5280 Software LLC

A QuickBooks app that carries field data into the books

5280 Software, based in Austin, Texas, builds iOS and Android apps that work alongside a client's QuickBooks account rather than replacing it. Its argument is that QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online handle bookkeeping well, but much of the information a small or mid-sized firm needs never reaches them unless someone types it in. A custom app is meant to capture that information where the work happens and pass it into the accounts.

Getting field data into the accounts

The company says a bespoke app can read directly from a QuickBooks Online account, connect to other data sources and keep running on its own. Records update as soon as a device regains a connection, so the books stay current without a separate import. Staff can be given their own user profiles, with access set for each division, which the firm sees as useful where several people are authorized to record transactions for the business.

Timesheets, payroll and job costs

Tracking is a major focus. Apps can include timesheets, reminders and notifications, and staff entries flow into QuickBooks without being keyed twice. The firm says this improves payroll accuracy and removes duplicate records. Workers can check their remaining sick and vacation days and insurance details. On projects the app records daily labor, supplies, overhead and tax costs as they happen, while GPS positions show managers where equipment, workers, sales representatives and contractors are.

Invoicing and billing from the site

The same app can handle invoicing, expense tracking and custom reports in the field, so estimates and bills can reach clients sooner. Remote users can sync card payments and deposit information into the accounts.

The wider firm

Beyond QuickBooks apps, 5280 Software describes itself as a builder of custom software, websites and digital marketing, with frontend and backend development kept in house and testing included. Its clients, by its own account, range from self-employed people and start-ups to small and mid-sized firms and enterprises. Before a project starts it asks what features are wanted and which information should move between QuickBooks and the app in each direction.