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Question for the portable sawyers.

Started by Dustin, January 12, 2020, 05:07:36 PM

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Dustin

I have been doing a lot of reading and searching, but have yet to find some answers.  I have a question for the guys that are portable milling and not selling lumber. I'm hoping this summer I can finally get a sawmill and start milling part time. What do you guys use to keep track of expenses, and what things do you keep track of for each job?  I'm thinking of getting an iPad that will have an Excel spreadsheet to take to a job site. Does anyone have a good spreadsheet already made out? Does anyone print a receipt for the customer when the job is complete or hand write a receipt? I think I can also create a check list on the iPad to make sure I pack everything in the truck before a job. 

I have seen some of you like to use QuickBooks to keep track of things for the tax man. I don't have any experience with it, but I'm sure I can learn. Is there anything out there that is better than QuickBooks? I'm hoping to get everything set up before I get the mill. Any help anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

SawyerTed

i don't know of anyway for a non-accounting minded person to handle expenses better than Quickbooks.  But I'm a non-accounting minded kind of person.  It works well as long as I record my receipts and expenses faithfully. 
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Dustin

I took some accounting classes back in high school if that counts for anything.:D  I'm no pro at Excel either, but I do have a good grasp on it.
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Mike W

I agree on Quickbooks, its a great tool and easily integrates with import/export of excel and also turbotax if that is the direction you are going all said and done.  My better half does all this type of stuff in the business, I am just responsible for putting the work into place, she handles the important side of things.  No matter what you end up going with, it is directly proportionate with the quality of input for quality of output on any platform.  I get hounded regularly (like daily) on the lack of providing the paperwork side of things she needs for a quality input as it were, you would think after 30 years she would have come to grips with it, however being a stickler over it isnt going to  change anytime soon or ever I  dont believe, glad she holds true to the importance of it all, sure it has saved us more then I  could ever imagine it has throughout the years.

WV Sawmiller

Dustin,

   I am pretty low tech - I scan my receipts and put them in a folder on my laptop by date and I zip and send them to my accountant/tax guru on 31 December every year. I have a couple of excel spreadsheets I use to record the various categories of expenses (Insurance, fuel for mill, supplies, equipment, donations, etc.). I sort and subtotal them at the end of year and send to tax guru. It is basically a mirror image of my receipts except I also note small expenses where no receipt was given. I have an exel spreadsheet listing my mileage I total send at the end of the year. I have a sawing tally listing the sizes of lumber sawed with bf and prices and tally for mileage, blade damage, etc for that job. I can print and or send this to the customer as a receipt for his tax needs if he wants it. All my spreadsheets have formulas built in do the math for me such as computing the bf, calculating math and taxes, etc. I have another spreadsheet for income I record every sawing job or sale which I also use to calculate my sales tax at the end of the year.

   I will be glad to send them to you if you would like to pm me an e-mail address to use. I tried to send in a pm but this system does not seem to allow me to attach documents to a PM.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

terrifictimbersllc

I use Quickbooks too, desktop version, and like it. I use Quickbooks for Mac, I've had the 2007, 2010, 2016 and now the 2019 versions.  Still significantly cheaper than using their web product. At the beginning the Mac version was like an afterthought for them, but now they seem solidly behind it.  The reason I have had different versions was because QB would not keep upgrading each version to keep up with changes in the Mac operating systems.  

I've found the QB/Intuit phone help pretty good. Just two or three times, but once was last week they spent over an hour on the phone with me to fix a problem which was my fault.

The windows version of QB is an industry accounting standard but the OSX is pretty good.  

I dont think you can run QB on your ipad without subscribing to the more expensive online version.

I have carried a mobile printer (HP100) but after breaking two of them I stopped. Now for most jobs I take my laptop and do the invoice in QB, print it to a pdf file, airdrop this file to my Iphone,and email it to the customer.  Sounds complicated but only takes about 2  minutes once I know at the end of the day, what the charges are.

DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

WV Sawmiller

  PM sent. As I mentioned I just take my laptop with me to the job. I don't use a smart phone or IPad of such. I open to the tally sheet and hand the customer the tape measure and I record the numbers he gives me and the spreadsheet does the tally and computes his cost, including taxes. I don't have a portable printer yet but can download a copy to his flash drive or I can e-mail or snail mail him a copy if he wants when I get home. I have simple hand written receipt I can give him with a carbon back up. I do have a small Neat scanner that runs off the computer power I can scan up to 2 pages anywhere but receipts are not generally that time sensitive I just scan them every night when I get home.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

NotEnoughTime

Sounds like WV Sawmiller has built a good template for the at-the-job quote and receipt.  You will need something custom like that (whether paper or electronic) which won't come from Quickbooks for job estimating.  

You will still want an accounting software tool like Quickbooks to track your expenses, bills, income, etc. come tax time.  Can't go wrong with Quickbooks.  Unless you want to hire a book-keeper (who will likely enter all the paper you provide them into Quickbooks).
HM130 with extended 18' trailer + boat winch, homemade log arch, oak ramps, cant hook and lots of leverage.

Dustin

Thanks for all the great information so far! WV Sawmiller thanks for sending the spreadsheets. You guys make it seem so easy. I'm more nervous about getting the books setup and keeping track of the expenses than actually sawing for someone else. I would guess that will change real fast on the first job. My excitement to get this going though is driving my wife bonkers. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

WV Sawmiller

Dustin -

  2 rules for stress management 1) Don't sweat the small stuff. 2) Remember it is all small stuff.

  I honestly don't know what an accounting program would do for me that my 4 excel files provided plus my folder of scanned receipts don't do for me. I am real diligent about recording each sale or receipt at the end of every day. Once I scan the receipt I toss it as it in my electronic folder forever. I let my tax accountant worry about depreciation, fuel/road tax credit for fuel used for off road purchases, etc. I just record and forget it then autosum at the end of the year.

   I used to work jobs with a lot of travel and had to turn in expense reports. They were on our laptop so every day I just recorded what I'd spent that day and I'd total in the airport on the way home and send it in and get paid. I'd see my co-workers in the office working on their last month's expenses, most of which they had already paid, before they could get reimbursement. I'd already filed and been reimbursed plus no telling how much they had lost or forgotten in the interim period. The key is prompt, daily recording and just don't let it build up. Good luck.

Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Magicman

I use a two part (customer gets a copy & I keep a copy) handwritten lumber tally/invoice which is added to my Excel spreadsheet as incurred.  For mileage and travel expenses I use a separate two part invoice.  These along with my fuel, blade, and other expenses are tallied quarterly and added to the Excel spreadsheet.  At the end of the year, this Excel spreadsheet contains all of my income/expenses and goes to my CPA.  

EDIT for clarification:  I update the Excel as jobs are done and update the expenses quarterly, but nothing goes to the CPA until after the end of the year.  My CPA does not get an electronic file, he gets a printed copy.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Beavertooth

I give customer a hand written receipt out of receipt book and I keep carbon copy on which I write my mileage for that job. I put all receipts from diesel, blades, parts and any labor I pay out in a big Manila envelope and at the end of the year take them out and total them all up. And take my receipt book with my income and mileage and total it all up.  Then I have everything done and totaled up in one setting. Take less overall time than logging stuff in to a program everyday or week. I bought a program to use one time and figured out pretty quick it was quicker to just do it all at one setting. At least that is the way it works best for me. Everyone has their preferences so one way necessarily any better than the other.  
2007 LT70 Remote Station 62hp cat.

Dustin

Magicman do you have a two part receipt printed up with your own business info on or do you use a blank one and fill in the info?

