Overview
Powerful Time Tracking, Project Costing & Budget Tracking for Xero.
Drum is the all-in-one job management and financial control platform for modern engineering, architecture, and consulting firms. If you're looking for a Xero Projects alternative that provides real-time project budget tracking, you've found it.
Stop fighting spreadsheets and gain predictive foresight. Drum replaces your operational friction with a single, intelligent system for robust project costing, staff-friendly time tracking, and simplified timesheet management.
Go from reactive firefighting to proactive control of your projects and profitability.
→ Real-Time Project Costing & Budget Tracking: This is the core of Drum. Our powerful project budget tracking tools give you a live, accurate view of your financial health on every job. Never wonder if a project is profitable again.
Set Granular Budgets: Create detailed project budgets by stage, task, or team member, setting a clear financial roadmap from the start.
Track All Costs Automatically: Every hour logged via our time tracking, every expense claim submitted, and every bill from a supplier is automatically tracked against your project budget.
Live Budget vs. Actuals: Our dashboards instantly show you your budget vs. actuals in real-time. Instantly identify budget overruns and make data-driven decisions before profitability is impacted. This is the project budget management system you need for complete cost control.
→ Task allocation & budget tracking combined: Stop using separate tools for budget tracking, timesheets and task allocations, Drum does it all!
Allocate staff to tasks with due dates so that they always know what to do, and when.
Combine budgeted tasks with "process-driven" tasks to ensure consistent output from your team while also tracking the key financial details of your projects.
→ Accurate Time Tracking & Intuitive Timesheets: Our intuitive time tracking software is designed for your team. It makes it simple to log hours directly against projects and tasks, ensuring all billable and non-billable time is captured.
Eliminate the hassle of chasing manual timesheets.
Get accurate data that feeds directly into your project costing and budget tracking.
Sync approved timesheets effortlessly to Xero for simplified payroll and precise labour costing.
→ End-to-End Project & Resource Management: From your sales pipeline to final invoicing, Drum provides a unified view of your entire business. Get an accurate picture of your firm's capacity with intelligent resource planning and revenue forecasting. Ensure you have the right people on the right jobs, all within budget.
Drum + Xero
The Ultimate Two-Way Xero Integration:
Drum’s seamless, deep sync with Xero is the backbone of your firm's operational and financial alignment. We handle the project details so Xero can handle the accounting.
Bills, Expenses & Purchase Orders: Create purchase orders and track expenses in Drum. When you push approved bills to Xero, they are instantly reflected in your project budget tracking reports in Drum, giving you an up-to-the-minute view of costs.
Timesheets for Payroll: Approved timesheet data syncs directly to Xero, guaranteeing your labour costs are perfectly accounted for in both your project reports and your payroll runs.
Invoices & Payments: Create multi-stage invoices in Drum from your project data. When clients pay in Xero, the payment status automatically syncs back, updating the project's profitability and cash flow status in Drum.
Ready to build the firm of the future? Consolidate your tools and gain complete financial control with Drum's powerful time tracking, project costing, and project budget tracking platform.
Getting started
Your journey to operational clarity starts here. We believe a successful trial is more than just a login; it's a partnership from day one.
Our process is designed to ensure you see a tangible return on your time invested and understand the full power of Drum for your firm.
Here’s your path from trial to transformation:
Step 1: Start Your Free 14-Day Trial
→ Click the "Get this app" button to create your trial account. Once you connect to Xero, the sync will begin immediately.
Step 2: Your Complimentary 'Operational Health Check'
→ Our Customer Success team will reach out to schedule a brief consultation. We’ll work with your directors and admin team to understand your current workflows, your biggest operational challenges, and what you hope to achieve. This isn't a sales call; it's the foundation of your success plan.
Step 3: Seamless Data Migration
→ Don't worry about starting from a blank slate. To make your trial meaningful from day one, our team will handle the heavy lifting of importing your key data, including:
- Clients & Contacts
- Current & Past Projects
- Proposal & Project Templates
Step 4: Discover the Drum Way
→ With your own data live in the system, you can immediately explore the features most important to you—from revenue forecasting to project budgeting. We provide dedicated support throughout your trial to answer any questions and help you uncover insights you couldn't see before.
Our team is with you at every step, ensuring a smooth evaluation and, when you're ready, a structured, successful onboarding for your entire team.