Create External Report Database Configuration pane

Displays the name of the database for which to generate data. This is the name you enter in the New External Report Database Configuration window when you create the configuration.

Specify whether to use the selected estimate’s current sequence or a custom sequence that you specify. When you select Custom for the option, and then click the browse button beside the option, a new Edit Grouping Hierarchy window appears, enabling you to specify how to organize the information on the report.

Select the checkboxes to specify what data to generate for the external report database.

• Combine items. Combines items in the external report database. The resulting report has fewer items. Items are matched if all the following fields have matching values: phase code, item code, item description, takeoff unit, order unit (each category must match), price (or lump sum amount), subcontractor, or bid grid.
• Allocate add-ons. Select the checkbox if you want to embed add-ons into your item totals.

• Round quantities. Select this checkbox to round quantities for the estimates. Clear the checkbox if you do not want to round quantities in the estimates.

  This checkbox is available only you selected the Combine items checkbox.

• Include Overlines. Select this checkbox to generate data for every sort sequence overline, including category totals, description, quantity, unit, and notes.

• Generate Excluded Alternates. You can include or exclude items that are assigned to alternates based on the alternate status.  Select this checkbox to generate excluded items for the report data.  If you do not select this option, only included items are generated. 

  Note: Overline and addon totals reflect only included items regardless of your selection for this option.

Select this option if you want to include all new estimates (including estimates that you import, copy or duplicate) in the configuration by default.

Select this option if you want to limit the number of estimates you can generate for the external reports database. Then specify the number of estimates to generate at one time. (Typically, you use this option if you want to have only 1 current estimate in the external report database.)

If you select this option, the [Generate] button to generate all estimates to the external report database is not available in the column header. You need to generate the estimates individually.

Also, when you generate estimates, if existing estimates in the external report database would cause the limit to be exceeded, they are removed.

Click to open a separate window where you can select or hide columns to display in the grid.

Click this button to remove data for a selected estimate from the external reports database.

Displays all estimates currently available in the estimate database.

Select one or more estimates for which to generate data for the external reports database. The program generates the estimate data when you click [Generate Data].

Click to export grid information in Excel format to a location you specify.

Use the filter icons in column headers to open filter windows, where you can specify characteristics that estimates must have to appear in the estimates grid.

Generates the data for a specific estimate to the external report database created for the configuration.

This column shows the date that data was last generated for each estimate.

Select the checkbox for each estimate you want to include in the external report database.

This column shows which estimates are in use (locked by you and locked by another user, respectively) and not in use (not locked).

You can generate data for estimates that are not locked.

A check mark in this column indicates that the estimate was changed since the last time data was generated for it.

Enter text in the Search box to display estimates that include that text. The search function examines all the text in the estimates grid, not just the estimate name.