WV Sawmiller I like the idea of adding things to a spreadsheet as soon as the job is over. If I tried to remember it all after a few days I would definitely forget things. Maybe a new laptop would be better than an iPad. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

YellowHammer

I don't do portable sawing, but do did quite a bit of custom sawing at our mill and now sell our own.  I certainly understand keeping track of things, and I would recommend, if you haven't already done so, talking to a CPA about what is an expense, and what else you have that is deductible.  Depending on your business, there are several different categories of things that are considered deductible or can be depreciated that you probably already own, as well as the things you will be getting in the future for your business.  You probably already own a chainsaw, axe, mallet, toolsets, log chains, fuel tanks, clothing, pressure washer, leaf blower, etc.  The way to look at it, if sawdust touches it for the purposes of your business, it is a deductible expense, whether you have it already (and its a first time deduction) or buy it new.

So we do things in stages, a multiple pocket binder for each category of expense as they are incurred, and at least once a week, we enter them electronically in their proper categories.  Some CPA's will give you a discount in your software if its the same they use, as it makes their job easier.  Of course, whatever software you use is deductable also, as well as the CPA's fees.  Some of the deductions have limits, some do not, so its nice to easily be able to track real time .  

Spend some quality time looking for a good business CPA and have these discussions with him.  If you are going into business, then one of the important things about a business is running it like a business and not leaving money on the table.  Certainly, there are a lot of unknowns yet, but you seem very proactive.
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Magicman

Quote from: Dustin on January 13, 2020, 01:20:12 PMMagicman do you have a two part receipt printed up with your own business info on or do you use a blank one and fill in the info?



 
Nothing fancy here.  Just the standard "off of the shelf" invoice books.  The one on the left is for sawing the the smaller one on the right is for mileage because it fits in the truck dash console.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Stephen1

I have preprinted invoices with all my charges listed. I fill in what I have done that day, calculate it on the phone, and get paid from the customer. A regular customer will get an electronic invoice that he will pay by etransfer. I always fill out the paper invoice after every job. 
We use quickbooks.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Dustin

Are there many customers that want to etransfer or use paypal? For me, I'm wary of taking a check, but cash is king.  I want to be prepared as most jobs won't be close to home. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Magicman

I have a PayPal account just in case, but I have never been asked if I take any form of "E" money.  Probably 90% of mine is checks, and I have no hesitation about accepting them.  After completing 17 years of sawing, I have never gotten a bad check and never failed to be paid for any sawing done.  I also have never had a customer argue about any sawing charges.

EDIT:  I forgot that I also have a Square reader.  Swipe and Chip, but I have never used it either.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

YellowHammer

Bad checks are a fact of life, but I'm glad to hear that some folks don't get deadbeat customers, I seem to get them somewhat routinely.  Maybe it's the type of business, selling wood from a stationary mill vs portable?  I don't know.

I had a guy attempt to buy my Angus bull by writing me a bad check just a couple months  ago.  He actually started writing it and I told him that I don't accept personal checks.  He got upset and I said I'd take cash or plastic.  He said he didn't have the cash on hand and didn't "do" plastic, (which means he has bad credit).  He said he'd go to the bank the next day and get me the cash.  He called me up later and said he just didn't have the money to buy the bull.  Right.

Last week, a business customer of ours complained he had just gotten his first a bounced check.  He was having to go to court, I told him to forget it, its lost money.  Even if he wins in small claims court, the deadbeat is ordered, but not required to pay the money back under any kind of penalty.  He is now using Square.  No checks unless business checks.  

My friend lost $400 on a hay sale personal check to his neighbor a few years ago, went to court, won, never got a dime.

Go to any convenience store, look on the back wall, and there will be a bulletin board of bounced checks.

I know a guy on this forum who was working a big job, one big enough to need two payments, who was told in the second part of the job to cancel the order because his customer had backed out, and was sure that if he had been written a check, the owner would have canceled it.  Since he was paid the deposit with a credit card, it was a non issue.  He got his money, the job got canceled, nothing came of it.  

