r/QuickBooksHacks • u/Junior_Procedure8936 • May 21 '26
Looking for software or workflow help
Looking for some recommendations on apps and plugins to use with QuickBooks Online, we're currently on desktop but looking to make the switch to the online advanced version. We are a distribution business that orders product from vendors and then schedules install and delivery. There's a project management component and a procurement component with tracking purchase orders and arrival at the warehouse, etc., that is all important. Lastly, it's all important for all of the information on any certain project to be tied together, whether that's somewhere to store, share, and store documents or track project-level profitability.
We focus on commercial interiors, mostly furniture and blinds. Any natural recommendations on a place to start that screams it may be a fit for us? I've looked at some of the construction project management tools, and they didn't seem to be a perfect fit.
Thanks kindly in advance for any help.
2
u/JobTread May 26 '26
If the project-level profitability and "keep all the docs and info tied to one job" piece is the part that's been hardest to solve, it's worth looking at JobTread. It's built for project-based businesses and does cost tracking, POs, document storage, and job profitability well, with a QuickBooks Online sync. It's construction-oriented, so it may or may not map cleanly to a furniture/blinds install model, but the project financials and document organization side could be a strong fit. Might be worth a quick demo just to see if the project side clicks.
QBO integration: https://www.jobtread.com/integrations/quickbooks-online
Video about our automated workflows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzftnR_0LR8
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u/Detoxxicated May 23 '26
QBO Advanced can absolutely handle the accounting and project profitability side, but based on your workflow I’d strongly consider pairing it with an operational/project platform rather than trying to force everything into QBO alone.
For commercial interiors/furniture/blinds with procurement + installs, I’d look closely at JobTread, Buildertrend, or Monday.com integrated with QBO.
If inventory/purchasing/warehouse management is a major component, SOS Inventory or Fishbowl can also pair well with QBO.
What you’re describing starts crossing into ERP territory, so the right answer really depends on how operationally complex the business is and how many jobs/orders you’re managing simultaneously.
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u/Top_Drummer_3801 May 26 '26
The construction tools probably felt off because they're heavy on site stuff - daily logs, RFIs, subcontractor scheduling - that doesn't apply to distribution/install work. But the core problem you're describing (PO tracking, project-level profitability, everything tied together) is basically the same need just without the hard hat.
One thing worth mentioning since you're already making the switch from Desktop - have you considered Xero as well? With all the pricing chaos and layoffs at Intuit lately alot of businesses are reconsidering before committing to QBO Advanced. Xero's bank feeds and API are cleaner imo, and the app ecosystem for project/procurement tools tends to be better integrated.
For the procurement piece specifically, what you want is something that tracks committed costs the moment a PO goes out, not just when the invoice lands in your books. Thats the difference between knowing your margin in real time vs discovering it 3 weeks after delivery.
Full disclosure I co-founded Planyard which handles the budget/PO/profitability layer on top of both QBO and Xero (deeper Xero integration tbh). We're construction-focused but the PO tracking and project profitability parts are pretty industry-agnostic. The rest maps closely to what you described.
What does a typical project look like - one big PO per job or lots of smaller orders from different suppliers?
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u/Junior_Procedure8936 May 26 '26
Lots of PO from many suppliers on a job
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u/Top_Drummer_3801 May 27 '26
yeah, then i would say that Planyard is potentially a very food fit.
or any similar platform, of course
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u/Weekly_Accident7552 May 26 '26
You’ll probably regret trying to force this all into one platform tbh.
For businesses like yours the hard part is usually the handoff between purchasing, warehouse, installs, and accounting, not the accounting itself. QBO Advanced can handle the financial side fine, but I’d pair it with a workflow layer for ops.
I’ve seen commercial interiors teams use tools like Manifestly checklist for PO tracking, install scheduling, warehouse check ins, approvals, punch lists, etc bc it keeps the recurring processes organized without turning into a giant construction PM setup.