Running a trade business means plenty of paperwork on top of the work itself and quotes and supplier invoices have a habit of piling up in the van.

This month we’re featuring Fergus, a job management app built for tradespeople that links directly with Xero.

What is Fergus?

Fergus keeps everything about a job in one place, from the first quote through scheduling and materials to the final invoice.

It has been listed on the Xero App Store since 2013, so it’s a well-established option.

There’s a mobile app for iOS and Android, which means you and your team can update jobs on site instead of catching up later.

Key features:

  • Everything in one place – Job details and history are stored together, so nobody has to dig through texts and emails to find out what was agreed.
  • Team tracking – Checklists and health and safety forms keep jobs on track, while timesheets show who is doing what.
  • Invoicing linked to jobs – Invoices are raised from the job itself, which makes it much harder for completed work to slip through without being billed.
  • Supplier connections – Fergus links with more than 150 trade suppliers, according to its Xero listing. Price books and purchase orders are built in, so supplier invoices can be matched to the right job.

How it works with Xero

Invoices and credit notes sync both ways between Fergus and Xero, so there’s no need to enter them twice.

Fergus also pulls your accounts, contacts, payments and reports through from Xero.

When a customer pays and the payment is recorded in Xero, Fergus picks it up, giving you a clear view of what’s outstanding without switching between systems.

For us as your accountants, it means cleaner records and fewer gaps to chase at the year end.

Is it right for your business?

If you’re a trade business using Xero and paperwork is taking up too much of your time, Fergus is worth a look.

It’s particularly useful once you have a few people on the tools and need a clearer picture of where every job stands.

If you’d like to talk through whether Fergus would suit your business or how it would fit with your bookkeeping, get in touch with the team at Rotherham Taylor.