Systems for consulting and professional services firms
We set up client management, engagement tracking, time recording and billing for professional firms, so partners can see work in progress and what remains to be billed.
What makes professional services different
Professional firms run on relationships and billable time. Partners need to know which clients are active, how engagements are progressing and what has been done but not yet invoiced.
Client relationships
Knowledge about clients sits in individual inboxes rather than in the firm.
Work in progress
Time is recorded late or not at all, so unbilled work is unknown.
Engagement control
Scope and budget drift without regular comparison to the plan.
Billing cycles
Preparing invoices takes days of collecting time and expenses.
What we set up
These are the parts of the system that matter most in this sector.
Client and opportunity management
Contacts, conversations and proposals recorded for the whole firm.
Engagements and budgets
Each engagement set up with scope, team and budgeted hours.
Time and expenses
Entries captured against the engagement as the work is done.
Billing and work in progress
Invoices prepared from recorded time, with unbilled amounts always visible.
Which platform fits
The right platform depends on the size and shape of your operation. This is how we usually see it.
Zoho
Our usual recommendation for small and mid-sized firms: Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects and Zoho Books.
Odoo
A good fit for firms wanting projects, timesheets and accounting integrated closely.
Microsoft
Suits larger firms with Microsoft 365 and a need for detailed financial reporting.
Common questions
Can partners see unbilled work at any time?
Yes. Work in progress is calculated from recorded time and expenses and shown by client and engagement.
Can different billing arrangements be handled?
Yes. Fixed fees, hourly rates and retainers can each be set up per engagement.
Is client information kept confidential within the firm?
Access can be limited by team or engagement, so people see only the clients they work on.
Explore further
Projects and delivery in this sector
Finance and accounting in this sector
Sales and CRM in this sector
Unsure what is still to be billed? Talk to us.
Tell us how engagements and time are tracked today. We will show you how to make work in progress visible.