#5 – Don’t Be That Guy - ConnectWise Setup Mistakes & Fixes (Ryan Alter)

In Episode #5 of Don’t Be That Guy, hosts Josh Peterson and Ryan Alter take a hard look at ConnectWise Manage. Many MSPs jump straight to complex workflows and templates but ignore the fundamentals—clean data, cost inputs and operational discipline. This webinar lays out why the real power of ConnectWise is in the data it generates and how to avoid the configuration traps that hamstring profitability.

You’ll learn why agreement additions require accurate cost entries to produce meaningful gross profit reports, why linking ConnectWise to QuickBooks is essential, and why you should limit service boards to avoid chaos. Josh and Ryan Alter also show how to leverage views for efficient ticket and time management, why frequent status updates are critical for SLAs, and how budget hours and due dates help with resource planning and estimation accuracy.

For more ConnectWise insights, check out our posts on PSA agreements and recurring revenue, ConnectWise implementation, and project management. If you missed our last episode on time tracking, catch up here.

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Episode Highlights

• 00:01:54 – Data over complexity: focus on clean data and reporting value, not fancy automation tricks.
• 00:06:51 – Proper agreement additions: include costs to compute gross profit accurately for managed services.
• 00:09:00 – ConnectWise + QuickBooks: integrate early to eliminate manual data transfer and errors.
• 00:13:54 – Fewer service boards: limit to three for clarity; use views instead of new boards.
• 00:22:56 – Use views to see critical tickets: simplify management when your team grows.
• 00:30:36 – Update ticket statuses promptly: accurate statuses drive SLA timing and workflow rules.
• 00:34:50 – Budget hours and due dates: track work effort and deadlines for better planning and accountability.

About the Guest

Ryan Alter is a former MSP owner who grew a one‑man shop into a 25‑person operation before selling the business. Ryan advocates for disciplined ConnectWise setups, PSA data hygiene, and simple service boards to drive profitability.

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About the Host

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. Through the Don’t Be That Guy series, Josh helps MSPs uncover hidden profits, streamline operations and scale with confidence.

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