Key Factors to Consider Before Integrating PM & Accounting Software

Set your construction business up for success with a thoughtful integration plan. 

As more construction companies adopt digital tools to streamline operations, integrating project management software with accounting systems has become a high-value strategy. But like any big project, successful outcomes start with successful plans.

Before syncing your construction project data with your accounting software, take the time to assess your readiness and understand what’s required for a successful integration. Here are the key factors to consider:

1. 1. 1. Workflow Alignment
      2. Platform Compatibility
      3. Data Readiness
      4. Access Controls
      5. Team Buy-In
      6. Timing & Bandwidth

Are Project & Accounting Teams Aligned?

Integration works best when your project management and accounting workflows complement each other. Before connecting your system, ask:

• Are cost items used consistently across estimates, change orders, invoices, purchase orders, and accounting records? 
• Do project management and accounting teams communicate regularly and effectively?
• Are financial workflows clearly established and agreed upon by both departments? 

If not, integration can actually create more friction than it solves. We encourage companies considering integration to use this as an opportunity to bring alignment across departments - before flipping the switch. 

How Deep is the Connection?

Not all integrations are created equal. Some project management tools only support data export and/or import at the most basic level. Others may not work well with your current accounting platform. 

ConstructionOnline offers award-winning, bi-directional integrations with both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, allowing you to:

• Push construction estimates, change orders, purchase orders, and invoices directly to QuickBooks
• Pull actuals, committed costs, and invoiced valued directly from QuickBooks
• Sync customers, vendors, and costs
• Track financial performance by project
• Reconcile actual costs with budgeted line items
• Make better business decisions with auto-calculated company-wide financial health metrics

If you're not using QuickBooks, you need to evaluate if your accounting solution(s) are ready or even able to integrate with any reputable project management software—or whether manual exports might serve you better for now. 

Is Your Data Ready for Integration?

Chaotic data causes chaotic integration. If information isn't aligned, it's impossible to sync the right pieces together. To ensure integration goes smoothly, your team should:

• Standardize naming conventions for job, customers, and cost items
• Clean up duplicate jobs, clients, vendors, accounts, and items
• Review the structure of your chart of accounts in QuickBooks to make sure it is accurate and up-to-date
• Ensure ConstructionOnline estimates are up-to-date and aligned with QuickBooks data as necessary

Taking the time to clean your data in advance reduces errors, mismatches, and frustration later. ConstructionOnline's team of in-house integration experts will recommend best practices to support ideal data organization, including standardized company costbooks and custom estimate templates. 

Who's Who: User Roles, Permissions, & Data Controls

Integration expands access across the team—but more visibility increases the need for more control. When considering what safeguards are needed to effectively protect sensitive data, you'll need to determine:

• Who approves invoices, payments, and purchase orders?
• Who should have permission to sync data?
• What reasonable restrictions are needed to ensure data integrity?

With ConstructionOnline's accounting integration, you control who has permissions to approve financial documents and who is authorized to sync data. Plus, ConstructionOnline automatically documents integration activity, so a detailed record is always available for review—empowering transparency without sacrificing security. 

Is Your Team On Board? (We'll handle the onboarding.)

Changes in operational procedures are destined to fail if you don't have buy-in from the teams involved, and integrating your project management and accounting software is no different. Make sure your team is:

• Open to adjusting their current processes
• Familiar with job costing structures and established workflows
• Effectively trained on how the integration works

The ConstructionOnline Team wants to make sure your team is prepared before going live with the integration. We offer expert consultants to outline integration goals, personalized training to make sure every team member has the knowledge they need to succeed, and hands-on support to assist with the integration process. That way, you can proceed confidently, knowing you have a team of professionals in your corner. 

When is the Right Time to Integrate?

Integration is an investment in your company’s financial, operational, and organizational success. While the long-term payoff results in increased efficiency, time savings, and improved accuracy, even the smoothest integrations take time and attention to setup. Choose a moment when:

• Your team isn’t overloaded with project launches, new employee onboarding, or year-end reporting
• You can dedicate the internal resources to execute and monitor the integration process
• You feel confident your team has done the necessary legwork to prepare and your teams are ready for the next step

We often recommend starting with a pilot or test project, which lets your team build confidence and configure processes without disrupting daily operations. 

Final Thoughts: The Payoff is Worth the Prep

Integration between project management and accounting systems is one of the most powerful steps you can take to improve accuracy, reduce delays, and boost profitability in construction. But it’s not a plug-and-play feature—it’s a business decision that needs planning, prep, and participation.

 Want to know if your team is ready?
✅Download our Accounting Integration Readiness Checklist.

Read More:

• The Case for Connecting Project Management & Accounting in Construction
• 6 Key Reasons to Integrate Project Management & Accounting Software
• Common Challenges in Integrating Construction Project Management + Accounting Software
• Why Some Construction Teams Choose Not to Integrate—and When That's the Right Choice