Print, sign & promo
Books and taxes for banner and large-format printing companies.
Vehicle wrap jobs, same-day trade show rushes, retail window graphics, and ink that costs more than most people guess. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
May came in at $11,500. I kept the wrap installer's day rate separate from the print cost on the ABC Plumbing job, so you can see what the install itself is worth.
- Vehicle wrap, ABC PlumbingVehicle wraps
- Rush banner, trade showRush orders
- Roland ink cartridgesInk
- 3M vinyl rollSubstrate
- FedEx overnight freightRush freight
Why your books are different
Large-format print books go wrong in the same four places.
A generalist sees deposits and bills. Your business is ink and vinyl that scale by the square foot, install crews who hang what you print, and rush freight that costs three times a normal shipment. When the books do not know that, a big job can look profitable when it barely broke even.
-
1
Square footage pricing gets guessed at
A 200 square foot vehicle wrap and a 20 square foot window graphic use wildly different amounts of ink and vinyl, but if materials cost is not tracked by the job, a big wrap can quietly lose money while looking the same as a small, profitable one.
What we doTracks ink and substrate cost against each job's size, so you can see which jobs are actually worth the square footage they use. -
2
Wrap install labor hides inside printing cost
Printing a vehicle wrap and installing it on the vehicle are two different skills with two different costs, but when the install crew's time gets lumped in with the print run, you cannot tell whether printing or installing is where the margin goes.
What we doKeeps install labor in its own line, separate from print production, so you know what each side of the job really costs. -
3
Rush freight disappears into ordinary shipping
Getting a banner to a trade show floor by tomorrow morning can cost three times a normal shipment, but if that overnight charge gets buried with regular freight, a rush job's true profit never shows up.
What we doKeeps rush and overnight freight in its own category so you can see if same-day work is actually worth what you charge for it. -
4
Laminate gets bundled in with the base vinyl
A weather-resistant laminate for an outdoor banner costs more than a basic finish, but when it is bundled with the substrate cost, you cannot tell if charging extra for durable finishes is paying off.
What we doKeeps laminate and finishing costs apart from base substrate, so upcharges for durability show their real return. -
5
Ink cost gets treated as one flat supply bucket
Specialty inks like white or UV-cured ink cost far more per job than standard color, but when all ink purchases land in one general supplies line, you cannot see which jobs are actually eating the most expensive ink.
What we doTracks ink purchases on their own so ink-heavy jobs show their real cost instead of hiding in a general supplies total.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a large-format print shop.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Vehicle wrap jobsDesign, print, and install billed together for trucks and vans.
- Rush and same-day event ordersTrade show and event banners paid extra for a tight deadline.
- Retail window graphicsStorefront displays and seasonal window changes.
- Agency trade ordersJobs resold to end clients through an ad agency at trade pricing.
- Construction and real estate bannersJob site signs and open house banners.
Money out
- Large-format inkStandard and specialty ink for the wide-format printer, restocked by the cartridge.
- Vinyl and substrateRolls from suppliers like 3M for banners, wraps, and window film.
- Laminate filmWeather-resistant finish for outdoor banners and wraps.
- Printer and laminator maintenanceService contracts and repairs to keep production running.
- Install laborWrap and window graphic installers, in-house or subcontracted.
- Rush and overnight freightExpedited shipping to make an event or trade show deadline.
- Shop rentWarehouse space for roll storage and production.
- Card processing feesOn jobs paid by card instead of invoice.
What we watch for you
- Materials cost per square foot
Ink, vinyl, and laminate against job size, so pricing catches up when a supplier raises prices.
- Rush job share
How much of the month came from rush and overnight work, so you know if it is worth the freight cost.
- Install labor cost
What installers are paid against print production cost, so you can see where a wrap job's margin really sits.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month so a rush-heavy quarter never catches you at tax time.
Ask Gus
Things large-format print shop owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
Usually it can. I logged it as equipment, not supplies, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.
The overnight freight ate most of the rush fee. I am tracking rush freight on its own now, so you will see that before you quote the next one.
If he is not on payroll and you pay him $2,000 or more this year, he gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. I have been keeping a running total.
The tax side
The tax side of a large-format print shop.
Most of what goes wrong here is materials that scale by the job and equipment filed the wrong way. Both get fixed by keeping the books straight all year.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Ink and substrate as cost of goodsInk, vinyl, and laminate held in the shop count as inventory, not an immediate write-off. They become a deduction as cost of goods sold once they are used on a job.
- Equipment write-offsA wide-format printer or laminator usually counts as business equipment that can often be written off the year it is bought. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property bought after January 19, 2025.
- Worker classification for install crewsAn installer who uses your tools and schedule to hang wraps or window graphics is usually an employee, even if paid by the job.
- Contractor 1099sA subcontracted installer who is not on payroll and is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
Deductions banner and large-format printing companies miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Large-format ink cartridges
- Vinyl and substrate rolls
- Laminate film
- Printer and laminator service
- Install labor and tools
- Rush and overnight freight
- Shop rent and roll storage
- Card processing fees
- Design software subscriptions
- Install vehicle costs
- Sample banners for trade shows
- Squeegees and install supplies
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A large-format print shop year, kept every month.
Rush jobs come whenever a client has a deadline. Your taxes come on a schedule. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the shop's year
Last year's return gets started, the installer's 1099 is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed and squared away
Your return is filed and signed, with a year of ink, vinyl, and rush freight already sorted into what counted against a job.
- July
Midyear reading
Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether that spring run of wraps and open house banners changed the number.
- October
Before window season
Retail clients start ordering holiday window graphics. Gus looks at any printer or laminator worth buying before the rush.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for banner and large-format printing companies. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions large-format print shop owners ask first.
Can Gus tell how much a vehicle wrap job really made after the install?
Yes. Install labor is kept separate from print production cost, so you can see what printing and installing each cost on their own, not just the total the job brought in.
Do rush orders get tracked differently from regular jobs?
Yes. Rush and overnight freight get their own category, so you can see whether a same-day job actually pays after the extra shipping cost.
I sell through an ad agency that marks up my price to their client. Does that confuse the books?
No. Agency trade orders are kept in their own category, separate from direct retail work, so you can see what that channel is really worth to you.
Should I write off my new wide-format printer all at once?
Often you can. A wide-format printer usually qualifies for a full write-off the year you buy it, though sometimes spreading it out is the smarter move. Gus flags the purchase the day it happens so the accountant can decide with your whole year in view.
My laminate costs more for outdoor jobs. Does that matter for the books?
It does. Laminate and finishing costs are kept apart from base vinyl, so you can see whether charging more for a weather-resistant finish is worth it.
I haven't looked at the books since a run of rush jobs last season. Is that a problem?
No. Send what you have and Gus sorts it in order. Most shop owners know where they stand within a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
More in print, sign & promo
We keep books for the business next door too.
- Label printers
- Mailing houses & lettershops
- Trade show display producers
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- Promotional products distributors
- Sign companies
- Court reporters
- Legal document preparers
- Mediators
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- Document shredding & records management
- DOT compliance consultants
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- Exit planning advisors
- Forensic accountants
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- Grant writers
- Import & export consultants
- Insurance appraisers & umpires
- ISO certification consultants
- Lean & operations consultants
- Loan signing agents
What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever