BQE Core is essential to our business

Pros

We feel that we have a much better ability to manage our business since we have adopted BQE core. We now have the tools necessary to analyze our projects in detail and understand which types are profitable and which need attention. The software has really helped us in other ways we did not fully expect. Once example relates to recovery of billable non labour expensive from our clients, which is something our firm has been quite terrible at historically.

BQE customer support has been generally excellent. My last question was answered in only a few hours, and on a Sunday. Fantastic. But we have seen a few cases where I found the support technician did not take enough time to properly process the information we have sent in before firing off a reply.

The private training we purchased during our rollout phase was very good and we were able to hit the ground running.

The bottom line is this: we think the software is essential to our business we would recommend that other professional service firms consider it as well.

Cons

The workflow would be vastly improved if the system provided a control in the project screen which generated a batch invoice against the root of the project, with some default settings driven by the project rules. (e.g. for this project always generate invoice using completion percentages) or something like that.

The search behaviour is brutal! I’ve raised this a few times with staff but no has told me why it works like this and why it can’t be fixed. Just try for yourself. Punch in a project number in the main search window. The target of the search comes back instantly. But then it goes off the rails. Clicking that result leads to a mess of mostly irrelevant results.

Great tool for the Architect's office

Overall, this is a good office management tool for the architect. We have used it for the past 10 years and find it invaluable in all we do in managing projects and running the business.

Pros

The product is great for the management of a project from time and expense reports to document management. It also manages the office contacts and calendar of events for all the employees. It will give you in real time if you are making or losing money on a project. It tracks and creates invoicing for all project clients. If you use QuickBooks, it is integrated directly with that software for complete accounting management. It is a great tool for Architects in that it is formatted for what we do (tasks and phasing of projects). If you have internet connection, you can get access to this program while on the road,

Cons

When opening up project file, it takes 2 or 3 clicks to open up a file, such as Word, PDF and AutoCAD. Very, Very frustrating. Many of my employees do not use is function and simply use Window file manager to open and move files. We should not have to do this. It uses Java in the background for some of its operations, and I am not a fan of Java... it is always updating. Updating of the software is somewhat difficult for the person not a computer nerd.

As architects, we get set in our own way of doing things and never want to change. In ArchiOffice 2013 we found a product that pretty much adapts to how we do things. Sure we changed our methods a little, but for the most part it does what we want it to. We began looking for an office management software in 2007. We realized that the old method of using a spreadsheet was making us miss lots of opportunity for reimbursements that we could have been charging clients until too late. Just recapturing these lost revenues has paid for ArchiOffice. After 6 years, the program is so comprehensive, there are modules for everything you need in an architects office. The main points are easy; project lists, contact lists, time records, billings, and a shared calendar. But dig deeper and you get time tracking per job, project phases or tasks; time records, that at entry, keep everyone informed as to project progress; intelligent records, filling in more than you really want to know about project time expenditure; RFI logging, shop drawing logging; billings, showing cash flow and work in progress; phone call records and a shared calendar; not to mention dozens of reports, and more. For example - when a project Architect is out, and an electrical shop drawing comes in, the office manager can look up the engineer in project info/contacts, and forward the submittal on the same day. Then, they can place a task on the architects to-do list, 7 days out, noting that it should be returned; and then also they can set another task for 10 days out, reminding them again that it should have been returned. We use it for document management; scanning and storing the shop drawing when it is returned. Remote access from anywhere with an Internet connection makes it easy to reach information in the field. The superintendant, without his copy of a spec or shop drawing, can remotely access it thru Archioffice. 6 years of use, and we love it. All that glowing review, and yes, it does have a few flaws. The biggest is that Syncing with Outlook is nearly a waste of time. It can be done, but it requires that you run old Java, then run parallel Outlook files. We just don't even bother. When we do have a problem, the tech support is awesome. In 2010, after a major upgrade, I think I wore out tech support for 3 months. But currently, I think I have emailed two questions in the last 3 months. Always fast and complete responses. AO2013 is mature enough of a product that problems are few and far between. I will admit, as Architect/IT guy/Managing Partner, I use every aspect of this program - not just a few areas like most of my employees. I still look at competing programs, and haven't found one that adapts to my ways as well, or is as comprehensive.

