6 Best Construction Accounting Software for 2020

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.

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.

When General-purpose Accounting Software is Enough

If your construction company is small enough that you can personally oversee the day-to-day operations, you may not need many of the advanced tools of ERP software. In this case, you might be served well with less expensive general-purpose accounting software that has at least the following features:

Good general accounting: Your accounting software should invoice customers, manage unpaid bills, import and reconcile bank account activities, and print checks.
Integrated job costing: Knowing how much profit or loss you make on particular projects is important in identifying inefficiencies and deciding how to bid future jobs. Integrating job costing with accounting ensures that every expense on your books is assigned to either a job or overhead.
Reporting: Your accounting software, at the very least, needs to be able to print a balance sheet, income statement, and profit or loss by job.

When to Save Time with Construction Accounting Software

If your company is large enough for two or more full-time office staff, then you should start saving them time with good construction accounting software that allows information to flow from one process to the next without having to be reentered.

Estimating: A good accounting software will not only produce estimates to send to customers and insurance companies but should also flow into reports comparing actual to estimated costs.
Integrated payroll: By integrating payroll with your accounting software, you can make sure that payroll costs are properly included in your job costing.
Remote time tracking: Remote time tracking allows workers to track their own time.

When to Upgrade to ERP Software

ERP construction software integrates accounting with other functions such as human resources, subcontractor compliance and management, customer management, project management, sales, and scheduling. While these are useful features, they come at a high price. I recommend considering the following questions before deciding whether ERP software is right for you.

Who will use the software? The best answer to this question is “everyone.” ERP ties all the functions of your business together, so everyone should have access to it. ERP software is not reaching its potential if your bookkeeper and/or project managers are the only employees using it.
Is the owner or general manager ready for ERP? The software is powerful and provides useful real-time information for decision-making. If upper management doesn’t access the program and only looks at periodic reports, you’ll miss out on many of the benefits of ERP.
Can you train everyone? Even if the software company provides free training, you’ll need to pull crews and project managers off profitable jobs to train.
Can you stay committed to ERP? Companies buy ERP software with the best intentions, only to stop using the program when people get busy and stressed. Learning new software will increase your workload and stress level in the near term, but you must stay committed to getting through the learning period to see the results.

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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

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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

Read our Sage 100 Contractor review to learn more about how this simple ERP software can make your construction business more efficient while providing better service to customers.

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

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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

Our QuickBooks Desktop Contractor Edition review provides more detail about available features and workflows, including screenshots from within the program.

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

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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

For more information on additional features, benefits and to view user reviews you can visit our QuickBooks Online Plus review.

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

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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

Read our BuilderTrend review for more information on how to upgrade your QuickBooks or Xero to a more comprehensive construction management solution.

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

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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

For more information on how this powerful software can help build your service-contractor business, read our Jonas Enterprise review.

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

Visit JobPower

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

Read our JobPower review to learn how this program can increase your profits with a focus on job costing and project management.

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.

Visit Sage 100 Contractor

6 Best Construction Accounting Software for 2020

Top 6 Construction Accounting Software for 2020

Question 1

How many crews (either employees or subcontractors) does your company generally use?

Question 2

On average, how often do you or your bookkeeper ask for assistance from an outside bookkeeper regarding your books?

Question 3

Are you interested in integrating your accounting software with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software in order to consolidate your construction management in one program?

How to Choose Construction Accounting Software

When General-purpose Accounting Software is Enough