10 Best Construction Accounting Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 21 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
With so many different construction accounting solutions available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to allow for accurate tracking, analysis, and reporting of financial transactions related to construction activities, but you need to figure out which tool is best. Drawing from my own experience working in the construction industry, I’ve summarized the key features and capabilities of the software options outlined in this curated list of the best construction accounting software.
What is Construction Accounting Software?
Construction accounting software refers to specialized financial management tools that enable construction companies to manage their accounting processes in a way that aligns with their unique business requirements and challenges, ensuring accurate and transparent financial records.
It typically includes features such as job costing, project management, payroll processing, expense tracking, and financial reporting tailored to the construction sector – facilitating efficient management of budgets, subcontractor payments, change orders, and compliance with industry-specific regulations.
Overview Of The 10 Best Construction Accounting Software
Here’s my assessment of each piece of software that I chose for this list—plus what I think each one does best and what sort of construction company it’s best suited for.
Jonas Construction Software is a comprehensive tool designed specifically for construction companies and specialty contractors. It offers a wide range of features including accounting, payroll, service management, project management, and integrated operations.
Why I picked Jonas Construction: I included Jonas Construction in this list because, first and foremost, their software is designed specifically for the construction industry, with over 30 years of experience serving this niche. By tailoring its platform to meet the needs of mechanical and specialty contractors, Jonas Construction provides accurate construction reports and real-time cost and revenue data to support informed decision-making and profitability tracking at various levels.
Jonas Construction Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that make it stand out include daily logs, project scheduling, and job costing, allowing for seamless integration between the field and back office for reliable decision-making. Other helpful features include work order management & billing tools, job costing tools, a client services portal, and tools to handle construction change orders, RFI's (requests for information), submittals & transmittals, and purchase orders & procurement requests. Jonas even includes features to help manage your equipment and inventory, as well as documents and reports.
Integrations with third-party software systems are not specified, though their software does offer integrated solutions for accounting, payroll, project management, and service management, reducing the need to rely on other systems for these core functions.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Ability to handle WIP reporting and subcontractor module controls
- Quick and informative customer support
- Integrated modules for accounting, job costing, and dispatch scheduling saves time
Cons:
- Some limitations in the number of characters allowed for job names and contract numbers
- Limited third-party software integrations
Procore is one of the biggest names when it comes to construction-specific accounting and project management tools. It can handle enormous amounts of data and large file sizes, but can still work for small contractors that are just starting out. Procore is a great choice if you (or your IT team) need to customize your construction reports or project data in a certain way.
Why I picked Procore: Their platform can grow and adapt with your company to meet your needs as it grows. Procore syncs revisions between drawings and estimates to update all documents affected by a change in the quantity or unit price of materials. It also lets you turn accepted proposals into project budgets automatically.
Procore Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include correspondence management tools—from specific project instructions to general day-to-day correspondence. Communication is key in any business, and busy construction jobsites are no exception.
Another key feature of Procore is that all data is standardized and easily searchable, helping to reduce miscommunications and errors due to manual entry. Staff in the office and in the field are all on the same page with real-time updates. As an added bonus, it has best-in-class security and compliance.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Sage, Viewpoint Vista, Yardi, Acumatica, PeopleSoft, Xero, and 400+ other apps.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Project management and progress billing features
- Unlimited number of users
- Communication and planning tools
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Opaque pricing
Acumatica Cloud ERP is a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that provides integrated business management tools for various industries, including manufacturing, construction, distribution, and retail. The software encompasses a range of functionalities including project accounting, financial management, and construction management.
Why I picked Acumatica Cloud ERP: As a construction accounting software, Acumatica Cloud ERP offers an all-in-one approach that seamlessly integrates all business functions into a single cloud-based platform. Its project accounting module, for example, integrates with the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll. This integration ensures that financial management is tightly coupled with project management, enabling contractors and construction managers to track project costs in real time.
Acumatica Cloud ERP Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include accounting, budgeting, cash flow management, and payroll. The software also tracks and manages project costs, budgets, inventory, and resources. Furthermore, the integrated CRM feature allows for the management of customer relationships while the detailed reports and dashboards provide insights into the overall financial health of your construction operations.
