The long-term future of your construction company depends on more than just the quality of your work on site. Of course, technical aspects and customer satisfaction are essential. However, it's also essential to effectively manage all the formalities associated with your building and civil engineering business. There are many formalities to be completed, and numerous regulatory obligations to be met on a daily basis. Find out how online business accounts can greatly simplify your administrative management.
Recurring administrative tasks in your day-to-day work as a building craftsman
Quotes
Drawing up a formal estimate is a compulsory prerequisite for all major construction, maintenance, repair and/or servicing work involving carpentry, roofing, masonry, plumbing, insulation, painting...
The presentation of a quotation involves many issues for small business managers. It's a question of identifying your prospect's expectations through a detailed description, but also of making a precise estimate to ensure the profitability of your business, while positioning yourself in the market in the face of the competition.
On the other hand, a signed quotation acquires legal value. The document contracts the commitment between the two parties. For this reason, it is essential to draw up estimates in compliance with current regulations. Building and civil engineering estimates include the obligatory information common to other professional activities, as well as information specific to construction companies.
The schedules
Once the quotation has been signed by your customer, you need to get down to the business of preparing the site. This includes drawing up a schedule to define the deadlines to be met. You'll also need to plan the supply of raw materials and building materials, as well as manpower requirements.
Forecasting and monitoring keep costs under control, even if unforeseen events are always possible. Depending on the size of your construction company, human resources management is an additional administrative task: payroll preparation, social security declarations, payment of payroll taxes...
Invoices
Acceptance of the worksite marks the end of the work. Payment can then be demanded in accordance with the conditions set out in the estimate signed by your customer. To do this, however, you must issue an invoice that complies with current regulations. This document must include the legal terms of the estimate, the date, the invoice number, the amount before and after tax, and any deductions for sums already paid.
In the building industry, there are different types of invoice from start to finish, especially for long-term projects: progress invoices, progress invoices and final invoices.
Don't forget to mention the due date, payment terms and late payment penalties. This information is essential for initiating dunning procedures to avoid non-payment.
Accounting
Building and civil engineering companies are required to comply with accounting obligations that depend on their legal status and tax regime. Your micro-enterprise activities benefit from simplified accounting, limited to invoicing, keeping a receipts book and a purchase register where applicable, and opening a dedicated bank account for sales over €10,000.
If you're a building professional registered as a company, you'll need to apply cash or commercial accounting. In addition to issuing quotations and invoices, you'll need to keep a chronological record of all your accounting transactions, carry out an inventory every year, draw up annual accounts, archive accounting documents... And don't forget to declare value-added tax when your company exceeds the threshold for exemption from basic VAT.
Simplify your administrative management in the construction industry with an online pro account
A quick and easy way to open a business account dedicated to your activity
A business account is essential to avoid confusion of assets. It separates your personal finances from the operations of your construction company. Establishments that manage online accounts offer simplified procedures and reduced prices.
It only takes a few minutes to register for your online pro account. All the formalities are carried out remotely, including transmission of supporting documents, validation and access to the services you've subscribed to. The absence of a physical branch saves you time and money, since bank charges are as low as waiting times.
An integrated billing tool
There's no need to waste time comparing different software solutions or manually entering all the regulatory information into a spreadsheet. The online pro account integrates a simple, intuitive invoicing tool that lets you create your construction estimate lines in just a few clicks, thanks to work library records.
Transformation of quotations into invoices that comply with regulations is just as quick and easy, with the option of integrating an online payment link or scheduling automatic reminders.
Centralize your administrative and financial data
When it comes to dematerializing the administrative management of your construction company, you need to avoid multiplying digital tools in isolation from each other. Connectivity between digital solutions is a simplification criterion to which you must attach great importance in order to save time.
The online professional account offers you a financial management interface that brings together the various recurring tasks related to your construction business in one place:
- cash flow monitoring with real-time notifications,
- recording of customer and supplier data,
- compliant billing,
- association of accounting vouchers,
- archiving with probative value,
- automatic calculation of VAT and social charges...