After-Job Cost Reviews: Did That Job Make Money?

The problem: You quote a job, do the work, get paid, and move on. But you never check whether the hours and materials matched the quote.

What you end up with: A quick review after each job comparing what you quoted with what it really cost in time and materials, so you can quote the next one better.

What you'll need

The original quote, timesheets or hours worked, and material receipts for the job.

Getting set up

Did that last job really make money? You can find out in fifteen minutes. Microsoft says Copilot works inside Excel, and Google lists Gemini in Sheets. If you use Xero, Xero says JAX helps keep your books current. Then set up a sheet with quoted hours, actual hours, quoted materials, and actual materials.

Step by step

A prompt to start with

Try this prompt, and tweak it for your tool. "Here's my quote: [quote], hours worked: [hours], and material receipts: [receipts]. Make a table of quoted versus actual for labor and materials, with the difference in dollars and percent. Then list the biggest gaps. Don't guess any numbers that aren't here."

What you'll get

A quoted-versus-actual table and a short list of where the job went over or under.

If something goes wrong

If hours aren't tracked by job, start tracking them for the next one. If totals look off, check whether tax is included in both.

Keep in mind

AI can misread numbers, so check totals yourself. For taxes and accounting questions, ask your bookkeeper or accountant.

Sources

• Microsoft Copilot for small business — product page and FAQ
• Google Workspace Updates blog
• Xero — US pricing plans

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