QB Contractor Tips Glossary

Here you will find definitions and explanations of words that you may find in this blog, or hear among the QuickBooks “community.” Some are accounting terms, some are QuickBooks definitions, and some are jargon that has arisen among power users and experts in QuickBooks. Please leave a comment to request any other definition you might need.

CSI Divisions – CSI stands for Construction Specifications Institute. The divisions are a standardized (and theoretically sequential) list of the phases of construction. Several versions of the list exist. One version is commonly used among general contractors as a QuickBooks Item list for Job Costing. The QuickBooks sample contractor based business uses this version:

• 01 Plans & Permits .
• 01 Plans & Permits .:01.1 Plans
• 01 Plans & Permits .:01.2 Building Permits
• 01 Plans & Permits .:01.3 City & Co. Lic's & Fees
• 02 Site Work
• 02 Site Work:02.10 Demo
• 03 Excavation
• 04 Concrete
• 05 Masonry
• 06 Floor Framing
• 07 Wall Framing
• 08 Roof Framing
• 09 Roof Flashing
• 10 Exterior Trim & Decks
• 11 Siding
• 12 Doors & Trim
• 13 Windows & Trim
• 14 Plumbing
• 15 HVAC
• 16 Electrical & Lighting
• 17 Insulation
• 18 Interior Walls
• 19 Ceilings & Cover
• 20 Millwork & Trim
• 21 Cabinets & Vanities
• 22 Specialty
• 23 Floor Coverings
• 24 Paint
• 25 Cleanup
• 26 Landscape & Paving
• 27 Contingent
• 28 Sales Commissions
• 29 Supervision
• 30 Finance
• 31 Land
• 31 Land:31.1 Land Pur
• 31 Land:31.2 Closing
• 34 Land Dev
• 34 Land Dev:34.1 Loan Fee

I learned to use QuickBooks on a variation of  this list, using just Items 1-31 without the sub-Items shown on numbers 1, 2, and 31. Searching the Internet for background on this list, I couldn't find any history for this version, but I think I and my colleagues began to use it because the HomeTech Advantage estimating software for residential remodeling used this list. HomeTech allows modification of this list, and the Items from 27-31 are commonly changed to reflect the demands of the user company.

If you want some background on the official CSI list, here it is, thanks to Wikipedia. The CSI MasterFormat™ from 1995 to 2004 consisted of 16 entries:

• Division 01 — General Requirements
• Division 02 — Site Construction
• Division 03 — Concrete
• Division 04 — Masonry
• Division 05 — Metals
• Division 06 — Wood and Plastics
• Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection
• Division 08 — Doors and Windows
• Division 09 — Finishes
• Division 10 — Specialties
• Division 11 — Equipment
• Division 12 — Furnishings
• Division 13 — Special Construction
• Division 14 — Conveying Systems
• Division 15 — Mechanical
• Division 16 — Electrical

The list was updated in 2004 to include 50 divisions, many of which are reserved for later use as new construction technologies  come into use:

PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS GROUP:

• Division 00 — Procurement and Contracting Requirements

SPECIFICATIONS GROUP

General Requirements Subgroup

• Division 01 — General Requirements

Facility Construction Subgroup

• Division 02 — Existing Conditions
• Division 03 — Concrete
• Division 04 — Masonry
• Division 05 — Metals
• Division 06 — Wood, Plastics, and Composites
• Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection
• Division 08 — Openings
• Division 09 — Finishes
• Division 10 — Specialties
• Division 11 — Equipment
• Division 12 — Furnishings
• Division 13 — Special Construction
• Division 14 — Conveying Equipment
• Division 15 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 16 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Facility Services Subgroup:

• Division 20 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 21 — Fire Suppression
• Division 22 — Plumbing
• Division 23 — Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning
• Division 24 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 25 — Integrated Automation
• Division 26 — Electrical
• Division 27 — Communications
• Division 28 — Electronic Safety and Security
• Division 29 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Site and Infrastructure Subgroup:

• Division 30 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 31 — Earthwork
• Division 32 — Exterior Improvements
• Division 33 — Utilities
• Division 34 — Transportation
• Division 35 — Waterways and Marine Construction
• Division 36 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 37 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 38 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 39 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION

Process Equipment Subgroup:

• Division 40 — Process Integration
• Division 41 — Material Processing and Handling Equipment
• Division 42 — Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment
• Division 43 — Process Gas and Liquid Handling, Purification and Storage Equipment
• Division 44 — Pollution Control Equipment
• Division 45 — Industry-Specific Manufacturing Equipment
• Division 46 — Water and Wastewater Equipment
• Division 47 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
• Division 48 — Electrical Power Generation
• Division 49 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION