Jonas Construction Software

All-In-One

Comments: Jonas does everything we need it to do. When something is not working, the Jonas team can take over your computer (with your permission and supervision) and fix it remotely. They do so in a timely manner.

Pros:

Jonas is great because of just how much it can do. Payroll, billing, AR/AP, job costing, service dispatch - it's all-in-one.

Cons:

It's much easier to use the arrow keys than the mouse to navigate in Jonas. I like using the arrow keys, but some users here would prefer to use the mouse.

Long Time User

Comments: I have been very satisfied and happy with Jonas. Their improvements and new ideas every year are very beneficial to my company. In the beginning of our purchase of Jonas, project management was new, and since then ( almost 10 years ago), it has come such a long way, and has continuous improvements. The changes and the growth that has been made over the last 10 years has made my company more productive, has allowed us to analyze, keep track of certain important items ( job related, and human resource related) and help us grow our company, since we know we can handle any situation internally.

Pros:

There are many things I love about Jonas. Here's just a few 1. The structure of the entire software, for example, how the trial balance ties into the general ledger, which then can tie into your job costing and your work orders. In addition to consolidating financial statements. 2. When a mistake is made, you can not delete it. It's there for good. You can fix it, but not delete it. This actually helps when needing to figure something out months later. 3. Job costing module, especially for gross profit analysis. This is very robust module, and works amazing to analyze on a company basis or at a job level basis. 4. Restrictions or an individual user, or a group of users. There are not only restrictions by module, but by button, by job etc. Security and restrictions for administrators all the way to super intendents is great. There have been many times where we have allowed a project manager to do something, and then we realized they shouldn't have access, and we made the change instantaneously.

Cons:

There isn't much that I dislike about Jonas, but there are a couple of items I believe need improvement: 1. Procedures on how to do a specific task, including tricks and short cuts. There is an online module for all procedures, but doesn't give you everything. 2. Jonas Contacts, not very easy to use. Understanding where to create a contact ( job related or non job related), where the contacts are kept, as well as needing more people in my company to understand how to use it.

If I could travel back in time, I would save myself years of heartache and not buy this system.

Comments: Jonas does a job when it works. It is the single least popular software in our organisation. Unfortunately, when it has issues, which is often, there is a complete lack of any kind of customer support available. We have been trying for two weeks, to get technical support for an issue that is preventing us from completing our month end financials. Even contacting our account manager has had no result and now I am browsing the "Meet the team" webpage to try to irritate someone "important" at Jonas to try to get some help. I am now going to be spending time trying to find replacement software, as the lack of customer support renders this system a very expensive anchor.

Pros:

I actually find this software cumbersome to use and impossible to get technical support for when it doesn't work, which is often.

Cons:

Total lack of support, total lack of interest in customers, after they get your money, total lack of anything remotely approaching interest when their product doesn't work properly, which is often.

Rocky start with soft landing

Comments: This software was purchased many years before we fully deployed. We faced challenges getting the information from our prior software programs into Jonas. Not that the Jonas software wasn't helpful and user friendly, it was more of a total revamp from our end. Then comes the issue of time. When "business goes on" and you don't have time to fully devote on a project, it gets stopped and started way too often. In addition to making changes on our end regarding how we wanted the information to land in Jonas, it simply became a chore. Finally we opted to hire a summer intern that would help get much of the information needed into the program and get this ball rolling. We were using multiple programs that Jonas would be replacing which was a part of our grief. Now that we have fully launched Jonas it has been a blessing. While we do occasionally find a challenge here and there, all-in-all the program has and does perform as we need it to. Support has been very good to us. I would definitely recommend the person that is the main administrator of the program to attend at least one if not more of the Jonas conferences. Those have been helpful with meeting other users and getting their input.

Pros:

The program is very adaptable. The consistent upgrades and changes as result of customer input is outstanding. Many ideas are suggested and then implemented within a year (if they are truly useful). The customer support is always there and everyone does their best to rectify any issues.

