QuickBooks Online + Trucking Add-ons
QuickBooks Online is a big name in accounting, and for good reason. It handles all the usual small business stuff like invoicing, tracking expenses, and managing bank accounts really well. For trucking companies, the real magic happens when you pair it with specialized add-on software. Think of QuickBooks as the solid foundation, and the add-ons as the custom-built rooms you need for your specific business.
Why is this combo so popular? Well, QuickBooks itself is pretty straightforward. It connects to your bank, pulls in transactions, and helps you make sense of your money. But it doesn’t automatically know about things like IFTA fuel taxes or dispatching loads. That’s where the trucking-specific tools come in.
Here’s what you can expect when you combine QuickBooks Online with trucking add-ons:
- Better IFTA Reporting: Many add-ons can pull your mileage and fuel data from other systems (like ELDs) and automatically calculate your IFTA fuel tax. This saves a ton of manual work and helps avoid mistakes.
- Streamlined Dispatch and Invoicing: Some add-ons help manage your loads, drivers, and customer information. They then push the invoice data directly into QuickBooks, so you’re not typing it in twice.
- Expense Tracking: You can often link fuel cards or use mobile apps to snap pictures of receipts, getting those expenses into QuickBooks faster.
- Payroll: If you have employees or contractors, QuickBooks Online has payroll features, and add-ons can help ensure driver pay is calculated correctly based on loads and miles.
It’s a flexible approach. You get the robust accounting power of QuickBooks, plus the operational tools that trucking businesses actually need. You just have to pick the right add-ons that fit your fleet size and how you operate.
TruckingOffice
Running a trucking business means keeping a close eye on the money coming in and going out. TruckingOffice is a software designed with truckers in mind, aiming to make managing your business finances a bit less of a headache. It’s built to handle things like dispatching, invoicing, and keeping track of your mileage for things like IFTA fuel taxes.
This software is a good fit for smaller fleets or owner-operators who need a straightforward system. It’s not trying to be everything to everyone, but it does a solid job with the core tasks that keep a trucking company running smoothly. You can manage your loads, send out invoices, and get reports that help you see where your money is going. Plus, it plays nice with QuickBooks, which is a big plus if you’re already using that for your main accounting.
Here’s a quick look at what TruckingOffice offers:
- Dispatch Management: Keep track of your loads, where they’re going, and when they need to be delivered.
- Invoicing: Create and send invoices to your clients quickly.
- IFTA Reporting: Helps you gather the information needed for International Fuel Tax Agreement filings, which can be a real time-saver.
- Mileage Tracking: Uses PC*MILER to calculate your miles, important for billing and taxes.
- QuickBooks Integration: Syncs your data with QuickBooks for more in-depth accounting.
While the interface might feel a little dated to some, the functionality is there. It’s a practical tool that focuses on the day-to-day operations of a trucking business, helping you stay organized and compliant without getting bogged down in overly complex features.
Rigbooks
Rigbooks really hones in on one of the most important numbers for any trucking operation: your cost per mile. It’s not just about knowing how much you made on a load, but what it actually cost you to get it there. This software makes it pretty straightforward to keep tabs on your loads, all your expenses, and your fuel purchases. They’ve also built in some simple ways to get your IFTA reports ready, which is a huge time saver for a lot of folks.
What’s really cool about Rigbooks is the price. You can get started for as little as $19 a month. If you’re an owner-operator or run a small fleet and want to get a clear picture of your finances without getting bogged down in complicated software, Rigbooks is a solid pick. It gives you that financial clarity without the overwhelming features you might find in bigger, more expensive systems.
Axon Software
Axon is a pretty solid choice if you’re looking for an all-in-one system that really ties everything together. What makes Axon stand out is its real-time architecture. Basically, when you enter something in dispatch, it immediately shows up in driver pay, IFTA reports, and your main ledger. This means no more data silos or trying to figure out why numbers don’t match up across different parts of your business. Everyone’s looking at the same, up-to-date information, which is a big deal for keeping things running smoothly.
They also offer managed cloud hosting, which is great if you have people working from different locations or just want the flexibility of accessing your system from anywhere. The sales process usually involves a demo, where they’ll show you how the system can be set up to fit your specific needs. It’s generally geared towards larger trucking companies and fleets, so expect a bit of a learning curve and a higher price point compared to simpler tools. But for consolidating your operations and accounting into one place, Axon is definitely worth a look.
Motive (formerly KeepTruckin)
Motive, which you might know better as KeepTruckin, is a big player in the ELD space, and they’ve expanded their services to include some helpful tools for managing your trucking business. While it’s not a full-blown accounting system on its own, it really shines when you pair it with something like QuickBooks.
Think of Motive as your operations hub. It’s great for keeping tabs on your drivers, managing your fleet’s compliance, and, importantly for accounting, tracking expenses and fuel. Because it’s already integrated with your ELDs, it can automatically pull in a lot of the data needed for things like IFTA reporting. This means less manual data entry, which is always a win.
Here’s what makes Motive a good addition to your accounting setup:
- ELD Integration: This is their bread and butter. If you’re already using Motive for ELDs, you’re halfway there for capturing driver logs and related data.
- Expense Tracking: Drivers can often submit expenses directly through the app, making it easier to get those receipts and details into your accounting system.
- Fuel Data: Motive can help consolidate fuel purchase information, which is a big piece of the puzzle for managing costs and tax compliance.
