Job costs and profit
Which reports should a small trade owner review weekly?
Review a small trade business through a few exception lists: open sales decisions, unfinished work, unbilled completions, outstanding invoices and jobs...
The short answer
Review a small trade business through a few exception lists: open sales decisions, unfinished work, unbilled completions, outstanding invoices and jobs...
Review a small trade business through a few exception lists: open sales decisions, unfinished work, unbilled completions, outstanding invoices and jobs with incomplete or weak cost results. A report should lead to a named next action, not merely a larger number on a dashboard.
Explore the wider job costing and profit guides for the steps around this decision.
Suggested weekly review sheet
| Question | Record | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| What enquiry needs us? | Lead/quote and next date | Follow up or resolve scope |
| What work is blocked? | Job/project exception | Assign the missing decision |
| What was finished but not billed? | Completion/invoice comparison | Resolve blocker and invoice correctly |
| What money is outstanding? | Reconciled invoice balances | Check recent payments and contact |
| What result is unreliable? | Missing hours/materials or unallocated cost | Complete inputs and review |
The table is an editorial reporting routine. It does not assert that the current app has a built-in report with each exact name.
Check freshness and completeness
An illustrative project may look healthy because materials have not been recorded. An overdue list may be wrong because yesterday’s payment remains unallocated. Before acting, check when the inputs were updated and which records are missing.
Keep quoted value, invoiced revenue and cash received distinct. Compare the same period and cost definitions when reviewing trends.
JobDiary includes operating reports and the underlying business records. Ask which questions the actual screens answer and supplement them with a simple reviewed list where needed. The useful weekly outcome is resolved exceptions and better decisions, not a claim that a particular report guarantees profit.
Connect this to the next step
Continue with How to spot jobs that were completed but never invoiced. 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.
