Customizing a model for your estimate

During takeoff, Estimating allows you to 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. How?

To customize a model for your estimate:

Open the Model Takeoff window in one of these ways:
- On the ribbon, on the Takeoff tab, click .
- In classic view, click Takeoff menu > Model Takeoff, or click on the toolbar.
In the Model Takeoff window, select a model to takeoff. How?
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. How?
- Clear values or variables you have entered or changed.
- Remove or restore the link between values and the questions that prefill their defaults.
- Add notes to an item or assembly. How?
- Add another set (pass) of item or assembly variables to the interview. How?
- Add a duplicate of an item or assembly to the interview. How?
- Edit and item or assembly database record. How?
- Exclude or include an item or assembly for takeoff.
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. How?

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.