Definition
A profit & loss statement (P&L), also called an income statement, summarizes your revenue, costs, and expenses over a specific period (month, quarter, year). It shows whether your business made money or lost money during that period. For contractors, a well-structured P&L separates direct job costs (COGS) from overhead (operating expenses) to show both gross profit and net profit.
Why It Matters
The P&L is the most important financial report for a contractor's day-to-day decisions. It answers: Are we profitable? Are our margins healthy? Are overhead costs growing faster than revenue? A contractor who only looks at their bank account may feel rich when a big deposit hits, but the P&L reveals whether that deposit actually produced a profit after all costs.
Field Example
A contractor's Q1 P&L: Revenue $180,000 | COGS (labor $60k, materials $45k, subs $30k) $135,000 | Gross Profit $45,000 (25% margin) | Operating Expenses (office, insurance, truck, software) $22,000 | Net Profit $23,000. The business made $23k in Q1 — a 12.8% net margin.
Calculation / Formula (if applicable)
Gross Profit = Revenue − COGS
Net Profit = Gross Profit − Operating Expenses
Gross Margin % = (Gross Profit ÷ Revenue) × 100
Net Margin % = (Net Profit ÷ Revenue) × 100
Software Application
Generate a P&L for any date range grouped by category. Show revenue at top, then COGS subtotaled, then gross profit and gross margin %, then operating expenses, then net profit. Allow drilling down into any line to see the individual transactions.
Tooltip Version
The Profit & Loss statement (P&L) shows your revenue minus all costs and expenses for a period. It tells you if the business is profitable — not just whether cash is in the bank.
Related Objects
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