Quickbooks

Film and television production companies have accounting needs that straddle two worlds: the project-based tracking of individual productions and the ongoing business accounting of the production entity itself. QuickBooks is the most widely used small business accounting platform, providing income and expense tracking, invoicing, payroll processing, and financial reporting for the operating business layer that sits above any individual production budget.

While Saturation handles the production budget and expense tracking for each film or commercial project, QuickBooks is where the production company manages its own financials: studio overhead, company payroll, intercompany invoicing, vendor payments outside of specific productions, and the financial reporting that goes to your accountant for tax preparation. For production companies that are also legal entities with employees, investors, or ongoing overhead costs, QuickBooks serves the business accounting layer that production budgeting tools are not designed for.

The integration between project-level budgeting in Saturation and business-level accounting in QuickBooks reflects how most production companies actually operate. A line producer manages the budget in Saturation. The production company's bookkeeper or accountant reconciles those production expenses against QuickBooks for the company's P&L, tax filings, and investor reporting. Keeping these layers separate in purpose-built tools for each is the professional standard.

QuickBooks Online is cloud-based, which allows accountants to access the books remotely, collaborate with bookkeepers on data entry, and generate financial reports that can be shared with investors or used for financing applications. For production companies applying for equipment loans, studio leases, or production financing, QuickBooks-generated financial statements provide the standardized documentation lenders require.

As a Saturation partner, QuickBooks offers discounted access through the perks program. Independent production companies and freelance producers who are formalizing their business finances for the first time will find QuickBooks Simple Start or Essentials sufficient for most needs.

Access your QuickBooks discount through the Saturation Card perks portal. Set up your production company as a QuickBooks entity with your business details and chart of accounts. Connect your business bank account for automatic transaction import and categorization. Use QuickBooks for company-level expenses, recurring overhead, and business invoicing. Run your individual productions through Saturation for project budgeting and expense tracking, then work with your accountant to reconcile production actuals into your QuickBooks P&L at wrap.