Learn more

Setting up spreadsheet sequences

Edit Spreadsheet Layouts window

Applying a layout to an estimate

Changing the number formats on the spreadsheet

Assigning items to a location, alternate, and WBS values

Setting up a spreadsheet layout

Follow this procedure to create new spreadsheet layouts for your own use or to share with others.

After you create a layout, you can apply it to any spreadsheet sequence you like.

Tip: If you just want to insert columns into the current layout, simply right-click a column heading in the spreadsheet, click Insert on the shortcut menu, and then use the Insert Columns window to select the columns. You can easily save your changes to the current layout or save the layout with a new name using the Save or Save as buttons on the Home tab of the ribbon.

Note: You must have Manage Shared Layout permission to create or edit a shared layout.

To set up a new spreadsheet layout:

  1. Open the Edit Spreadsheet Layouts window:

    • On the ribbon, from the Spreadsheet Display group on the Home tab, click Layouts.
    • In classic view, right-click the sequence tab, and then click Select Layout from the shortcut menu.

  2. Click [Add] to open the Edit Spreadsheet Layout Details window, and then:

    1. In the Layout name box, type a name for the new spreadsheet layout.

    2. Set options for the layout.

      • To change the order of the spreadsheet columns, select the row for the column you want to move, and then drag it up or down to a new location, or use the Reposition column buttons to move the selected row.

      • To make a column visible, select the check box in the Visible column, or clear the check box to hide the column.

      • Use the formatting options (Width, Background color, Font, Override level font, Number of decimals, Negative numbers in red, and Wrap text) to customize the visible spreadsheet lines.

        To change the background color or font for a column, click the Background color or Font ellipsis [Image of Ellipsis button] button for the corresponding column label.

        You can also set the width, background color, and visibility separately for spreadsheet grouping columns.

      For more details about the grid options, see Edit Spreadsheet Layout Details window.

    3. Close the Edit Spreadsheet Layout Details window.

    Sage Estimating (SQL) creates the new layout with default column properties and fonts, and a row for the new layout appears on the grid in the Spreadsheet Layouts window. Blue text indicates that the layout is new. A pink background indicates that there is a problem with the layout.

  3. In the grid, on the line for the new layout:

    • If you want to share this layout with others, select the Shared check box for this layout.

    • If you want to enter a comment for the layout (for example, to suggest when to use this layout), click in the Comment box, and then type a comment using up to 50 characters.

    • If you want to use this layout as the default for new sequences, select the Default check box.

  4. Click [OK] to close the Edit Spreadsheet Layout Details window.

Tip: To apply a defined layout to the spreadsheet:

  • On the ribbon, select the Home tab, and then from the dropdown list in the Spreadsheet Display group, select the layout you want to use for the estimate.
  • In classic view, click An image of the Layout Button, available in classic view, and then select the layout from the Spreadsheet Layouts window.