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.

To customize a model for your estimate:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

     1. With your cursor in a numeric field, click .
     2. If appropriate, click [Clear] to delete the contents of the calculator.
     3. Enter your calculation in the window.
     4. To insert a math operator or function from a list, click [Functions].
     5. To open the Microsoft Windows calculator, click [Win Calc].
     6. Press Enter to display the result in the calculator.
     7. 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.

     1. In the list of passes on the Assembly Takeoff window, select the pass labeled "New Pass."
     2. Move the cursor to the variable pane.
     3. Enter values for the dimensions.
     4. 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

5. When you finish the interview, click to find any incomplete items or assemblies, and values that are out of limits.

6. 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.