Easier Processes for a Growing Engineering Firm
Factor gave Tarantino Engineering Consultants the clarity, consistency, and collaboration they needed to support rapid growth—without adding operational friction.
Industry
Engineering
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Company Size
15
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Location
Fulton, MD
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Key Results
Stronger Team Adoption
Engineers and staff quickly learned the system. Clear workflows reduced confusion and made daily tasks easier, leading to faster adoption across the firm.
Faster, More Accurate Invoicing
The invoicing timeline was cut nearly in half—dropping from a full week to just a few days. Project managers and principals now move smoothly from draft to final invoice.
Higher Productivity Across the Firm
Engineers spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on billable work thanks to streamlined data entry, standardized processes, and intuitive workflows.
Collaborative Support & Customization
Factor partnered closely with the firm—building custom fields, adjusting reports, and troubleshooting QuickBooks sync issues with fast turnaround and true collaboration.
Overview
Tarantino Engineering Consultants is a structural engineering and forensic investigation firm founded in 2013 with a mission rooted in deep client relationships—reflected in the firm’s remarkable 80–85% repeat business.
As the company experienced significant growth, legacy tools like QuickBooks and spreadsheets could no longer support their operational needs. The team required a modern, engineering-specific system that provided structure, visibility, and reliability without unnecessary complexity.
Factor delivered exactly that. With streamlined workflows, consistent data management, dependable QuickBooks syncing, and a highly responsive support team, Factor helped Tarantino simplify operations and stay focused on engineering—not administration.
Challenges
Outdated tools and manual workflows created mounting inefficiencies that pulled focus away from Tarantino’s engineering work.
Growing Pains with QuickBooks + Spreadsheets
The firm relied heavily on QuickBooks and Excel, but the tools weren’t designed to support a growing engineering practice. Processes became inconsistent and difficult to manage.
Lack of Standardized Workflows
Project information, budgeting, and billing were handled differently by different team members, creating extra work and confusion for the operations team.
Limited Visibility & Manual Oversight
The operations manager often had to micromanage project setup, billing data, and corrections—pulling attention away from strategic work.
Inefficient Invoicing Process
Invoicing regularly took an entire week from end-of-month to send-out, delaying cash flow and requiring significant manual effort.
Need for a Collaborative Software Partner
The firm needed a system—and a team behind it—that could adapt to their needs, respond quickly, and understand the realities of small engineering firms.
Solution
Tarantino Engineering Consultants selected Factor for its engineering-focused design, intuitive workflows, and collaborative approach to support.
Engineering-Friendly Workflows
Factor offered a structured system that made project setup, phase management, and budgeting clear and consistent—helping the team align on one way of working.
Dependable QuickBooks Integration
Factor’s team worked closely with Tarantino to research, diagnose, and resolve a complex QuickBooks sync issue, restoring trust in financial data and improving reporting accuracy.
Custom Fields & Reporting
New custom fields, refined reports, and tailored adjustments were implemented quickly—often within a day—giving the firm the exact structure they needed.
Streamlined Invoicing
Project managers draft invoices, principals finalize them, and the operations manager reviews and sends—all inside a clean, intuitive workflow that cut the billing timeline nearly in half.
Simplified User Experience
Unlike other A/E tools the team demoed, Factor avoided unnecessary complexity and “feature bloat,” giving the firm only what they truly needed to run efficiently.
Implementation
Factor’s onboarding was structured, supportive, and highly collaborative—helping the team gain confidence quickly.
- Fast response times from support, often same-day
- Close collaboration on custom fields, reports, and workflow alignment
- Guided setup of project structures, budgets, and invoice templates
- Smooth QuickBooks data validation and troubleshooting
- Ongoing communication with Factor’s R&D and support teams
- A system easy enough for new staff to learn within weeks
The team adopted Factor quickly, and engineers now understand how their project inputs affect budgets, billing, and downstream workflows—reducing the need for back-and-forth corrections.
Conclusion
Tarantino Engineering Consultants replaced an inconsistent mix of spreadsheets and QuickBooks workflows with a modern, engineering-specific platform built for clarity and collaboration.
Factor strengthened adoption, improved invoicing speed, reduced administrative overhead, and gave the operations team a true partner invested in their success.
The result: a more consistent, reliable, and efficient operational system that supports the firm’s continued growth—while keeping engineers focused on engineering.
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