When you want your bookkeeping completely taken care of so you can focus on getting the jobs done. We become your accounts and finance department that takes care of chasing up customer payments, paying bills, managing your liabilities, and keeping on top of the numbers so that you know exactly where you stand
Bookkeeping for Tradies and Builders
Job costing, progress claims, retention tracking, subcontractor payments, and TPAR reporting. Integration between Xero and job management platforms like SimPro, AroFlo, or ServiceM8
We will
- reconcile your accounts and credit cards weekly
- enter your bills for payment
- schedule payments and manage your cashflow
- provide monthly management reports
- provide unlimited phone and email support
- prepare your Business Activity Statements (BAS)
- prepare year end workpapers
- reconcile balance sheet items to reduce your tax accounting work
- advise on best practice and improvements
- work with your accountant
We can also
- manage payroll, STP, and super
- reconcile job management to Xero
- manage progress claims and retentions
- prepare and lodge TPAR
- manage subcontractor payments and statements
- set up and maintain app integrations (SimPro, Dext, Pinch)
- cashflow forecasting and advisory
Recommended services
How we can help
Outsourced bookkeeping
Full accounts management - reconciliation, bills, BAS, and monthly reporting on a fixed fee
Learn moreManaged payroll
Pay runs, STP, super, and compliance for your team - from labourers to office staff
Learn moreWorkflow automation
Connect SimPro, Dext, and Pinch to Xero. Automate data flow between job management and accounts
Learn moreCashflow forecasting
Project-level and business-level forecasting so you can plan around progress claims and payment cycles
Learn moreSimPro integration
Deep expertise in SimPro-to-Xero integration for trades and construction businesses
Learn moreYour Bookkeeping for Trades and Construction team
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Bookkeeping for Trades and Construction
Yes. We work with most job management and workforce tools in the Australian trades and construction industry: SimPro, ServiceM8, AroFlo, BuilderTrend, Buildxact, Fergus, and Deputy. Our bookkeeping workflow typically involves logging into your job management system to reconcile timesheets, verify job costs, and make sure the financial data in Xero matches what's happening on site. We handle construction-specific accounting requirements like progress billing, retention tracking, and job profitability reporting
Yes. Portable long service leave applies in specific Australian industries - most notably building and construction - where employees accumulate leave entitlements that transfer between employers. We help construction businesses track and report their obligations to state-based schemes: MyLeave in Western Australia, CoINVEST in Victoria, QLeave in Queensland, and equivalent schemes in other states. We calculate the levy, prepare quarterly returns, and reconcile long service leave records against your Xero payroll
Trades businesses typically sit in the mid to upper range of bookkeeping fees because of the added complexity - job costing, progress billing, subcontractor management, and integration with job management software. At Digit, fixed-fee bookkeeping for trades businesses usually starts from around $600 per month for straightforward operations and scales based on transaction volume, the number of active jobs, payroll size, and how many systems we need to work across. We quote after reviewing your Xero file and understanding your workflows
Yes. Progress billing and retention tracking are standard requirements for construction businesses and we manage both in Xero. We set up your invoicing workflow to match contract milestones, track retention amounts as separate line items or accounts, reconcile progress claims against contracted values, and report on outstanding retention due for release. For businesses using SimPro or similar platforms, we reconcile the job management data against Xero to make sure nothing falls through the cracks
Beyond the standard profit and loss and balance sheet, trades businesses need job profitability reports showing revenue, direct costs, and margin per job. Work in progress (WIP) reports that track costs incurred against unbilled revenue. Cash flow forecasts that account for the timing gap between completing work and receiving payment. And if you employ staff under construction awards, payroll reports that confirm award compliance. We configure Xero tracking categories and reporting to give you visibility across all active jobs
Yes. We process subcontractor invoices through Xero, verify ABN registrations, check PAYG withholding obligations for subcontractors who do not quote an ABN, and prepare the Taxable Payments Annual Report (TPAR) that building and construction businesses must lodge with the ATO each year. If you are unsure whether a worker should be classified as a subcontractor or employee, we can review the arrangement against ATO guidelines and flag potential risks
