thumbnail

Third-Party Accounting Integrations in ReachOut: All You Need to Know!

Integrating third-party applications enhances the functionality of any field service suite. ReachOut is no exception to this. Billing and invoicing, being integral to field service, rank on top of the integrations. Accounting becomes a lot easier if it comes integrated with the platforms that you use. ReachOut seamlessly integrates with your preferred applications like QuickBooks and Xero to better organize your accounting. Integrated accounting saves your time and allows you to stay focused.

Benefits of Integrated Field Service Accounting

Integrating field service accounting enables a business to sync field data and financial data in real-time. It eliminates redundant data entry and prevents book-keeping errors. The benefits, however, extend far more than productivity gains.

1. Improved accuracy

Many enterprises that do not integrate field service accounting are unable to collect payments onsite. The field agents issue paper invoices and later re-key transactions into a separate software. The system soon becomes sloppy and mistake-laden.
Integrated field service accounting allows field agents to quote and charge customers accurately. Such an option becomes handy to serve one-off service requests in HVAC, pest control , and other field service industries.
Invoicing and billing become instant. The system auto-generates the invoice as soon as the field agent marks the job complete. The invoicing suite pulls accurate data from accounting, quotes, the agent’s app, the inspection suite, and all other sources. The system issues an error-free invoice with rates that match the quote and the exact number of hours worked.

2. Better focus

Integrated field service accounting improves the field agent’s focus. It brings about process efficiency. Field agents no longer have to face the hassles of manual data entry. They spend their time on their core competence and remain focused on their job. Paperwork does not bog them down or distract them.
Enterprise users and field agents get a real-time view of inventory levels. Schedulers get live updates on stock levels when adding parts to work orders. Real-time insights into depleting stock level may trigger reorder requests, pre-empting downtime.
The field service app collects data, including images and videos, to make audits and compliance easy. Comparing audit or inspection data with the financial data highlights missing stock and other issues.
Read more: How ReachOut Audit Software Helps Manage Audits and Inspections Like a Dream

Audit Software

3. Process acceleration

Integrated field service accounting speeds up invoice collection. It enables the field technician to collect the invoice before leaving the client’s premises. The connected system updates the CRM, accounts, and other enterprise systems. Invoicing and payments become prompt, and the field service enterprise may ensure no revenue slips through the crack.
Read more: 5 Effective Tactics for Field Service Businesses to Collect Outstanding Invoices
servitization
Payroll is a critical cost concern for the field service enterprise. Seamless field service accounting through QuickBooks integration or Xero integration automates payroll. The integration pulls in data from timesheets and service logs to calculate the number of hours worked. Overtime calculations become automatic as well. The data from projects and work orders feed into the accounting system. The system calculates tax, benefits, and deductions to create fully compliant payroll batches.

ReachOut – QuickBooks Integration

QuickBooks is a handy accounting software popular with small and medium-sized businesses. The software offers small businesses the tools to manage income and expenses, track cash flow, and maintain inventory. It allows creating separate accounts for customers, vendors, and clients. QuickBooks automates many essential tasks such as invoicing, calculating taxes and generating reports. It tracks the flow of products and updates transactions automatically.
ReachOut offers seamless integration with QuickBooks. ReachOut users can continue to use QuickBooks for their financial accounting. ReachOut users can export and import data on Quickbooks without friction.
QuickBooks integration enables field agents using ReachOut to process transactions on the go. The ReachOut suite captures transactions that take place in the field and exports it to QuickBooks instantly. Likewise, the field agents can pull in data from QuickBooks to the ReachOut app when needed. They get the ability to generate instant invoicing and reports.
ReachOut QuickBooks integration also allows syncing inventory parts and components listed in QuickBooks. This sync will enable dispatchers to confirm the availability of parts and spares before scheduling a work order. Field agents do not have to make a revisit for want of spares.
Read more: 6 Reasons To Use An Integrated Software Like ReachOut For Your HVAC Estimates

HVAC businesses

Steps to Integrate Quickbooks with ReachOut

The first step is to sync all customers, invoices, and payment details between the two suites. Importing and exporting customers between QuickBooks and ReachOut is an easy task. The integration is straightforward from ReachOut. You can navigate from the menu option to Settings > Preferences > Third Party Integrations.
It is important to make the right selections the first time around, to avoid errors or process inefficiency. 
Here is an example:

  • Choose how to bill customers imported from the QuickBooks account. For instance, categorize them as main or as sub customers.
  • Activate the appropriate options under Parts & Invoices to sync and export inventory data.
  • After making the proper settings, click on “Connect to QuickBooks” to complete the integration.

Click this link to view the detailed step-by-step instructions for ReachOut QuickBooks integration.
ReachOut allows syncing only one accounting software at a time. It is possible to disconnect or reconnect QuickBooks easily. Reconnecting with QuickBooks is possible with a one-click solution. Reconnection retains the customers, inventory, or invoicing data.
Read more: Syncing invoices with QuickBooks

ReachOut – Xero Integration

Xero is another popular cloud-based accounting software used by several small businesses. Small businesses like Xero for its simplicity and ease of use. Xero automates accounting. It also offers several intuitive features such as automatic bank feeds and currency conversion.
Connect ReachOut with Xero by navigating to Settings > Preferences > Third-Party Integrations from the ReachOut dashboard. 
Users may export and sync customer and inventory details easily. They may then track sales or service, manage invoices, and categorize transactions easily. It is likewise easy to disconnect Xero from the ReachOut account at any time, with a single click.
Click here to view the detailed step-by-step instructions for ReachOut Xero integration.

How to Overcome Challenges

ReachOut’s integration with QuickBooks and Xero works by creating a workflow of information to enable open sharing of information. The integration syncs service information, customer data, pricing, costing, and other critical operational data with sales and financial data.
The ReachOut QuickBooks integration and the Xero integration sidesteps the usual challenges associated with third-party app integrations. For instance, many third-party integrations face the incompatibility of the interfaces. ReachOut integrations share data among systems using robust export and import protocols. This preempts incompatibility.
Most enterprises underestimate the savings and multiplier effects of integrated field service accounting. Integrated field service accounting preempts bloopers and disputes with the customer for wrong billing. Seamless integration enables fast and accurate field service accounting from one place. It leads to hyper-efficiency, resilience, and improved customer satisfaction.
Got any queries on integrating Xero and QuickBooks with ReachOut? Please send us a message

Digitize your field service operations from scheduling to invoicing with ReachOut. Connect your technicians with the companion mobile app to execute jobs and reduce paperwork in the field. Try ReachOut now and give your customers the fast and quality service they deserve.

Get Started

Bhuvana O G

Bhuvana is a Senior Content Specialist at ReachOut Suite. She loves to research and develop creative and unique content related to technology and marketing. When not involved in full-time writing, you can see her pitching into editing and proof-reading all sorts of marketing collateral crucial for the company's branding.

More posts by Bhuvana O G

Experience end-to-end visibility into your field service business and improve customer service with ReachOut.
Request a Demo

Discover the end-to-end capabilities of ReachOut in a matter of minutes!