You can also remotely access all the reports through the CPA audit module and do everything right from the mobile app on the site including logs, materials, timecards, payments and so much more. That’s why so many in the industry are now on the lookout for the best accounting software for construction. When used properly, it can streamline your day-to-day financial processes, help you manage project costs more efficiently, and improve your efficiency across the board. In this guide, we’ll review the top construction accounting software to use in 2024. While Jonas Premier’s features are well worth the monthly price of $189 per user, its one-time implementation fee starts at $20,000.

• We know how important it is in the construction industry to have affordable software when prices can rise year after year.
• For example, accounting software often needs to tie into construction management software.
• The best construction accounting software gives you a clear overview of your inventory, lets you make purchase orders, pay your suppliers and employees, and send invoices with a single click.
• This means you can continue with standard reporting in the accounting software you already have, then use Contractor Foreman for estimates, bid management, change orders, and purchase orders.
• Since the app tracks every financial transaction, it ensures that you don’t miss a single dollar for tax deductions, allows you to easily reconcile account statements, and eliminates the need for manual data entry.

Sage was the standard accounting software for general contractors for a long time, but it’s lost popularity as other platforms have become available. It’s a more affordable option than some others, but that also comes at the cost of some of the deeper, more insightful analytics and data you may need. When it comes to the construction industry, accounting is one of the most important aspects of a successful business.

Top-Rated Affordable Accounting Software

CoConstruct makes tracking team members assigned tasks, coordinating schedules to avoid cost incurring delays, and creating purchase orders for needed materials easy to manage in a single web browser. If you think general accounting software is enough for you, choose QuickBooks Online. However, if you need specialized contractor features, consider Jonas Premier or Sage 100 Contractor or even integrate QuickBooks with Buildertrend. The best construction accounting software must have essential bookkeeping features, such as A/P and A/R management, income and expense tracking, and financial reporting. Viewpoint Vista is fully-featured project management software that includes construction company accounting, document management, HR and payroll solutions for complete and successful construction company maintenance. Not all standard accounting software has the features you need for the construction industry.

• Accounting software such as Sage 100 or CMiC offers integration tools that make project management and scheduling a seamless process, especially when working with subcontractors.
• It also helps you handle local and international taxes, including everything from GST and VAT to general taxes for purchased materials.
• Success in the construction industry depends on a lot of things—accurate projections, quality work, timely delivery, and a strong professional reputation, to name a few.
• Sage50 is a cloud-based accounting solution for small and medium-sized companies.
• But, its functionality and features are focused mainly on large sector construction companies.

This proactive approach lets businesses set budgets for inventory procurement, control spending, and prevent unforeseen costs. Additionally, ProfitBooks’ expense reporting feature helps assess the actual cost of goods sold (COGS). It tracks expenses related to inventory spoilage or obsolescence, which is particularly relevant for businesses dealing with perishable goods or products with a limited shelf life.

Construction accounting software FAQ

Construction accounting software should enable you to compare actual vs. original/revised budgets with a continuous budget tracking feature. There will no doubt be a learning curve to this kind of specialized program and you’ll pay for the time to get it set up and customized to your business needs. Customer support for onboarding can be very important so understand what’s offered. And whether you use an in-house employee or a third-party to manage your accounting, you’ll need to take the cost of that training and implementation into account.

Criteria for Selecting the Best Construction Accounting Software

One of the reasons QuickBooks Online is our overall best small business accounting software is that it provides detailed cost tracking by projects, classes, and locations. This level of flexibility allows you to track and understand project costs accurately in a way that best suits your business needs. For instance, if your construction business involves multiple trades or specialties, class tracking allows you to see which trade is the most profitable and which ones require your attention.

Our Methodology for Choosing Construction Management Software

While not a perfect fit for every company, it’s an excellent option for finance or project management staff to access data on any platform—from laptop to Android device. QuickBooks Premier Contractor has general accounting features similar to QuickBooks Online, but it’s better at construction management than its cloud-based counterpart. QuickBooks Online is the only software on this list that earned a perfect score in general what are the purpose of a post closing trial balance accounting. It also earned the highest score for pricing, as it offers more flexible and affordable monthly subscription options than the other solutions in our guide. Additionally, QuickBooks wins for ease of use as it has a streamlined user interface, and it’s easy to seek support through its vast support network of QuickBooks ProAdvisors. This makes QuickBooks Online ideal for contractors who manage their own books.

Avoiding cost overruns and making every cent count is vital in the construction industry, whether you are an independent contractor or a construction company with offices worldwide. Accurately tracking expenditures with accounting software, from salaries to materials can mean the difference between a project’s financial success or failure. Which accounting software will be the best for your business largely depends on your business needs. While most of the apps we covered in this guide cover the basics, such as invoicing, tax filing, and expense tracking, some apps offer advanced functionalities that your company will surely benefit from. Another key feature this accounting program software offers, is instant financial reporting, which provides you with a 360-degree overview of your business’s performance. You can even filter the data by project and location for easy comparison between different sites.

It can generate various financial forms and documents, such as cash flow statements, balance sheets, P&L, and more. Moreover, the solution allows you to stay on top of your team’s health and financial benefits. With its digital wallet app, Gusto helps you build the right benefits package for your team.