One of the biggest struggles contracting business owners deal with is the overwhelming amount of paper they have to organize as part of their everyday tasks. Invoices, receipts, bills, contracts, client records, pay applications, insurances, licenses - are just a few that seem to be never-ending "etc". Keeping important documents is necessary. Most contractors go from one extreme to the other. One extreme saves everything for decades, and the other tosses everything out.
What to save? What to toss out? At Fast Easy Accounting, we no longer need to print and save every document in file folders and keep adding new file cabinets. Our paperwork processes ensure your happiness and peace of mind knowing that your papers can be retrieved electronically at any time in the future.
Here are my Paperwork Tips:
Save your receipts
If you have it in the paper, get a file box and toss in all the gas, food, and misc receipts paid by credit card. Make a note on the receipt. You have the receipt for backup. I remember a story where someone needed to prove where they were. Charges on the credit card statement weren't enough.
Make individual file folders
Your state taxes include quarterly payroll reports, W-2s, and 1099’s.
Other helpful folders are for your Bond, Liability Insurance, Worker’s Comp Insurance, Tools, Office Equipment, and Cell Phones. You may need to reference all the statements repeatedly and receipts with extended warranties.
Print a copy of the contract with your client
An electronic signature is fantastic. Use a service that will time and date stamp in case of a dispute or an issue arises. If all goes well, then The Signed Contract is another piece of paper. I have heard stories of customers altering the contract, and the contractor did not double-check. Magically things happen with software. Be sure the client signs are the same copy of the contract you sent them and expected to be signed.
Take credit cards
Use multiple services if that is what is available. If you use a service to send your contracts for signature and have a Merchant Services feature, sign up for it. Everything that happens seamlessly is the best. Approval Now + Authorization of Payment means you have real money (their money) to start the job.
OPM (using Other People's Money – meaning you are using the Client’s money to start, continue and finish the job). Build in the Merchant Services Fee into your pricing. Cost of doing business.
Many contractors lost money on Groupon Coupons as customers only do One or Two Rooms as was prepaid on the coupon. (Example Carpet Cleaning – Drywall Patching)
Use an invoice built on Excel
Word is pretty and is needed for all the descriptions. But to properly get the money you expect to be paid, you need a form that adds up the money.
Do not call all the payments a Job Deposit from beginning to end. Call it a Statement or Progress Invoice; once work is approved, it is no longer an Estimate or a Work Order. If you are in a sales tax state (Washington State) and need to collect sales tax, then be sure to add sales tax to every invoice.
Customers have selective memory. Use “Plus Applicable Sales Tax” on the Estimate, Contact, and all future billings. If sales tax increases, you need to be able to pass the increases on to the customer.
Identify which job it is
Contractors who are doing remodel projects like to have job costing. To achieve basic job costing reports, the accounting software needs to know what job the expenses should apply to.
Many contractors will create a single file folder and drop all the individual receipts.
This is handy if they have outsourced their bookkeeping and need to give their bookkeeping to others to enter into accounting software (QuickBooks)
One simple way to add more bookkeeping details is to have accounts with the primary supplier. The person at the counter will ask you if you have a PO (Purchase Order). Purchase Order does not need to be complicated. Job Name and Job Address. Why both name and address? Because the name that pays the bill may not be the same as the nickname, you know your client as. Examples: Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robby, Robert or Bill, Billy, Will, or William may be the same person to you but not to the bank or credit card company.
Always exciting when Spouse, Family member, or good friend helps pay your invoice. From the Accounting side, next week, next month, or next year, will you remember which job the individual receipts are tied to?
Keep good records
For larger projects – use a file folder for each invoice, especially if you are billing Time & Material or Cost Plus.
Customers will randomly want to confirm the cost of some or all items.
Conclusion:
Remember, if you are sick and tired of doing administrative tasks such as handling your documents, we are here to remove your paperwork frustrations. Although a 100% paperless office is not the entire answer, we can certainly help you reduce most of it. In most cases, we can help contractors like you eliminate over 50% of your paperwork; the related savings and increased production more than pays for our services.
We help a little or a lot depending on your needs. I look forward to being able to assist you with any option that best fits your company.
About The Author:
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