Every boatyard has been there: the busy season hits, boats are flying in and out of the yard, parts are being ordered as fast as possible, and customers want their boat yesterday. Billing tends to take a back-seat this time of year and that is not good for cash flow.
You try to play catch-up later, flipping through time sheets and scribbled notes, hoping you don’t forget to add something to the invoice.
At PierVantage, we hear from boatyards every spring and summer who are still trying to get accurate invoices out as late as August through their scribbled notes. That kind of delay isn’t just frustrating – it’s expensive.
The Real Cost of Frantic Boatyard Billing
When billing gets delayed for even a month or two, here’s what you will begin to see:
- Revenue slips through the cracks. Unbilled labor, forgotten parts, and missed markups quietly chip away at your margins.
- Cash flow gets tight. Invoices go out late, which means payments come in late – sometimes, if at all.
- You underprice your work. Without margin visibility, you’re making educated guesses instead of informed decisions.
Sound familiar?
Why It Happens
The problem isn’t a lack of effort – it’s a lack of the right tools. Many boatyards still rely on manual billing systems or marine accounting software that was initially built for another industry and pushed into marine because there appeared to be synergies. Things you might see in these systems include:
- Invoicing happens after the boat leaves the yard due to inefficient billing processes
- Labor, parts, and outside charges are reviewed in spreadsheets or QuickBooks memos.
- There’s no clear margin review before sending the invoice.
And once the boat is gone, it’s too late to recover lost revenue.
Enter PierVantage: Marine Accounting Software and Billing Built for Boat Yards
PierVantage’s marine management software was specifically built to bring all aspects of your business onto one platform – and profitability – to your billing. Here’s how:
- Automated, structured billing processes ensure you’re capturing everything tied to a job.
- Margin control tools let you review profitability on every invoice before it goes out.
- Online payments via Credit Card or ACH speed up collections and reduce time chasing payments.
- Integrated time tracking ensures accurate labor billing and reduces manual errors.
- Inventory management tracks parts and materials in real-time, preventing stock outs and overbilling.
- Customizable reporting provides insights into financial performance, helping you make informed decisions.
- Mobile access allows your team to update job statuses and time entries on the go, keeping information current.
With PierVantage’s marine management software, invoices don’t just get out faster – they get out accurately and efficiently.
QuickBooks Wasn’t Built for This. PierVantage Marine Accounting Software is.
Many yards still use QuickBooks because it’s familiar. But as you grow – or as the busy season hits – it quickly shows its limits:
| QuickBooks | PierVantage |
| Generic invoicing with limited job-costing | Structured marine job costing and billing |
| No built-in margin review tools | Automated margin controls for every invoice |
| Manual payment follow-up | Online payment portal for faster collections |
| Disconnected from operations | Fully integrated with scheduling, inventory, and project management |
| Limited reporting capabilities | Customizable reports tailored to marine industry needs |
| No mobile functionality | Mobile access for real-time updates |
QuickBooks might handle the basics. But when billing delays cost you thousands, it’s time for something purpose-built. In fact, read our blog comparing PierVantage to QuickBooks, here.
Don’t Let Invoicing Lag Behind – Get a Marine Accounting Software
Accurate, timely billing is one of the easiest ways to improve your bottom line. Yet too many yards are still chasing invoices weeks – or months – after the work is done.
With PierVantage and its prowess in marine accounting software, billing becomes a proactive, profit-protecting process. So, you can stop losing money—and start making the most of every job. Let’s talk. Contact us today.