BusyBusy is primarily designed for construction time tracking and job costing. It uses Cost Codes as a way to classify how time and costs are spent on different tasks or categories on a jobsite (e.g., framing, concrete, excavation).
However, in some configurations, Cost Codes can also represent materials or non-labor resources. This approach is typically used when:
Users want to track material usage alongside labor for job costing.
Projects are billed or managed based on material types (e.g., cubic yards of concrete poured, tons of gravel delivered).
Materials are charged at fixed rates, and Busybusy is used to track quantities, not just hours.
By modeling materials as Cost Codes, companies can take advantage of Busybusy’s Progress Tracking feature to:
Allocate costs by selecting a "material-type" Cost Code when logging production quantities.
Use reports to understand how much of each material was associated with a job, crew, or time period.
Streamline integration with ERP/accounting systems that expect material costs coded by type.
This allows teams to seamlessly track both labor and materials using a single, unified code structure without the need for a separate materials module.
How It Works in Busybusy
Instead of treating materials as a separate data entity, a "Material" Cost Code might be named like this:
1.1 - Material Concrete UM = Cu yd
1.2 - Material Rebar UM = Ft
1.3 - Material Gravel UM = Cu yd
1.4 - Equipment Fuel UM = Gal
1.5 - Forms UM = Ft
Customers can assign Cost Codes using any unit of measure (UM) that fits their company’s needs. The examples above show how each material-type code is associated with a specific UM, allowing for quantity-based production tracking.
Most ERP systems use a numeric or alphanumeric code to identify Cost Codes. For example, “Material Concrete” has a code of 1.1. If a customer needs to import this data back into their ERP, the system typically accepts only the code (1.1) in the Cost Code field, without the description.
That’s why, in Busybusy:
The code goes in the Cost Code field (e.g., 1.1).
The description (e.g., Material Concrete) is stored separately.
When this data is exported to Excel from Busybusy, the code and description are included in separate columns, making it easy to extract and reformat for use in external systems.
Using Progress Tracking to Log Quantities
Busybusy’s Progress Tracking feature allows crews to log quantities produced, not just time. This is especially helpful when tracking materials like:
Concrete (in cubic yards)
Rebar (in feet)
Fuel (in gallons)
Excavated soil (in tons or cubic yards)
Employees or supervisors can:
Select the appropriate material Cost Code and enter the quantity installed or delivered.
Optionally combine labor and material tracking in the same entry, for example, time spent pouring concrete and the cubic yards poured.
This creates a powerful system for job-level production tracking, where both human and material resources are monitored together.
Benefits of This Approach
Unifies cost tracking for labor, equipment, and materials using a single code structure.
Simplifies reporting – everything is tied back to one Job → Subproject (Phases/Lots, especially in larger construction projects) → Cost Code.
Works seamlessly with exports, enabling ERP/accounting systems to read and apply costing rules efficiently.
Reduces complexity – no need for a separate materials module or inventory tracking system when materials are tracked as production quantities.
Example Scenario
Let’s say you're pouring concrete for a foundation. Here's how the entries might look:
Entry | Cost Code Used | Logged As |
John logs 8 hours | 2.1 – Labor Concrete Pouring | Labor |
Foreman logs 20 CY poured | 3.2 – Material Concrete | Quantity |
Operator logs 4 hours | 4.4 – Equipment Pump Truck | Equipment |
In this case:
All entries are tied to specific Cost Codes, regardless of whether the input was time or material.
Reporting and exports will show all inputs associated with that job phase—labor, material, and equipment—clearly and separately.
Busybusy uses Cost Codes as a flexible and powerful tracking mechanism. By labeling some Cost Codes as materials and combining that with Progress Tracking, users can effectively capture non-labor costs like concrete, gravel, or fuel, without needing a dedicated materials module.