Cost and Time Sync
Bring costs in from the system that already holds them. Wages, contractors and supplies are pulled from the ERP and allocated to projects, alongside the time information people provide.
Two kinds of data, one view
An R&D claim depends on two things that live in different places. Costs live in accounting and payroll. Time and project involvement live in people's heads, timesheets and project tools. Matching the two by hand is slow and error-prone. Cost and time sync does the matching, so that each project shows what it cost and who spent how much time on it, using records that tie back to the books.
What it does
Wages, contractors and supplies are pulled from the ERP and allocated to projects, alongside the time information people provide. The connection is to the system that already holds the costs, so figures are not re-keyed. Allocation uses time data to split each person's cost across projects.
How it works
- 1
Connect
Link the ERP or accounting system, subject to what is confirmed for your setup.
- 2
Pull costs
Costs are imported on a schedule, so the view stays current through the year.
- 3
Allocate
They are matched to projects using time data, with each person's split visible.
- 4
Check
Finance and the reviewer look at the result, and adjustments are recorded with reasons.
How each kind of cost is treated
Whether a particular cost counts toward a claim is for your reviewer to decide.
| Cost | Comes from | Matched to projects by |
|---|---|---|
| Wages | Payroll or ERP | Each person's time split |
| Contractors | Accounting or ERP | The project named on the invoice or agreement |
| Supplies | Accounting or ERP | The project they were used on |
| Cloud and computing | Accounting or cloud billing | Account tags or usage shares, where records allow |
What you get
- Costs tied to the books.
- Less manual entry, and fewer places for errors.
- A view of cost and time by project, always current.
- A list of costs that could not be matched, so nothing is silently dropped.
Getting the data right
The sync is only as good as the source records. If staff are paid through several systems, or if contractors are paid without project references, the matching will need help. Before connecting, check that people are identified consistently across systems, that your chart of accounts separates obvious categories and that you know which accounts hold research-related costs. A short conversation with your accountant beforehand saves effort later. We help decide what to connect first.
A worked example (illustrative)
This scenario is invented. A company connects its accounting system in February. Payroll and supplier entries flow in each month. The project register has four projects, and people's time shares come from the surveys. By June, finance can see each project's cost to date. One supplier invoice has no project reference, so it appears on the unmatched list. The finance lead asks the buyer, who says it was for a prototype board used on the second project, and assigns it with a note. At year end, the reviewer opens a cost and follows it to the ledger entry, and to the time split behind it.
Limits
The sync reads what the system provides. If the books are wrong, the sync will carry the errors, and it will surface mismatches but not resolve them. It does not decide which costs qualify, and it does not give tax advice. Connections are proposals until confirmed for your setup, and access should be limited to what the work needs. A licensed CPA or enrolled agent reviews the figures before they are used in a claim.
Integrations, review tiers and partner pricing are proposals until confirmed by Swanson Reed.
What finance should check each month
- That new costs have arrived and look complete.
- That unmatched items are being resolved, not accumulating.
- That people who moved between projects have splits that reflect the change.
- That contractor invoices carry a project reference.
- That any manual adjustment has a recorded reason.
Handling changes in the books
Accounting records are not static. Entries are reclassified, accruals are reversed and late invoices arrive. Because the sync reads from the books, such changes flow through, and the affected project figures change with them. That is a good thing, because the claim stays in step with the ledger. It also means people should expect numbers to move until the year is closed, and should check the final figures after the books are finalized.
Why time data matters to cost
Wages are linked to projects through time. That is why the sync combines cost data with the time information people provide, from surveys and, where available, timesheets. If time data is poor, wage allocations will be poor, however good the payroll records are. Treat time data as an input that deserves attention, not as an afterthought, and look at how it is collected as carefully as you look at how costs are imported.
Starting small
Syncing everything at once is rarely wise. Start with payroll and one or two accounts, check that costs arrive and match, and then add more. The first connection teaches you how your records behave: which accounts are clean, which are mixed and where names differ between systems. Fix what you find before widening the scope. A small, correct sync is more useful than a large one that nobody trusts.
Sync questions
Which systems can it connect to?
Accounting and ERP connections are proposals until confirmed. Tell us what you use.
Does it change my books?
No. It reads from them. Corrections are made in your own systems.
How often does it pull?
On a schedule. The options are confirmed with Swanson Reed.
What about costs with no project?
They are listed for a decision, so nothing is dropped without a record.
Keep exploring
R&D Survey Scheduler
Decide how often your people are asked about their R&D work, so evidence is collected regularly.
Learn moreR&D Project Register
One list of the projects and business components behind an R&D claim, ready for Form 6765 Section G.
Learn moreR&D Evidence Vault
A safe place for the proof behind each R&D project: time-stamped notes, files and approvals.
Learn moreClaim Pack Export
When the year is done, hand the reviewer a pack they can work from: draft forms and a supporting binder.
Learn morePlease note: Estimates and drafts are prepared by software for review by a licensed CPA or enrolled agent. This is not tax advice.
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