A construction bookkeeper needs a short, consistent field packet from project managers each week. The packet should identify new or changed jobs, connect vendor documents to the work, explain approved field facts and keep unresolved questions visible. It should not ask the bookkeeper to guess from a supplier name or bank description.
The project manager supplies job context. The bookkeeper prepares supported records and reconciliations. The authorized approver retains decisions such as accepting a disputed invoice or releasing payment.
Send six parts, even when one says “no change”
Use the same sections every week so the office can tell the difference between silence and a confirmed absence of activity.
- Active-job changes: new job IDs, closed or paused work, phase changes and the effective date.
- Vendor documents: invoices, credits, delivery tickets and purchase references carrying the job and, where used, the cost code.
- Customer billing support: approved progress detail, completed milestones and the internal person responsible for billing decisions.
- Labor and equipment references: approved time or usage records with the job reference required by the agreed bookkeeping scope.
- Field exceptions: damaged deliveries, disputed quantities, shared materials, pending changes and other facts that make a document incomplete.
- Open-question responses: evidence or decisions requested in the prior packet, plus an owner and next date for anything still unresolved.
A section can say “no new job changes this week.” That is more useful than an empty folder whose meaning nobody knows.
Keep job and cost-code references stable
Intuit’s Projects documentation describes assigning income and costs to projects so related activity can be viewed together. The available workflow depends on the QuickBooks plan and company setup.
Procore describes cost codes as a standardized way to organize and communicate construction cost detail. Whatever system the contractor uses, the field and bookkeeping teams need the same approved references. A project manager should not invent a new abbreviation because the full job name is inconvenient, and the bookkeeper should not infer a phase from the vendor.
Include the current job list and cost-code reference by link or version. Record changes with an effective date instead of silently replacing the prior list.
Worked example: the weekly packet for Job 417
Illustrative example. The project manager uploads a packet for Job 417 containing these items:
| Field item | Project-manager evidence | Bookkeeping next step |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete invoice for $6,480 | Invoice, delivery ticket, Job 417 and approved cost-code reference | Prepare the supported bill record for the agreed review path |
| Supplier credit expected | Return acknowledgment, original invoice and amount still under review | Add an open credit follow-up; do not assume cash was refunded |
| Crew time correction | Revised approved time record carrying Job 417 | Replace the superseded input under the payroll/bookkeeping handoff |
| Unpriced field change | Change reference and current status | Keep it visible as an exception; do not invent a bill or value |
| Prior missing receipt | Receipt plus delivery note identifying another job | Route the evidence to the correct job and document the resolved question |
The packet gives the bookkeeper enough context to prepare the supported work and isolate exceptions. It does not authorize payment of the concrete invoice or establish the accounting treatment of the pending change.
The $6,480 amount is illustrative. It is not a customer result or a recommendation for a specific contractor.
Separate evidence, preparation and approval
Label each item with its current state:
- Evidence received: the source document and field reference are present.
- Prepared: the bookkeeping work is ready for the agreed review.
- Decision required: a named person must resolve a dispute, allocation or approval.
- Waiting on activity: the credit, payment or revised document has not arrived.
Do not mark “prepared” as “approved.” If a project manager confirms where materials were delivered, that supports the job reference. It does not automatically grant authority to approve the supplier’s price or release payment.
Use one cutoff and one open list
State the packet cutoff date and time. A document received afterward belongs to the next packet or a clearly labeled supplemental update. This keeps the bookkeeper from comparing one folder through Friday with a field report through Wednesday.
Carry unresolved items forward with the original reference, current owner and next action. Avoid starting a new message thread that loses the earlier evidence. The next packet should show whether the item was resolved, remains open or was replaced by a corrected document.
Use the weekly desk handoff worksheet to hold the queue and the invoice approval map to define who makes decisions after preparation. A consistent field packet lets a dedicated construction bookkeeper work from project evidence rather than reconstructing the job from the bank account.
Sources and further reading
Source links provide background. The workflow and illustrative examples above are original educational material.