How BQE CORE Works
BQE CORE organizes firm operations around projects and people, collecting time and expenses at the source and flowing them through approval, billing, and accounting processes. Timekeepers enter hours through the web or mobile timecards, project managers review budgets and progress, and finance teams generate invoices that reflect contract terms and retainage rules.
Workflows link modules so a change in staffing or scope updates forecasts and financial reports automatically. For payroll and tax filing handled inside the product, see the embedded payroll in CORE. For connecting external systems, explore the integrations overview.
Core Capabilities of BQE CORE
BQE CORE features
BQE CORE groups modules that support the full project lifecycle, from winning work through delivery and financial close. Core capabilities include project accounting, billing automation, time and expense capture, resource planning, CRM, payroll, and reporting. The platform has continued to expand integrations and embedded payroll to reduce administrative handoffs.
Project Accounting
Project accounting provides job-level ledgers that track budgets, commitments, costs to date, and earned revenue. Project-level visibility helps firms identify margin erosion early and reconcile WIP and unbilled revenue for accurate financial statements.
Billing & Invoicing
Automated billing supports multiple contract types with retainers, progress billing, and milestone invoicing. Templates and invoice previews reduce errors and the platform integrates with ePayments to accelerate collections.
CRM
An integrated CRM stores opportunities, client contacts, and proposal histories tied to projects and financial outcomes. This connection lets business development make better decisions based on win rates and project profitability.
Integrations
CORE offers connectors and data exchange options to sync with payroll providers, payment processors, and document storage systems. These integrations reduce double entry and help maintain a single source of truth across administrative systems; see the integration details for common connectors.
Payroll
Embedded payroll in CORE lets firms process payroll, issue payments, and handle tax filing within the same system that tracks time and project labor. Built-in payroll removes the need to export payroll data and keeps labor costs aligned to projects and client billing; review the payroll feature page for specifics.
Project Management
Project planning and task tracking give managers a real-time view of schedules, milestones, and deliverables. When combined with resource planning, teams can balance workload and forecast staffing needs before projects start.
Reporting & Analytics
A reporting engine provides dashboards for utilization, profitability, cash flow, and backlog, with drill-downs to project and employee level. Custom reports and scheduled distribution make it straightforward to share financial and operational KPIs with stakeholders.
Resource Planning
Resource planning maps skills and availability to project demand, enabling smarter staffing and capacity forecasting. Scenario planning helps firms understand how new business will affect utilization and delivery timelines.
Time & Expense Tracking
Timecards and mobile expense entry feed directly into project accounting and billing pipelines, with approval routing to finance or project leads. This tight integration reduces errors and shortens the time between work performed and invoiced.
With all of these capabilities connected, the biggest benefit is a single data model that removes spreadsheet handoffs and gives leaders dependable, timely insights into profitability and capacity.
BQE CORE Pricing
Pricing Overview
BQE CORE offers a clear and intuitive per-user pricing model, allowing you to pay only for the additional modules you need. Below are the details of the pricing tiers available.
Pricing Tiers
-
Foundations Module:
This all-in-one module streamlines the backend of your firm, enhancing project efficiency and profitability.
- Time and Expense Tracking
- Billing and Invoicing
- Project Management
- Reporting and Analytics
- 24/7 Award-Winning Support
-
Additional Modules:
Enhance your experience with additional modules tailored to your firm's needs:
-
Accounting:
Powerful accounting automation and integration features.
-
CRM:
Maximize client engagement with comprehensive CRM tools.
-
HR:
Streamline people management focusing on compliance and growth.
-
Accounting:
Free Trial and Freemium Options
BQE CORE offers a free trial for potential users to explore the platform and its features before committing to a paid plan.
Enterprise and Custom Pricing
For larger organizations or those with specific needs, custom pricing options are available. Interested parties are encouraged to request a quote for tailored solutions.
Contact and Next Steps
To learn more about BQE CORE and its pricing, or to book a demo, please visit our demo request page.
This pricing was last checked by our team on February 1, 2026
BQE CORE Use Cases
Small and mid-size architecture and engineering firms use BQE CORE to consolidate accounting, time capture, and project management so they can produce accurate invoices and see project profitability in near real time. Teams adopt CORE when they need to replace spreadsheets and disconnected tools with a single system that aligns finance and delivery.
Finance and operations teams use CORE for month-end close, WIP reconciliation, and cash collection workflows, while project managers use its planning and tracking capabilities to keep projects on schedule and on budget. Business development teams use the CRM and opportunity reporting to target higher-value projects and measure proposal success rates.
BQE CORE's Wins and Limitations
Wins
Comprehensive Project Management
BQE CORE provides real-time visibility into project progress and budget utilization.
Integrated Payroll
The embedded payroll feature allows for payroll processing and tax filing within the platform.
Flexible Time and Expense Tracking
Automated and smart timesheets streamline time and expense tracking.
Robust Reporting and Analytics
Access to real-time insights helps in making informed decisions.
Customizable Pricing
Clear per-user pricing allows firms to pay only for the modules they need.
Limitations
Project-Centric Setup Complexity
The need to set up everything as a project makes setup a bit more complex than general invoicing systems, forcing all workflows into project structures even for simple client billing.
Performance Instability
Reports of occasional performance issues and bugs that could be optimized for a smoother experience, with users experiencing glitches, slowdowns, or interface lag.
Module Cost Escalation
The cost of adding users and modules can become expensive, with essential features like accounting and CRM requiring separate fees that push total cost above entry-level alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about BQE CORE
What is BQE CORE used for?
BQE CORE is used for managing projects, time tracking, billing, and project accounting in architecture and engineering firms. It centralizes operational and financial workflows so teams can monitor profitability and manage resources.
Does BQE CORE include payroll features?
Yes, BQE CORE includes embedded payroll functionality. Payroll can be processed and taxes filed within the platform to keep labor costs aligned to projects and billing.
Can BQE CORE integrate with other business systems?
Yes, BQE CORE provides integrations and connector options for payment processors, document storage, and common office tools. The integrations overview describes typical connections and supported partners.
How does BQE CORE handle billing and invoicing?
BQE CORE automates billing for fixed fee, time and materials, and milestone contracts. Invoices can be generated from timecards and expenses, previewed for accuracy, and delivered with ePayment options to accelerate collections.
Is BQE CORE suitable for small firms?
Yes, BQE CORE is suitable for small and mid-size architecture and engineering firms that need integrated project accounting and resource planning. The platform is often chosen by firms that want to replace spreadsheets with a single system for finance and project delivery.
Final Verdict: BQE CORE
BQE CORE is a comprehensive firm management platform that combines project accounting, time capture, billing, CRM, resource planning, payroll, and reporting in a way that matches the workflows of architecture and engineering firms. Its strongest assets are the single data model and embedded payroll that reduce manual transfers between systems and improve the accuracy of project profitability reporting.
Compared with Deltek Vantagepoint, BQE CORE tends to offer a more accessible entry point for small to mid-size design firms and emphasizes usability across roles, while Deltek Vantagepoint targets larger, enterprise buyers with deeper compliance and industry-specific modules. Because BQE CORE uses tailored subscription pricing that is quoted per firm, evaluate total cost of ownership through a demo and pilot against a competitor that publishes enterprise licensing terms.
For firms looking to move away from spreadsheets and disconnected tools, BQE CORE delivers a practical, integrated option that reduces administrative friction and brings project and financial data together in one place. To see how it maps to your firm, schedule a guided demonstration through the BQE CORE demo request page.
