Goldenseal for Your Business

This section explains how to use Goldenseal for specific business types.

RELATED TOPICS
Accounts | Goldenseal Basics | Goldenseal Startup | Lists | Transactions

General Construction (Home Builders, Remodelers)

The most important goal is usually to get accurate estimates, and make sure each project covers expenses and still makes a profit. Ongoing project management is also important.

Start with the following:

A good category system is very important. Use one of our category systems for construction, or create your own.
Set up Cost Items and Assemblies for the unit prices that you use for estimating. Use one of our starter files (which already contains unit prices), or create your own prices.
You will use the following lists most often: Draw Schedules, Equipment Billing Rates, Labor Billing Rates, Job Types, Locations, Project Payment Terms.
You will use the following accounts most often: Projects, Equipment, Employees, Material Suppliers, Subcontractors.

The most common income sequence:

Create an Address Book record for prospective clients.
Create an Estimate with a Category or Item breakdown. You may also create Allowances and Bids to handle specific line items. The estimate is for the prospect (or for a Customer if you've done work for them before).
If you get the job, convert the prospect to a Customer account (if necessary), and then create a Project account.
Enter expenses as soon as you know about them-- it will make job cost information more useful.
When you are ready to bill, use the Billing menu (for a draw schedule, progress payments or time and materials).
You may need to enter Change Orders as work progresses.
When the project is completed, do allowance and change order billing, and bill for retainage if it was used.

The most useful management tools:

Use the Job Costs command to track expenses against the original estimate.
Use the project management features that seem useful to you-- Document Log, Project Log, Chargebacks.
Use the Problem Log to track 'punch lists' of unfinished work.

Construction Subcontractors (Plumbers, Electricians, Painters, Drywall, Masons, Excavators etc)

The most important goal is usually to get accurate estimates, and make sure each project covers expenses and still makes a profit. Ongoing project management is also important. You may also need to track inventory.

Start with the following:

A good category system is very important. Use one of our category systems for construction, or create your own.
Set up Cost Items and Assemblies for the unit prices that you use for estimating. Use our starter file (which already contains unit prices), or create your own prices.
You will use the following lists most often: Draw Schedules, Equipment Billing Rates, Labor Billing Rates, Job Types, Locations, Project Payment Terms.
You will use the following accounts most often: Projects, Equipment, Employees, Inventory, Material Suppliers.

The most common income sequence:

Create an Address Book record for prospective clients.
Create an Estimate with a Category or Item breakdown. You may also create Allowances to handle specific line items. The estimate is for the prospect (or for a Customer if you've done work for them before).
If you get the job, convert the prospect to a Customer account (if necessary), and then create a Project account.
Enter expenses as soon as you know about them-- it will make job cost information more useful.
Enter Inventory Used for items that you use on a project.
When you are ready to bill, use the Billing menu (for a draw schedule, progress payments or time and materials).
You may need to enter Change Orders as work progresses.
When the project is completed, do allowance and change order billing, and bill for retainage if it was used.

The most useful management tools:

Use the Job Costs command to track expenses against the original estimate.
Use the project management features that seem useful to you-- Document Log, Project Log, Chargebacks.
Use the Problem Log to track 'punch lists' of unfinished work.

Property Developers

Spec house builders need to track expenses closely. Marketing efforts are very important.
Spec house builders can use the same setup as general contractors.

The most common income sequence:

Create an Estimate with a Category or Item breakdown. You may also create Bids to handle specific line items.
Create a Project Account.
Enter expenses as soon as you know about them-- it will make job cost information more useful.
When you sell the property, enter a Sale transaction and refer it to the original estimate.

The most useful management tools:

Use the Job Costs command to track expenses against the original estimate.
Use the project management features that seem useful to you-- document log, project log, chargebacks.
Use the problem log to track "punch lists" of unfinished work.
Use the Address Book and Contact Log to track your marketing efforts.

Equipment Rentals

Farming and Nursery

Home Business

Manufacturing

Professionals

Property Rentals

Retail

Set up a Customer Account for each individual or business that has a credit account with you. Also set up an account for each cash customer that you know by name, even if you don't bill to them. If you don't know the names of all your customers, also create one or more accounts to handle anonymous sales.
HINT: If you don't already track your customers, you'll find that having a customer list helps you to better understand the sources of your sales and profit. It also lets you send out marketing mailings or other materials.

To make cash or billable sales, set up the following accounts:
Cash Accounts-- Set up a Cash Account for each location where you have a cash register, credit card terminal, or other cash repository. See page for more about Cash Accounts.
Checking Accounts-- Set up one or more Checking Accounts into which you will deposit sales income. See page for more about Checking Accounts.
NOTE: If you deposit into a savings account instead of a checking account, set up one or more Savings Accounts to use for deposits (see page ).
Inventory Accounts-- If you track inventory, set up an Inventory Account for each sales location. See page for more about Inventory Accounts.
Employee Accounts-- If you have employees who sell on commission, set up an Employee Account for each of them (see page ).
Other Cost Accounts-- Set up an Other Cost Account for each bank or agency that collects a service charge for credit card transactions. See page for more about Other Cost accounts.

Enter the following information in preparation for Sales transactions. You need to set up only those items that apply to your specific way of handling sales.
Commissions-- If you pay employees a commission based on sales, create a Commission for them (see page ).
Customer Payment Terms-- Set up the different payment terms that you use for your billed customers (see page ).
Discounts-- If you give discounts on some items to some customers, set up a system of Item and Customer Discounts (see page ).
Job Sales Tax-- enter information about any sales, excise or value added taxes you collect from customers (see page ).
Payment Methods-- Enter each type of Payment Method that is used by your customers (see page ).
Sales Branches-- If you sell from more than one location or department, create one or more Sales Branches. For each of them, you can identify the cost category system and cash account used for sales there (see page ).
Sales & Promotions-- If you run frequent sales or promotional events, you can create packages of sale pricing that can be run automatically (see page ).
Other Setup
There is some other setup that you can do to tailor Goldenseal to your way of doing business.
Custom forms-- You can customize any of your sales receipts, invoice forms or other documents; add your logo, change any titles, or otherwise create a different look. You can also create your own new forms. See page for more about Custom Forms.
Recurring Sales-- If you make repeat sales or provide repeat services at regular time intervals, set them up as Recurring Transactions. That way they'll appear automatically when they are due.
Templates-- If you sell the same items or provide the same services at irregular intervals, set them up as Templates (see page ). You can use Templates to quickly enter common Sales transactions.

Services

Storefront

Wholesale