At a glance
- Daily
- Photograph receipts, categorize the day
- Weekly
- Match receipts, review who owes you
- Monthly
- Reconcile the bank, read the profit and loss
- Hand off
- Daily entries first; reconciliation last
Prices and rules change. Verify every item with the vendor or agency before you rely on it.
Short answer: Do the books in small pieces: photograph every receipt when you get it, categorize the day's few transactions on your phone, match and review weekly on your office day, and reconcile the bank monthly. Hand off the daily entries first and keep the reconciliation until a second check exists.
Updated October 12, 2026. Requirements and fees change; confirm with the agency named on this page.
Bookkeeping becomes a problem when it is saved for the end of the quarter. Ten transactions a day takes minutes. Three months of them takes a weekend and still has holes.
Daily
- Photograph every receipt the moment you get it, in your bookkeeping app.
- Categorize the day's transactions from the bank feed: materials, fuel, job, overhead.
- Mark which job each material purchase belongs to.
Weekly, on your office day
- Match receipts to transactions.
- Review unpaid invoices and follow up.
- Check that every finished job was invoiced.
Monthly
- Reconcile the bank and credit card.
- Read the profit and loss: did you make money, and where.
- Set aside taxes. In Washington, see B&O tax and bookkeeping basics.
Set it up right once
Your books are only useful if the categories show job costs separately from overhead and owner pay. See a chart of accounts for a contracting business.
When to hand it off
Hand off the daily entries first, to an office person or a bookkeeper. Keep the monthly reconciliation and the review of accounts yourself until someone else checks it. That is your control on the money.
Where Operator fits
Operator is an online mentor for owners doing the office work themselves. It audits the business, checks the foundation, finds the one thing stopping you, and puts the books on your weekly list with the reason and the next step, for $79 a month. Start with the free Business Audit.
General business information, not tax, accounting or legal advice. Confirm tax and payroll rules with the agency or a CPA.
Want it handled, not just explained?
Operator is the AI business coach for contractors.
A business audit and a plan, an online mentor you can ask any time, team training for your crew, and deadline reminders. $79/month, any state, cancel anytime.
Common questions
How often should a small contractor do bookkeeping?
A few minutes daily for receipts and categorizing, a weekly review on your office day, and a monthly bank reconciliation.
Can I do contractor bookkeeping on my phone?
Yes. Most bookkeeping apps let you photograph receipts and categorize bank transactions from a phone, which is enough for the daily routine.
What part of bookkeeping should the owner keep?
The monthly bank reconciliation and the review of accounts, until there is a second person to check the work.