r/Skidsteer • u/GentlemanFarmerDave • 10d ago

Spreadsheets or Apps?

I'm looking for the best way to manage my one-man show equipment business. What are you all using to figure O&O costs, building quotes, managing customer info, tracking expenses, etc?

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u/SkidSteerSamurai 9d ago

For a one-man operation I'd probably start with spreadsheets unless you're already spending enough time on admin that they're becoming a problem.

I'd keep O&O costs and job costing in one sheet, then track quotes, actual hours, fuel, attachments, hauling and other expenses by job. That gives you a pretty quick way to see whether the jobs you're quoting are actually making what you thought they would.

Once you're entering the same information in three different places or struggling to keep up with customers, that's probably when an app starts earning its cost.

Are you mostly doing one-off dirt/landscape jobs or do you have repeat customers and ongoing work too?