New Customer

My overall experience has been up and down. I have too much time and money into this software to quit now, so I'm sticking with it. One thing that really bothers me is that I find a bug, but it isn't quick in getting fixed. Customer support has been quick in responding to questions most of the time. But I don't like them telling me to watch the video. A lot of times that does not solve the problem. Also, as a former development programmer, I coded what my users wanted, not what I wanted. I don't see them reaching out to the current subscribers for their input as to what would make the software more useable/marketable. I can have changes made for a fee, but it should be, as users, what would you like to see as added features to the program. Doesn't happen, at least they have never asked me what would make the software better. The days of pleasing the customer are long gone I'm afraid, so to add features that would be beneficial to their customers is at a cost, and not part of the fees that are made monthly to them.

Pros

I like that it handles the business platform that I need it for. It is fairly easy to use and decent value for your money. Customer support is fairly prompt in responding.

Cons

A lot of Bugs and issues. I know it is fairly new software, but as a former development programmer for a major aerospace company, I would never give my user a program with so many bugs. I have to hit the enter/save multiple times, it jumps from a current phase I'm entering to one that i entered 5 phases ago.??? Not sure why it does that.
It doesn't know how to handle Overhead and Profit percentages very well, and that is a big issue for me. Our business invoices a lot adding an overhead% and a profit % to our billing. Pretty standard in our business.

Great product! Practical, customizable, and good value for the money.

This product saves me time and keeps all my cases organized so I never miss important deadlines or follow-up tasks. Well worth the money.

Pros

1) It has a nice look and it's easy to use because it is organized in an intuitive manner.
2) It is also incredibly customizable. There are so many ways to filter reports and adjust who sees which reports and when, it kind of blows my mind. I have done so many things to customize this software to my firm's needs and I still feel like I've just scratched the surface. This also means it will continue to be useful as my firm grows, which is incredibly valuable.
3) It's a cloud-based software, which means I never have to worry about installing the latest updates. It's also an extra bonus layer of data security because the data is not housed on my local in-office server.
4) Tracking time is easy, and once hours have been billed to the client they are marked in the system (this may seem like a pretty basic feature, but it was surprisingly difficult to find in a case management software).
5) It talks to QuickBooks online, and it's easy to transfer data. It saves a lot of time to transfer invoice and other data from the project management software directly into my accounting system.
6) The customer service and follow-up support is great. I was walked through the initial implementation, which got me up and running almost immediately - very little work time invested in the implementation. After using the software for a few weeks, I scheduled a one-on-one training session with a BQE trainer to get all my firm-specific questions answered which was great.

Cons

My only (minor) complaint is that it does not yet also function as a CRM. I hope they add this feature because I'm looking forward to incorporating that data and function into the same system as my case management.

Great Customer Service and Support

I just want to witness to the fact that everything that Engineering Office says about their wonderful support is true. A lot of companies over embellish and when you have a problem it is like pulling teeth to get some help. Not at Engineering office. They respond to phone calls and emails very quickly. The employees that they have in training and support should be the jewels in their crown. I have had the pleasure of working through frustrating problems with customer support, only to find it is some small thing and getting it fixed or training me to fix it goes quickly. Customer support representatives are FABULOUS and they have great patience and compassion for their customers. They realize that customers can't fix everything and that sometimes it is just beyond us. I learned this software quickly and came to a company that had not set it up correctly and nothing Sync'd together right. Customer support representatives held my hand and walked me through knowing that I was under a deadline. That is what is wonderful about this support team. They are human and they realize that you are human too and that things happen and they are there to guide the way, educate, and even fix the big problems. Anyone who chooses this software should realize that the Maintenance and Support fee that you pay is well worth it. Keep up the good work. It is very appreciated by your Customers.

Pros

It is very easy to use and you can learn it quite quickly with help of online webinars, the help pages, and just fishing around in the menus. Very clear and concise.

