# What types of software are you using to manage your snow and ice removal business?



## cts (Apr 16, 2008)

I am interested in knowing what type of software you are using for your snow and ice removal systems management. List any frustrations you may have with your current system and what you would desire your software to perform for your entire business process.


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## PerfiCut Inc. (Jan 31, 2008)

We use Excell. We made up several spreadsheets to track customers with various triggers, requirements, and time demands. 

We also use Excell for truck assignments. by linking the properties to the trucks we can track who is doing what.

Time sheets are turned in at the end of the storm. subs can either email, fax, or fill out their time sheets online. All of which is entered into a database and filed.

I dont personaly, know of any single software designed for snow routes. I suppose some of these lawn care software packages can or may double as snow tracking software, but we dont excell for all of work.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

let me know, havnt found a good one yet.... even for lawncare

I was messing around with the quickbooks, timetracker, Has kinda a neat feture, that the emplyee could enter his time into it, and it could be set up to bill automaticly to the customer, the problem is, it bills based on TIME and not the servce preformed, so it doesnt do any good


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

I desinged and built a custom program. after 2 years researching and testing everything on the market i couldnt find anything that worked well. I now have about $30000 into it but it sure works well. all work is tracked and billed correctly and I am realizing a lot more profit due to lack of missed work orders. may be willing to sell it to help offset the cost of the programming


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## LawnProLandscapes (Nov 15, 2007)

snowman55;563841 said:


> I desinged and built a custom program. after 2 years researching and testing everything on the market i couldnt find anything that worked well. I now have about $30000 into it but it sure works well. all work is tracked and billed correctly and I am realizing a lot more profit due to lack of missed work orders. may be willing to sell it to help offset the cost of the programming


wow thats some serious coin into that software... you have any samples of it, and do you have a ballpark idea how much you'd be willing to sell it for if you go that route? does it work good for plowing and lawncare/landscape?


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## Enzo (Feb 27, 2008)

I just use quickbooks and it manages everything for me


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

please tell me how quickbooks manages anything? if i wrote the invoices out in a journal it would be about as effective as quick books is... true it can keep track of payables, expenses and recievables.... but it can be hard explaining to an emplyee how to track and bill all your clients.

Some pay a fixed monthly rate, some pay per push , some pay per inch

some the salt is included, some we charge per application, some per ton, or per bag -

some pple pay a fixed monthly rate for snow, but pay per ton on salt... it really can be a nightmare, unless you read each and every contract carefully every time you bill out


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## Enzo (Feb 27, 2008)

I handle all the billing and how people getting billed etc.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

yeah , thats what i currently do, I HATE papper work with a passion... ill get behind sending invoices just because i hate it so much...

but my main problem is if get deployed again, i need to make it easier on that person that takes over


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## LawnProLandscapes (Nov 15, 2007)

elite1msmith;564437 said:


> yeah , thats what i currently do, I HATE papper work with a passion... ill get behind sending invoices just because i hate it so much...
> 
> but my main problem is if get deployed again, i need to make it easier on that person that takes over


yea paperwork is a drag, who do you trust to run your company while deployed? maybe find a reliable family member/friend you can trust and kind of make the paperwork there job and train them on how you want/expect it done... then even when your not deployed you dont have to worry about it...


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

im kinda workign on that... I will tell you this...'

I had a friend show me, using micro, word 07 - did you know that you can creat drop down text boxes....

So what i am gonna do is creat a proposal that is very general.... thru out the proposal the will be drag down boxes... that you could easily select what you want it to say


for example .... : The contactor will plow the lot when snow depth reachs _________ and will countiutely plow every __________ until the duration of the storm is over. 

well thoughs drop down boes.. might say 1 inch , or 2 -- salt included, salt per ton... or the charge is per application.... 

so instead of re typing alot of different things in each contract, all you need to do is open a blank one, and click, select the correct drop down boxes


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## jlouki01 (Sep 21, 2006)

Qxpress hooked in with Quickbooks. Groundskeeper Pro last year but had no links to accounting software so I ditched it.


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## cts (Apr 16, 2008)

Rob, I'm Michael Flowers from the CrewTracker Software Team. CrewTracker is a comprehensive real-time software system for snow and ice removal management. I was developed by a CSP professional in the biz for over 12 years. We have plenty of approved user references that would be happy to let you know how CrewTracker is working for them. Check out our website: www.crewtrackersoftware.com. We are on Plowsite. Give me a call if you would like to explore specifics at 913-207-7485.


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