TruckingOffice or QuickBooks?

We’ve created a little test we call TruckingOffice or QuickBooks.  Let’s see which program is going to work best for you.

Is accounting the only thing an owner-operator needs a computer program to do?

Obviously not.  In this 21st century, there’s software to manage many aspects of a trucking business.

Routing

Whether you’re using PC*Miler with TruckingOffice PRO, Google Maps, or Rand-McNally, you know paper maps are a thing of the past. Can TruckingOffice PRO handle routing?  Will there be a traffic jam in Washington DC at 5 p.m.? Of course there will.  Can QuickBooks deal with that?  Nope. 

Load Planning 

TruckingOffice PRO or QuickBooks?  TruckingOffice wins. The key to successful LTL trucking is all in the load planning. Is anyone still using a paper system to work out their loads? Possibly, but by the time they’ve got it figured out, it’s likely the loads they wanted were already scooped up by another trucker. Can QuickBooks handle load planning? Didn’t think so.

Maintenance 

TruckingOffice PRO or QuickBooks?  TruckingOffice wins. Equipment maintenance isn’t just something you get around to doing when you hear a funny noise in the engine. If you’re not proactive by scheduling your maintenance work, you risk * a breakdown on the road * maintenance done by someone you don’t know – and maybe don’t trust * settling for less than ideal parts or workmanship. Maintaining records of your maintenance protects you if you’re audited. You could trust QuickBooks to track your maintenance payments – if you remember to tag each expense as “maintenance” but Quickbooks won’t warn you about upcoming work to be done.

Driver Records

TruckingOffice PRO or QuickBooks?  TruckingOffice wins. There’s no question that QuickBooks can make sure your drivers get paid on time. But can it track licenses? Medical records? Hours of service? Routes?

QuickBooks was never designed to manage a truck drivers. Intuit now offers a time tracking software – at an extra charge.  TruckingOffice or QuickBooks?  TruckingOffice wins.

We know your accountant wants to use QuickBooks for trucking businesses, because it’s the program that they know and love.  QuickBooks fits their business. But does it fit ours?

Using an accountant for your billing, taxes, and other financial tasks is smart. We know that.  In fact, we’ve got a way for you to export data to QuickBooks for your accountantBut you didn’t become a trucker to push paper.  But it’s a necessary part of the work if you want to be paid.  There’s no question that QuickBooks is the standard for small business accounting.  That it’s the best out there.  But is it the best for us?

We say no.   It’s not the best for us truckers.  It may be best for an important part of our business, but it’s not the only component of computer software we need.  That’s why trucking management solutions exist – because we need software specific to our business. 

Trucking Software Made for Trucking Companies

If there’s one thing we know about running a trucking company, it’s that the program that works for other businesses isn’t necessarily going to work for your trucking company. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It’s just not going to work the way you want it to, no matter how many times you try.

That’s the main reason we put our heads together and developed our Trucking Office software for owner-operators. We are truckers ourselves, and we know what kind of features owner-operators need to run their trucking company with convenience and ease. From routing to maintenance records to IFTA reporting and invoicing, our easy-to-use trucking software gives you everything you need, when you need it. And it’s all right at your fingertips. 

QuickBooks has some great features, there is no doubt about that. And it’s a great accounting tool for certain types of businesses. But owner-operators have a unique set of needs that QuickBooks simply can’t fulfill. Maybe you’ve already tried using QuickBooks and found out the hard way that it doesn’t give you everything you need. Maybe you’ve tried to piece together several different types of software to create a usable system that works for you. What we are offering in our Trucking Office software is all of those features and more in one trucking-specific software solution.

QuickBooks is not specific enough.

If you’ve worked with an accountant, chances are you’ve gotten a Profit and Loss Statement.  If you’ve ever gone for a business loan to buy equipment, the banker probably asked for it.

All businesses have a set of reports that show critical information about the state of the business.  Most industries have specific reports that indicate growth, loss, profits, etc.  Trucking is the same.

Here’s the problem with QuickBooks for trucking.  It’s simply not specific enough.  There’s no way for QuickBooks to report

  • costs per mile
  • expenses per mile
  • revenue per mile

because QuickBooks doesn’t track miles.  There is an app that’s called a Mileage Tracking App for QuickBooks, but it tracks trips.  it doesn’t track deadhead miles, it doesn’t track bobtail miles, it doesn’t track miles per state.

And let’s talk state miles for a minute

Using QuickBooks for trucking ignores the biggest headaches we truckers face:  the IFTA.

We’ve heard about some truckers who have tried to track their miles per state on QuickBooks.  They now use TruckingOffice TMS because it’s complicated on QuickBooks – complicated to enter and complicated to get correct results.  This tax is one place you must be confident you’ve got the right numbers! 

That IFTA sticker on your cab means you’re paying taxes every quarter.  Underpay and the government will fine you.  Overpay and kiss that money goodbye.  QuickBooks?  It’s not going to compute those IFTA numbers for you.

IFTA is too important to use a software that isn’t programmed to compute it.

TruckingOffice PRO or QuickBooks?  TruckingOffice.

That’s an easy choice.

TruckingOffice trucking management solution was designed with a trucker on the team.  From the very beginning, the IFTA was as much a focus as the billing module.  We’ve refined the IFTA report to help you be confident that the numbers are right.  We update our databases of the jurisdictions tax rates as early as we can to let you know what you’re going to pay.  You can even use our report to figure out where you need to buy fuel to reduce those IFTA payments.

Is QuickBooks going to help you figure out your IFTA payments?  No.  Can it suck a lot of time?   Yes.  If figuring out your IFTA taxes takes more than 20 minutes, you’re spending too much time on it.  With TruckingOffice PRO, we have a specific report that will immediately tell you exactly what you owe.  You can make those payments and get on with the business of trucking.  Or your family.  Or your dog.  Or whatever you want.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This