What software do plumbers and electricians use?
The short answer
Most small plumbing and electrical shops run on two programs: a field service app and their accounting software. The field service app books the work, puts it on the schedule, sends the estimate, sends the invoice and takes the payment, and the office and the people in the trucks see the same job on their phones. The accounting software, usually QuickBooks, keeps the books. Shops without a field service app tend to run on a paper calendar, a group text, a spreadsheet of customers and invoices typed into QuickBooks at night. TradesBackbone is a field service app for trade shops of about 3 to 25 people.
What the software has to do
Whatever you choose, it should handle a job from the first call to the payment. Here is each step, and how TradesBackbone does it.
- 1
Catch the call
Texts from customers land in one inbox the whole office shares. When a call to your business number goes unanswered, the caller gets a text back automatically. Your website can show open arrival windows so a customer can book without calling.
- 2
Put the job on the schedule
Every job has a date, a time window and the person doing it. The office sees the whole day on one board and moves a job by tapping a name or dragging it. On Pro, the app suggests a driving order with the drive time between stops.
- 3
Send the estimate
Build it on a phone from your own price list, send it as a text link, and the customer taps Approve. You can ask for a deposit when they approve. An approved estimate turns into the job and then the invoice, so nothing is typed twice.
- 4
Do the work and keep the record
Checklists, before and after photos, notes and the permit number stay on the job. When the walls open up, send a change order and the customer approves the extra work before you start it.
- 5
Get paid
Send the invoice by text the moment the job is done. Invoices carry a card or bank payment link through Stripe, and you can record cash and checks. Finish a day of jobs and invoice them all together, one invoice per job.
- 6
Keep the booksPro
Customers, items, invoices and payments sync to QuickBooks Online. If you would rather not run QuickBooks, simple built-in books cover a small shop.
- 7
Track hours
Everyone clocks in and out on their phone. On Pro, you get hours and overtime ready to hand to whoever runs your payroll.
- 8
Bring the customer back
Review requests go out after the job. On Pro, membership plans track visits per year and the member discount, and maintenance visits come up on the schedule on their own.
Who TradesBackbone is for
- Plumbing, electrical and other trade shops of about 3 to 25 people.
- An owner or office manager who books and invoices, and techs who work from their phones.
- Shops that want the estimate, the job and the invoice to be the same record, not three.
- Shops with more than one location, on the Operations plan.
What it is not for
- Shops much bigger than 25 people, with a call center and a full-time software admin.
- Running payroll. TradesBackbone tracks hours; your payroll service pays people.
- Inventory accounting. You can count the parts you choose to track and see what is running low, but stock is never valued on the books.
- Replacing a full accounting department. The built-in books are light on purpose.
Set up for your trade
Pick your trade at sign-up and the price list, checklists and record fields come ready for it.
HVAC, roofing, solar, cleaning and more: see every trade.
Questions shop owners ask
What software do plumbers and electricians use?
Most small plumbing and electrical shops run on two programs: a field service app and their accounting software. The field service app books the work, puts it on the schedule, sends the estimate, sends the invoice and takes the payment, and the office and the people in the trucks see the same job on their phones. The accounting software, usually QuickBooks, keeps the books. Shops without a field service app tend to run on a paper calendar, a group text, a spreadsheet of customers and invoices typed into QuickBooks at night. TradesBackbone is a field service app for trade shops of about 3 to 25 people.
What is field service software?
One app for the work that happens outside the office: taking the call, scheduling the job, sending the estimate, doing the work with a checklist and photos, sending the invoice and getting paid. The office uses it on a computer and the techs use it on their phones.
Do small plumbing and electrical shops still need QuickBooks?
Most keep it, because their accountant works in it. TradesBackbone sends customers, items, invoices and payments to QuickBooks Online on the Pro plan, so nobody types an invoice twice. A shop without an accountant can use the simple built-in books instead.
How big a shop is TradesBackbone for?
About 3 to 25 people. Starter includes 3 users, Pro includes 10 and Elite includes 25, and each extra user is $40/mo. A one-person shop can run it from a phone; the schedule board and roles are there when the second truck shows up.
Does it work for both plumbing and electrical work?
Yes. At sign-up you pick your trade and the app sets itself up for it: the plumbing setup adds price list categories like Drain and Water Heater, a permit number on every job and a shutoff location on every customer; the electrical setup adds Panel and Wiring categories, an inspection checklist and your license number. You can change the trade later in Settings.
Does it work without a signal?
On Elite, jobs, notes, photos and the time clock save on the phone and sync when you are back in range. Estimates and invoices need a connection to send.
Can I move my customers over from the app or spreadsheet I use now?
Yes. Export a CSV or Excel file from what you use now and upload it on the import screen. The columns are matched for you and you see every row before anything is saved. Importing the same file twice updates instead of making duplicates.
We have more than one location. Does that work?
Yes, on the Operations plan. Add each location, and the schedule board and crews can show one location or all of them, with profit and loss by location. A shop with one location never sees any of it.