Financial control built for trade contractors
Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, fire protection, or any specialist trade, when your margin lives in labour efficiency and your cash flow depends on fast billing, you need more than a basic accounting package.
Why specialty contractors outgrow Xero and MYOB
Tight margins, high labour cost sensitivity, and cash flow that depends on fast billing, entry-level tools create risk on all three fronts.
Labour cost visibility is poor
Without job-level labour tracking, you can't tell which jobs are eating your margin. Time gets entered days late, and by the time you see the numbers, the job is done.
Invoicing lags behind work completion
The time between job completion and invoice issue is where cash flow dies. Manual invoice prep means your team is always playing catch-up with billing.
Materials tracking is disconnected
Reconciling materials purchased against jobs they were used on, and recovering those costs in billing, is a constant source of margin leakage for trade contractors.
Compliance reporting is manual
TPAR lodgement for sub-contractors, payroll tax obligations, and security of payment compliance, all manual, all time-consuming, all at risk when done outside a proper system.
WIP is invisible until month-end
Work in progress balances built up over the month, hours worked but not yet billed, only become visible at close. That means cash flow surprises happen monthly.
Field staff and office are disconnected
Without mobile time entry and job tracking connected to your accounting system, everything that happens in the field has to be manually re-entered. That's double handling, and errors.
The tools trade contractors need to protect their margin
Sage Intacct gives specialty contractors job-level financial control, fast billing, and compliance automation, all connected to how your field teams work.
Job-level labour & cost tracking
Track every labour hour, material purchase, and subcontract cost against the specific job it belongs to. See real-time margin by job, not just by month, so you can act before profit disappears.
Fast invoicing & WIP management
Generate invoices the moment a job is completed. Track WIP in real time so you always know what's been earned but not yet billed, and clear it fast to keep cash flowing.
Materials & procurement tracking
Link purchase orders to specific jobs. Track materials from procurement to installation and automatically recover costs in billing, eliminating the margin leakage from untracked materials.
TPAR, SOPA & subcontractor compliance
Automate TPAR lodgement and subcontractor certificate tracking. Progress claim schedules are generated in line with Security of Payment obligations, and retention balances are tracked automatically at the job level.
Field-to-finance integration
Connect field management tools like Simpro, ServiceM8, or AroFlo directly to Sage Intacct. Time entries, job completions, and materials used flow straight into your financials, no double handling.
| Job | Labour $ | Materials | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayside Office, HVAC | $14.2K | $8.4K | 28% |
| North Ryde Fit-out | $9.8K | $12.1K | 22% |
| CBD Tower, Chiller | $22.4K | $31.6K | 18% |
| Western Suburb Retro | $6.1K | $4.2K | 11% |
| Job | WIP Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Parramatta Retail | $14.8K | Invoice ready |
| Lane Cove Resi | $9.2K | Invoice ready |
| Surry Hills Office | $11.4K | In progress |
| Chatswood Hotel | $6.6K | Invoice ready |
| Compliance Area | Status |
|---|---|
| TPAR Lodgement | Auto-generated |
| Subcontractor Certificates | Auto-tracked |
| Security of Payment | Auto-tracked |
| Retention Schedules | Auto-calculated |
| Progress Claim History | Stored |
| System | Integration | Data Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Simpro | Native | Jobs, time, materials |
| ServiceM8 | API | Jobs, invoices |
| AroFlo | API | Jobs, time, costs |
| Procore | Native | Costs, POs |
Built for every specialty trade
Whether you're running a plumbing business, an electrical contractor, or a mechanical services firm, Sage Intacct gives you the job-level control your margin demands.
Plumbing & Mechanical Services
Track labour hours and materials from first-fix to final connection. Manage large commercial contracts alongside fast-turnaround service jobs in the same system, with different billing rules for each.
Electrical Contractors
From fitouts to switchboard upgrades to solar installations, manage each job type with the right cost structure and billing schedule. Track apprentice hours separately and recover every material dollar.
HVAC & Refrigeration
Manage the full lifecycle from design and supply to installation and ongoing maintenance contracts. Track refrigerant usage, equipment warranties, and preventive maintenance schedules alongside your financials.
Fire Protection & Security
Handle installation projects, annual inspection contracts, and emergency callout work in the same system. Automate annual inspection billing and track compliance certification dates for every client site.
Other construction & real estate industries
Protect your margin. Get paid faster. Stay compliant.
Book a 30-minute consultation. We'll review your current setup and show you exactly how Sage Intacct would transform your job costing and billing cycle.