Cons:

There are no roadblock cons. There are items that require a "workaround" on occasion but Jonas is very helpful in assisting with a workaround. The changeover of our entire system (our choice) was our biggest challenge. Along with that changeover it required us to think a bit differently.

Commercial/Residential Electrica Contractor. Jonas was the right fit for us.

Comments: We have been live with Jonas for a little over a year. As with ANY software, it isn't perfect and will not suit every need. It is impossible for a software to please everyone as we all run our businesses differently. We shopped several software options, and for our medium size company with a service department, Jonas fit us best. I agree, the reports are very simplistic in format and do take some getting used to. I had to look beyond pretty pictures and format as what is really important to us is the data. The Pro and Con to Jonas is it is HIGHLY customizable. With that, there needs to be a very thoughtful process to how you set it up in the beginning. Which is a challenge since you won't know how some things work until you are using it. It is a very robust software for the price, in my opinion, and will take patience and time to learn all it can do. I found that the very basics such as entering A/P, work orders, creating jobs are very easy to learn. The complexity comes when you want/expect to rely less on outside software and spreadsheets. Our company borders two states, one with a multi-jurisdiction sales tax schedule. Every payroll or sales tax requirement Jonas has been able to handle. Jonas is able to handle multi-state, multi union payrolls. Something we found not very many programs could throw in a service department and it became very small unless I wanted to buy a program that equated us to driving a bus down the road for 3 people while spending 6 figures. No thank you.

Pros:

My favorite is the Project Control screen. From there, our project managers can drill down and get all the information they need in one quick and easy place. Each person can customize some of the drill down screens to tailor to their individual needs. AIA/progress billing is easy with the step by step menu. It is also easy to go back and adjust if needed. The ability to set controls across the various modules. Your voice is heard. I have always been able to talk thru a challenge with support and management. They listen and if the demand is there they will put it in the next product update.

Cons:

The stock payroll reports haven't fit very well for us. But Jonas is working on that. Cluttered menu items that hang in there because their long-time customers still use them. It is confusing when you are first learning.

I am Happy Long-term Client that has been using Jonas since 2001

Comments: Great trainers who are very knowledgeable and professional. They work with us to troubleshoot any issues we are having with prompt response time!

Pros:

We found Jonas easy to learn because they have THE BEST trainers and customer support. We have gotten to know that staff over the years and they are awesome! Doesn’t matter if we have big or small questions - they are always willing to help us. We use the system for A/R, A/P, G/L, Payroll, Project Management, Service Management, Inventory, and Equipment. The reporting is the best part because we are able to fully drill down and see how all projects are doing at any point in time. We’ve also been able to grow our service management side because of their Dispatch Board and the mobile solution. We love it!!! And last but not least, the payroll makes my life so much easier, having both union and non-union – this makes it a breeze. As a Union Electrical Contractor working in over ten different locals in California, this is imperative to have this functionality. Jonas Software has changed the way the company operates, saving time, making things more organized, and more proficient. Jonas is always listening to clients and they truly care and live up to their promise of being a partner rather than just a provider. We are able to have full insight into our business and we’ve been able to grow because of the software!

Cons:

At this time I can not think of any cons.

An accounting-focused software that focuses on the minutia instead of general ease of use.

Pros:

Jonas creates an almost sterile accounting environment where every move is tracked and audited, increasing visibility of individual tasks. Processes are broken down into very small steps which can be helpful if you're looking for an audit trail. The mobile portion (emobile) of Jonas Enterprise is a valuable addition for field workers and dispatchers alike.

Cons:

Visually the interface leaves much to be desired. Scale and size are unchangeable and there are many screens and modules that are so miniscule as to render them unreadable. Mobile-wise the visuals get better but are not quite user friendly for service individuals in the middle of a job. Jonas creates such a lengthy process for every single task that it can seem like you are taking 7 steps that could have been accomplished in one. While the audit function of Jonas is a highlight for the developers, as an ordinary user I can say it is something I never use but is incorporated into everything I do whether I like it or not. Boasted as a "true accounting software" I can't help but imagine it was an accountant's evil fantasy to produce such a laborious process to accomplish small daily tasks. When Jonas is forced to go big, it fails spectacularly. Financial reporting is and general overview is so fuzzy and diluted it's almost useless. Because Jonas creates so much data on the micro scale, large reports and financial analysis provides very little useful information. Drill down does not exist in the true sense of the word.