Cons

I wish that the SYNC process was done with a macro and I didn't have to do anything more than schedule it to go.

Our small business has been using Core for about a year now

Pros

Our small business has been using Core for about a year now. At this point it is difficult to imagine how our business timesheets, expenses, and invoices operated without Core. We enjoy the flexibility it allows us to utilize the functionality we need without being forced to use or pay for features that don’t apply to our unique business. We continue to expand the ways Core helps our business through learning new features, creating custom reports, and exporting helpful information. As our business has grow BQE has worked with us to help stay on top of our growing needs

Cons

Improvement in Scroll & update issue – when doing batch edits to approve time, update bill rates, etc. the only items actually edited are those that load. We only have 15 employees, but a month worth of time can take a very long time to scroll through. There should be an override to load all or apply to all rather than having to scroll through hundreds of entries, loading more every 3-4 seconds.

We use this software to manage our architecture firm. I have 25 years in practice and I have used 4 similar programs - this is the best by far.

The BQE company has been very responsive to suggestions and is making steady improvements. It is nice to use software that gets better over time.

Pros

The product is very powerful and provides quick information about how our projects are progressing - it allows us to know precisely how we are doing financially on each project. I like how flexible it is - much more flexible than other similar software I have used over the years. I like the interface and the customer service has been really excellent - they have been very responsive when we get stuck, and there has rarely not been a solution to our problems.

Cons

Sometimes the flexibility of the software makes it a little unwieldy. This software requires you to pay attention to what you are doing - because you can mess things up pretty quickly. There are times when I wish it had the ability to turn off some options - I would give up some power and flexibility to make it easier to work with. Invoice formatting needs some work.

Flexibility of Core made our complex billing simple

Pros

The flexibility of Core is exceptional, and their technical support is top notch.
Core has helped us manage our projects and streamline our billing process, which includes 3-tier structure. Prior to Core we use to use excel to manage our multiple database.

Cons

I hope Core is going to have the payroll module soon. This will help cut down the manual steps and use of multiple application.

BillQuick Review

Even though we do not integrate BillQuick with QuickBooks, this is an option that does sync with ease. What is nice is that you can have endless users working in this software system, independently entering their time and expenses without having issues. I have used many different software systems, and this one is quite easy to use and well worth the price.

Pros

Henderson Architectural started using BillQuick in 1999, while I began using this system in mid-2002. With the assistance of BillQuick's customer support and specialized tech support, we were able to run BillQuick more efficiently and to its full capabilities for what our firm needs. In the 9 years that I have been working with BillQuick, I have established an outstanding relationship with them to the point where they know what my needs and expectations are without me having to re-state them. The software has many capabilities, along with Crystal Reports, that allows you to design or edit existing reports/invoices to your needs. I have created special invoices for specific clients, and I am able to tie these invoices to specific projects without having to worry about them printing on the wrong template. The capabilities to tie expenses, activities, employees, etc to specific projects is endless.

Cons

I truly do not have any cons for this product only because if you are in need of something special, feel there should be something brought to their attention or any issues that need to be resolved, you may email them and most likely your suggestion/issue could end up in the next upgrade.

Core platform has such great day-to-day functionality

Pros

I did a pretty extensive research when I opened my own business for affordable but powerful products, I am happy with the development and evolving product line with BQE.

The Core platform has such great day-to-day functionality but has made managing the company much easier to do. I typically attend the webinars that are put on and can certainly speak to how we use it from the mobile app to forecasting and allocating resources.

Cons

Would like to see a little more flexibility with updating billed time entries

BQE Support Service

Pros

ArchiOffice is an easy way to track time both billable and non-billable and to generate client invoices. In addition, ArchiOffice is able to run specific reports to help track phases and time by individual employees.

Cons

Some aspects are not intuitive. Running specific detailed reports can be a troubleshooting process until you happen to check and uncheck the correct check box. There is no user "How To" manual for reference or short video clips to view. It would be nice to see a page of every report that ArchiOffice can generate, use a dummy project and print out what is possible. I am sure that there are so many other features that our company could benefit from if we only knew the capabilities of ArchiOffice (without joining a training session that cost money)

Cannot think of running our business without BQE Core

Pros

BQE Core's insightful dashboards and business intelligence tells us exactly how our projects are performing. The fact that I can review this important data from anywhere anytime is a huge benefit. We love the easy of use and the flow of the software.The important KPI's in Core for our projects, clients and staff help us run our business efficiently. Love the mobile phone app!

