Construction Job Cost Accounting Training for Bookkeepers

Learn job cost accounting for construction and develop the practical skills to track project costs, understand labor burden, allocate payroll, work with cost codes, and interpret job cost reports.

Designed for bookkeepers who want to move beyond basic bookkeeping and develop specialized construction accounting expertise.

30 Hours of Training | Self-Paced Learning | One-to-One Instructor Meeting

General Bookkeeping Isn't Enough When You're Working With Construction Businesses

Construction accounting has its own set of complexities.

Every project has costs that need to be tracked, labor that needs to be allocated, and financial information that needs to be understood in relation to the individual job.

When you don't fully understand job cost accounting, it can be difficult to know whether a project is actually profitable.

You may know how to enter transactions, reconcile accounts, and prepare financial statements—but can you confidently explain what a job really costs?

Can you identify where labor costs belong? Understand labor burden? Interpret job cost reports? Help a contractor see whether a project is performing as expected?

These are the skills that take your construction bookkeeping knowledge to the next level.

Become the Bookkeeper Who Understands the Numbers Behind Every Job

Job cost accounting gives you a deeper understanding of the financial picture behind a construction project.

With the right knowledge, you can move beyond recording transactions and develop the ability to understand how costs are assigned, tracked, and reported throughout a job.

BK 350 – Job Cost Accounting is designed to help you build that capability through practical, advanced construction accounting training.

You'll learn how the pieces fit together, and how to apply that knowledge in real-world construction bookkeeping.

What Is Job Cost Accounting?

Job cost accounting is an essential part of understanding the financial performance of construction projects.

Watch this introduction to learn what job costing means, how it works, and why it matters when managing construction costs.
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Understanding job cost accounting is one thing. Knowing how to apply it in real construction bookkeeping is another.

That's where BK 350 – Job Cost Accounting comes in.

This in-depth course helps you develop the practical knowledge to understand construction costs, cost codes, labor burden, payroll allocation, job cost reports, and the accounting processes that bring everything together.

With approximately 30 hours of self-paced training, practical materials, quizzes, and a one-to-one instructor meeting with Jackie Shaw, you'll build a stronger foundation in this specialized area of construction accounting.

What You'll Learn in Construction Job Cost Accounting

This course takes you through the key areas of job cost accounting, helping you understand how construction costs are organized, allocated, tracked, and reviewed.

Understand Construction Accounting

Build your understanding of the accounting concepts and processes that make construction bookkeeping different.

Cost Codes and Financial Tracking

Understand how cost codes are used to organize and track costs so that financial information can be connected to the right jobs and activities.

Estimates, Invoices, and Bills

Learn how estimates, invoices, and bills fit into the job costing process and contribute to understanding the financial performance of a project.

Labor Burden and Payroll Allocation

Develop a stronger understanding of labor burden and how payroll costs are allocated to construction jobs.

Completed Contract vs. Percentage of Completion

Explore these two approaches to recognizing construction contract revenue and understand their place in construction accounting.

Job Cost Reports

Learn about job cost reports and how to interpret the information they provide about project costs.

Month-End Processes and Review

Understand the month-end processes and review procedures that help keep construction job costing information accurate and useful.

Understanding Job Cost Reports in Construction Accounting

Job cost reports help construction businesses understand how much has been spent on individual projects and how those costs compare with what was estimated or budgeted.

For bookkeepers, understanding how to read and interpret these reports is an important part of construction job cost accounting.

In this course, you'll develop a better understanding of job cost reporting and how the information helps reveal the financial performance of individual construction projects.

What These Skills Can Help You Do

When you understand job cost accounting, you can bring a more advanced level of knowledge to your construction bookkeeping work.

You'll be better equipped to:
  • Understand how construction costs are assigned to individual jobs.
  • Follow how labor and payroll costs affect project costs.
  • Recognize the role of labor burden in job costing.
  • Understand how cost codes support financial tracking.
  • Read and interpret job cost reports.
  • Understand the relationship between estimates, bills, invoices, and job costs.
  • Participate more confidently in construction accounting processes and month-end reviews.
The goal isn't simply to learn more accounting terminology. It's to develop the practical understanding that allows you to work with construction job costs more confidently and competently.

Is BK 350 – Job Cost Accounting Right for You?

This course is designed for people who want to develop more advanced construction accounting skills.

