2009 Review of Construction and Contractor Accounting Programs
Programs Help Builders & Contractors Run More Efficiently
Jul. 01, 2009
From the July 2009 Issue
The current recession has affected most industries, and the home builder and
commercial construction industries have been hit especially hard, with new starts
and permits just starting to rebound from 50-year lows. And these numbers are
all the more agonizing since they directly followed a decade of tremendous record-breaking
growth in the construction market.
Some of the incentives in the 2009 stimulus bill, including the first-time
homebuyer credit and public infrastructure spending may bolster building, but
construction firms and contractors need specialized software more than ever
before to help strengthen their businesses by running more efficiently and tracking
all costs.
Conversely, many service-oriented contractors such as heat and air firms,
remodelers, electricians and plumbers, have seen somewhat of an increase in
activity, as some Americans have chosen to add-on to their existing houses,
improve energy efficiency or make other alterations, as an alternative to getting
a new home. For these businesses, managing growth, service schedules and client
relationships is more important than ever, and several products are available
that incorporate features designed specifically for these tasks.
Fortunately, there are many options for accounting and business management
software for both builders and service contractors, ranging from basic job cost
add-on modules for general business accounting systems to entire systems designed
specifically for either the construction or contractor industry.
Some programs are general business management software that have an available
job costing or construction management module or industry-tailored version,
versus a few programs on the market that are specifically geared for builders
or those in the contract service industry. All of these programs include essential
back-end financial functions, including GL, AR, AP and payroll options, while
also offering job cost reporting and productivity analyses. Additional tools
for equipment management and maintenance tracking, inventory and customer management
add increased functionality. The more advanced systems even offer smartphone
and texting capabilities for dispatch, scheduling and customer data input, along
with integration to web-based mapping systems.
Global and U.S. economic conditions aren’t going to change overnight,
which makes it all the more important for construction and contractor firms
to more aggressively manage their business, from the nuts and bolts of their
financials, precise project reporting, efficient scheduling of people and resources,
and marketing activities. Those who are most successful at managing these tasks
today are those who will be best positioned to survive the downturn and thrive
when it passes.
When the current glut of homes on the market is absorbed, construction will
rebound. After all, people will always need new homes and they will always need
their houses or its utilities repaired, remodeled or replaced. Since construction
and service contractors are often a large client segment for professional accounting
practices, helping to ensure their success is also of significant interest to
their public accountants. This review section looks at several programs available
for builders and contractors that may be able to help your clients survive and
thrive.
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- Aptora – Total Office Manager
- Total Office Manager is a comprehensive, high-end
contractor accounting package, specializing in support for service industry
businesses such as telecom, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, appliance repair
and other such contractors. - Read Full
Review
- A-Systems – JobView
- In a market seemingly dominated by programs that
attempt to serve all types of businesses with the same basic software,
the JobView system from A-Systems is a refreshing option. - Read Full
Review
- Cougar Mountain Software – CMS Professional Accounting
- Cougar Mountain’s CMS Professional Accounting is a mid-range business accounting suite anchored around a GL, with available modules for AR, AP, Inventory, Payroll, Point-of-Sale, Bank Reconciliation, Sales and Purchase Orders.
- Read Full
Review
- CUC Software – Contractor Essentials
- The Contractor Essentials program from CUC Software
is, as its name implies, a specialized business management system for
service-oriented contracting companies. Contractor Essentials was initially
developed nearly 30 years ago within a contracting firm. - Read Full
Review
- CYMA Systems Inc. – Accounting
For Windows Job Costing - The Job/Project Costing program offered by CYMA
is an optional module that works with CYMA’s Financial Management
System, a business management and accounting suite that includes core
GL, AP and AR functions, along with bank reconciliation, inventory, payroll,
and sales and purchase order management. - Read Full
Review
- eTEK International Inc.
– eTEK for Microsoft Office - The eTEK for Microsoft Office system is
a business management and bookkeeping system designed for mid-sized and
growing entities, providing integrated modules for GL, AP, AR, inventory,
payroll, purchasing, sales, budgeting, and job costing and estimating. - Read Full
Review
- Intuit – QuickBooks Premier 2009
Contractor Edition - The QuickBooks Premier line of small business accounting
programs from Intuit includes several industry-specific versions, including
the Contractor Edition, which offers features specifically geared toward
builders. - Read Full
Review
- MICS, Inc. – Builder Information System
- Builder Information System (BIS) offers construction-focused businesses a solid and completely integrated suite of accounting and business management applications.
- Read Full
Review
- Sage – Peachtree Premium
Accounting For Construction 2010 - The Peachtree brand has long been a favorite of
professional accountants for their small business clients, providing a
broad base of general bookkeeping capabilities, including GL, AP, AR,
invoicing, inventory, sales orders and contact management, along with
good business management functions, reporting and analysis features. - Read Full
Review
- Sage – Sage Timberline Office
- Sage Timberline Office offers mid-sized and larger
construction and real estate businesses a high-end, thoroughly comprehensive
collection of accounting and management applications. - Read Full
Review
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