What is TrotBooks?
Last updated
TrotBooks is a web-based operations and billing platform for Standardbred (harness racing) trainers and stables. It keeps each horse's owners, ownership percentages, expenses, day rates, and race earnings in one place, and turns them into a monthly invoice for every owner. Owners can sign in to see their horses, their invoices, and how their entries finished.
Key facts
- TrotBooks is built for Standardbred trainers and the owners they bill.
- TrotBooks splits each horse's expenses among its owners by ownership percentage, and the shares reconcile to the penny.
- TrotBooks generates a monthly invoice for each owner as a PDF and sends it by email.
- TrotBooks tracks race entries, finishes, and earnings for every horse, with purses in US dollars or Canadian dollars.
- Every TrotBooks plan includes every feature. Plans differ only in how many active horses a stable can manage.
- Every TrotBooks plan starts with a 30-day free trial, and the trial needs no credit card.
How monthly owner billing works in TrotBooks
- Add horses and owners. Add each horse and record who owns it and the ownership percentage of each owner.
- Set the day rate and recurring expenses. Give each horse a day rate and any recurring charges, so TrotBooks bills them for each billing period without re-entry.
- Record expenses as they happen. Record one-off costs such as veterinary, blacksmith, dentist, shipping, and nomination fees against the horse.
- Log races and earnings. Enter race results and purse earnings so each owner sees what their horse earned in the period.
- Generate the invoices. Generate the period's invoices. TrotBooks splits every charge by ownership percentage and builds one invoice for each owner.
- Send and track payment. Email each owner the invoice with its PDF, then mark it paid by check, cash, bank transfer, or credit card.
TrotBooks compared with a spreadsheet
| Task | TrotBooks | Spreadsheet or notebook |
|---|---|---|
| Split a charge between owners | Automatic, by ownership percentage, to the penny | A formula for each horse, kept up to date by hand |
| Monthly owner invoices | Generated for every owner as a PDF and sent by email | Built and sent one at a time |
| Owner questions about bills | Owners sign in and see their invoices | Phone calls and text messages |
| Race record for a horse | Entries, finishes, and earnings on the horse page | Separate notes and old programs |
| Horse status history | Dated statuses: active, laid up, retired, sold, claimed | Usually not recorded |
Glossary of harness racing billing terms
- Standardbred
- The horse breed used in North American harness racing. A Standardbred races at a trot or a pace while it pulls a light two-wheeled cart called a sulky.
- Day rate
- The daily fee a trainer charges an owner for the care and training of a horse. In TrotBooks, the day rate bills for each day of the invoice period.
- Ownership percentage
- The share of a horse that one owner holds. TrotBooks uses it to split the horse's charges across the owners' invoices.
- Laid up
- A horse that is out of training for a period, often to rest or recover. TrotBooks keeps it as a horse status with a start date.
- Claimed
- A horse that another stable bought out of a claiming race. In TrotBooks, a claimed horse leaves the active count but keeps its history.
Frequently asked questions
What is TrotBooks?
TrotBooks is a web-based operations and billing platform for Standardbred (harness racing) trainers and stables. It keeps each horse's owners, ownership percentages, expenses, day rates, and race earnings in one place, and turns them into a monthly invoice for every owner. Owners can sign in to see their horses, their invoices, and how their entries finished.
Who is TrotBooks for?
TrotBooks is for Standardbred trainers and stables that bill owners for the care, training, and racing of their horses. Owners use it too: they sign in to see their horses and invoices.
How much does TrotBooks cost?
TrotBooks costs from $9.99 to $49.99 per month in US dollars, based on how many active horses the stable manages. A yearly plan costs ten times the monthly price, so two months are free. Every plan includes every feature and starts with a 30-day free trial that needs no credit card.
How does TrotBooks split expenses between owners?
TrotBooks divides each charge by the ownership percentage of every owner of the horse on that date. Percentages can have two decimal places, and the shares always add up to the full charge, to the penny.
Do I need to install anything to use TrotBooks?
No. TrotBooks runs in a web browser on a computer, tablet, or phone.
Who makes TrotBooks?
TrotBooks was founded by Kim Verheyleweghen, a Standardbred harness racing trainer and driver, and Charlie DiGiovanna, a software engineer.
How do I learn to set up TrotBooks?
TrotBooks publishes a free video tutorial series on YouTube that goes from an empty account to the first owner invoices: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWiEcCtFh3sg. For help, email support@trotbooks.com.