How to Stay on Top of Construction Bookkeeping Without Losing Hours Each Week
If you run a construction company, you know the drill — receipts pile up, invoices get buried in email chains, and before long, cashflow feels like guesswork.
Here’s how to bring calm and clarity to your finances — using smart tools like Briefcase, Dext, and Xero — so you can focus on building projects, not chasing paperwork.
Why is managing receipts and invoices so painful in construction?
In short: Because paperwork in construction never stops — and it’s scattered across vans, WhatsApp, and supplier portals.
Every project has unique costs, subcontractors, and suppliers. Without a clean system, it’s easy to lose track of what’s been spent versus what’s been billed. That leads to:
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Unclear margins
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VAT headaches
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Delayed payments
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And wasted admin time every week
One of our clients — a specialist fit-out contractor turning over £1.2m — was spending 5+ hours a week reconciling invoices manually. After streamlining their process, they now do it in under 30 minutes.
What tools can help automate this?
The best combination for construction businesses:
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Dext – Captures and categorises receipts automatically.
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Briefcase – A secure digital folder for sharing financial documents.
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Xero – Your central accounting system that syncs with both tools.
How it works together
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Snap or forward receipts into Dext – No more paper chaos.
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Dext extracts the data (supplier, amount, VAT, date).
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Review and publish directly to Xero.
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Use Briefcase to share reports, invoices, and payroll securely with your accountant or Virtual Finance Office.
This trio creates a closed loop of financial control — receipts, invoices, and records all flow into one place automatically.
How to set up a simple system that works
Step 1: Create structure in Xero
Use tracking categories for sites, projects, or teams. This helps you see profit per project instantly.
Step 2: Automate data capture with Dext
Train your team to snap receipts at the supplier counter — it takes 10 seconds and saves hours later.
You can even email invoices directly to your Dext inbox (e.g. invoices@dext.cc).
Step 3: Store and share through Briefcase
No more endless email attachments. Use Briefcase as your central hub for:
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Monthly management reports
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CIS statements
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VAT returns
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Payroll files
Step 4: Review weekly, not daily
Schedule a 15-minute Friday check-in to review the week’s receipts in Xero.
Thomas Emlyn Ltd’s Virtual Finance Office clients receive this automatically — with insights on project-level profitability and cashflow trends.
How can automation improve profit margins?
Because you see the truth faster.
Manual bookkeeping hides overspends until it’s too late. Automated tools surface issues early:
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Spot when material costs exceed budget
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Identify which jobs are consistently underpriced
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Track subcontractor efficiency via cost-per-output
When combined with monthly finance meetings — like those in Thomas Emlyn’s Virtual Finance Director service — you turn data into strategy.
What does a real result look like?
A groundworks firm we advised was losing £2,000/month through missed rebills and unclaimed VAT.
By integrating Dext and Xero properly:
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VAT claims were processed two weeks faster
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Monthly bookkeeping time dropped by 70%
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Project gross margins improved from 14% to 21% in three months
That’s the power of visibility — you can’t improve what you can’t see.
How to build financial habits that actually stick
Even the best tools fail without good habits. Here’s how to make your new system stick:
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Nominate a site champion – Someone responsible for scanning receipts weekly.
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Use automation rules in Dext – Set default categories per supplier.
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Link Xero to your bank – So transactions reconcile daily.
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Review key KPIs monthly – Margin %, cash days, debtor days.
Thomas Emlyn Ltd clients get a monthly finance dashboard showing these metrics in plain English — not accountant-speak.
What’s next once your system runs smoothly?
Once your data is reliable, you can:
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Forecast cashflow with accuracy
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Review project performance in real time
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Reduce the cost of compliance
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Spend more time bidding, winning, and delivering jobs
That’s when financial control becomes a competitive advantage — not a chore.
FAQ: Receipts, Invoices & Construction Finance
1. What’s the easiest way to manage receipts on-site?
Use Briefcase. Every team member can snap photos of receipts instantly and send through a WhatsApp contact. You’ll never lose another supplier slip again.
2. Can Xero handle subcontractors and CIS deductions?
Yes. Xero has a built-in CIS module for handling deductions and verifying subcontractors. It integrates perfectly with Dext and your accountant’s Virtual Finance Office setup at Thomas Emlyn Ltd.
3. Is Briefcase secure for sensitive documents?
Absolutely. Briefcase uses bank-level encryption and is designed for accountant–client collaboration. It keeps sensitive items like VAT returns, payroll, and director payslips safe and organised.
4. How often should I reconcile in Xero?
Weekly or daily is ideal. Automated bank feeds mean it only takes minutes. For growing firms, Thomas Emlyn Ltd recommends a weekly bookkeeping rhythm with monthly strategic reviews.
5. What’s the benefit of using a Virtual Finance Office?
It’s like having a full finance department — bookkeeper, accountant, and CFO — for a fraction of the cost. You get reports, cashflow forecasts, and margin insights without the admin burden.
Next Step: Test Your System
Try this simple test:
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Snap 5 receipts in Dext.
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Publish them to Xero.
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Share your next VAT file via Briefcase.
If you complete that in under 10 minutes — your system is working.
If not, Thomas Emlyn Ltd can help you streamline it as part of your Virtual Finance Office setup. Book a discovery call here.
Thomas Emlyn Ltd
Stronger Margins – Healthier Cashflow – Sustainable Growth
