estimating
Estimates vs. Purchase Orders: What’s the difference?
Estimates and Purchase Orders can be created using QuickBooks. Many people want to know what the difference between the two are and when it is appropriate to use them. Continue reading
Estimate to Purchase Order Blues
In QuickBooks it's possible to create an Estimate and then from the Estimate create a Purchase Order, Sales Order, Invoice or even a letter - but there are some drawbacks to these features as noted in the question below, submitted by a reader. Continue reading
QuickBooks Tip: Prior Amount Totals for Invoicing from Estimates
There are several ways of accounting for prior amounts invoiced when creating a new QuickBooks file and no two contractors will want the same level of detail. Continue reading
QuickBooks Tip – Back Charges After a Job is 100% Complete
We would like to "connect" that change to the invoicing/progress billing cycle on the job but since the job is all billed out, the only "invoice" that could be issued and associated with the estimate is a negative invoice which QB won't do. Continue reading
Creating Estimates In Excel vs. QuickBooks – What’s the Difference?
If you use QuickBooks for your accounting and you create your Estimates in Excel instead of within QuickBooks {which does provide you with an Estimating feature} you loose out on job costing capabilities and so much more! Continue reading
QuickBooks Tip – Dealing With Special Invoicing Requirements
Dealing with special customer invoicing requirements can be a royal pain! Sometimes it feel like each customer you deal with says "if you don't invoice me like THIS you aren't going to get paid". Learn how to add original PO/Estimate Amount and previous payments received to an invoice. Continue reading
QuickBooks Tip – Creating a Pre-Set Estimate With Standard Items
Creating an estimate that includes the same items can be automated in QuickBooks by memorizing it. Continue reading
QuickBooks Tip-Adding Project Information to Invoices/Estimates
This QuickBooks tip discusses adding project information - such as the project name and location - to Invoices and Estimates - by using the Ship To Address block in the job record and modify the template slightly. Continue reading
QuickBooks Contractor Tip-Capture Costs & Markup on Estimates
There are many times that a contractor will want to create a budget, to capture the costs and markup, for a job that they are working on. There are several methods to do so Continue reading
QuickBooks 2011-Estimates & More Excluded from Closing Date
If you are a QuickBooks user be sure to tell your accountant about the ability to exclude Estimate from the Closing Date - if you are an accounting professional who sets a closing date on your clients file - ask them if they need access to these transactions BEFORE you set the closing date, they'll love you for it! Continue reading
QuickBooks for Contractors Tip – Basics of Progress Invoicing
Progress Invoicing is a standard feature of QuickBooks® Pro, Premier, and Enterprise editions; each of these versions also offer several options for invoicing as well. In order to implement the Progress Invoicing function you must also utilize the QuickBooks Estimate function – this will eliminate repetitive data entry and help you achieve good job costing reports, such as Estimate vs. Actual reports. Continue reading
An Introduction to Progress Invoicing
If you are a subcontractor, sometimes the General Contractor will have a form that they insist you use (instead of your own invoice form), other times they may insist that you submit your progress billing on an industry standard billing form – such as the AIA G-702 & G-703 forms developed by the American Institute of Architects – or similar plain paper forms containing the same information. Continue reading
QuickBooks Tip – 12 Steps to Implement Job Costing
It’s the start of construction season, is your job costing system in place?
While the start of a busy construction season may not be the time to do a full-scale revamp of your current job costing system, it is certainly… Continue reading
QuickBooks Tips – Contractor Needs – Part 1
Estimating and Job Costing needs will vary depending on the type of contractor you will be dealing with. We'll be meeting Harry the Handyman, Sam the Subcontractor and Gerry the General Contractor. Continue reading
About Your Host:
Nancy Smyth, Sunburst Software Solutions, Inc.QuickBooks Construction & Payroll Expert
I've been using and supporting QuickBooks products since the early 1990's. I've worked with thousands of contractors, assisting them with QuickBooks setup, Certified Payroll Reporting requirements, AIA Billing and Weighted-Average Overtime.
QuickBooks is a powerful product, but learning how to use it in your construction business can be difficult. I hope you find resources available here to be helpful.
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