How to Build a Job-Costing Flow for Services
To build a job costing flow, you combine three numbers on one record: what the client agreed to pay, what the work has consumed in hours, and what it has consumed in direct expenses.
Why service profitability is unknown
Each component is tracked somewhere, and never in the same place.
- Hours in one system and expenses in another
- Agreed value known only from the proposal document
- Profitability calculated at the end, if at all
- Overruns discovered after invoicing
What the engagement record needs
- Agreed value, calculated from contracted hours and rate
- Worked hours, with the remaining balance visible
- Direct expenses, connected and posted to the ERP
- Usage percentage, shown inside the card
- Stage history, so delays are attributable
How to build it in Jestor
- Create the project in Jestor with client, contracted hours, and hourly rate.
- Let the project value calculate from hours multiplied by rate.
- Add a connected expenses table linked to the project.
- Record expenses so they mirror into Omie as accounts payable entries.
- Watch the hour balance and usage percentage update inside the card as work is logged.
Why Jestor is the best complement to Omie for service businesses
The integration is native, with no middleware — so a project expense becomes a payable without an import routine, and the project's cost stays current rather than being reconstructed.
Because one client can hold several projects, each with its own contracted hours and expenses, profitability is measurable per engagement rather than only per client.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the project value calculated automatically?
Yes, from contracted hours and the hourly rate. See jestor.com.
Do expenses reach the ERP?
Yes, mirrored as accounts payable.
Can one client have several engagements?
Yes, each with its own balance.
Video Tutorial: Step by Step
Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.
Get to know Jestor
With Jestor, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by AI. Discover Jestor at jestor.com and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.