Quicken For Contractors
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Most builders, contractors and remodelers came up through the ranks, learning their craft "in the trenches." They know how buildings go together, but office management skills like bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, and job costing are often a new and intimidating challenge.

But now, there are accounting programs that can turn your computer into a tireless, timesaving office manager/bookkeeper-one that doesn't make mistakes. Working with onscreen "pictures" of familiar forms like checks, time cards and deposit slips, programs such as Quicken put easy, accurate bookkeeping within your reach. Even if you have only a few minutes a week, you can set up a basic checkbook system in Quicken that will quickly tell you your overall cash position and individual job costs.

Since this program is affordable and easy to understand, thousands of builders, contractors, developers, subs, and remodelers already find Quicken one of their most valuable tools. But software programs, like nail guns, are helpful only if you know how to use them correctly.

This book and the accompanying disk can help you do just that. They contain step-by-step instructions for setting up your construction business using Quicken. First, the book helps you decide how best to set up your accounts, including checking, credit card, and even investment accounts. Then it walks you through setting up Preferences so you can quickly enter Jobs, Customers, and payments to Vendors. Finally, it will take you through the reporting process, showing you how to create these essential business reports:

• Profit and Loss Statements
• Payroll Reports
• Job Cost Reports

Especially vital is the Job Cost Report, which covers perhaps the most important and elusive costs. They show if you are making or loosing money on each phase of every job.

To help you see how these programs can work for you, the disk includes preconfigured sample companies. Use these as tutorials, or simply drag the templates over onto your hard drive and begin to plug your data into them.

Quicken software was designed to be useful for any type of business. We've taken its usefulness a step further by making it specific to the construction trade and showing you precisely how to use it. You'll have the combined experience and technical know-how of the team of builders and consultants that compiled this book just for you.

Introduction | Table of Contents | Preview A Chapter