Integrations include Smartsheet, Assignar, ProEst, Procore, Celigo, Shopify, Amazon, DataSelf Corp, 1Retail, BigCommerce, DocuSign, Velixo, Heuristyc, Transcard, ShipEngine, ADP, EazyStock, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Highly scalable
- Robust reporting system
- Platform is accessible from anywhere
Cons:
- Customizations may be complex
- Learning curve for new users
Speaking from experience, I know how disheartening it can be to work with clunky, outdated software. Knowify is a cloud-based tool with a modern interface and extensive functionality.
Why I picked Knowify: It’s completely cloud-based and its time-tracking features allow your workers to clock in and out using a mobile app.
You can also manage your entire invoicing process within Knowify, from creating and submitting purchase orders and change requests, to customizing and sending invoices. It also gives you the option to add an electronic payment link to invoices so you can (hopefully) get paid faster.
Knowify Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of Knowify include plenty of custom templates for invoicing, proposals, and more. You can use these to make your bids and proposals look professional and really stand out from the competition, which should in turn help you to land more construction jobs. Knowify’s subcontractor management system helps cut down on paperwork, so you don’t have to worry about physical timesheets, shuffling paper back and forth between the job site and the office, or chasing down missing forms.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Square, ClockShark, CompanyCam, Billd, Fundbox, Lendflow, Permits.com, and more. Also integrates with Zapier, which allows you to tie in hundreds of 3rd party apps.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- User-friendly
- Excellent time tracking and location features
- Great for plumbers, landscapers, or others that need access on the go
Cons:
- Limited customization
- Built for contractors; may be difficult to adapt to other scenarios
CoConstruct allows for effective communication with your property owners and subcontractors. That’s useful for managing a complex mix of framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, drywall, painting, and other subcontractors and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Why I picked CoConstruct: If your business is constantly making proposals and bidding on jobs, as well as looking for new business leads, this is a great option. CoConstruct is designed to focus on summarizing and estimating project costs, while also helping you streamline project billing.
CoConstruct Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include its focus on project bidding and proposal data, which gives you the ability to create, compare, send, and store bids in a central place. Larger construction companies can submit hundreds of bids per year, and CoConstruct can bring a lot of efficiencies to the process.
You can also use CoConstruct to communicate with all contract parties via email, text, and push notifications. This makes it easier to set deadlines, accept bids, and roll that information into a contract so everybody’s on the same page.
The lead tracker feature lets you capture and close prospective leads. You’ll have more organized documentation and fewer lost jobs. For your winning bids, you can document and share project information and job site activity and progress updates with owners, subcontractors, and your team.
CoConstruct also offers convenient voice-to-text notes and automatic weather updates.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Xero, The Home Depot Pro Xtra, and Gusto HR/Payroll.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Wide range of bidding and proposal tools
- Simple and easy-to-use interface
Cons:
- Limited reporting functionality
- Few integration options
Project managers are responsible for making sure that their construction project stays on budget. They need the right tools to accomplish that. DelTek ComputerEase has features that make it easy for managers to keep track of material, labor, equipment, and other costs.
Why I picked DelTek ComputerEase: It has the standard features you’d expect from accounting software, like a general ledger, accounts payable, and payroll. But where I think DelTek ComputerEase really shines is in its cost management features.
DelTek ComputerEase Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include mobile tools that allow you to proactively manage jobs, inventory, finances, and people from any location. Real-time job costing data, which is specialized for construction, allows you to track labor, material, subcontractor, and equipment costs, enabling more proactive business decisions. Plus its financial reporting features help with managing costs and cash flow.
Integrations: No information about integrations was readily available.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Great job-tracking features
- Flexible and customizable
- Easy to navigate
Cons:
- Limited integrations
- Fewer features than similarly-priced software
RedTeam provides you with accurate and up-to-date information on your projects. That means you’re making business decisions based on the best available data.
Why I picked RedTeam: I think the features in RedTeam can really help managers and owners to stay informed of how projects are progressing. It also has time management features like an in-app schedule, Gantt charts tied to daily logs and subcontracts, and daily reminders to make sure that nothing gets overlooked.
RedTeam Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include Fieldlens, which is a mobile-friendly jobsite management application that allows you to collaborate with your team in the field in real-time to complete RFIs, punch lists, and safety lists. Other notable features include its daily job site reports, in-app scheduling, and time management, including a Gantt schedule for daily logs and subcontracts, as well as built-in project scheduling reminders. Metadata enables tracking, allowing you to see when a report is sent, opened, printed, clicked, or responded to.
Integrations include Acumatica ERP, Docusign, Levelset, QuickBooks, and Sage (100, 300, and Intacct).
