Keep the job and its money together.

A contractor needs to distinguish the price of a job, the money collected and the cost of doing the work. Vio connects project records with invoices, payments and expenses. Ask to see the calculation behind a displayed total, not just a dashboard number.

Four records to walk through

• The agreed project scope and price.
• Invoices issued for that work.
• Payments recorded against the job.
• Expenses attributed to the job.

These records answer different questions. A payment is not profit, and an unpaid invoice is not cash in the bank. Confirm which costs and adjustments your workflow includes before using any total to make a business decision.

What should a sample job demonstrate?

Use clearly fictional data in the demo. Add an invoice, a partial payment and an expense. Ask where each item appears and what changes in the project totals. Then ask how mistakes are corrected and whether the activity history preserves what happened.

Is this a replacement for my accountant?

Do not assume that a CRM replaces accounting software, payroll, tax records or bank reconciliation. Have your accountant check how your business's records should be handled. The demo should establish what Vio tracks and how it fits with the tools you still need.

Who should see the financial records?

Define that before setup. An office owner, a crew member, a subcontractor and a client do not need the same view. Ask Ray to demonstrate permissions with separate sample accounts. Some security checks are still being completed, so confirm the protections verified for your setup.

Where do I start?

Read how to track job costs during a project, then bring a redacted version of your current job-cost sheet to a demo. Compare Vio packages based on the records and access you need.