[{"id":"189ecb8f-72e0-4860-ac72-0797557a0ba6","cells":[{"id":"8178d2d1-33c8-4cea-88f0-2f070d2e4c9d","inline":null,"size":12,"layout":{"plugin":{"name":"peracto/layout/container","version":"1.0.0"},"state":{}},"rows":[{"id":"2c92fe25-256a-4952-bbc1-b73be104ca55","cells":[{"id":"841c9c4f-abcf-45f4-b504-715607eaeb9e","inline":null,"size":12,"content":{"plugin":{"name":"peracto/content/text","version":"1.0.0"},"state":{"text":"

Software can help you manage your business and reduce the amount of paperwork. You might consider accounting software, but is it the right choice for your trade business?

In this article, Ben Dyer, CEO of Powered Now, will explain why your business needs more than accounting software and the benefits of field service management software.

Accounting systems are a good option... for accountants

Accounting software is able to generate quotes, invoices, and track expenses but that is the extent of it's capabilities. Powered Now can not only do this, but much more. Powered Now's field service management software offers extensive reporting options, making it easy to identify trends in your business.

Powered Now was created with tradespeople in mind so it’s very accessible and easy to use. You can access all information so that you can share it with your accountant, bookkeeper, or perform your own accounting. All data can be exported or synchronised to an accountancy package if you're a XERO user. You can connect quickly to HMRC Portal to submit your VAT return if you are VAT registered.

What about other features for tradespeople?

Customer management

Many job management softwares have a CRM feature that can help you manage all your contacts.

Powered Now has a powerful CRM feature. A customer may have multiple sites, such as a landlord or housing association. All information is saved in a project, so that you can always keep track of the most important details.

Status can be used to manage projects, making it easier for companies that have specific workflows.

Create great-looking paperwork in minutes

You can use job management software to help you stay organised. With Powered Now, you can customise invoices and quotes to reflect your logo and all your memberships, qualifications and assets. Powered Now also handles paperwork such as forms, certificates, and health and safety.

You can also add reminders, signatures from clients and images of before-and-after to your quotes, invoices, and job sheets. Powered Now is available on all devices, including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. If you are a sole trader, you can submit your MTD to Income Tax Self Assessment directly from Powered Now.

Allows you to manage your field-based teams

It can be challenging to manage a trade company. Field service management software makes it easy to assign jobs and track where your team is in just a few clicks. Trades apps allow you to manage your team effectively.

With Powered Now, it's possible to see where everyone is located and how long they have been working on each job. There's also an in-built chat feature that allows you to keep your business conversations private, and away from prying eyes.

It has a powerful shared diary that can be used to schedule everyone. The whole team can view the bigger picture if they wish. You can view the diary by day, week or month by customer, team member, project, status, or by team member. You can even see how profitable each job was!

Powered Now also offers an MTD to VAT interface if you want to do all your VAT calculations in one place.

Switch to field management software

Accounting systems excel at accounting for accountants. Is this what your trade business needs? A powerful business management system that is optimised for trade businesses can provide many benefits to a business. An accounting system won't help with forms and certificates, scheduling, job sheets and other necessary paperwork.

About the author

Benjamin Dyer is CEO and co-founder of Powered Now. Powered Now’s mobile app aims to take the pain out of paperwork for plumbers, electricians, builders and other trade businesses.

"}}}]}]}]}]

Why trade businesses need more than accounting software