My point is that for $15 or less you can get a Square reader, even less if you open a business account with your bank.  They will issue you a phone card reader tied to your business account.

You take a check, you take a chance.  If you accept cash or a credit card, you have your money before anybody leaves.

I tell people straight up, if they don't have cash and they don't have a debit card and they don't have a credit card, then I sure don't want their check.  Sorry.



 

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

WV Sawmiller

   I take cash or check. Only got one bad check - guy wrote it on an old closed account by mistake. I called him and he immediately made it good. I don't use a smart phone and my $15 AT&T pre-paid cell phone would not accept square. I looked at credit card systems and they were not worth the cost for me. 

   I think there is likely more risk from your sales than your sawing services which quickly become pretty personal when you drive to the customer's house and get out there and put in a couple day's hard work with him. I consider most of my customers real salt of the earth and we leave as friends. Good luck.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

SawyerTed

I take checks and have only had one issue, so far.  The customer didn't have enough cash for the whole order.  He paid the difference by check.  Two days later I got a frantic call from him.  He pleaded for me not to deposit the check if I hadn't.  I had not. I usually make deposits on Mondays.  I told him he could have the check back if he brought cash.  He did and he got his check back.
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Magicman

You reminded me of what has happened a few times with me.  I have been asked if I could hold the check until whatever day then next week.  I always have and they have always been good.  These instances have been with businesses who transfer money into a different account to pay labor, etc.

Another instance but this time with cash.  Since very early on I carry a "till" which is ~$200 in 20's, 10's, 5's, & 1's.  More than once I have presented a sawing bill for a bit over $300, $400, etc.  The customer pulled out only hundreds indicating that he did not have smaller bills maybe thinking that I would round it down to the even hundred.  I reach for the till telling him that I can make change and amazingly they all of a sudden have smaller bills in their wallet.  Maybe trying to pull a slick one, maybe not.  Gotta always cover all of the bases.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

WV Sawmiller

   I would agree with Lynn on that - if the guy calls and says hold it then it will likely be good on the day he promised. The guy who plans to cheat you will never call and will avoid you like the dickens after you find the check has bounced. I only had one customer who split a payment after I finished sawing. He then told me he did not have all the pay but paid part and said he'd send the rest next week when his check came and he did. I was a little miffed about that one and would have greatly preferred he had just told me up front but it all worked out in the end.

   I tell my customers I expect payment at the end of the job or weekly, whichever comes first. I often have customers offer to pay at the end of every day if we don't finish in one day. I usually tell them just wait but likely should take what is offered when offered. 
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Magicman

For the past three years when sawing my "sand box" job, I have regularly waited for funds to transfer before I could deposit checks.  Sometime they were for two weeks sawing and in the $3,000 to $8,000+ range.  No argument from me.  ;D

My sawing contract states when the payment is due and is agreed to by my customer before sawing begins.  As I previously stated, I have never had a payment issue with a customer.


Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

DPatton

Quote from: Magicman on January 14, 2020, 04:13:59 PM
Another instance but this time with cash.  Since very early on I carry a "till" which is ~$200 in 20's, 10's, 5's, & 1's.  More than once I have presented a sawing bill for a bit over $300, $400, etc.  The customer pulled out only hundreds indicating that he did not have smaller bills maybe thinking that I would round it down to the even hundred.  I reach for the till telling him that I can make change and amazingly they all of a sudden have smaller bills in their wallet.  Maybe trying to pull a slick one, maybe not.  Gotta always cover all of the bases.
:D :D :D In your case Lynn I usually offer to round up to his nearest $100.00. As you indicated the client often suddenly finds the ten or twenty dollar bill he needed to make the correct payment. I always try to have some cash on hand to make change with, but it's not usually needed. 
TimberKing 1600, 30' gooseneck trailer, Chevy HD2500, Echo Chainsaw, 60" Logrite.

Work isn't so bad when you enjoy what your doing.
D & S Sawmill Services

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