Smart Contractor

Suites my needs

Pros

The invoicing is incredibly convenient and feels very natural to use, especially if it's your first time.

Cons

I really think you need prior knowledge to navigate this software. I had to get help from a friend to use it.

Smart Contractor? Could be Smarter!

Pros

The post-sale support is unmatched. This company truly cares about helping me and my team. They are patient with us.

Cons

The software is not easy to use at all. They market it as simple, but it's actually quite difficult. They sometimes act like we should know programming. When we're stuck, they log in and fix it for us instead of teaching us. They charge for lessons, which is ridiculous. If it's so easy, why do we have to pay to learn? The scheduling part is poorly designed and hard to use.

Horrible Execution, Great Idea

Pros

It's a solid database that creates professional-looking estimates and invoices.

Cons

The help section is awful. They provide minimal videos that only cover the basics. There are no videos explaining advanced functions. The help section of the software is terrible, and you have to search multiple items to piece together how to do anything. You usually have to call support, which is helpful, but if they weren't, I'd demand a refund because the program wouldn't work otherwise. Sometimes, the issue is a programming glitch or problems with Smart Contractor communicating with QuickBooks. We haven't used several functions because there are no instructions unless you spend more money on lessons, which should be included.

Smart Contractor in a nut shell.

Pros

We like and appreciate how easy it is to navigate. The customer service is always available when needed.

Cons

We're still learning to make it fit our needs, so we get multiple error codes.

A major feature is its flexiblity. We put that to the test since we're not their typical customer.

Pros

As a moderately sized cabinet shop (20+ employees), we've searched extensively for bidding and job costing software. With SC, we found a partnership with responsive people; we can actually TALK to them! SC's structure allows us to build on our previous bidding method instead of fitting into someone else's system. This flexibility was crucial for us. The outline form for writing estimates is particularly brilliant. It's the core of the program and suits us well because each of our jobs has unique elements. You need some tolerance for less-than-perfect execution; they work on bugs, sometimes fixing them the next day, but other times they struggle with inconsistent issues. It's not as smooth as QuickBooks, after all, it is a small company, but it's doing things for us that QB never could. I feel lucky we found them.

Cons

No cons. I'd recommend this to anyone, great software, great price, great service!

Love this

Pros

Smart Contractor is easy to use once you understand it, fast estimating once info is in the system, and adaptable to your business needs. Very flexible! Great price for what you get. One of the best features is CUSTOMER SUPPORT! I was really impressed with the time and patience they had with me once they called me back, which was fast. Dan Fellman was great! I feel this program will help me stay organized, professional, get more jobs, make more money, and reduce mistakes. It also helps me see how much money we're making on every job.

Cons

Not many cons worth mentioning.

REVIEW

Pros

I'd like to thank the techs at Smart Contractor for the support and training we've received. We're extremely satisfied with all the great features and functions this software offers. The system is super easy to use! The most important thing is that it's compatible with QuickBooks! Thanks again to the Support Team for getting us up and running and for being there whenever we need them.

Cons

I'd recommend this software to any contractor. My company is very small, so the initial investment was tough, but it has paid for itself many times over with the speed and accuracy in preparing bids.

Business Development

Pros

Smart Contractor has elevated our business. The team at Smart Contractor has been supportive and responsive to all our needs, making it an excellent investment.

Cons

It would be better if tech support were more available.

Hope CDA Smart Contrator 9-1

Pros

Tech support is great. The system is easy to use and works well for developing order schedules for materials.

Cons

It needs a way to compare schedules for all jobs (Master Schedule). Receiving and completing purchases is somewhat cumbersome. Critical path scheduling is difficult to understand and use. Why have both a job phase name and a job phase number when the number doesn't show up on the Schedule Model?

Great program and even better support

Pros

After trying other software, I knew there had to be something better. I finally found it. Smart Contractor has all the features I need for my general contracting business. I almost enjoy estimating now. The program makes it easy to estimate and is extremely adaptable to any job type. Once you enter an estimate, the program can automatically create purchase orders, proposals, contracts, integrate with QuickBooks, and more. The more I use it, the more features I find. The customer support is far better than I've experienced with any software company. I first downloaded the software on a Saturday. Within an hour, Bill was on the phone and spent more than an hour helping me get started. When I've had technical problems, Dan responded immediately. They've been very impressive.

Cons

None, except it doesn't do the job for you.