Job costs and profit
Job profitability spreadsheet vs connected job records
A job-profit spreadsheet can be useful when its inputs are complete and one person can maintain them reliably.
The short answer
A job-profit spreadsheet can be useful when its inputs are complete and one person can maintain them reliably.
A job-profit spreadsheet can be useful when its inputs are complete and one person can maintain them reliably. Connected records become more useful when several people supply hours, materials, scope and invoice information. Compare traceability and maintenance effort, not just the final formula.
Explore the wider job costing and profit guides for the steps around this decision.
A starter spreadsheet structure
| Column | Definition |
|---|---|
| Job reference | Stable link to scope and invoice |
| Revenue basis | Agreed source and tax treatment |
| Labour | Person-hours multiplied by defined rate |
| Materials | Used quantities on consistent cost basis |
| Other assigned costs | Travel/equipment without duplicate allocations |
| Missing inputs | Visible exceptions, not silent zeros |
| Result definition | What the number includes and excludes |
Retain formulas and protect them from accidental overwriting. Check a sample by hand after changes to the sheet.
Where the shared record helps
In an illustrative business, the crew records hours, the office receives supplier receipts and the owner agrees extras. If those inputs reach three separate sheets, the final result depends on manual reconciliation. A connected job record is worth testing when it preserves those references and identifies missing information.
The app still depends on correct inputs. A centrally stored wrong hour entry does not become accurate because it is connected.
Choose from a matched example
Cost the same completed job in the spreadsheet and the app. Explain any difference by category and included costs. Inspect exportability and corrections.
JobDiary includes job profit and associated operational records. It is not a substitute for statutory accounts, nor a guarantee that all overhead is included. Keep useful specialist spreadsheets where they add a clear purpose rather than cancelling them simply to claim the whole business uses one screen.
Connect this to the next step
Continue with How to calculate profit on a trades job. If the next issue is elsewhere in the workflow, use How to build a price book for a small trades business.
See JobDiary job costing to check how the product supports this work. Use the current product description and a trial to verify the fit for your business.
Sources and scope
Source scope reviewed on 1 October 2026. Worked examples are illustrative; they are not market averages or customer results.
When it is in JobDiary.
The method above is the point. This is what it looks like when the diary is doing it for you.
See how it works| Time | Job | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 08:30 | 7 The GreenMow, edge, hedge | Done |
| 09:15 | 23 Seabury DriveMow, weed | Done |
| 10:00 | 9 Brookfield LawnMow, feed | In progress |
| 11:05 | 12 Castle ParkMow, hedge rear | Next |
| 12:00 | 31 Church RoadMow | Scheduled |
| 13:15 | 18 The RiseMow, edge, bins out | Scheduled |
Product screens use demonstration data.
What this guide is based on
JobDiary was developed around a real Co. Louth trades operation with2 vans and live business records since 2025. This guide provides an editorial framework; worked examples are illustrative. Product screenshots use demonstration data.
