I'm David, and I started using APARBooks last year. The real change is that I now know exactly how much I earn from a project. Before, every project looked profitable and I figured I was taking home a couple hundred thousand a year. The reality was well short of that, and my business account ran out of money for paychecks two or three times a year.
What I tried first
My son suggested using software to manage the finances and recommended QuickBooks. I followed his advice and hired an accountant. It didn't work for me. It was too complex, and I had to put in extra hours with the accountant going through every invoice. Busy on the job site, I had no time for that paperwork.
Switching to APARBooks
Then my son recommended APARBooks. It's easy to use, and I don't need a dedicated accountant, just simple daily data entry my employees can handle. It shows me the profit on each bidding item.
Now I can see where the problems are, and I've started making changes. Hopefully I can bring back a couple hundred thousand this year, like I promised my wife.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do construction projects look profitable when they aren't?
Without a clear view of profit per item, revenue coming in reads as profit. This contractor believed he was earning a couple hundred thousand a year while his account was actually running short of cash for payroll several times a year.
Why did QuickBooks not work for this contractor?
It was too complex and required a dedicated accountant plus extra hours going through invoices, time he didn't have while working on the job site. APARBooks needed only simple daily data entry his employees could do.
Built for Contractors. Built for Construction Accounting.
APARBooks is purpose-built construction accounting software for general contractors and bookkeepers. Manage job costing, AIA progress billing, subcontractor payments, retainage, change orders, lien compliance, and WIP reporting in one place.
