Product: Sage Master Builder — now known as 100 Contractor 2013
Shertzer says: I’ve used several accounting programs over the years, but Sage Master Builder is the one that’s worth its weight in gold. Using it will take some training, but once you learn the basics, you’ll be amazed at what it can do.
The other day a client had a problem with a fixture installed during a 2008 bath remodel. Because of Master Builder’s ability to store incredible amounts of information in its client database, we knew the model number, amount paid, invoice number, and date of purchase.
We then were able to call the vendor about warranty and replacement. Client files also store information on the salesperson, assign a particular client to a particular mail list, and keep track of subdivision and lead source information. And there are user-defined fields that can be re-titled as well.
Job costing through payroll is painless, and in Master Builder’s project management section you can enter subcontracts, purchase orders, and change orders and link them to jobs. You can also generate an over/under billings report for effortless month-end calculation.
“Report Writer” allows you to customize a report to fit your company’s needs. And though writing one yourself is difficult, the software has report writers available for a small fee. Our company had a “Job Autopsy” report written. It lists all of the job costs by cost code. One column is budget, with actual expenses in a second column. This helps us pinpoint exactly where we missed the budget. Go to na.sage.com to view a demo and find out about a free trial.
More REMODELING articles about accounting:
Business How-To: Hiring an Accountant
Making Money on Remodeling Jobs? Track Your Financial Data to Find Out
Benchmark: Critical Metrics — End-of-year accounting is more than a warmup for your tax return
