Project Costing Software

Estimate smarter, track costs live, and forecast profitability confidently with BigTime’s all‑in‑one project costing software.

Why Choose BigTime Project Costing Software?

Project costs often spiral out of control due to inaccurate estimation, unchecked spending, and delayed visibility into actuals. Without real-time project cost data, professional services firms are left reacting instead of planning. BigTime’s project costing software delivers visibility, control, and insight, giving teams the ability to manage project budgets proactively and protect margins from project initiation to final delivery.

Estimate costs precisely

Build models with labor, expenses, and third-party spend.

Track costs in real time

Actuals update automatically from timesheets, expenses, and POs.

Control budget overruns

Set alerts and approval steps for budget deviations.

Forecast profit accurately

View projected margins and identify at-risk projects early, before problems arise.

Get detailed cost data

Track by task, phase, resource, or location for better accountability.

Integrate seamlessly

Sync costing data with accounting and billing systems.

Precise Cost Estimation

Build detailed project budgets using historical data, reusable templates, and cost models that include labor, billable hours, third-party vendor costs, and anticipated expenses. This helps ensure that your financial planning and budget management start on solid ground and align with client expectations.

Real-Time Cost Tracking

As your team works, BigTime automatically pulls in time entries, expense reports, and purchase order data to provide real-time project cost tracking. You always know where you stand financially, enabling timely adjustments and better financial control.

Comparison of profit margins and costs in Plan A and Plan B charts

Overrun Control

Configure custom alerts and approval workflows to catch and prevent cost overruns before they impact profitability. BigTime empowers project managers and finance leaders with proactive cost management tools to control costs across complex projects.

Profit Forecasting

With cost-to-completion insights and projected margin views, BigTime helps you forecast future costs and identify at-risk projects early. This forward-looking visibility supports better strategic decisions and client communication.

Detailed Cost Accountability

Break down costs by task, phase, location, resource, or project segment. BigTime provides granular insight to analyze project profitability at every level, making it ideal for firms managing multiple budgets across project lifecycles.

Seamless Integrations

Connect BigTime with leading accounting and billing platforms like QuickBooks and Sage Intacct. Sync project cost data across your tech stack to eliminate manual data entry and improve accuracy in your financial reporting.

Better project management starts here.

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Key Features of BigTime’s Project Cost Management Software

Whether you're managing construction projects, consulting engagements, or IT rollouts, effective project cost management starts with the right tools. BigTime’s advanced features streamline every step of cost planning, tracking, and forecasting, turning data into action for every project team.

Estimation Templates

Save time and boost accuracy with prebuilt, customizable templates for labor costs, project-related expenses, and third-party charges. These templates help standardize your budgeting process and reduce errors in project cost estimation.

Live Cost Tracking

Automatically capture real-time project cost data as team members log hours or submit expenses. BigTime replaces disconnected spreadsheets with centralized tracking that ensures your financials are always up to date.

Variance Alerts and Approvals

Set budget thresholds and receive instant notifications when costs exceed expected limits. Approval workflows add an extra layer of financial oversight and prevent budget overruns from going unnoticed.

Cost-to-Completion Forecasts

Predict remaining project expenses with intelligent forecasting tools that combine historical data with current spending trends. Get a full picture of project progress, future costs, and project profitability to better manage complex projects.

Granular Breakdown

Drill down into specific cost centers, resources, or phases to monitor detailed financial performance. This helps professional services firms manage project budgets at a level that supports better decision-making and resource planning.

Accounting/Billing Sync

Seamlessly integrate BigTime with your existing accounting software, including QuickBooks and Sage Intacct. Keep your financial systems aligned and eliminate manual data entry across time tracking, project budgets, and expense management.

How BigTime’s Project Cost Tracking Software Works

BigTime’s project management software guides you through every stage of cost planning, monitoring, and control. With built-in best practices and real-time automation, professional services firms can move from reactive budget fixes to proactive cost management.

