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Changing the calculation methods for assembly items

How Estimating calculates takeoff quantities for assemblies

Changing an existing item table

Changing the cells in an item table

Changing the conditions for an item table

Setting up a new item table

Note: This feature is available only with a Sage Estimating (SQL) SQL product license. (It is not available with Sage Estimating Essential.)

Before you begin

Understand what an item table is and why you would want to create one before completing this procedure.

For more information, see About item tables

To create an item table:

  1. Open the Item Table window in one of the following ways:

    • On the ribbon, from the Elements group on the Data tab, click Item Tables.
    • In classic view, select Database menu > Assemblies > Item Tables.

  2. Click [Add].

  3. In the Variable/Formula List window that opens, select the variable or formula you want to use for the row selector in the new table.

    Note: If you want to select a formula, you need to first display formulas. Select Formula from the List type box

    If the variable or formula does not appear in the list, you can create it “on the fly,” as follows:

    1. Click [Create Variable] or [Create Formula].

      You can also right-click anywhere in the list, and then select Create Variable or Create Formula from the shortcut menu.

    2. In the Adding Database Variable or the Adding Database Formula window, enter properties for the new variable or formula.

    3. Click [OK].

    Tip: You can also view or edit the properties of an existing variable or formula by selecting it on the list, and then clicking [Edit Variable] or [Edit Formula],

  4. Click [OK].

    Estimating displays the Adding Database Item Table, with the row selector you chose as the first column in the item table grid.

  5. In the row selector column, enter ranges of inputs that can be accepted for the variable or formula during takeoff, from smallest to largest.

  6. If you are creating a two-dimensional table:

    1. In the Adding Database Item Table window, click the Two Dimensional option.

    2. In the Variable/Formula List window, display the list type you want.

    3. Select the variable or formula to use as the column selector in the item table.

    4. Click [OK].

    5. In the column selector row, enter ranges of inputs that can be accepted for the second variable or formula during takeoff, from smallest to largest.

  7. In the Item Table grid, insert items in the cells for the specified ranges of variable or formula inputs.

    For more information, see Tips for filling in the item table.

  8. When you finish setting up the item table, click [OK] to save it.

Tips:  

  • By default, the quantity for an item within the table is calculated using the calculation entered (if any) for the item table within the assembly.

    To set up a custom calculation for a particular item, right-click the table cell that contains the item, and then select Use Custom Calculation from the shortcut menu. Build the calculation in the window that opens. The calculation can contain any combination of variables, formulas, formula tables, functions, math operators, and numeric constants.

  • You can resize the Item Table window by pointing to one of its corners or borders and then dragging the corner or border until the window is the size you want.

  • You can also create an item table quickly when you are working in the Edit Assembly window.

    In the Item Table List , either click the [Create Item Table] button, or right-click in the list, and then select Create Item Table from the shortcut menu. You can also press Alt-C to create a table.

After creating an item table

Create as many item tables as you need in a similar manner.

When you next open the Item Table window, it displays the last item table you created or edited.