How it runs for HVAC, plumbing, electrical and landscaping companies
The controller prepares lender covenant reports, models a new van or a second location, and manages the year-end handoff to your CPA. We give no audit opinions and no tax advice; the controller gives you a reviewed set of numbers and a clear recommendation, and you make the call.
What are outsourced controller services?
Outsourced controller services provide the review layer that sits between bookkeeping and the owner: a senior accountant who checks the close, owns the accounting policies, tests the controls around cash and spending, and explains the financial statements. The controller does not do daily posting. They make sure what was posted is right and documented before anyone relies on it.
What we handle for HVAC, plumbing, electrical and landscaping companies
- Monthly review of deferrals, stock adjustments and commission accruals before release
- Flat-rate pricing and parts-markup review against labor burden and truck costs
- Equipment and van purchase analysis with financing options compared
- Lender covenant and equipment-line reporting prepared in the bank's format
- Year-end package and open questions handed to your CPA with preparation support
The KPI that matters here
A written controller review with recommendations accompanies every monthly close.
Field services compliance notes
Sales tax on services by state
Taxability of labor, parts and maintenance agreements is set state by state, and some states also tax at the city or county level. We map your service items to the right tax codes in QuickBooks Online and reconcile the tax collected against the liability each period. Filing stays with you or your tax preparer; we supply the reconciled workings.
Job costing
Materials, technician hours, subcontractor bills and permit fees are coded to the job they belong to, so a large install can be reviewed against its estimate. Progress payments on installs are held as customer deposits until the work is complete, which keeps revenue in the month it was earned.
Technician commissions
Commission plans based on sold revenue, gross margin or spiffs are documented once and calculated the same way every pay period. We accrue the commission in the month of the sale and reverse it when payroll runs, so the P&L does not spike on payday.
Inventory on trucks
Van stock is an asset until it is used, and unrecorded stock is a common reason field-service margins look wrong. We record a monthly count per truck, post the adjustment, and flag trucks whose usage is far above the fleet average for the owner to look into.
Field services software we work in
- QuickBooks Online
- Gusto
- ServiceTitan
- Jobber
- Housecall Pro
- All 50 platforms
More for HVAC, plumbing, electrical and landscaping companies
Other services for field services
Controller services in other industries
Frequently asked questions
What does a controller do that a bookkeeper does not?
A bookkeeper records and reconciles; a controller reviews, questions and recommends. For a field-service company that means checking that deferrals and stock adjustments are right, testing whether pricing covers costs, preparing lender reports and modeling purchases. The controller works from the closed books, so the bookkeeping and month-end close services usually come first.
Can the controller help us decide whether to add a truck?
Yes, with a model built from your own numbers: revenue per truck per day, technician labor burden, fuel and lease costs, and the booked-call backlog from your field software. The controller shows the breakeven ticket count for the new van and compares lease and loan options. The decision and the purchase stay with you.
Do you deal with our bank and CPA directly?
With your permission, yes. The controller prepares covenant reports in the bank's format and answers the bank's questions about the numbers. At year-end the controller hands your CPA a reviewed trial balance, schedules and a list of judgment calls made during the year. Your CPA reviews and signs; we provide preparation support.
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