It may be a good fit if you're:

A Bookkeeper Working With Construction Clients

You already understand bookkeeping fundamentals and want to expand your knowledge into the more specialized area of construction job costing.

A Self-Employed Bookkeeper

You want to strengthen your expertise, develop your professional capabilities, and feel more confident supporting construction businesses.

A Construction Business Owner or Office Manager

You want a better understanding of how job costs are tracked and reported so you can make more informed decisions about your projects.

Learn From Construction Accounting Experience

Your instructor, Jackie Shaw, brings substantial construction accounting experience to the training.

The course is built around practical construction accounting concepts and processes, not just abstract explanations.

You'll work through the topics that matter when dealing with job costs, payroll allocation, labor burden, financial tracking, and job cost reporting.

The result is training designed to help you connect what you're learning with the work you do.

Jackie Shaw is a nationally recognized leader in the field of job cost accounting. She is the co-author of The Remodelers Ultimate Guide to QuickBooks. 

What Students Are Saying

I decided to take the Job cost accounting course to really connect everything I have pretty much picked up from being in the office and around all the job costing talk for years. 

This course really connected everything for me and really helped with my knowledge in my company on the financial end and managing end. I gained knowledge in areas I thought I already understood. This class is a great course, and you even walk away with materials to reference.  
Jena Catts
Douglas and Company Renovations Inc
I can tell you guys have put a ton of time, energy and love into the Job Cost Accounting class. It's enjoyable to watch, it's engaging. I like that there are print outs and quizzes. It's extremely professional and if college had been more like that maybe I would have finished it quicker and with better grades!
Steph Collins
Self-employed bookkeeper

Practical Training That Fits Around Your Work

You don't have to put your bookkeeping work on hold to develop your construction accounting skills.

BK 350 is designed as a self-paced learning experience, allowing you to work through the material on your schedule.

Approximately 30 Hours of Training

Work through the course material in depth and build your understanding of construction job cost accounting.

Pre-Requisite

BK 250 - Bookkeeping Foundations or a strong understanding of bookkeeping fundamentals is required
Take this quiz to check your understanding

One-to-One
Instructor Meeting

Get the opportunity to meet individually with your instructor, Jackie Shaw.

Self-Paced Learning

Progress through the training at a pace that works with your schedule.
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Invest in Your Construction Accounting Expertise

Advanced knowledge can change the level of work you're able to take on and the confidence you bring to your construction bookkeeping clients.

BK 350 – Job Cost Accounting gives you the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of one of the most important areas of construction accounting.

$2,250

Approximately 30 hours of self-paced training, practical materials, quizzes, and a one-to-one instructor meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Job Cost Accounting Training

What is construction job cost accounting?

Construction job cost accounting is the process of tracking and organizing the costs associated with individual construction projects. It helps businesses understand what each job costs and provides financial information that can be used to review project performance.

Who should take a job cost accounting course?

This course is designed primarily for bookkeepers who want to develop more advanced construction accounting skills. It may also be useful for construction business owners and office managers who want a better understanding of job costing.

How long does the course take?

BK 350 includes approximately 30 hours of training. It is self-paced, so you can work through the material according to your schedule.

What topics are covered in the course?

The course covers construction accounting, cost codes, estimates, invoices, bills, labor burden, payroll allocation, completed contract versus percentage of completion, job cost reports, and month-end processes and review.

Is the course self-paced?

Yes. You can work through the training at your own pace.

Is there an opportunity to meet with the instructor?

Yes. The course includes a one-to-one instructor meeting with Jackie Shaw.
Ready to Enroll?

Your Next Level in Construction Bookkeeping Starts With Understanding Job Costs

You can record transactions and keep the books organized.

But when you understand job cost accounting, you develop a deeper understanding of the financial story behind every construction project.

You become better equipped to follow costs, understand labor allocation, interpret job cost reports, and support the businesses that depend on accurate construction accounting.

If you're ready to expand your knowledge and strengthen your construction bookkeeping expertise, take the next step.
Brass Jacks Bookkeeping Collective
Practical construction accounting education for bookkeepers who want to know more, do more, and bring greater value to the construction industry.

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Our mission is to educate people to become highly skilled bookkeepers and to connect companies to highly qualified bookkeepers. 

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  • PO Box 158
    Corvallis, OR, 97333, US
  • jackier@brassjacks.com
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