Project-based firms need integrated accounting, not just bookkeeping, to see live project margin. Consulting, engineering, legal and architectural firms lose margin between the timesheet and the invoice. Juntrax and Sage Intacct close that gap to varying degrees, and this guide will help you choose. For a general small-business software roundup, see our overview of accounting tools.
Why does bookkeeping alone cost project-based firms margin?
Bookkeeping answers “what happened to our money?” Project-based firms need to know which projects are making money right now, and which are about to stop. A ledger fed by invoices and bank feeds can’t tell you, 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. Field hours go unlogged, subcontractor bills pile up unmatched, and milestone invoices 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 can see Project A running well over budget before the final invoice, not after. A consulting firm can spot that one client’s scope creep has pushed margin down mid-engagement, while there’s still time to renegotiate. Spreadsheet audits find the same problems, just months late.
Cash flow tied to clients and milestones
Our cash-flow module works the same 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 | Yes | Financial reporting alongside project data |
| Automated bank reconciliation | Yes | — |
| Tax filing and compliance | Yes | 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 can work, 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?” takes 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?
Prioritize features that follow the money from hour to cash. The 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. Both quote on request rather than at a fixed per-user rate. We built Juntrax for service-oriented businesses such as engineering, consulting, legal and architecture firms.
On cost, our subscriptions start at $5 per user per month. Our HRMS module covers payroll, attendance, leave and reimbursements on the same record, so labor cost reaches the project without an export. If you want short definitions of the terms across these modules, our glossary has them.
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 they want to stay close to a standard ledger. Reserve Sage Intacct or Acumatica for multi-entity complexity.
FAQs
What does the Juntrax HRMS module cover?
Payroll, attendance, leave and reimbursements, all 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?
Our implementation takes 21 days.
What does it cost for a 20-person services firm?
Pricing models differ, so compare per-user rates on the same user count. Juntrax starts at $5 per user per month, which works out to $100 a month for 20 users at the starting rate. Sage Intacct and Acumatica quote on request.
How does a quotation turn into cash in Juntrax?
Our cash-flow module moves a quotation to a purchase order to an invoice to a 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
- Overview of accounting tools, Juntrax
- Juntrax | Unified Business Operations Platform
- Juntrax for Civil Engineering — One Platform, One Ledger
- Cash Flow Management Software for Professional Services Firms | Juntrax
- Pricing Plans | Xero US
- QuickBooks® Online Pricing & Free Trial | Official Site
- Sage Intacct Pricing | Custom Plans Based on Your Needs | Sage US
- Pricing | Zoho Books
- Sage Intacct Project Management Accounting Software | Sage US
- Acumatica Pricing | ERP Software Cost & Subscription Plans, Acumatica Cloud ERP
- HRMS Software — HR, Projects & Payroll on One Platform | Juntrax
- Juntrax Glossary — HRMS, PSA & Cash Flow Terms
A note on sources: every figure here comes from a published page. Last reviewed October 2026. Learn more about Juntrax