The Poof Blog
Practical guides on AI bookkeeping, automating your finances, and keeping your books clean and tax-ready.
The Calls You Miss After 5pm Are Costing You More Than You Think
Missed after-hours calls don't show up anywhere in your books — which is exactly why they're easy to ignore. Here's how to size the loss, and an honest comparison of voicemail, answering services, and AI receptionists.
Dealer Financing Is Hiding Your Real Install Margin
When a customer finances an install, the dealer fee comes out of your money — but most shops never cost it to the job. Here's how to record it so financed work stops looking more profitable than it is.
Electrical Chart of Accounts: A Complete Template for Contractors
A working chart of accounts for an electrical contractor — every income, COGS, expense, and asset account, why each exists, and the mistakes to avoid. Free template.
Electrical Contractor Bookkeeping: The Complete Guide for Shop Owners
How electrical contractor bookkeeping actually works — the chart of accounts a shop needs, job costing across service and construction, prevailing wage, subcontractor 1099s, and what each option costs.
QuickBooks Raised Prices Again in August 2026: What Your Bill Looks Like Now
Intuit raised QuickBooks Online prices on August 1, 2026 — Plus jumped 22% and Advanced 24%, with no new features attached. Here's the new pricing, what it costs you annually, and the four options worth considering.
Plumbing Chart of Accounts: A Complete Template for Shops
A working chart of accounts for a plumbing shop — every income, COGS, expense, and asset account, why each exists, and the mistakes to avoid. Free template.
HVAC Chart of Accounts: A Complete Template for Shop Owners
A working chart of accounts for an HVAC shop — every income, COGS, expense, and asset account, why each exists, and the setup mistakes to avoid. Free template.
Plumbing Bookkeeping: The Complete Guide for Shop Owners
How plumbing bookkeeping actually works — job costing when your average ticket is $340, tracking callbacks and warranty work, and what each option costs.
HVAC Bookkeeping: The Complete Guide for Shop Owners
How HVAC bookkeeping actually works — the chart of accounts a shop needs, job costing that shows which installs made money, and what each option costs.
How HVAC Shops Should Track Per-Job Profitability
Most HVAC owners know last month's revenue but not which jobs made money. How to set up per-job costing: what to capture, how to allocate overhead.
Ecommerce Bookkeeping: How to Handle Stripe, Shopify, and Marketplace Fees
Payment processor and marketplace fees quietly distort your ecommerce books if you record them wrong. Here is how to track gross revenue, fees, refunds, and payouts cleanly — so your profit numbers actually reflect reality.
Bookkeeping Cleanup Checklist: Fix Messy Books for Tax Season
A step-by-step bookkeeping cleanup checklist to catch up messy books — reconcile accounts, fix categorization, issue 1099s, and get tax-ready reports.
Free AI Bank Statement Analyzer: Get Your Spend Score in 60 Seconds
Upload a bank statement and get your free Spend Score. AI categorizes your transactions, scores your spending habits, and generates a personalized report — completely free, in under 60 seconds.
Best QuickBooks Alternatives for Small Business in 2026
QuickBooks isn't the only option for small business bookkeeping. Here's an honest comparison of Wave, Xero, FreshBooks, and Poof — with pricing, features, and who each one is best for.
Do I Need a Bookkeeper, an Accountant, or Can AI Do It?
Compare the real costs and capabilities of DIY spreadsheets, AI bookkeeping, hiring a bookkeeper, and working with an accountant. A practical framework for deciding what your business actually needs.
How to Automate Your Small Business Bookkeeping (Step by Step)
A practical guide to automating bank feeds, transaction categorization, receipt scanning, invoicing, reconciliation, and reporting — so your books stay current without the manual work.
How to Set Up Bookkeeping for a New LLC: A Complete Guide
Starting a new LLC? Here's everything you need to set up your bookkeeping correctly from day one — from opening a business bank account to preparing for your first quarterly taxes.
QuickBooks Too Expensive? 5 Things You Can Do Right Now
QuickBooks prices keep climbing. Five practical ways to cut your bookkeeping costs — from downgrading your plan to switching — without losing features.
AI Bookkeeping for Small Business: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters
AI bookkeeping automates transaction categorization, receipt scanning, and financial reporting — saving small business owners hours every week. Learn how it works and what to look for.