We have been using Jonas Enterprise just over 6 years. Not happy with the product. Unfortunately we spent over our budget at the time and have added all the modules they offer over the years. Lots of promises that the software will be improved and the dat

Comments: low budget product

Pros:

Unfortunately we spent to much money on this product. I honestly can't think of any pros. we went with this product initially because it was a Canadian company and they would have a better handle on the accounting piece. our accountants think the software isa joke.

Cons:

- Currently the it runs on a data base that no one uses, out dated. the company does a great job marketing the product but once you start using it, you will come to discover its not that good. Some examples: Job names, contract numbers, part numbers etc , only allow a limited number of characters. some times client PO's or contract numbers are 15-20 characters or more and the field doesn't allow for more than 12. - Many more to list, will probably run out of room. - Support is not good. - document control does not sync well, cannot drag and drop items from document management or emails back and forth - EBI always go down. - design your own forms has many limitations not customizable - project scheduler is not customizable - dispatch scheduler does not sync smoothly with the software - e-mobile is a joke, not customizable - no automatic update functionality for the software. has to been done manually. have to end all service to update and restart server. - maintenance fees are very expensive, not worth it

Over promised and Under delivered

Pros:

The features look great on paper. It would be awesome if it did everything that it's supposed to instead of being functional in theory.

Cons:

The implementation team did not do what they should and we were told that multiple features didn't exist despite the fact that they were shown in the demo or promised by the sales team. Workarounds for everything.

Dated but Functional

Comments: At the end of the day this software does what it needs to do. From an administration perspective it can be difficult to manage.

Pros:

Jonas software is reliable and gets the job done. The functions of the software meets the business need.

Cons:

This software tends to be rather finnicky to get running in any environment. Frequent issues are often frustrating to resolve with support. Their reps tend to be hit and miss I've dealt with very helpful and completely useless support agents when reaching out for help.

Jonas for Construction

Comments: Jonas has really streamlined our accounting processes and made us more efficient.

Pros:

The main reason we switched to Jonas was for the Job Costing feature and it continues to to make our life easier. Payroll has also proven to make us more efficient, particularly with dealing with multiple union agreements.

Cons:

What I like least about Jonas is the Report Design feature. I find it difficult to maneuver and create the reports that I need.

We are in the business of construction not IT or software

Pros:

It was much less expensive than many of the others we looked at. The service module is robust and we like the idea of the dispatch board. The payroll module is better than what we were using before

Cons:

Absolutely terrible customer service. The software is not intuitive so unless you are an IT guru it is not easy to use or write reports. The report writing function doesn't work the same in each module. No dashboards. I am looking elsewhere after only 3 years

After some training it is a very indepth easy to use program

Comments: The customer support are amazing and really know their product!!!

Pros:

The customer support whenever you have an issue, question or concern is outstanding, when you log a case they get back to you very quickly.

Cons:

The system can be a little overwhelming if you do not have some training, but once you have been working with it for awhile (if you have worked with other accounting software) it is very user friendly at least for the general areas of each module. If you search in the tutorials Jonas is quite good at supplies assistance for most of the modules. Therefore I can not really find a con.

This is a great all-in-one software for our industry

Pros:

Jonas software does a great job of integrating all aspects of our business into one software platform. They stay on top of updating the software to keep it on trend with what we need.

Cons:

I wish there was a better system for training. When we have a new employee come on board it would be great if Jonas offered a better training tool for us to use.

Disappointed

Pros:

The reporting options are pretty much unlimited.

Cons:

This software package is not very intuitive. Data entry is not centralized, and you are required to navigate through multiple areas of the software to enter information that could easily be centralized in one data entry point. We were sold on features that either do not exist or that we are now being told we should not implement. This software does not do automated workflows, which we were told it could do. Partway through implementation, we were told we would not immediately be able to use the mobile platform. We understand this is construction software. However, this product was presented to us as a viable option to manage our service business, and we were assured that service management was a focus within the product. After spending several months in the software, we can assure anyone else looking for a service management solution that this is not the product for you. In fact, rather than replacing our outdated software, we are currently using both our old software and this software to ensure the new software is operating correctly.

