Running a vehicle wrap and sign shop is much easier with the aid of sign shop management software. If you’ve been considering turning to QuickBooks, our in-depth guide will help you make the right decision.

Installing vehicle and sign shop management software not only saves you time, but it’ll make you more money. In fact, businesses who use cloud-based accounting systems attract five times as many customers compared to those who use traditional accounting. The only question is: which software is best? 

QuickBooks is a popular accounting tool for small businesses who need a little extra help with daily administration. However, it may not be well-suited to the unique demands of the vehicle wrap and sign industry. Before you take the plunge, we’ll break down the pros and cons of QuickBooks for your business model.

We’ll also explore GarageTool and why we offer one of the most streamlined and efficient tools for vehicle wrap and sign shop owners.

A Brief Breakdown Of QuickBooks

When you think of accounting software, QuickBooks is practically synonymous with small business administration. This industry-standard tool is popular with small businesses across multiple industries for its flexible toolkit and user-friendly interface.

QuickBooks saves you time by keeping track of tedious administration tasks such as generating customized reports and invoices. It also integrates easily with payroll and human resource business software. With such a well-rounded program at your fingertips, you may be wondering if there’s anything better on the market.

The Pros And Cons Of QuickBooks For Wrap And Sign Shops

When you spend so much time marketing your shop and helping customers walk away happy, accounting can sometimes hit the bottom of your to-do list. QuickBooks could be the right solution for you depending on your business size and accounting experience.

Pros:

User-Friendly Tool With Automated Features

Easily one of the biggest benefits to QuickBooks is its user-friendliness. If you’re still in the beginning stages of accounting, you don’t need any extensive training to start using it the same day.

QuickBooks is home to automated features such as automatic bank imports to save you time downloading past bank transactions. It also has automatic transaction reconciliation to reduce errors when matching information between your banks and account records. In short, the software does a good job of saving you time while still ensuring necessary tasks get finished.

Well-Suited To Businesses Who Regularly Work With Bookkeepers

Do you have a bookkeeper or an accountant you meet with regularly? Choosing QuickBooks for your vehicle wrap shop will speed things up since they’re likely already familiar with the platform.

Their advanced bookkeeping features allow a high level of detail for every expense, such as attachments, memos, permit numbers, and reference numbers. This attention to detail reduces potential back-and-forth due to missing information, making meetings with your bookkeeper go much smoother.

However, QuickBooks isn’t suited for every sign shop or vehicle wrap shop.

Cons:

More Expensive For Smaller Businesses

Sadly, QuickBooks’ low-cost plans are limited for the needs of smaller vehicle wrap shops. The only way to access their full range of features is through their Advanced plan, which sits at a hearty $235/mo.

While their Simple Start and Essentials plans are well-suited to beginner operations, each plan’s limited number of users and sales channels may not match the needs of a growing business model. If you don’t want to fuss with constantly switching plans to suit your needs, QuickBooks might prove frustrating down the line.

Lacks The Efficiency Of Specialized Accounting Tools

While QuickBooks is versatile for different industries and business sizes, its generalist approach can also have a downside. It won’t account for the unique needs of a vehicle wrap and sign shop as much as specialized software will.

Do you want software that can automate invoices with industry-specific details like vehicle type and wrap type? How about software that offers vehicle templates for price estimates or makes it easy to coordinate updates with employees?

When it comes to the sign industry and wrap industry, you need a tool that can handle important details like vinyl rolls and square footages for your estimates or invoices. QuickBooks also can’t handle scheduling or reminders, so it’s a tool that will feel limited pretty quickly.

Fortunately, price estimates, reminders, and automated invoices are just a few features we offer with our vehicle and sign management shop software GarageTool.

Why Your Vehicle Wrap And Sign Shop Needs GarageTool

If you don’t want to spend hours of research trying to find the right blend of features for your software, we’re here to help. While QuickBooks is still a practical tool for many growing businesses, it lacks the specialization needed for vehicle wrap and sign shops.

We offer everything you need to run your wrap shop smoothly. Our automation features remove paperwork and reduce busywork so you can get right back into the shop. You won’t be the only one enjoying the benefits of our software, either – customers and employees alike will love the benefits of GarageTool’s specialized features.

Thanks to job management and employee management features, your employees will have a much easier time scheduling and updating jobs on-the-fly. Customers will also enjoy automated payment reminders, easy payment portals, and secure cloud storage for customer data.

If you already use QuickBooks, our platform also lets you import and export information from your already existing QuickBooks customer list. Sync your products, services, customers, invoices, and even your tax rates. You don’t have to jump around different software to see your daily tasks done.

When it comes to wrap and sign shop management software, you deserve tools that expand your business, not limit it.

With the help of GarageTool, you’ll create a more efficient vehicle wrap business that delights customers from beginning-to-end. Book our demo today to learn how to craft accurate car wrap estimates within minutes.