SMARTBase™ Links Business Processes with QuickBooks

GrowthForce has developed a proprietary Web-based Customer Relationship Management and Project Management system called SMARTBase.

SMARTBase is an application built using Intuit’s QuickBase with an added feature: SMARTBase integrates with QuickBooks.

As an Intuit Solution Provider and QuickBooks ProAdvisor, GrowthForce needed a CRM and project management application that married with its core competency: bookkeeping and controller services using QuickBooks, says James Cosman, SMARTBase lead developer.  Cosman helped GrowthForce create and implement the SMARTBase system in the fall of 2009.

Prospect to Project Application

SMARTBase allows GrowthForce to manage workflow from “prospect to project” using Intuit products from start to finish.  Unlike Act! or Sales Force.com, the system allows for time tracking, project management and sales force automation.

SMARTBase becomes the single place for entering project information – reducing double entry and increasing employee productivity. For example, field-based staff no longer have to wait until they are back in the office to fill out their time sheets. With SMARTBase, the teams can submit their timesheets from the road electronically and the information will record automatically into a QuickBooks general ledger for management review. “From a manager’s standpoint, this is a powerful tool,” states Cosman.

The integration of time tracking and QuickBooks is a standard integration component of  SMARTBase, as are: customers, jobs and employee information integration. Companies can also use this web-based application to create custom forms that capture data needed to create invoices, purchase orders, sales orders and estimates.

SMARTBase

With SMARTBase, employees and managers have the same source for project updates. Any data recorded by the sales staff can be automatically transferred to a client’s service files. This improves customer satisfaction by reducing communications problems and time-consuming knowledge transfer from sales force to service teams.

SMARTBase can be customized to generate automatic reports to managers which flag variances in key performance indicators or delays in project workflow.  For instance, a report can be set up so that if a job gets within ten percent of its budget, management gets an e-mail and they can then alert the client.

Significant Results

“SMARTBase is changing the way we are running our company,” acknowledges GrowthForce CEO Stephen King. He points out that management now has a single place to look at all client issues. They can get a central view of all client contacts and data, plus SMARTBase is a scalable solution which can grow with the business.

In addition, the labor savings are significant. GrowthForce estimates that they save at least 35 hours per week in project management and scheduling time by foregoing one-on-one discussions, team meetings and unnecessary client follow ups.

SMARTBase Roll Out

GrowthForce is so pleased with the results of SMARTBase that the company has created a version for their clients. While all businesses can benefit from SMARTBase, professional services businesses which track sales leads, implement projects and charge hourly rates are the best candidates for the innovative new system.

For a limited time, GrowthForce is offering a complimentary SMARTBase CRM  which tracks sales leads for companies wanting to “test drive” the  SMARTBase system. For more information, please e-mail info@growthforce.com or call 281-358-2007.

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