BookedWork Pro
An original Booked Work Pro operating guide. Examples and worksheets are illustrative, not customer results or universal benchmarks. Verify job conditions and applicable requirements before acting.
Start with a completed job, not a revenue promise
A large accepted estimate is not collected cash, and a full calendar is not proof of profit. Record approved scope, earned revenue under your accounting method, actual labor, material, equipment, subcontract and other direct costs consistently. Track invoiced and collected amounts separately. There is no universal painter-owner income figure that follows from these examples. Work mix, local cost, capacity, financing, accounting and the owner’s role all affect the result.
Give owner labor an explicit place
An owner who paints, estimates and manages still uses time even when no hourly wage leaves the bank that week. For internal estimating, account for the work the owner performs so a job does not look profitable only because that labor was omitted. Actual payroll, draws, distributions, tax treatment and legal compensation requirements depend on business structure and circumstances. Agree on treatment with your accountant. Do not treat every transfer to the owner as the same kind of expense.
Walk through an illustrative operating month
Suppose completed work produces $20,000 of revenue, with $11,000 of direct job costs measured consistently, leaving $9,000 of gross profit. Subtract $6,000 of operating overhead to show $3,000 before items outside this simplified model. The table below is not an income forecast, recommended margin or tax return. If owner field labor or office compensation is missing from those cost categories, the apparent result overstates the business’s performance. Keep one-time equipment purchases and financing treatment consistent with your accounting method.
Keep margin and markup straight
Gross margin divides gross profit by selling price. Markup divides the amount added by cost. A hypothetical $1,800 direct-cost job sold for $3,000 has $1,200 gross profit, or a 40% gross margin before overhead under that costing model. Adding 40% to $1,800 instead produces a $2,520 price and about 28.6% gross margin. Neither calculation says whether the price fits your market or covers the entire company. Use current supplier quotes and actual burdened labor.
Build a cash view alongside the profit view
List when customers pay, payroll is due, materials are purchased and taxes, insurance, debt or rent must be paid. Deposits can improve cash timing without becoming spare money available for unrelated spending; treatment depends on the agreement and accounting. A profitable job can still create a cash shortage if collection arrives after several payroll cycles. Review overdue invoices and approved changes promptly. Do not fund a growth plan by assuming every unsigned estimate will convert.
Review a few numbers you can act on
Each month compare estimated and actual painter-hours, direct cost, gross profit, overhead, collections, callbacks and owner time. Split cabinets, exteriors and interior repaints when their cost patterns differ. Investigate the cause of overruns before raising every price or blaming the crew. Use the pricing calculator for a job model, then reconcile it with real records. Ask your accountant to connect the operating worksheet with financial statements; this guide does not prescribe tax or compensation treatment.
Put the decision on one worksheet
| Illustrative month | Amount | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Completed-work revenue | $20,000 | Not necessarily collected cash |
| Direct job cost | $11,000 | Use consistent labor and material categories |
| Gross profit | $9,000 | 45% before overhead in this example |
| Operating overhead | $6,000 | Check owner compensation treatment |
| Simplified remainder | $3,000 | Before omitted taxes, financing and other items |
Field checklist
- Separate quoted, earned, invoiced and collected amounts.
- Include owner work in internal job-cost thinking.
- Reconcile actual direct costs.
- Use margin and markup correctly.
- Plan payment timing and reserves.
- Review accounting and compensation treatment with qualified support.
Use the next practical resource
Sources and editorial limits
The official references support specific business, safety or regulatory context. The job workflows, examples and worksheets are original editorial guidance. Requirements vary; these pages do not replace a qualified project assessment or legal, tax or employment advice.