IKE Likes Prophesy, QuickBooks
IKE Transportation Inc., of Murfreesboro, Tenn., began using Prophesy software with QuickBooks last July.
"We specifically looked for something that would be reasonable in cost and would interface with QuickBooks," said co-owner Page Rutledge.
IKE Transportation is primarily a flatbed steel hauler with a fleet of 30 power units, mostly Freightliners with a few Volvos, said Rutledge. The company runs 38 trailers, including Lufkins and some Transcraft Eagles, and most hauls are within 300 miles of Murfreesboro. IKE uses all company drivers and employs 40 people.
"We've been using QuickBooks for about seven years at the request of our accountant. We love it," said Rutledge.
Prior to Prophesy software, IKE used Excel spreadsheet software to keep track of dispatch information.
Prophesy with QuickBooks has cut back data entry chores for IKE.
"It's eliminated a lot of receivable entries. What we had to do before Prophesy was invoice everything from the bill of lading. We took the bill of lading and we'd input all the information: shipper, consignee, prepaid, collect, the driver and equipment used. Our freight rates we were putting in as we went," she explained.
"Of course all of that is set up in Prophesy. We haul everything primarily by hundred-rate. (Prophesy) rates from point to point and by customer. So one of our large customers is a company called Mi-Tech Steel and we may haul from Murfreesboro to Midway, Tennessee for them at a certain rate. And we may haul for another company, say for example, Edgecomb Steel, from here to Midway as well. We may have a different rate for them.
"So it rates by tariff — more than the QuickBooks could do. From that standpoint it's been fabulous. Our dispatchers enter the information as far as the shipper and the consignee when they take the pickup. Then when the bills of lading come in, it's a matter of inputting pieces and weight and rating. Prophesy rates for you. It figures your revenue. It also prints a very nice bill."
And the data goes straight into QuickBooks.
"When it comes to posting receivables now into QuickBooks, it's much easier," Rutledge said.
Prophesy has also simplified IKE's payroll.
"We figured everything manually for payroll previously and then input it into QuickBooks manually. Now, the Prophesy figures the payroll for each driver, downloads into the QuickBooks and it's just a matter of a review process in QuickBooks now rather than having to enter all the information.
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