Construction accounting software for general contractors and subcontractors is offered with a wide range of features. Some contractors only need basic bookkeeping software that will calculate profit and loss by job. Others want accounting software that is just one component of full-blown enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. We selected a range of software to fit different business needs, from simple accounting software for contractors with one crew to ERP software for midsized construction companies.
Top 6 Construction Accounting Software for 2020
- Sage 100 Contractor: (Best overall) Best for growing construction companies needing an integrated ERP software to manage their business
- QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition: Best for contractors with one to four crews that want to track the profitability of each job
- QuickBooks Online Plus: Best for service contractors with one to two crews looking for the least expensive cloud-based software that can still track job cost
- BuilderTrend: Best for construction companies wanting to add ERP features to their existing QuickBooks or Xero bookkeeping
- Jonas Enterprise: Best for midsize heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) repair; electrical; plumbing; and other service contractors looking for ERP software
- JobPower: Best for small contractors wanting more affordable ERP software
You can answer a few short questions below to receive a customized recommendation for the best software for your business. Afterward, continue reading the article for details about each software.
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How to Choose Construction Accounting Software
Construction companies have a range of options when selecting accounting software, from general-purpose accounting software to large ERP software, which integrates your accounting with things like project management, estimating, service management, and human resources (HR). However, there are some necessities that every contractor’s accounting software should provide, even if you are a one-person company.
Sage 100 Contractor: Overall Best Construction Accounting Software
Sage 100 Contractor is a great solution for you if your construction company has grown to the point where you can no longer oversee every job personally. All the information you need to manage your entire construction company is in one place and accessible on the go. If you’re willing to put in the sustained effort of learning and using the system, Sage Contractor 100 can take your business to the next level.
Sage 100 Contractor Pros | Sage 100 Contractor Cons |
|---|---|
Assistance transferring information from QuickBooks | Whole team must be committed to using the system |
ERP | Harder to find support from an independent accountant than with QuickBooks |
Access data directly from Excel | Employees will need time away from their normal responsibilities to train |
Access project information through Sage Construction Anywhere mobile app | |
Easy to understand job income statement |
Sage 100 Contractor Pricing
- One user starting at $115 per month
- Like with most ERP software, you’ll have to contact Sage to get a quote based on your needs
Sage 100 Contractor Features
- Solid accounting: The accounting module is comprehensive and includes everything you’d expect of a professional system
- Simple bookkeeping: The bookkeeping is intuitive and easy to understand for an experienced bookkeeper
- Integration: Accounting, estimating, purchasing, job costing, and payroll are all integrated into one system
- Estimating: Estimates are prepared within the system and generate budgets and purchase orders automatically
- Service management: Your service manager can schedule work, dispatch crews, and email work order details all from the built-in dispatch board
- Time tracking: Field employees submit their timesheets using mobile devices
- Management dashboard: Customize your Sage 100 dashboard to see cash position, payables and receivables aging, income and expenses, job costs, or a variety of other information
- Customer service: Customer service is available online or by phone and specializes in supporting construction companies
QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition: Best for 1 to 4 crews
QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition is a very affordable option for your small construction company. It doesn’t offer the integrated features of ERP software, but the need for ERP software is not as great for small companies where the owner can personally oversee the operations. QuickBooks Desktop is one of our top picks for small business accounting software and offers detailed job costing along with outstanding accounting features.
Quickbooks Pros | Quickbooks Cons |
|---|---|
Assistance readily available from independent QuickBooks ProAdvisors | Not as easy to share with independent accountant as QuickBooks Online |
Integrated job costing | Customer support does not specialize in construction accounting |
Print profit and loss by job | Customer support is not free unless purchasing the “Plus” subscription |
Easy to use for experienced bookkeepers | You must purchase an additional license (at full price) for each concurrent user |
Upfront pricing |
QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition Pricing
QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition is an industry-specific edition of QuickBooks Desktop Premier. After purchasing Premier, you’ll be able to select the Contractor Edition for download. You can purchase Premier for either a one-time fee or an annual “Plus” subscription.
- $499.95 one-time fee for a program that is supported for three years
- $499.95 annual Plus subscription including
- Unlimited customer support
- Online backups
- Free edition upgrade each year
- 60-day, money-back guarantee
QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition Features
- Accounting features: Produce and track invoices, enter unpaid bills and track payments, import and reconcile bank accounts, and run payroll for an additional fee
- Time tracking: Field employees can track and submit their time on smartphones with TSheets for an additional fee
- Job costing: Assign every expense as it is recorded to a specific job or overhead to ensure that all expenses are included in job costing
- Estimating: You can produce estimates inside the accounting software and use it to generate purchase orders, actual to estimated cost reports, and invoices
- Class reporting: Print financial statements separated by customized classes like service department and new construction
- Reporting: Generate reports for cost by customer, job, or vendor as well as reports for actual versus estimated costs by job
- Export to Excel: Reports can update existing spreadsheets in Excel to preserve your existing formulas
QuickBooks Online Plus: Best for 1 or 2 Crews Looking for Cloud-based Software
QuickBooks Online Plus is great for very small companies or self-employed contractors that want less-expensive cloud-based software that will still perform job costing. We awarded QuickBooks Online our best overall small business accounting software. While there are other less-expensive versions of QuickBooks Online, contractors need the Plus edition to be able to track costs by job. You can evaluate QuickBooks Online Plus with a free, 30-day trial subscription.
