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> ๐Ÿ‘ท QuickBooks Premierโ„ข for Contractors: 2025 Setup & Troubleshooting Guide

๐Ÿ‘ท
But most contractors donโ€™t use it to its full potential. Worse, small missteps in setup can throw off estimates, undercut margins, or misclassify job costs.

This guide covers:

โœ… How to set up QuickBooks Premier for construction the right way

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Common issues contractors face and how to fix them

๐Ÿ“ž When to call in Biziblaze experts at +1-888-375-8021

Letโ€™s get started.

๐Ÿ”ง 1. Set Up Job Costing Correctly From Day One
Job costing is the heart of Premier Contractor. To get it right:

Turn on Job Costing under Edit > Preferences > Jobs & Estimates

Enable Track expenses by job and Items and classes

Add each job as a Customer:Job โ€” not just a line in your invoice

Use service items for labor, materials, permits, etc.

๐Ÿ’ก Need help structuring jobs? Biziblaze sets this up remotely. Visit https://biziblaze.com or call +1-888-375-8021

๐Ÿ“„ 2. Use Estimates That Sync with Actual Costs
Most contractors send quotes using spreadsheets or PDFs, then lose track of how the real job performed. With Premier, you can create estimates, progress invoices, and match them against actual expenses.

Steps:

Create Estimate under the job

Invoice in stages using progress invoicing

Run Job Profitability Summary and Estimate vs. Actual reports monthly

๐Ÿ’ฐ 3. Track Retainage and Change Orders Separately
Retainage can skew your income if not handled right. Use a liability account for retainage and track it outside of earned income.

For change orders:

Either revise the original estimate (QuickBooks logs the changes),

Or create new line items for change order approvals

๐Ÿ“ž Want help building change order templates? Call +1-888-375-8021.

๐Ÿงฎ 4. Watch Out for These Common Mistakes
Contractors often run into:

Duplicate expenses not linked to a job

Subcontractor 1099s not tagged properly

Payroll misclassified under General Expenses

Reports not showing correct job profit margins

Fixing these manually is tedious โ€” Biziblaze can do a same-day file tune-up. Learn how at https://biziblaze.com.

๐Ÿงพ 5. Contractor Reports You Should Use Weekly
Don't just rely on your bank balance. Use these built-in reports:

Job Profitability Detail

Unbilled Costs by Job

Expenses Not Assigned to Jobs

Job Costs by Vendor & Job

Estimates vs. Actuals Summary

Need custom contractor dashboards or exports for your CPA? Call +1-888-375-8021 for setup help.

๐Ÿ”Œ 6. Multi-User Setup for Office + Field Access
You may have your admin team in the office and a partner or PM working remotely. QuickBooks Premier can be hosted securely, allowing access from any location.

Options:

Use Biziblaze-secured hosting (fast, encrypted, no downtime)

Or keep the company file local and sync over a VPN or dedicated share

Not sure whatโ€™s safest? Talk to a Biziblaze tech at +1-888-375-8021

๐Ÿงฏ Emergency Contractor Fixes
Canโ€™t print 1099s for subs?
โœ… Re-check vendor tax ID and type, then re-run 1099 Wizard

Sub costs not showing in Job Profitability?
โœ… Make sure the bill is linked to a Customer:Job AND uses an item, not just an account

File running slow after tax season?
โœ… You may need a condense or rebuild. Call +1-888-375-8021 for cleanup

๐Ÿ—๏ธ Build Your Back Office Like You Build Homes โ€” On a Strong Foundation
Your QuickBooks setup should give you insights, not confusion. Whether you're estimating new builds or trying to reduce overruns, Premier Contractor Edition can be a game-changer โ€” if itโ€™s set up and maintained correctly.

๐Ÿ“ž For expert help, call the Biziblaze Contractor Support Line: +1-888-375-8021
๐ŸŒ Get contractor-specific guides, tune-ups, and job-costing support at: https://biziblaze.com

Posted by: georgejone @ July 7, 2025, 8:22 a.m.
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