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| In This Issue |
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April 25, 2009
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Specialty Contractors face the same business needs, as regular construction companies including: estimating, tracking of labor burden, and project management.
Furthermore, responsibilities are usually expanded with unit of measure conversions, production status reports, change order updates, and industry-specific code enforcement such as: FAR and DCAA compliance.
The case histories in this month's QB-Tech, address many of these specialty contractors concerns. However, they may also be applicable to your business.
Remember, there are thousands of QuickBooks add-on programs that provide quick and efficient solutions to a host of business needs. Our specialty is sorting through these immense resources to find just the right add-on program for your problem and needs.
Let us help you find the right business solutions for your company and contribute toward your success throughout 2009.
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| Managerial Mentor |
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What are the key benefits of estimating/project planning software?
For specialty contractors, the most crucial reports usually fall within just a few categories:
· Job Profitability
· Estimates vs. Actuals
· Project Management (such as: % Complete)
· Compliance Reporting
Most of these reports are designed to assist you with managing estimated project costs. However, they may be useless, if no one has shown your staff, how to capitalize on the use of billing codes (i.e. inventory items or assembly items) in QuickBooks, or if there is no process for gathering and comparing estimated revenue/costs to actual revenue/cost activity.
As a manager, it is in your best interest to invest in staff-training, but don't just throw staff members into a classroom, until you have explained your "reporting wish list" and have considered appropriate tools to accomplish the task. After all, you wouldn't send a student to class without a sharpened pencil would you?
This also has to be a team effort, not excluding field supervisors. Supervisors will openly tell you which estimating/project planning tools are essential, for effective tracking of their crew's whereabouts, labor burden, or material costs.
No one wants to hear about their job-losses "after-the-fact", which is why it is imperative that field supervisor's be "on board" and held accountable for reporting and tracking needs. But this won't happen unless you offer a brain-storming session with them, keep your voice down and ears open, as you allow them to express preferable tracking devices, applications and suggestions for improving "timely reporting of information".
Consider including someone who is familiar with third-party add-on's (for QuickBooks) who can offer non-partial insight to the conversation.
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| Techno-Visor |
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What can you expect when integrating an Estimating/Project Planning solution and/or an Industry-Specific solution with QuickBooks?
Primarily, you want to be sure to capture new job info, employee timecard data (for payroll), estimate or sales order details (if relying on QuickBooks for meaningful "actual vs. estimated" profitability reports) purchase orders (to track "authorized" job-expenses) and other pertinent information that needs to be transferred from the project manager's desk to the back-office personnel.
For specialty contractors, QuickBooks add-on's allow project managers
to track information that goes beyond core details needed by the financial personnel. Since project managers commonly enter detailed information
in excel, they should be aware of alternatives that allow for the same level of detail, but are easier to use, designed for their needs and can be analyzed or useful to other key personnel, without requiring duplication.
In today's marketplace, many of these choices are offered as a SaaS (Software as a Service) model, which co-incidentally also allows
employees to remotely update/contribute to their project/job notes from
the field, if they have appropriate hardware.
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| Case Study # 1 - JeSTer Helps Maintain Customer Service |
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Coastal Empire Exteriors specializes in sunrooms in the Savanna, GA, area. In the eight years they have been in business, owner Kip Lee has focused on customer service.
Problem 
As the business grew, Kip found it increasingly difficult to maintain the quality customer service they were noted for. White boards and manila folders were no longer getting the job done. A better, faster and more secure solution was needed.
Solution
That's when Kip discovered JeSTer Software and had it integrated with his existing QuickBooks system. With this add-on, he was able to continuing using QuickBooks to maintain his current procedures while utilizing a better tracking method.
All of Coastal Empire's customer files are now digitally stored and therefore never lost. And he is now better able to track customer service with notes on every customer contact.
As Kip stated, "JeSTer is the easiest to use job management software I have ever seen. Because JeSTer syncs with QuickBooks, I know the payment status of every job, every day, as well as the progression of every project. It has truly simplified my life."
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| Case Study # 2 - GHG's Enables DCAA Compliance |
Makai Ocean Engineering specializes in large deepwater pipelines for renewable energy resources such as SeaWater Air Conditioning and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion.
Problem 
Recent involvement in government contracts triggered several audits. It was found that Makai's timecard spreadsheets were not compliant with the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
Solution
Makai installed GHG's Electronic Time Sheet Management Solution (eTSMS) which provided them with a functional time card system that integrated well with QuickBooks.
Benefits
The new system now enables Makai to be DCAA compliant for both time and attendance. Also, being able to import timecard data into QuickBooks resulted in a more accurate and efficient payroll process.
Makai found the system easy to us and portable, requiring only a web browser. As a result it now saves the company time and money.
Michael Nedbal, operations coordinator, stated that, "GHG's eTSMS was the best product available in the marketplace to meet both our corporate account standards and DCAA compliance."
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| Case Study # 3 - Quotewerks Upgrades Costing Sheets |
Price's Alarm System, Vancouver, Canada, has been in business since 1895. Their current construction and add-on specialty involves the installation of home and business alarm systems.
Problem
Costing sheets were manually written by sales people. The information included part numbers, component costs, list costs and labor.
Because they were hand written there were often mistakes due to hard to read handwriting, calculation errors and wrong part numbers. Plus reviewing each sales contract against the costing sheet required the time of two support staff.
Solution
Price needed a new system that was easy to learn...offered plenty of support and training materials...could accommodate varying sales quoting and process needs...was reliable...and could integrate with an accounting program such as QuickBooks.
They found their solution in the Corporate Edition of QuoteWerks 4.0, which could duplicate the costing sheet layout and have it accurately and efficiently completed.
Benefits
Price immediately recognized a number of benefits. Staff labor time was reduced and data maintenance was automated with improved reporting throughout the sales cycle.
Sales expenses were also reduced because the system required less time to prepare quotes and costing sheets. And by having the system integrated into their CRM, Accounting and Quoting systems, Price was provided with a unified and efficient sales system.
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| Leaving You With A Little Humor |
ARE YOU READY FOR A REALLY BAD COMPUTER JOKE?
A computer rolled into a bakery and pointed to a plate of cookies. "Hello", it said to the counter person.
The counter person was astonished. "Wow, we don't get too many computers in this store. Do you want some of these cookies?"
"Well, "said the computer, "I might. Can you tell me how many bites are in each one?"
"I'm sorry," said the counter person. "There aren't any bytes in these cookies...just chips."
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FREE TIPS
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For our latest tips on setting up your chart of accounts so that you have the processing and reporting capabilities you need for these tough economic times, please refer to http://www.seeclearlyaccounting.com/22/index.html
While you are looking at the tips about your chart of accounts, if you are responsible for the accounting for an estate, you may want to read 22 of the Best Tips for Trust and Estate Accounting. This sets out how we do this work using QuickBooks, with a little help from Excel.
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