Customizing a model for your estimate
During takeoff, you can make adjustments
to the model specific to the estimate. Your changes do not affect the
database model and are not reflected in the estimate until you generate
the model.
Before you begin
Open the database that contains the model you want to take
off, as follows:
-
Click > Open Standard Database.
In classic view, select Database menu > Open Database.
- Select the standard database you want to open.
Tip: You can attach a different standard database to an estimate
by opening a different standard database while
the estimate is open. This new standard database remains
attached to the estimate until you close it or open a different
standard database.
To customize a model for your estimate:
-
Open the Model Takeoff window in one of these ways:
- On the ribbon, on the tab, click .
- In classic view, click menu > , or click on the toolbar.
-
In the Model Takeoff
window, select a model to takeoff.
In the Model Takeoff window, use one of the following methods
to open a model in the Interview window.
- Select a model and click
[Interview].
- Double-click on a model in
the list.
The source option indicates whether the Model Takeoff window
lists models in the database or in the estimate.
- To takeoff a new model, choose
from the list of database models. Note that each time you select a database
model, you are actually making a copy of it as an estimate model.
- To view a model in progress
or already generated to the spreadsheet, choose from the list of estimate
models.
Tip: If
the database containing the selected model is not open, the model appears
in read-only mode.
-
Enter a model instance identifier in the Reference field.
Because you can take off a database model off more than once, the Reference field can help you distinguish between instances of that model in the estimate.
-
In the Interview window,
move the cursor to each question or field you want to change and do any
of the following:
-
Use the calculator
to calculate numeric values.
- With your cursor in
a numeric field, click .
- If appropriate, click
[Clear] to delete the contents
of the calculator.
- Enter your calculation
in the window.
- To insert a math
operator or function from a list, click [Functions].
- To open the Microsoft Windows calculator,
click [Win Calc].
- Press Enter to display
the result in the calculator.
- Click [OK]
to pull the result into the model and close the calculator.
Tips:
- You can copy a value from
the Windows calculator (Win Calc) and paste it into the Estimating calculator.
- To copy the value, select Copy from the Windows calculator's Edit menu.
- From the Estimating calculator's
text box, click the right mouse button and select Paste to paste the value
into the text box.
-
Clear values or variables
you have entered or changed. For more information, see:
Clearing values
Clearing variables
-
Remove or restore the link
between values and the questions that prefill their defaults. For more information, see:
Disconnecting values
Restoring defaults
-
Add notes to an item or assembly.
Enter notes for an item or assembly in the corresponding
Notes field. The notes are brought into an estimate when you generate
the model and appear at the item level in the spreadsheet and Detail window.
Tip: Any
notes you set up for items or assemblies in the database are already copied
into the interview. You may need to change these notes for this particular
interview.
-
Add another set (pass) of
item or assembly variables to the interview.
- In the list of passes
on the Assembly Takeoff window, select the pass labeled "New
Pass."
- Move the cursor to
the variable pane.
- Enter values for the
dimensions.
- Click .
Tip: The Sage Estimating (SQL) software automatically generates a pass to an assembly when you change the quantity
of an item in the takeoff grid on the Assembly Takeoff window. A pass
note identifies the item and its original amount.
-
Add a duplicate of an item
or assembly to the interview.
Click next to the selected item or assembly
and choose Add <item/assembly name>. Estimating adds a duplicate
item or assembly below the one selected. The values for variables and
other fields are copied from the last pass of that item or assembly.
-
Edit an item or assembly
database record.
Click next to the item or assembly you want to modify. Then select
Edit <item or assembly name>.
-
Exclude or include an item
or assembly for takeoff. For more information, see:
Exclude
an item or assembly from takeoff
Retrieving
excluded items or assemblies
-
When you finish the
interview, click to find any incomplete items or assemblies,
and values that are out of limits.
-
At this stage, you can continue refining the model or generate it into your estimate.
For more information, see Generating a model to the spreadsheet.
Tip: When
you can progress no further in the model, you may eventually do some fine-tuning
on the spreadsheet. After that, you should avoid making changes in model
takeoff because regenerating may destroy some of the details you entered
in the spreadsheet.