1: Build baseline estimates

Use estimation templates or import historical data to create accurate project budgets tailored to your business model and project scope.

2: Monitor actual costs

As work progresses, BigTime pulls in labor costs, expense submissions, and vendor payments to provide up-to-date actuals with zero manual effort.

3: Enable cost controls

Configure thresholds, alerts, and approvals to detect and address budget variances before they spiral into major issues.

4: Forecast profitability

Compare projected margins against actual spend and cost-to-complete projections, giving your team the financial insight needed to keep projects profitable.

5: Integrate with financials

Sync project costing data with your billing and accounting tools for comprehensive, accurate financial reporting across the entire project lifecycle.

Why Professional Services Firms Choose BigTime

Success Story: Real Results for Real Firms

STR, a nationally recognized architecture firm, needed better visibility into project budgets, labor costs, and time tracking across its diverse portfolio of complex projects. Before adopting BigTime, STR relied on disconnected systems that made it difficult to manage project finances and ensure cost control at scale. With BigTime’s integrated platform, STR now benefits from streamlined time tracking, real-time project cost data, and robust reporting that drives smarter forecasting. The firm has significantly improved operational efficiency, gained tighter control over budgets, and enhanced its ability to deliver successful projects profitably. Read the full story.

What Our Customers Say

“Being able to put projects into BigTime is wonderful. In the past, there was no one place you could look at all of the things you were doing at the same time. Now, it’s really very cool- the visuals of the project management [adds} a layer of data gathering that we didn’t have before. It shows each live project’s revenue, expenses, and how much time we’re spending!”

Vickie Geiman

General Manager/ Sr. Associate

See Project Costs Clearly and Deliver Profitable Projects

Ready to stop flying blind with your project financials? BigTime gives professional services firms a comprehensive solution for project cost management, from detailed cost estimation to live tracking and profitability forecasting. Discover how our project costing software can eliminate manual data entry, improve financial control, and help your firm deliver successful projects, every time.

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FAQ

What is project costing software?

Project costing software is a solution that helps firms estimate, track, and manage project expenses, including labor, materials, and overhead. It ensures financial visibility and cost control across the entire project lifecycle, supporting project profitability and successful delivery.

How does BigTime support cost estimation?

BigTime enables teams to use historical data, estimation templates, and standardized inputs to build accurate project budgets. This streamlines cost estimation and supports more effective budget creation and financial forecasting.

Can I track live labor and expense costs?

Yes. BigTime’s real-time cost tracking captures labor costs, expense submissions, and purchase orders automatically, giving you live visibility into actual project expenses.

Are cost overrun alerts available in BigTime?

Absolutely. BigTime allows you to configure custom variance thresholds and approval workflows. You’ll receive alerts when projects exceed their planned budgets, allowing you to act quickly to maintain cost control.

Does BigTime provide cost-to-completion forecasting?

Yes. BigTime includes intelligent tools to forecast future costs and track cost-to-complete. These insights help professional services firms assess profitability before it’s too late to intervene.

How granular is the cost breakdown in BigTime?

You can monitor costs at the level of tasks, project phases, resources, departments, or cost centers. This granularity supports accurate project accounting and deep financial analysis.

Does BigTime integrate with accounting software?

Yes. BigTime integrates with QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, and other financial systems. This eliminates duplicate data entry and ensures your project cost data flows smoothly across billing, invoicing, and accounting platforms.

Is this software suited for architecture, engineering, and consulting firms?

Definitely. BigTime is designed for professional services businesses like engineering, architecture, IT consulting, and construction management that need detailed project cost management tools.

Can I use BigTime to analyze project cost trends?

Yes. BigTime offers dashboards and reports that track cost variance, labor utilization, and other key financial data. These tools help firms make smarter decisions based on historical data and current performance.

How long does it take to implement BigTime?

Most firms are up and running within a few weeks thanks to guided onboarding and expert support. You’ll be able to manage project finances and cost tracking faster than traditional ERP systems.