accountant. But the problem with having a backup returned to you is that it won't be readable by your existing version.

I have older versions because every so often a new client hasn't upgraded in awhile. I'll typically work with their books in the older version until they upgrade, then move their books to the newer version on my system.

I usually upgrade Quickbooks Pro every other year myself. But, because accounting software can be expensive for small businesses, I recommend upgrading every 3 years at the very least.

Linda