For contractors, work‑in‑progress (WIP) reports are essential for tracking job profitability, percent complete, and revenue recognition. If you use Sage 100 Contractor, you know it includes WIP reporting — but you’ve also seen how rigid those reports can be.

That’s why many finance teams and project managers export Sage 100 Contractor WIP reports to Excel. Excel offers flexibility for reformatting, adding calculations, and preparing bonding‑ready schedules. Unfortunately, it also creates new headaches: spreadsheet sprawl, manual updates, and too many “final” versions.

This guide explains:
✅ How WIP reporting works in Sage 100 Contractor
✅ Why so many teams rely on Excel
✅ The pitfalls of the Excel‑only approach
✅ And exactly how PivotXL makes WIP reporting easier

How WIP Reporting Works in Sage 100 Contractor

WIP reports in Sage 100 Contractor calculate how much revenue you should recognize on each job based on progress to date.

  • The software pulls job budgets, costs, and billings into a single report.
  • Percent complete is calculated against the contract value.
  • The report highlights overbilling (you’ve billed more than earned) and underbilling (you’ve earned more than billed).

These reports are essential for bonding companies, banks, and internal management.

Why Contractors Move WIP Reports to Excel

Sage’s built‑in WIP reports are useful, but they often don’t cover everything.

  • Formatting limits: Bonding companies expect a specific WIP schedule format.
  • Custom calculations: Contractors frequently need extra columns — like retainage, revised forecasts, or margin projections.
  • Consolidation issues: Multi‑entity companies need roll‑ups that Sage can’t easily produce.

Exporting to Excel solves some of these gaps — at least temporarily.

The Problems With “Excel‑Only” WIP Reporting

While Excel gives you creative freedom, it also causes new problems.

❌ Version chaos – Each export creates another “final” file, and it’s never clear which is correct.

❌ Manual updates – Someone has to copy‑paste data from Sage and refresh every formula every month.

❌ Poor collaboration – Project managers email updates or send their own spreadsheets, creating even more files.

❌ No audit trail – When numbers change, you can’t see who made the edit or why.

How PivotXL Simplifies WIP Reporting

Instead of juggling exports and Excel tabs, PivotXL turns WIP reporting into a structured, automated process:

✅ Trial balance pulled job‑wise by cost codes and phases. PivotXL extracts detailed job cost data from Sage (labor, materials, subcontractors, etc.) and stores it in a multi‑dimensional data cube.

✅ Excel templates built on top of the cube. These templates aren’t static exports — they’re live sheets linked to PivotXL. They show not just the current spend but also allow entry of projections (percent complete, revised costs, future billing).

✅ Automatic calculations for job profitability and revenue. As PMs enter projections, PivotXL updates job‑level profitability, revenue recognition, and changes in margin percentages instantly.

✅ Data rolls up automatically. The cube consolidates everything. You can instantly see profitability:

  • Job‑wise (single project view)
  • Region‑wise (groups of jobs)
  • Company‑wide (all entities combined)

✅ Excel remains the interface. Finance teams and PMs keep working in Excel, but the numbers are always live and accurate — no more copy‑paste or broken formulas.

With PivotXL, you aren’t rebuilding reports each month. You’re reviewing, adjusting projections, and letting the system handle roll‑ups, revenue calculations, and WIP reporting automatically.

➡️ Looking for more?
Check out our full guide on Financial Reporting with PivotXL to see how we help contractors go beyond spreadsheets.

Step‑by‑Step: Building a WIP Report From Sage 100 Contractor in Excel

If you’re not using PivotXL yet, here’s how WIP reporting is usually done manually:

1️⃣ Run Sage’s built‑in WIP report.
Choose the standard WIP template from the Reports menu.

2️⃣ Export the data to Excel.
Save or export the report as an Excel file.

3️⃣ Reformat the sheet.
Add extra columns for things like retainage, revised forecasts, and margin projections — whatever your bonding company or management team needs.

4️⃣ Check everything manually each month.
Re‑export from Sage, paste the new data, and refresh every calculation. It’s repetitive, and every month feels like rebuilding the same spreadsheet from scratch.

5️⃣ Upgrade when you’re ready for structure.
PivotXL connects Sage 100 Contractor directly to Excel and replaces this manual process with live data feeds, automated calculations, and multi‑level roll‑ups — so instead of starting over every month, you simply open your WIP schedule, click refresh, and review.

Conclusion

WIP reporting is vital for every construction company, and Sage 100 Contractor provides a foundation. But many contractors hit the same wall: built‑in reports don’t do enough, and exporting to Excel only creates new problems.

PivotXL changes the workflow. It connects directly to Sage 100 Contractor, automates WIP calculations, and allows PMs to collaborate without endless spreadsheets. You still have the flexibility of Excel — but with the accuracy, structure, and time savings you’ve been missing.