How a Fencing Company Escaped the Excel Spreadsheet Nightmare
“We have an Excel spreadsheet that we have linked on other spreadsheets… If there’s a way to link that to a program he could just pull it and see they’re on their way.”
— Operations Manager, Fencing Company (New to role, 3 weeks in)
The Real Story Behind the Demo
Wednesday Afternoon Discovery
A fencing company operations manager joined our demo. Three weeks into the job. Already drowning in Excel spreadsheets.
- 4-5 trucks in the field.
- One outside salesperson.
- Multiple linked Excel sheets trying to talk to each other.
- Zero visibility into what’s actually happening.
“I’m just wondering if there’s a way that I can have software on my desktop so I can keep track.”
This wasn’t about features. This was about survival.
•••
Q&A: Fence Business Operations
How do I manage a fencing business with 4-5 trucks and multi-day installations?
Fencing businesses need software that handles multi-day installations (4-5 days for large projects), tracks both small gate repairs and large commercial jobs, manages estimates with photos and measurements, and coordinates crews across different job sites. FieldCamp provides complete operations management from Excel-based estimates through multi-visit job scheduling, with drag-and-drop dispatch for crew reassignment, QuickBooks integration, and mobile apps for field teams, starting at $199/month for 5 users.
What Excel-based problems do fencing companies face?
Most fencing companies use linked Excel spreadsheets for estimates and job tracking, but can’t see real-time crew locations, share updates with field teams, or know when estimates convert to jobs. The data exists but isn’t actionable – crews can’t access it, dispatchers can’t optimize routes, and owners can’t track job progress.
How does multi-day job scheduling work for fence installations?
When creating a 5-day fence installation, FieldCamp creates 5 separate visits under one job. Each morning, technicians see that day’s visit on their mobile app. If someone calls in sick on day 3, cancel that visit or reassign to another crew member with simple drag-and-drop.
Can field estimators create professional quotes with photos on-site?
Yes, estimators add labor hours, materials, fence measurements, and site photos directly in the mobile app. Estimates include custom contract terms, payment schedules, and measurement diagrams. Customers receive professional PDFs via email and can e-sign instantly.
How does the estimate-to-job conversion actually work?
Once customer e-signs the estimate, one click converts it to a job with all details auto-populated – client info, materials, labor hours, pricing. No re-entering data. The system knows this approved $5,000 fence needs 5 days with Mike’s crew starting tomorrow.
What happens when I need to pull a crew member to help finish another job?
The calendar shows all crews with color-coded routes. See who’s closest to the job needing help, drag their assignment to the new location. Mike’s finishing nearby? Pull him to help complete the rush job. Takes seconds, not phone calls.
How do fence rental tracking and monthly billing work?
Track 400 fence panels as inventory, assign to customers, and see who has what panels for how long. For monthly rentals, create recurring invoices that generate automatically on the 21st. When customers reduce from 100 to 50 panels, adjust the recurring invoice accordingly.
Can corporate offices handle billing while field teams manage operations?
Yes, field teams create estimates and complete jobs while corporate handles invoicing through QuickBooks integration. Mark jobs complete in FieldCamp, invoice data syncs to QuickBooks, corporate processes billing – everyone stays in their lane.
What about the 50% deposit requirement before starting jobs?
Record partial payments against invoices – collect $2,500 deposit on a $5,000 job, system shows remaining balance. If using Stripe integration, customers can pay deposits online directly from emailed invoices.
How does live crew tracking compare to truck GPS systems?
Mobile app GPS tracking shows real-time location, stop duration, route progress without separate hardware. See travel time, idle time, max speed, and exact stop locations. Better than truck trackers because it connects directly to job data.
What custom fields make sense for fencing businesses?
Add unlimited custom fields like: property access instructions, fence type preferences, estimated linear feet, gate specifications, HOA requirements, slope considerations. Whatever you track in Excel, replicate in FieldCamp but make it searchable and reportable.
How do small gate repairs differ from large commercial installations?
Gate repairs might be 2-hour jobs you can route-optimize for 10 stops daily. Commercial rod iron installations run 5-7 days with dedicated crews. FieldCamp handles both – quick repairs get AI-optimized routing, big jobs get multi-day scheduling.
Can the AI actually help with fence-specific questions?
Ask the chat: “Which customers have vinyl fences?”, “Show unpaid invoices over 30 days”, “What type of fence does Mark have?” The AI searches all data including custom fields, generating reports and graphs instantly without building queries.
What automated workflows make sense for fencing?
“When technician marks in-transit, text customer ETA.” “When estimate created, notify owner.” “Three days before invoice due, send reminder.” “When 50% deposit received, schedule job start.” Automate the repetitive communication that interrupts real work.
How does the permission system protect pricing from field crews?
Four permission levels: Admin (owner), Dispatcher (office manager), Technician Pro (crew leads who see some pricing), Technician Light (installers who see only job details, no pricing). Each user sees only what they need.
What’s the real mobile app experience for fence installers?
Installers see today’s job location, what to install, customer notes. Click “Get Directions” for navigation, change status through the day, take completion photos, collect signatures. No pricing visible if set to Technician Light permissions.
Can estimators really have full admin access?
Yes, assign admin access to trusted employees like lead estimators. They can create estimates, convert to jobs, manage schedules, view all data. You control who sees what through permission settings.
How does QuickBooks integration actually work?
Create invoices in FieldCamp with all job details, automatically sync to QuickBooks for accounting. Payments recorded in either system reflect in both. No double entry, accountants stay happy, field teams stay focused.
What about warranty tracking and maintenance reminders?
Set Google Calendar reminders for maintenance that sync to FieldCamp, or create recurring inspection jobs. Track warranty periods in custom fields, set automated reminders for follow-ups.
How quickly can I test with real data?
FieldCamp provides a pre-configured sample account with your business type, you add real customer data, create actual estimates, schedule real jobs. One week free to test with your actual workflow before committing.
What’s the pricing structure for 5-person teams?
$199/month for 5 users ($39.80 per person) includes everything – unlimited customers, jobs, estimates, all features. 20% discount for annual payment brings it to $159/month. No hidden fees, no feature tiers.
How does support actually work?
In-app messenger works like WhatsApp – send a message, team gets phone notification, response within hours. Support team spans Canada, Argentina, and India for 24/7 coverage. Not tickets, actual conversations.
What customization is possible for unique fence business needs?
FieldCamp customizes workflows for specific needs like fence panel rental tracking, multi-location inventory, special reporting. They built rental tracking during this demo based on one customer’s needs.
Can I manage everything from my phone while away?
Full admin access via mobile – create estimates, schedule jobs, reassign crews, view all routes, track payments. Desktop and mobile included in one user license, access your business from anywhere.
Why switch from Excel if it’s working?
Excel works until it doesn’t – when crews can’t access data, when you can’t see who’s where, when estimates don’t connect to jobs, when growth means chaos. FieldCamp maintains Excel’s flexibility while adding real-time visibility and automation.
What’s the implementation timeline?
Week 1: Test with sample account and real data. Week 2: Show boss, get buy-in. Week 3: Full setup with your data. Week 4: Train team. Month 2: Fully operational with all automations running.
How does this compare to industry-specific fence software?
Industry-specific software often costs 3x more, requires lengthy training, and locks you into rigid workflows. FieldCamp provides flexibility with customization, costs less, and adapts to how you work rather than forcing change.