Cost Tracking And Record Keeping

Tom M

What is the most common method of job cost record keeping? I start written cost books from time to time and try computer cost books from time to time but I cant keep up a good format or habit to keep them current and up to date. There is so much product and service to stay on top of I end up just keeping things in my head or using old invoices. It take to long sometimes to call in quoting from suppliers for estimates I need to create an easier way to track expense for reference thats easily edited for price increases. Who's doing what?

AtlanticWBConst

I do it the old fashioned way. I created spread sheets with different sections. Labor, materials, gas, etc...
I just keep it all in a folder with all the receipts, and update it about every 2 days.
It works for me and it's quicker than starting up the laptop computer each time I want to check totals or anything else ...

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Tom M

Maybe I phrased it wrong I dont need expenditure tracking I use quickbooks. I suppose I could track cost history for what i charge and what I pay in quickbooks but I wouild have to go back to far the progam would be huge and slow the computer. I only use it for customer data, check tracking,supply invoices,etc....no labor rates or payroll or taxes.

AtlanticWBConst

Tom,

In that case...hire a secretary.....

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Boogga

My estimating software package does the entire lot. Estimating, and the money side of things. Quite sophisticated really.

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Mike Finley

Excel.

POOLMANinCT

excel, on treo700wx,
recording the gozingas & gozoutas as they happen,
piece of cake to dump into my pc to, make a workbook or spreadsheet for anything.... excel may not be the prettiest but its super reliable & just about every vendor
offers their catalog on cd if you ask...
which is great for if you are using an excel purchase order template...
finly, have an excel invoice manager, filliable contract , change order templates.??
ray

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Amber

Since you are already using quickbooks you can start utilizing the purchase order portion of it. By cutting a po for all materials purchased through QB you can easily pull reports by vendor in order to track costs, and or look at pricing history.

Tom M

Thank you all for your suggestions. I was really thinking about labor rates or task history for sub contractors. I know I can put a list price on anything in an excel or quickbooks I already do for checking and account info, but i always seem to run into a situation I never had before. I end up short changing my time or allowance on something cause I see things happening faster in my head while estimating than when your in the field. Its always the devil in the details, the little thing that get skimmed over duriong and estimate that bite you later.
I used to do square foot pricing and sometimes time pricing, now I try time for everything cause there is to many unique situations. Whether its decking, or electrical you name if you dont do a type of job for even a short period of time you can redo you whole price list. I cant trust any numbers less than 3 months. So its like doing all for the first time evry time.

BKA

Yea you can't trust numbers past 3 months. That is why corps have quarterly reports.

realpurty2

I'm not sure exactly what your needing... but see if this is close. If not, let me know and I'll see if I have whatever your looking for.

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Tom M

Real Purty , thats a good list. Thank you.