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Live analytics and reporting
- Access data from anywhere
- User-friendly
Cons:
- Cloud-based
- Limited integrations
Sage has been a popular name in the accounting software business for over 40 years, and it designed Sage Paperless Construction to help simplify project processes and eliminate the need to shuffle physical paperwork around.
Why I picked Sage Paperless Construction: Construction job sites can be chaotic and messy places. It’s easy for paperwork to get wet, smudged, ripped, or simply lost. A paperless solution helps prevent many of the headaches that come with paper-based, manual processes.
Sage Paperless Construction Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include the ability to organize, store, and retrieve a wide range of construction-related paperwork. Its APFlow feature allows supervisors and managers to review, approve, and process these documents digitally—in the field or from the office. Plus you can capture, upload, and import any type of document from a mobile device.
Integrations include Sage 100 Contractor, Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate, or Sage Intacct.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- User friendly
- Designed for mobile use in the field
- Documentation controls and audit trails
Cons:
- Pricing details are not transparent
- Requires a Sage product as your primary accounting software
For a company with a lot of employees and subcontractors to keep track of, I recommend Foundation for its extensive payroll and timekeeping features.
Why I picked Foundation: Foundation’s payroll module has “smart system defaults” that can fill in timecard information with just a few keystrokes. It automatically syncs mobile timesheet data, and calculates pay rates, taxes, and deductions.
Foundation Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include its complete payroll system, including automated timecard entry, payroll reports, and tax forms. This can really help to cut down on paperwork and ensure everyone gets paid on time. Foundation’s accounts payable and receivable features allow for efficient invoice entry and accurate financial reporting.
The Data Genie Construction Reports Creator gives you the tools to create your own custom reports and statements. You can leave out the extra fluff and focus on the details you need.
Integrations include CrewHQ, Estimating Edge, McCormick, Payroll4Construction, Arcoro, ExakTime, and FollowupCRM.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Steep learning curve
- Opaque pricing
- Payroll and timekeeping features
- 30+ integration options
- Customizable, modular format
If your construction business is growing quickly and you’re finding it hard to keep everyone on the same page, then CMiC is the software I recommend. Its collaboration suite keeps all of your project bids, schedules, and summary data in one place so that nothing gets lost.
Why I picked CMiC: It centralizes all of your communications and documents for a project so your whole team can access the information they need at any time. Plus, all project documents are time-stamped and synced across the platform, so you know that your administrative team in the office and your people working on-site are looking at the most recent cost data and project change orders.
CMiC Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of CMiC include its plan distribution and viewing platform, which lets you compare different versions of site specifications and design plans from a mobile device in the field. It’s great at job costing, with tracking and monitoring tools for all job materials, labor, subcontractor, and equipment costs. The payroll management features are a nice bonus, too.
Pre-built integrations include various 3rd party applications like Autodesk, Bluebeam, Comdata, DocuSign, Kofax, and PlanGrid. CMiC also offers API bundles for CRM, estimates and budgets, payroll processing, and other tasks.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- Real-time visibility into accounting and operations
- Ease of use
Cons:
- Limited reporting features
- Complex setup
Tools | Price | |
---|---|---|
Jonas Construction | Pricing upon request | Website |
Procore | Pricing upon request | Website |
Acumatica | Pricing upon request | Website |
Knowify | From $186 per month | Website |
CoConstruct | From $399/month | Website |
DelTek ComputerEase | Pricing upon request | Website |
RedTeam | Pricing upon request | Website |
Sage Paperless Construction | Pricing upon request | Website |
Foundation | Pricing upon request | Website |
CMiC | Pricing upon request | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareOther Construction Accounting Software Options
Here are a few more worthwhile options that didn’t make the best construction accounting software list:
Related Accounting Software Reviews
If these construction accounting software options aren't giving you what you need, don't worry. Here are some other, closely related tools that we've tested and evaluated:
- Property Management Accounting Software
- Online Accounting Software Providers
- Small Business Accounting Software
- Nonprofit Accounting Software
- Best Overall Accounting Software
- Financial Reporting Software
- Accounts Payable Software
- ERP Software
Selection Criteria
Here’s a short summary of the main criteria that I used to curate my list of the best construction accounting software for this article:
Core Functionality
These are must-haves in construction accounting software, and I would be hesitant to include any software on this list that didn’t include these.
