Business & Growth · Job Costs
QuickBooks for Contractors: Plans and Job Costs
A busy crew can still lose money on a job. QuickBooks for contractors helps track that gap. Choose Online Plus for job costing, or Advanced for estimates versus actuals reports. Build a clear scope before quoting.
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Can QuickBooks for contractors handle job costing?
Yes. Intuit lists job costing in QuickBooks Online Plus and Advanced. You can group income and costs by project. This guide covers the US Online product.
Job costing means tracking what each job earns and spends. A profit report only helps when the records cover the whole job. Missing materials or crew hours can make a weak job look strong.
Start with our construction accounting guide if your records need cleanup.
Which QuickBooks plan fits a small contractor?
Choose QuickBooks for contractors around the work you need to track. For built-in project profitability, start with Plus.
| Your need | Plan to check |
|---|---|
| Income, expenses, and general reports | Simple Start |
| Project profitability | Plus |
| Estimates versus actuals reports | Advanced |
Advanced also offers custom user permissions. Buy those features when the crew needs them. Ask your bookkeeper to check your choice before you move records.
Use Intuit’s current plan page for prices and offers. Check time tracking and payroll charges separately. Our construction billing guide covers the billing side.
What should you track on each job?
Use a clear job name that the office and crew both recognize. Keep separate projects for separate scopes at the same address.
Track materials, crew labor, subcontractors, rentals, and other direct costs. Keep notes for shared purchases. Decide how to split them before you enter the bill.
For a kitchen repair, label the project with the client name and room. Keep the cabinet bill with that job. Split a supplier bill when it covers work at different homes. Add a note that explains the split.
Review overhead with your bookkeeper. Job profit still has to help pay for the shop, truck, and office. See how to set markup before choosing your next bid price.
For a draft before the work starts, try SimplyWise Cost Estimator free.
What does QuickBooks miss for estimating?
QuickBooks Online Plus creates estimates and converts them to invoices. You still supply the scope and prices. An estimate form cannot replace a site check.
List access limits, prep, disposal, and finish details before sending a quote. Confirm hidden conditions on site. Check supplier prices and crew time against the actual work.
Ask the client to approve the scope before work starts. See how client signatures on estimates fit that step.
Keep the approved quote as your starting record. Our estimate to invoice guide explains that handoff.
How to set up QuickBooks for contractors
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Turn on Projects.
In Account & settings, open Advanced, then Projects. Intuit lists this setup path for job costing.
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Create a project under the customer.
Name the job clearly. Use the same name on your quote and crew notes.
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Assign costs and income to the job.
Use the Customer/Project field on expense lines. Assign invoices and time entries to that job too.
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Check the report against your records.
Review missing bills, wrong job names, and missing hours. In Advanced, compare estimated costs with actual costs.
What should you check each week?
Put receipts, supplier bills, crew hours, and invoices beside the job report. Find costs that still lack a job name. Check returns and credits too. A returned part should not leave the job with the full purchase cost.
Ask the crew about work still underway. An unpaid supplier bill can matter even when cash has not left the bank. Keep the report date clear so everyone checks the same period.
Intuit sells QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Workforce separately. Confirm your labor tracking setup before you rely on labor totals. Keep a list of missing entries for your bookkeeper.
When do you need other software?
Add a tool when a specific task keeps slipping. Missed crew visits call for a scheduling review. Slow quotes call for a closer look at your estimating process.
Try one real job before changing the whole shop. Check who enters costs and who reviews the result. Compare job management software when office and field work need more structure.
SimplyWise Cost Estimator for the first quote
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Edit material, labor, and fee lines. Check the quantities and local costs yourself.
Send a professional, branded quote the client signs to approve. Try the quote workflow free.
Keep the approved quote beside the QuickBooks project. Then the job record matches the price the client signed.
$29.99 a month, $239.99 a year (about $20 a month on annual), 7-day free trial.
Keep reading
Sources
Intuit product documentation
- Job costing and setup, read November 9, 2026.
- QuickBooks Online Plus features, read November 9, 2026.
- Online plan comparison, read November 9, 2026.
QuickBooks for contractors: common questions
Can QuickBooks handle job costing for a small contractor?
Yes. QuickBooks Online Plus and Advanced include job costing. Assign costs to the right project and review missing entries before trusting its profit report.
Which QuickBooks plan should I choose for job reports?
Start with Plus when you need project profitability. Look at Advanced when you need estimates versus actuals reporting or tighter user access controls.
Does QuickBooks write the scope of my construction estimate?
You still need to define the work. QuickBooks Online Plus creates estimates and converts them to invoices. Check quantities, site conditions, exclusions, and supplier prices yourself.
Should I write the quote before I set up the QuickBooks project?
Yes. Price the scope and get the client’s approval first. Then name the QuickBooks project to match the quote, so job costs stay tied to the approved work.
Start with a quote you can check.
Review each line before the client approves. Keep that scope beside your job costs as work moves ahead.