Practice Management Member Conversations

 View Only

Community HTML

Clouds

Quick Links

Who we are

The Practice Management Knowledge Community (PMKC) identifies and develops information on the business of architecture for use by the profession to maintain and improve the quality of the professional and business environment.  The PMKC initiates programs, provides content and serves as a resource to other knowledge communities, and acts as experts on AIA Institute programs and policies that pertain to a wide variety of business practices and trends.

    

Expand all | Collapse all

QuickBooks

  • 1.  QuickBooks

    Posted 01-11-2018 09:27 AM

    Our firm has used QuickBooks for our accounting from the beginning. However, we are in great need of staff time tracking and project management information to better manage staff and projects. Does anyone have experience with QuickBooks and can recommend software to augment and interface with this product.



  • 2.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-12-2018 05:27 AM
    I am not aware of any add in software. When we started our firm quickbooks was fine. But as you state it doesn't provide staffing and project management. You should look at Ajera (a Deltek company). Has all the tools you will need for project management, staffing and financial management. Limited CRM functions but works well for our mid-sized firm. 

    Deltek Vision is more powerful than Ajera, but less user friendly and customized reports must be purchased or created. 

    Ajera has a lot of out of the box reports and graphics for dashboards to track all of the typical data a small to mid sized firm needs. 

    Hope this helps

    ------------------------------
    Christopher Haupt AIA
    Principal
    DLA+ ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN
    Pittsburgh PA
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-12-2018 06:02 AM
    Our firm uses bill-quick for time tracking, works nicely for our smaller sized office needs.

    ------------------------------
    Matthew Williams AIA
    Freeman Morgan Architects
    Henrico, VA
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-12-2018 07:55 AM

    Thank you for your response and based upon the response I have an additional question. 

    Since QuickBooks seems to be difficult to use as a managemnt tool does anyone have expereince in transfering from QuickBooks to Deltec or a similar accounting and managemetn tool? 

    My partners are hesitant to leave QuickBooks for fear of losing data and extreme cost increases.






  • 5.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-12-2018 08:34 AM
    We moved from Quickbooks to Ajera several years ago before Deltek acquired them.  At the time, they offered data migration into the software. They may still offer that service.

    I seem to remember it being somewhat painless, but costly.  You will need to decide how much historic data you want to migrate in.

    ------------------------------
    John Chase AIA
    Principal
    Chase Marshall Architects, APAC
    Lafayette LA
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-12-2018 10:41 AM
    James,

    For time tracking, we use TimeTracker by Ebility; it's a Web app that syncs with Quickbooks. 

    Mary Holland AIA, LEED AP BD+C  |  P R I N C I P A L
    CICADA Architecture/Planning, Inc.
    1520 LOCUST STREET, SUITE 702  .  PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102  .   215.247.1430 






  • 7.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-12-2018 11:47 AM
    We have been using BEQ Software's ArchiOffice developed by Steve Burns FAIA for over three years after using Deltek for about 20 years.  We use ArchiOffice in combination with Quick Books.  This product; while a bit old, is very easy to use and has allowed the professional staff to take charge of various project management/accounting activities instead of administrative staff.  The invoicing is very easy with this product; which has really enabled us to get our bills out quickly and efficiently.  The combination of ArchiOffice and Quick Books has dramatically reduced our time and frustration in managing our administrative/accounting needs.   (BQE has a new product out called CORE that is totally cloud based.  We will be migrating to later this year.)

    ------------------------------
    Klindt Breckenridge AIA
    Breckenridge Group Architects | Planners
    Tucson AZ
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-15-2018 09:13 AM

    We have been using Deltek Ajera for about 3 years, having transitioned from Wind-2. It is very effective in managing time and billing. We also use it for scheduling, and find it relatively easy to use.

     

    http://jkrparchitects.com/signature/logo.gif

    Jerry K. Roller, aia, Leed AP
    Managing Principal
    w 215.928.9331 · c 215.285.3800 · e Jroller@jkrparchitects.com http://jkrparchitects.com/signature/bar.gif
    100 East Penn Square Suite 1080 Philadelphia, PA 19107
    jkrparchitects.com
    [View this post online to see image][View this post online to see image][View this post online to see image][View this post online to see image]

     

     






  • 9.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-16-2018 01:12 AM

    Our firm has done the same.  Very effective.






  • 10.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-16-2018 09:05 AM

    When I had my own firm I used a MS Access database to organize the data and create the reports that QuickBooks could not. Over time I customized the database and added features as needed to track my employee's hours, organize invoices, track budgeted vs actual hours on projects, etc. I found this to be a low cost option that gave me maximum flexibility. Learning MS Access was a pain, but it was worth it. If you don't want to learn MS Access yourself you can always hire a programmer.

     

    Donald Henke AIA

     

    Donald C Henke, AIA, Assoc. DBIA, LEED AP | Design Manager

    Turner Construction Company | 10100 N.Central Expy, Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75231

    mobile 469-321-6946 | dhenke@tcco.com

     






  • 11.  RE: QuickBooks

    Posted 01-16-2018 05:09 PM
    We have been using Ajera software for a long time.  One week ago today our bookkeeper of 12 years died suddenly leaving us with a personal and business crises.  Everything is up to date.  A new person is hired and onboard however he does not have any experience with Ajera software.  We have a payroll due this Friday and do not know how to print it out.  If there is anyone willing to answer a few questions it would be most appreciated.  Joe Williams A/R/C Associates, Inc. Orlando, Florida

    ------------------------------
    Joe Williams, AIA
    Principal
    A/R/C Associates, Incorporated
    Orlando, Florida
    ------------------------------