Accounting and Timesheet Software 1

[kvillebasser]

OK...I'm out on my own with a new Structural Engineering consulting business. I have work, which is good, but now I've got to track my time and bill my time by my hourly rate........I've also got a project coming up that will be a fee job.

Do you guys have a suggestion as to what software to use to track time, bill time, track project fees, etc.

Quickbooks Premier for Professional Services, just Quickbooks Pro, or can you suggest some other software. I'm a one man firm that may go to two people a year or two down the road, but I do not forsee more than three.

Your input sure is appreciated.

 

[ProEpro]

It took some work to set it up how I wanted it but I use an excel spread sheet. I put inthe start and stop times and gives me hours and fees.



ProEpro

http://www.whitelightdesign.com

Pro/E FAQ

http://www.whitelightdesign.com/servicestips.htm

 

[Tankman650]

I use QB Pro. I first tried a software based on billing time but it was too complicated. QB Pro was easy to set up with short learning curve. Prints timesheets and invoices. MYOB and Peachtree may be the same way.

Advice- get away form billing for time. Most of my clients like Lump Sum fees. I do too.

 

[kvillebasser]

I have requested and recieved QB for professional services. I loaded it up, and I found that it was somewhat difficult to use.....maybe I was just frustrated yesterday before I ever tried to use it, and that's what led to my being dissatisified.

I want just a few simple items......I want the ability to record my time in a timesheet, input jobs based either on hourly rate or lump sum fee, pull up a job and see the hours to it, bill parts of the fee and keep up with whats been billed an what hasnt, and print invoices. All of these reports and whatnot that QB pro services has are a waste as far as I'm concerned, as a firm of 3 people or less has no need for alot of the fluff in that program.

Tankman 650, do you feel QB Pro would serve my needs better?

 

[TravisMack]

QB Pro offers those things that you want. Sure, there is a lot of other fluff in the program. It is made for multiple types of businesses. Just use the pieces you need out of the software, and don't worry about the rest. I have used QBP and find it very easy for a non-accountant (me)to use. I can track all of my bills, time, billing, invoices, partial payments and aging.

My accountant can then take my QB file and pulls out the information she needs to generate all of the reports and stuff for taxes/reporting.

 

[Tankman650]

mfpd is right. There is a lot of extra stuff in qbp that you may never use but that is what I thought at first. It is good to have the extra because you may need it.

I also give my accountant a disk each year for tax prep.

That alone has saved me countless hours for sorting and collecting papers.

Perhaps you may only need to start with QB and not QBPro. I think that they are almost the same but Pro has payroll options.

 

[sc]

I'm a one man show and I use QB.

The biggest pain in the a?@$#!^ with QB is that the timesheet program is a separate item that rtequires careful setup if you wish to automate your invoices from timesheets.

I use a spreadsheet to track time and input it manually into the invoice as it is currently easier than the QB method.

regards

sc

 

[Theophilus]

I have QB Pro, but don't like the rigidity necessary in trying to meet the needs of the masses (inherent in such an application). So I went through the arduous process of designing my own flexibility into Excel sheets.

For tracking time, there is a nice little piece of freeware I like to use:

http://www.allnetic.com/working-time-tracker/index.html

Jeff Mowry
Industrial Designhaus, LLC

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

 

[RDK]

I use Simply Accounting for financial purposes and an excel spreacsheet for time tracking.

Simply keep the spreadsheet open in the packground and when you shift from one project to another a simply enter the time and let the program calculate the rest.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[ProEpro]

http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/preview.aspx?AssetID=HA010831061033&CTT=98

I HAVE NOT TRIED IT but I just found out that the new version of MS project has a time sheet function. It looks powerfull but may take alot of setting up like anything with project. If you try it let us know how well it works.



ProEpro

http://www.whitelightdesign.com

Pro/E FAQ

http://www.whitelightdesign.com/servicestips.htm

 

[kvillebasser]

I ordered the QB pro for professional services, installed it, and tried it. It was difficult to use, in my opinion. I found quickly that it wasnt for me.

Instead, I purchased Timeslips for Sole Practicioners. Its not great, but it does what I need. The only thing I dont like about it is that I have to enter time by the task instead of having a "spreadsheet like" week come up for entering time. Otherwise, it does a pretty decent job.