There are a number of really important factors at play with regard to Profitability. If the cost based estimating is being done properly all your contracting projects should be profitable. 

Budgeting and scheduling your team will help you keep the profit margin on track. Sales are very important with regard to profit and cash flow, healthy cash flow is needed for a healthy business.

Profitability in Estimate Rocket

Estimate Rocket does a great job tracking sales but also has the additional feature of being able to track profit margin along with sales.  
Simply add a price (to the customer) and your cost and the estimated profit margin on the project from the materials and labor will be calculated automatically.

 
Adding material, punches and labor expenses to the project will then show you an active and ongoing comparison of the estimate versus actual profit margin. 
 

Cost Based Estimating

In one of out either articles we emphasized the point of cost based estimating.  
Maintaining your price to cost ratio will do this for you in the software.

Project Budgeted Time

Using time and material or production based estimating will establish the estimate hourly budget for the project.  
Keeping your team in tune with any scope changes and scheduled properly will help avoid delays and keep your overall budget on track.  
Maintaining the price to cost ratio on the items in the software will provide a stable basis for this calculation.

Tracking Sales

Tracking sales can be done from the dashboard, projects page or most easily from the reports area.

Tracking Ongoing Profit Margin with Sales

Tracking ongoing profit margin can be done from the project detail screen for each project or from the work progress report for a quick look at a larger segment of projects.

Tracking Final Profit Margin with Sales

Tracking the final profit margin can be done from the project detail screen for each project or from the profit margin report for a quick look at a larger segment of projects.

Tracking Sales and Profitability in Estimate Rocket

Other Interesting Education Articles

Cost Based Estimating

Using Project Hours Budgeting to Reward your Employees

Tracking Profitability and Sales in Estimate Rocket

Managing Scope of Work Changes in Estimate Rocket

Sensible Changes to your Profit Margin in Estimate Rocket

Managing Project Completed Free Follow Ups and Follow Up Campaigns

Avoiding Costly Job Rework Using Estimate Rocket Change Order Sign Offs