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Modifying a model after takeoff

Regenerating a model to the spreadsheet

Generating a model to the spreadsheet

After you complete the model interview and the model status is Ready to Generate, you can send the model to the estimate. The generation process pulls all the items and assemblies from the model into the spreadsheet.

Before you begin

Open the estimate that contains the model you want to generate.

  1. Open the Estimate Catalog if it is not already open. On the Home tab of the Estimating spreadsheet, in the Catalogs group, click Estimates.

    The Estimate Catalog opens, displaying a list of estimates in your Estimates database.

  2. Use the arrows in the catalog pane to display the branches with the estimates you want to work with.

  3. Double-click the estimate to open it on a tab in the spreadsheet.

To generate a model to the spreadsheet:

  1. Open the Model Takeoff window in one of these ways:

    • On the ribbon, on the Takeoff tab, click The Assembly Takeoff icon on the ribbon.
    • In classic view, click Takeoff menu > Model Takeoff, or click the Model Takeoff button in classic view on the toolbar.

  2. In the Model Takeoff window, select Estimate as the source and choose a model that has a status of Ready to Generate from the list.

  3. Click [Generate].

  4. In the Generate Models window, Estimating lists all the models in the estimate with a status of Ready to Generate or Ready to Re-Generate. The model you selected is marked. You can select more than one.

  5. Click [OK]. Estimating begins generating items and assemblies into the spreadsheet.

  6. During the process, a progress bar appears at the bottom of the window and the generation log lists each model generated along with its items and assemblies. Any problems found during generation appear at the end of the log.

  7. To stop the process, click [Cancel]. Any items or assemblies processed at this point are included in the estimate and the model status changes to In Estimate – Generated with Errors.

  8. When processing is complete, click [OK].

  9. Click [Close] to return to the Model Takeoff window.

    All items and assemblies from the models are now included on the estimate and the model has a status of In Estimate. (If errors occurred, the model has a status of In Estimate – Generated with errors and you should take it off again. For more information, see Performing model takeoff.)

  10. Click [Close] again to return to the spreadsheet.

Tips:  

  • Even after generating a model, you can modify and regenerate it as often as necessary.

  • After you generate a model to the spreadsheet, its items and assemblies appear at the appropriate level based on the current spreadsheet sequence. Since Model is an available sorting level, you can easily reorganize the spreadsheet by model. For more information, see Setting up spreadsheet sequences.