Quickbooks Pros | Quickbooks Cons |
|---|---|
Effortlessly share books with an independent QuickBooks ProAdvisor | No actual vs estimated job cost comparison |
Assign costs to jobs | Estimates cannot be converted to invoices |
Employees can enter time directly in program | Customer support does not specialize in construction accounting |
Unlimited customer support great for inexperienced bookkeepers | No customized workflows for construction companies |
QuickBooks Online Pricing
- Plus: $70 per month includes five users
- Essentials: $40 per month includes three users (no job costing)
- 30-day free trial
QuickBooks Online Plus Features
- Accounting features: Outstanding accounting features include inputting and tracking bills, generating invoices, and connecting and reconciling bank accounts
- Time tracking: Employees can log into the program and enter their time worked complete with job information; time-tracking users do not count toward your maximum of five users
- Estimates: You can create estimates, but they do not flow to an estimated vs actual comparison and cannot be used to create invoices
- Budgets: Create annual budgets of income and expenses, but not by job
- Job costs: Create a “project” for each job and assign income and expense as they are incurred
- Reports: Robust reports including in-progress job cost reports
BuilderTrend: Best for Adding ERP features to QuickBooks or Xero Bookkeeping
If you like your QuickBooks (online or desktop) or Xero accounting software, but want additional ERP features, then BuilderTrend is right for you. Instead of having its own accounting software, BuilderTrend integrates with your existing QuickBooks or Xero account. It’s risk-free to try the software with a 30-day, money-back guarantee.
BuilderTrend Pros | BuilderTrend Cons |
|---|---|
Integrates with your existing QuickBooks or Xero accounting software | Must pay a separate fee for your accounting software |
Time clock feature tracks employees’ location on a map | Some features are already offered in QuickBooks Desktop |
Customer portal | |
Cloud-based software |
BuilderTrend Pricing
- Starts at $99 per month for the first three months
- Need to contact the company for a quote on the price after three months
- Month-to-month pricing with no contracts
- 30-day, money-back guarantee
BuilderTrend Features
- Manage bid requests: Store all invitations to bid in one location, set deadlines, and receive reminders
- Estimates: Create estimates and collect digital signatures
- Email marketing: Manage email marketing with email blasts and automated drip campaigns
- Project management: Manage jobs with daily logs, to-do’s, scheduling, storing documents and photos, and warranty information
- Invoicing: Generate detailed invoices from your estimates and change orders, and accept payments online
- Time clock: Employees clock in/out from the app and you can view who is clocked in at any time, including exactly where the employee is located
- Customer portal: Customers can log in to the program to view progress, upload photos, and send messages
- Job costing: Costs in BuilderTrend are synched with your expenses in QuickBooks or Xero
Jonas Enterprise: Best for Service Contractors
Jonas Enterprise Service and Construction Software can be customized for the needs of small or midsize service contractors. In addition to solid accounting, service contractors need quick work orders, comprehensive scheduling, and effortless communication between dispatch and technicians. You can request a free demo of the software by visiting their website.
Jonas Enterprise Pros | Jonas Enterprise Cons |
|---|---|
Choice of on-premises or cloud-based software | No pricing information without talking to salesperson |
GPS tracking of technicians | Expensive |
Track tools checked-out and returned by employees | Third-party assistance harder to find than with QuickBooks |
Manage customer service contracts |
Jonas Enterprise Pricing
- Company doesn’t provide any pricing information
- Pricing likely will vary depending on the features you need to meet your goals
- User reviews report one-time implementation fees that range from $8,000 to $15,000
Jonas Enterprise Features
- Comprehensive solution: More than 40 modules to help manage every aspect of your business
- Accounting: Modules for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and general ledger provide outstanding accounting functionality
- Job costing: Assign revenue, labor hours, equipment hours, and materials to jobs as they are entered in the accounting system
- Dispatch scheduling: Create work orders and send tickets directly to your technician’s mobile device
- Service contracts: Setup service contracts to create work orders and bill customers automatically on a set schedule
- Equipment management: Track equipment, charge costs to jobs, calculate depreciation, and schedule preventive maintenance
- Track time: Time can be entered remotely by crew or project managers
- Customer support: Unlimited customer support is available by phone or email and emergency support is available 24/7
JobPower: Best for Small Contractors Wanting a More Affordable ERP Software
JobPower is great for small contractors that want some ERP features but don’t necessarily need integrated estimating or scheduling. JobPower has always-important job costing and project management integrated with easy-to-use accounting software. You can request a quick quote via email by visiting its website.
JobPower Pros | JobPower Cons |
|---|---|
Choice of on-premises or cloud-based software | Estimating requires add-on software |
More affordable than similar products | Scheduling requires add-on software |
Job costing integrated with accounting | Third-party assistance harder to find than with QuickBooks |
Remote time entry with JobPower Mobile | No mobile app other than remote time entry |
JobPower Pricing
- Company doesn’t provide any pricing information
- Company website stresses a lower price than competitors
- Users agree that JobPower is affordable compared to similar software
JobPower Features
- Accounting: Includes all accounting features you would expect, plus a complete financial audit trail to trace changes made to your ledgers
- Estimating: Compare actual job costs to estimated costs imported from Excel or estimating software
- Equipment: Charge equipment costs to jobs
- Quotes: Create quotes or proposals for customers and convert to invoices if accepted
- Project management: Print purchase orders, change orders, and lien waivers from customizable templates
- Payroll: Integrated payroll is included
- Reporting: Large selection of financial and job management reports
- Customer support: Unlimited support included with cloud-based subscription and included for one year with locally installed software
Bottom Line
Managing a construction company is complicated, and good ERP software that integrates common tasks into your accounting system can be of great value. While good ERP is fairly expensive, it’s generally worth it if you consistently utilize even a fraction of its features.
If you’re ready to commit to an integrated ERP accounting system for your construction business, we recommend checking out Sage 100 Contractor.
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