Budget vs actual
Compare sold price and planned costs against what you have actually spent on each job.
Job costing software for contractors who watch margin
Know budget vs actual and live margin before the job closes—not after you have already lost money.
Committed vs paid
See what is committed in purchase orders and what has been paid out. No surprises at closeout.
Margin alerts
Get warned when margin drops below your target—especially after change orders land.
Job recap
Close out with a clear summary of sold, cost, margin, and change order impact.
Frequently asked questions
What is job costing for small contractors?
Job costing compares what you sold a project for against what it actually costs—labor, materials, and approved extras—so you know if the job is profitable. WorkGrid Pro tracks budget vs actual and live margin without requiring a full ERP.
How do change orders affect job costing?
Approved change orders increase both sold price and cost. If your job cost view ignores them, margin looks wrong. WorkGrid Pro rolls approved change orders into the live margin view automatically.
What is a healthy contractor job margin?
Targets vary by trade and overhead, but many specialty contractors watch jobs that dip under about 20% margin after change orders. Use alerts so you catch problems while you can still adjust pricing or scope.
Do I need an ERP for job costing?
No. Small shops usually need budget vs actual, committed spend visibility, and margin after change orders—not payroll modules or deep accounting. That is the gap WorkGrid Pro fills.
When should I check job margin?
During the job—not only at closeout. Watching margin mid-project lets you pause extras, renegotiate, or issue a change order before unpaid work piles up.