- Driver Management: Features for managing driver information and communication can indirectly help with payroll and settlement accuracy.
The main benefit here is reducing the amount of manual work needed to get operational data into your accounting software. If your fleet is already using Motive for ELDs, it makes a lot of sense to see how their other features can simplify your financial record-keeping. It’s best viewed as a powerful operational tool that feeds crucial data into your primary accounting platform.
ATBS (American Truck Business Services)
ATBS, or American Truck Business Services, is a bit different from the software options we’ve looked at so far. Instead of just giving you a tool to use yourself, ATBS acts more like a full-service accounting department for truckers. They handle your bookkeeping and tax filing for you, which can be a huge relief if you’d rather focus on driving than paperwork.
They specialize in the trucking industry, so they understand things like per diem tracking and quarterly tax estimates, which are specific to this line of work. This means you’re not just getting a generic accountant; you’re getting someone who knows the ins and outs of being an owner-operator or running a small trucking business. It’s a good option if you want to hand off the financial management completely and have peace of mind knowing it’s being handled by professionals who get the trucking life. It’s not a DIY software solution, though, so if you prefer to manage your own books, this might not be the right fit. But for many, outsourcing this can free up a lot of mental space and time.
Frontline Q7
Frontline Q7 is a pretty solid all-in-one option if you’re looking to keep things simple and have one system handle most of your business needs. It bundles dispatch, fleet management, and even payroll right alongside a full accounting setup. Think Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and General Ledger – it’s all in there.
What’s cool is how it connects with other trucking tech. It integrates with fuel cards and ELDs, which is a big help for keeping track of everything. Plus, it can talk to EDI partners. This means you can potentially run your whole operation from a single piece of software. You can get it as software you install on your own computers, or as a cloud-based subscription, so you can access it from anywhere, anytime.
It’s a great choice if you want a unified system of record to manage your entire trucking business.
Here’s a quick look at what it covers:
- Dispatch: Manage your loads and schedules.
- Accounting: Handle your bills, invoices, and overall finances.
- Payroll: Pay your drivers.
- Fleet Management: Keep tabs on your trucks and operations.
- Integrations: Connects with fuel cards, ELDs, and more.
TruckLogics + QuickBooks Online
When you’re running a trucking business, especially if you’re a small to mid-sized operation with anywhere from one to twenty trucks, combining TruckLogics with QuickBooks Online can really simplify things. TruckLogics is pretty good at handling the day-to-day stuff like dispatching loads, keeping track of all your expenses, managing maintenance schedules, and getting your IFTA reports ready.
The real magic happens with its direct connection to QuickBooks Online. This integration means that when you enter customer information or create invoices in TruckLogics, that data automatically shows up in QuickBooks. Same goes for payments. This cuts out a ton of repetitive data entry, which is a lifesaver. It lets your accountant do their thing in QuickBooks without needing to learn a whole new trucking-specific system, and you get to manage your operations in a tool built for the road. It’s a solid combo for keeping your books clean and your operations running smoothly.
ProTransport
ProTransport, brought to you by RTS, is a pretty solid option if you’re looking to get your dispatch, safety records, driver communications, and all your reporting under one roof. What really stands out is how well it plays with others – think fuel cards, major ELD systems like Motive and Transflo, and of course, QuickBooks. It’s designed to take your existing trip and fuel data and make preparing your IFTA reports way less of a headache. If your fleet is growing and you’re trying to get things organized and standardized, ProTransport could be a good fit. They tend to offer pricing after a demo, so be sure to ask about all the costs involved, like getting set up and any ongoing support you might need.
Tailwind
Tailwind TMS is a solid choice if you’re looking for a system that handles the day-to-day operations of your transport business and plays nicely with QuickBooks Online. It’s designed to manage things like dispatch and invoicing, and then it pushes that financial information over to QuickBooks. This means your accountant can keep using the software they’re familiar with, like QuickBooks, without having to learn a whole new system just for your trucking business. It’s a good way to keep your operational side and your accounting side connected without a lot of extra work.
Tailwind focuses on making sure your invoicing and accounts payable/receivable are all sorted within its own system. Once that’s done, it syncs up with QuickBooks. This setup is pretty handy for both carriers and brokers who want to smooth out their workflows. You get the trucking-specific tools you need, and your accounting stays in a familiar place. It’s not trying to be a full accounting suite itself, but rather a smart partner for one.
Here’s a quick look at what Tailwind helps with:
- Dispatch Management: Keeping track of your loads and schedules.
- Invoicing: Creating and sending out bills to your clients.
- AP/AR Tracking: Managing money owed to you and money you owe.
- QuickBooks Sync: Automatically sending financial data to QuickBooks Online for your general ledger.
This approach means you don’t have to worry about manually entering all your load and payment data into two different systems. It cuts down on mistakes and saves time, which, let’s be honest, is what we’re all after when trying to run a business more smoothly.
Wrapping It Up
So, picking the right accounting software for your trucking business isn’t just about crunching numbers. It’s about making your whole operation run smoother, from tracking every mile and fuel stop to getting drivers paid right and keeping the tax folks happy. We’ve looked at a bunch of options, from big all-in-one systems to simpler tools perfect for owner-operators. The main thing is to figure out what you really need – how big is your fleet, what features are absolute must-haves, and what fits your budget. Don’t forget to try out a free demo before you commit. Getting this piece of the puzzle right means less stress, fewer headaches, and more time for you to focus on what you do best: keeping those trucks rolling.
