How Kentucky’s Largest Roofing Contractor Saves 40 Hours per Week on Payroll with Miter

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In the heart of Kentucky, American Roofing & Metal, Inc. stands as a testament to growth and resilience. As the largest roofing contractor in the region and a values-driven multi-generational family business, American Roofing & Metal has made a name for itself with a broad range of services that span residential, commercial, and industrial roofing. The company has seen remarkable growth, expanding from a team of 20 to a major industry player with over 300 employees.

The Challenge

As American Roofing & Metal scaled its operations, it encountered significant hurdles related to its payroll and HR systems. Despite the company's impressive growth, it continued to rely on legacy systems and outdated processes that were originally designed for a much smaller workforce. They were using ComputerEase as their primary accounting tool and managing timesheets with paper forms—a system that had become increasingly unsustainable as the number of employees surged.

“Payroll was very painful. Being a company that does payroll every single week, it’s just a continuous cycle. Our payroll team was doing payroll three days out of the week, unable to do their normal HR duties.”

Garrett Henke

Vice President of Preconstruction

The manual processes associated with payroll were a major pain point. The payroll team found themselves bogged down by a labor-intensive cycle of reviewing and approving paper timesheets, entering data across systems, and performing manual calculations. Because this workload consumed three full days every week, it left little time for the HR team to focus on more strategic aspects of their role, such as improving candidate hiring practices or enhancing workplace safety. The inefficiency of these processes not only drained resources but also hindered the HR team’s ability to contribute effectively to the company's overall success.

Managing payroll on prevailing wage jobs and certified payroll reports was particularly challenging. “Typically we’re running between five and 10 prevailing wage jobs,” Garrett shared. “Any job could have one to four crews on it. So, when you get into all the fringe and benefits that come along with paying out the prevailing wage job, it can add up to a lot of time.”

The company's systems were also fragmented. Timekeeping, payroll, accounting, and HR functions were all managed through independent, siloed systems. This lack of integration led to frequent data entry errors and added layers of manual work. The payroll and HR teams spent an inordinate amount of time manually entering and reviewing data instead of focusing on value-added activities.

Recognizing the need for a more efficient solution, American Roofing & Metal decided to transition to Sage Intacct, leaving behind their old system, ComputerEase. However, a new ERP didn’t solve their payroll problems. The big turning point came on a Wednesday at 8pm before payroll day.

The Solution

After evaluating various options, American Roofing & Metal chose Miter, a cloud-based, construction-specific payroll & HR platform that integrates seamlessly with Sage Intacct.

Miter brought about transformative changes for American Roofing & Metal. The most immediate benefit was a dramatic reduction in the time required for payroll processing. What used to be a three-day task now takes just half a day, allowing the payroll team to reclaim valuable hours. Additionally, the automation of tax filing and W2 preparation, which previously consumed over a week annually, now runs effortlessly within Miter, further freeing up time for the HR team.

“It used to take us three full days every week to process payroll. Now, with Miter, we’re done in half a day. It’s been a game changer.”

Garrett Henke

Vice President of Preconstruction

Managing pay rates and fringe benefits on prevailing wage jobs is also no longer a headache. Miter’s built in certified payroll reports automatically calculate and fill in the right amounts, so all Garrett’s team has to do is select the job and the week, and Miter spits out exactly what they need.

Accuracy also saw a significant improvement. Miter's integration with Sage Intacct automated job and cost code syncing, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing the risk of errors. The mobile timesheet tracking and approval system is easier for the field teams and minimizes entry errors, making the entire process smoother and more reliable.

Communication between the office and the field was another area where Miter made a substantial impact. The platform's in-app messaging feature allowed for real-time updates and notifications, enhancing coordination and efficiency. For instance, during inclement weather, office staff could quickly send out company-wide messages to ensure that all teams were informed and prepared.

Miter also enabled American Roofing & Metal to consolidate its various systems into one integrated solution. By combining timekeeping, payroll, and HR, the company reduced data silos and streamlined its operations. This consolidation not only simplified workflows but also improved data accuracy and operational efficiency.

The implementation process itself was notably smooth. American Roofing & Metal found Miter's rollout to be the easiest of the four software implementations they undertook in 2023. With guidance from Miter’s highly trained implementation team, the transition was seamless.

Summary

In the end, Miter proved to be more than just a software solution for American Roofing & Metal. It was a game-changer that allowed the company to manage its growth effectively while significantly improving payroll and HR processes. By addressing the inefficiencies of legacy systems and providing a comprehensive, integrated platform for the field team as well as the back office, Miter empowered American Roofing & Metal to focus on what truly matters—continuing to deliver exceptional service and driving future growth.