Project-based firms need integrated accounting, not just bookkeeping, to see live project margin. Consulting, engineering, legal and architectural firms lose margin between timesheet and invoice. Juntrax and Sage Intact close that gap to varying degrees; here’s how to choose. For a general small-business software roundup, see this overview of accounting tools.

Why does bookkeeping alone cost project-based firms margin?

Bookkeeping answers “what happened to our money?” Project-based firms need “which projects are making money right now, and which are about to stop?” A ledger fed by invoices and bank feeds can’t say, because the cost side of a project (hours, subcontractors, expenses) lives in other tools. Nothing in the books flags unbilled hours or scope creep, because the books only see what was invoiced.

Civil engineering shows the pattern clearly. Juntrax’s own civil engineering page describes field hours that go unlogged, subcontractor bills that pile up unmatched, and milestone invoices that leave the desk weeks late.

What does integrated accounting do that bookkeeping can’t?

Think of it as a pipe versus a bucket. Bookkeeping catches what drips out at the invoice end; integrated accounting follows one piece of data the whole way. Picture a single quotation. It becomes a purchase order, the purchase order becomes an invoice, and the invoice becomes a payment, all without anyone re-entering the numbers.

Project profitability while the project is still running

With costs and billings joined, a civil engineering firm sees Project A running well over budget before the final invoice, not after. A consulting firm spots that one client’s scope creep has pushed margin down mid-engagement, while there’s still time to renegotiate. Spreadsheet audits find the same thing, but months late.

Cash flow tied to clients and milestones

Juntrax’s cash-flow module works this way: quotation to purchase order to invoice to payment without re-entering data, with receivables and payables side by side.

Where each tool fits

The leading general ledgers are strong at what they do. Xero’s pricing page lists a 180 day cash flow forecast and project time-and-cost tracking on its Established plan. QuickBooks Online’s plans run from 1 user to 25 users, with access for 2 to 3 accountants. Here’s what a split setup looks like:

Task	Stays in QuickBooks or Xero	Handled in Juntrax
General ledger, chart of accounts	—	Financial reporting alongside project data
Automated bank reconciliation	—	—
Tax filing and compliance	—	Compliance tools for regulatory support
Timesheets and approvals	Add-on or workaround	Native
Bill rates and resource allocation	—	Resource allocation
Project P&L	Xero: project time-and-cost tracking on Established	PNL visibility
Quote to PO to invoice flow	—	Native
HR, leave, payroll, reimbursements	—	HRMS module

Many firms keep their accountant’s ledger and add an operational layer on top. Others consolidate. Either works, depending on how much of your margin problem sits upstream of the invoice.

Platform	Project time and cost tracking (plan or tier)	Pricing model	Best-fit firm size
Juntrax	Project cash flow and PNL visibility	Per user, from $5 per user per month	Service-oriented firms
Xero	Established plan	Plan tiers	Firms staying close to a standard ledger
Zoho Books	Timesheets and project profitability on Professional	Plan tiers	Firms staying close to a standard ledger
Sage Intacct	Project accounting	Quote on request	Larger or multi-entity firms
Acumatica	Project accounting	Applications and resources, quote on request	Larger or multi-entity firms

How do you know your current setup is costing you money?

You rarely feel this leak, which is why it persists. Look for these signals:

Invoices go out weeks after the work finishes, so cash arrives late.
Answering “which projects were actually profitable last year?” needs a manual spreadsheet audit.
Timesheets live outside the accounting system and get reconciled by hand.
Payroll and project costs sit in separate systems, so no true project P&L exists.

Try a quick self-test on your own firm. Can you see margin on an active project today, without asking anyone? Do approved hours reach an invoice without being retyped? Can you name your three least profitable clients from data, not memory? Two “no” answers mean the books are recording your business but not steering it.

What should you look for in integrated accounting software for project firms?

Prioritise features that follow the money from hour to cash. Non-negotiables:

Billable time tied to rate cards, so hours price themselves.
Project-level P&L, updated as costs post.
Invoice generation from approved timesheets, with milestone support.
Cash flow forecasting by client and project.
Multi-currency and multi-entity support if you operate across offices.
Payroll cost feeding project profitability.

The market splits into tiers. Zoho Books lists timesheets and project profitability on its Professional plan, with cashflow forecasting arriving at Premium. Xero places project time-and-cost tracking on Established. Sage Intacct and Acumatica sit higher: Sage’s project accounting covers revenue recognition by milestone or percentage completion, and Acumatica prices on applications and resources rather than user seats. Sage Intacct and Acumatica both price on request rather than a fixed per-user rate. Juntrax is built for service-oriented businesses such as engineering, consulting, legal and architecture firms.

On cost, Juntrax’s cash-flow pages state subscriptions start at $5 per user per month. The HRMS module covers payroll, attendance, leave and reimbursements on the same record, so labor cost reaches the project without an export. For terminology across these modules, the Juntrax glossary gives short definitions.

Key takeaways

A ledger records what was invoiced, but project firms lose margin earlier, in unlogged hours, unmatched costs and late billing.
Integrated accounting is one unbroken chain: approved hours, rate card, invoice, receivable, cash forecast.
Keep QuickBooks or Xero where bank reconciliation, tax filing and your accountant matter most, and layer project operations on top if the leaks sit upstream.
Diagnose first: if live project margin is invisible or hours reach invoices by retyping, your setup is costing you.
Firms billing by project should shortlist Juntrax first, then Zoho Books Professional or Xero Established if staying close to a standard ledger; reserve Sage Intacct or Acumatica for multi-entity complexity.

FAQs

What does Juntrax’s HRMS module cover?

The HRMS module covers payroll, attendance, leave and reimbursements on the same record, so labor cost reaches the project without an export.

Which plans include project tracking in Xero and Zoho Books?

Xero’s pricing page lists project time-and-cost tracking on its Established plan. Zoho Books lists timesheets and project profitability on its Professional plan, with cashflow forecasting arriving at Premium.

How is Acumatica priced?

Acumatica prices on applications and resources rather than user seats, and quotes on request.

How long does implementation take?

Juntrax’s home page cites 21 days for implementation.

What does it cost for a 20-person services firm?

Pricing models differ, so compare per-user rates on the same user count. Juntrax’s stated starting rate is $5 per user per month, while Sage Intacct and Acumatica quote on request.

How does a quotation turn into cash in Juntrax?

Juntrax’s cash-flow module moves quotation to purchase order to invoice to payment without re-entering data, with receivables and payables side by side.

How many users can QuickBooks Online support?

QuickBooks Online’s plans run from 1 user to 25 users, with access for 2 to 3 accountants.

Sources

A note on sources: every figure here comes from a published page. Last reviewed October 2026. Learn more about Juntrax

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Integrated Accounting for Project-Based Firms: See Real Project Profit

By Juntrax Social at Juntrax · Published October 2026