Cons

We track mileage extensively for our project visits. Mileage tracking on the mobile phone app will complete the app

It's about time

Pros

I've been using BQE product for more than 20 years. This is the best product thus far I have enjoyed working in after a long long time. Ease of use with excellent support. We extensively use it for easy to use time tracking and robust invoicing features

Cons

Ability to customize reports would be a great addition.

I am a small consulting engineering firm and use this for time accounting and invoicing. Additioanl features and capabilites are available as I grow into them.

Pros

This is fairly intuitive for a non-programming type of user. Results have been good and reliable. Support help has been very good, both from my account rep and tech support. It is good to have backup when things get lost, and BQE has been there. I look forward to exploring other features as my needs grow.

Cons

I have the basic level program and am curious about extended planning tools and features. We will see if these are as intuitive and the basic functions.

BillQuick, an outstanding product for professional service firms!

We switched to Bill Quick at just the right time! It allowed us to respond to client demanded invoice templates and enabled us to continue to grow without adding additional back office support staff. The mobile app is also great for time and expense entry and so is web suite for all our remote offices and mobile staff. Billing can be accomplished quickly with this product!

Cons

We work on the east coast and from time to time we have needed morning support and had to wait until support staff arrived at BQE who works in the pacific time zone. Not a major issue by any means, but still resulted is some downtime that otherwise could have been eliminated.

Time and expense product for everyone

The product is extremely user friendly. Employees, young and senior age, have no problem using the product to accomplish their daily activities. BillQuick conducts, at no cost, frequent training sessions where participants are encouraged to learn time saving ways to use applications. Employees in their tech department have a deep knowledge of the software. Their goal is to assist in what you want the application do. Tell the tech people what you want and they will get it done. "No problem" is their attitude. BillQuick has the best product at an economical price that I have found.

Cons

As you can tell, I like the product. BillQuick offers service/application discounts, usually for a very limited time period. Possibly these marketing efforts can be extended of existing and tech agreements users for a longer time period. It is usually easier and less expensive to sell more to an existing customer base.

Engineer Office Review

We have been utilizing Engineer Office since 2011 for a Civil Engineering and Survey firm. We have been happy with the refinements that BQE has put into place throughout the years to make it functional. We utilize it mostly as a timekeeping and billing complement to Quickbooks. In the last few years, we have successfully cut our time for billing down by implementing best management practices on entering data. Billing used to take a week from the closing date and now it only takes a day or two at the most. Overall the project management when it comes to billing is what we need to operate our business efficiently.

Pros

The billing functions on this product are very efficient when setting up correctly. The ability to have multiple fixed fee and time and expense items on an invoice is very useful.

Cons

The connection to QuickBooks can be somewhat difficult and inconsistent at times. It is best when you start fresh and have someone that understands the system. Beginners can make a mess of things if they don't understand the system.

Absolutely fabulous for tracking time and doing invoices easily!!!

Pros

The ability to track hours easily and to do invoices easily. The options for how to handle a project a great too - hourly and stipulated sum with budget %. CUSTOMER SUPPORT is absolutely FABULOUS. Have never worked with a software vendor that gives this level of customer support; I've always had every question answered and any problems fixed right away. And when you send an e-mail asking for help, it is followed up in a timely manner.

Cons

The time clock on the hours can't be adjusted to fit the situation. But, there are other free software programs that will track this and then the data can be dropped into ArchiOffice.

Love BQE

Love it and definitely worth a try!

Pros

We love BQE and cannot imagine running our business without BillQuick. Last year we switched to subscription and it's great to see new features that are getting added. We enjoy unlimited support.

Cons

We have been using BQE product for 10 years and it definitely is improving every year and we cannot think of anything that it does not do for us