These core features include things like job costing and progress billing features, time-tracking and scheduling capabilities, and tools to help manage your project bids, proposals, and contracts. financial reporting and analysis.
Of course, I have only included construction-specific software on this list. Any general-purpose accounting software has been excluded, as it didn’t meet my core evaluation requirements.
Key Features
In order to get the core functionality outlined above, these are some key features that construction accounting software ought to have:
- Progress billing features. Construction companies have unique needs for billing and invoicing. Projects are typically billed incrementally as work is completed in the construction industry, so it’s important for companies to have accounting software with flexible invoicing capabilities.
- Financial reporting. Key decision-makers in the business need access to concise and accurate data to make important business decisions.
- Project cost tracking. Construction accounting software should allow you to manage and track project costs and compare against the project budget. The right software tool can help identify areas with significant variances between cost paid for materials and labor and the amount budgeted for the project —which is crucial from a financial analysis standpoint.
- Project bid and proposal management To win a construction job, construction companies first have to submit a winning bid or proposal outlining how much it will cost to complete the project, and how much time it will take. Construction management software should provide a centralized place to keep proposal templates and standard bid documents.
Usability
Software is designed to help people work more efficiently–it shouldn’t make jobs more difficult or time-consuming to complete.
Everyone from administrative employees working in the office to construction workers on the jobsite need to be able to understand and use the software.
Software tools can make data more accessible and easier to manage. I made a point of looking for software with plenty of keyboard shortcuts, quick-menus, and other ways to speed up data input so your team can work more efficiently.
Value for money
There are two specific price ranges I considered when evaluating these tools, depending on what they offer.
The first is more entry-level software for subcontractors, contractors, and smaller construction companies. Businesses of this size can get by with fewer features in their accounting software, in exchange for a lower price. In this category, I expect software to have prices ranging from a free tier up to $100 USD per month. This software needs to offer the basics like creating estimates and tracking job expenses. The focus should be on a user-friendly experience that helps you handle administrative work in less time.
The second price range I considered are intended for large construction companies and general contractors. Most typically start at $200 per user per month, potentially even extending into the four-figure per month range. Of course, for this higher price, I expect a much broader range of features. These should be all-in-one tools that handle most aspects of the job. That includes things like drawing and document management, inventory management, project management tools, billing, and potentially even tasks like payroll.
Integrations
Most construction accounting software on the market is intended to supplement, rather than replace, your existing accounting software. So first and foremost, it’s important to make sure that the option you choose will work with the accounting and finance tools you’re already using.
Aside from integrating with accounting software and ERP systems, other must-haves include eSignature services like DocuSign, cloud-based file sharing services like Dropbox, and payment processors like Square.
The construction-specific integrations you need will vary on your line of work. However, some popular ones I like to see include Autodesk, Bluebeam, PlanGrid, Lendflow, and at least one time-tracking software like ClockShark or TimeClock Plus.
Support for Zapier integrations is also a definite plus, as that makes it easy to hook in any apps that aren’t natively supported.
People Also Ask
Here are some additional questions that you might have when considering construction accounting software.
What makes accounting in the construction industry unique?
Accounting is unique in the construction industry for several reasons. First, there is a considerable amount of detail and minutiae involved with tracking the time and materials associated with specific projects.
The long duration of construction projects creates challenges when it comes to tracking costs and revenues. Because a building can’t be constructed quickly and billed all at once, revenue recognition policies aren’t as straightforward in the construction industry.
Construction projects involve significant upfront costs, which require careful management and tracking to ensure profitability.
What are the benefits of using construction-specific accounting software?
There are a few unique benefits that construction accounting software offers over general-purpose accounting software.
The obvious one is that they offer functionality that’s specific to the construction industry. That includes things like job costing, change order tracking, and progress billing.
What kind of reports and analysis can I generate with construction accounting software?
Construction accounting software can provide various financial reporting and analysis features to help you make informed decisions about your construction company’s finances and operations.
Examples of common reports you can generate using construction accounting software include standard financial statements like an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
Plus, construction accounting software should also allow you to generate project specific reports for different aspects of a project, such as job costing, time and materials summaries, labor costs, project timelines and detailed status information, change order summaries, and cost variance reports.
Final thoughts
Now you should have a better idea of the construction accounting software options on the market, and hopefully you're a little closer to finding the software tool that's the best fit for your team.
To stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the construction industry, sign up for our newsletter to get the latest news and business insights from industry experts.