12-year Jonas user

Pros:

The bookmark feature where you can have multiple screens open simultaneously is so convenient. Jonas is willing to accept input on new ideas and feedback on current features to keep the product moving forward. Our network administrator thought the Jonas user conferences worthwhile and learned a lot at the seminars and networking sessions with other users.

Cons:

MIS processes an extremely high volume of service calls every month. It has been a learning curve using the new Jonas dispatch/scheduler which is vastly different from the previous dispatch board. Customer service reps have been working with us since the upgrade in March. Plus we are working towards implementing Jonas eMobile in September which should go a long way towards streamling our cumbersome data entry processes.

Unhappy with training.

Pros:

The software has a lot to offer and many great features. It is very flexible and you can reall drill down cost and overhead with all of the reporting.

Cons:

The trainer that we were assigned did not understand accounting for construction and new even less about the software. When we finally complained about the trainer they switch trainers and did not credit us for any training and left us with a company file that was set up incorrectly. They said they could help fix it but it would be another charge for the extra support. Now three months later they do not return our emails. The software is very complicated without training you will really struggle.

A Simple, Highly Customizable, Multi Function Software

Pros:

I have used Jonas to process Accounts Receivable,Accounts Payable, Payroll, Inventory, and Job Cost since 2010. The modules are easy to use and financial reports can be customized for better decision making especially in Job Cost. The Inventory Module helps to track levels to re-order and specific materials used per job. Overall, I think this is a great software for the Construction Industry because Labour Costs, Materials, and Overheads can be easily retrieved in detail.

Cons:

In the future, I would like to be able to retrieve scanned vendor & customer documents(WSIB & Certificate of Insurance) through the Vendor & Customer Modules(Contractors & Subs). This will be better for tracking purpose.

Very happy with the software and overall experience with Jonas!!!!!

Comments: The software is great!!! Makes my work life a lot easier and I look forward to any upgrades and improvements Jonas has to offer.

Pros:

What I like is that you can get the exact reports you want. The software is easy to use and understand. And I like it as it is structured and geared towards the construction business. The ability for Management to view and review daily standings, keep a track of many projects.

Cons:

I believe the creation of a report can be a bit challenging, need more custom designs. That's all I have for now, the more I use the software I will see if there are any places where improvements may be needed.

Director of Accounting

Pros:

Overall the products are pretty accurate in processing data and generate financial reports, most of data can be downloaded in Excel for us to analyze.

Cons:

The system should not allow unbalanced JEs to be posted, in addition, it should make it easy to run reports by Dep. IDs

Integrated system for service & construction

Pros:

All in one system; all employees use the same system. Both service and install departments have specific functionalities

Cons:

After 6 years using Jonas, I can tell that if you have a recommendation on how to make Jonas better, the management team will listen to you.

Jonas

Pros:

The software offers many different report options. With time I have learned where to find and utilize these reports.

Cons:

I found it difficult to determine which reports would produce the information I was seeking. With time I have learned which reports and options provide the information I need.

Just Make Sence

Pros:

Once the setup is complete, the product is very easy to use. I also like the constant updating of the product.

Cons:

The interfacing with other products such as Accubid is difficult, as well as the setup is a bit complicated.

Challenging

Comments: Overall, the system once you know how to do the functions is fairly easy to use. If you don't know the system, the information is difficult to find, however, the customer support team is very helpful and timely to help.

Pros:

There are many things you can do to track costs in this program. It is fairly easy to use once you know how to use it.

Cons:

You can't leave very long descriptions, the help documents aren't very helpful to find how to do a specific function, you can't adjust things easily (you might need to do a couple things to fix one thing)

GREAT customer service

Pros:

I was able to fix my mistake quickly and without much thought.

Cons:

I wish there was better reporting reports.