Chapter 8. Job Cost Estimating and Tracking

What You'll Do

Set Jobs and Estimate Preferences

Set Up a Job

Use the Job Status Feature

Use the Job Type Feature

Use the Job Dates Feature

Use the Job Description Feature

Create an Estimate

Invoice Against an Estimate

Revise an Estimate

Create a Work in Progress Report

If you use one of the QuickBooks versions that contains the job cost estimating feature, you can create estimates for your work and track income and expenses on a job-by-job basis. In fact, this is often the one feature that causes people to bypass the Simple Start version of QuickBooks over the other verisions on the market.

An estimate is a bid or quote for a job. You create an estimate and then invoice the customer either at the completion of the job or as the job progresses. Estimates can be revised as work on the job advances, and QuickBooks enables you to create more than one estimate for the same job.

Keep in mind that an estimate is not the final word on what a job will cost. Consider placing a disclaimer in the message area of the estimate form indicating that the numbers presented in the estimate are based on reasonable assumptions but that you reserve the right to change the estimate prior to the completion of the job and with the approval of the customer.