The Challenge: Incorrect pricing and manual churn
Before InvoiceIQ, B&R Plumbing wrestled with inconsistent supplier pricing and special job quote prices that did not always make it onto final invoices. Price increase notices from manufacturers did not consistently reach the contractor. The result was margin erosion, inaccurate job costing, and a heavy manual burden across purchasing, job coordination, and accounts payable.
As a regional contractor where staff wears many hats, fully auditing every invoice was impractical. COVID staffing constraints made gaps more likely.
“It affects gross margin and accurate job costing. Some mistakes are not caught and they trickle through,” said Bill Hall. “It becomes a burdensome situation for the team.”
Why B&R chose InvoiceIQ
Owner Stephen discovered InvoiceIQ through a Facebook ad and shared it with Bill. After seeing a walkthrough, the team felt understood and supported.
- Fast start. “Very user friendly” onboarding and practical guidance.
- Tailored to their workflow. InvoiceIQ added an undercharge report at B&R’s request to surface when commodity prices drop.
- Aligned with QuickBooks. B&R maintains pricing in QuickBooks and estimates from it. InvoiceIQ’s checks and reporting support that process and their plan to align SKUs and vendor pricing across three primary suppliers.
First month results: $2,000 uncovered with the largest vendor
Within the first month or two, InvoiceIQ flagged about $2,000 in overcharges from B&R’s largest vendor. The team suspected issues, but automated line-level verification confirmed the discrepancies quickly and with documentation.
Vendor response: B&R received credits after presenting the findings. Initially the vendor was not proactive, but once reports started going out and the supplier was asked to include InvoiceIQ on invoice emails, behavior improved. The process has become more professional and responsive.
Day-to-Day impact
- Time back for the team. Forward invoices, get results, and resolve exceptions, instead of hunting through job files and stacks of invoices.
- Cleaner job costing and margins. Errors are surfaced before payment.
- Stronger vendor posture. B&R reports a more respectful, businesslike footing with suppliers now that pricing is verified every week.
- New visibility when prices drop. The undercharge report helps capture downward commodity moves that often go unnoticed.
Strategic changes B&R is making
InvoiceIQ did more than recover credits. It influenced buying patterns. With transparent, line-item verification across vendors, B&R is optimizing which supplier they purchase from and how they structure purchasing. The team is also progressing on a system to keep SKU pricing aligned across their three main vendors inside QuickBooks, supported by InvoiceIQ’s ongoing checks.
Key Takeaways
- Automated invoice verification surfaced $2,000 in the first month with the largest vendor.
- Documented exceptions produced credits and better vendor accountability.
- Custom reporting, including undercharge detection, fits real-world buying cycles.
- Operations are smoother, job costing is more accurate, and vendor relationships are more professional.
Ready to see what is hiding in your invoices?
InvoiceIQ checks every line on every supplier invoice, alerts you to pricing errors, and helps you recover money before it leaves your account.
