The Templates Library

The Templates Library is the managing tab for creating, editing and deleting measuring and estimating Templates to be used in the "Home" tab.

The Templates are reusable from project to project. They let the user preconfigure, from a measuring tool (Area, Perimeter, Length and Counter) a set of parameters such as the Extensions, Estimating Items, Formulas and Comments in order to create a Quote.

The Templates can also be created from the "Home" tab while creating a measuring tool.

All the previously created templates will be sorted in the grid under the measuring tool from which they have been created: (Area, Perimeter, Length and Counter) and then by alphabetical order in their respective section.

To create a Template, click on the measuring tool that is going to be used in the ribbon.

Example 1 : Creating a concrete footing and wall template from a Perimeter with formulas. The template also contains rebar, form works and the labor.

1) Click on the "Perimeter Template" button

2) This will open the "Create a new template" window

3) Insert a significant name which will make it easier to identify in the future

4) Go to the "Estimating Items" tab then click on the "" button

5) Insert the first item to include in the template list by choosing the section, sub section in the top portion of the window then the item itself in the lower part of the window.

6) Selecting the item will open the "Formula Builder" window:

The Formula Builder will use the takeoff result (linear perimeter) and use it as a variable in order to generate more elaborate results in a Quote which will contain the required estimating items. More on the Formula Builder here.

7) Configure the concrete footing first. The footing contains a volume of concrete. We will therefore need 3 dimensions. The first dimension will be the length measured by the Perimeter. Double-click on the "Net Length" item in the results list to insert it in the Formula Builder.

As a volume of concrete contains 3 dimensions, the formula will have to multiply 3 measures. Use the multiply operator (*) between the dimensions. The user can either click on the operator buttons or enter them directly with the keyboard.

Enter the other 2 dimensions of the footing.

The width of the footing will be 60 centimeters and the thickness will be 25 centimeters (Imperial measures (", ', '-" also available).

Click "OK" to validate the formula. It will appear in the Create a new template" window:

8) Let's now add 2 length of rebar on the full length of the footing and include a 10% waste factor by repeating the steps described in 5):

The given formula will be: [Net Length] * 2 * 1.1

[Net Length] : (measured by the Perimeter)

* 2 : Constant added by the user to put 2 rebars on the whole length of the footing

* 1.1 : Constant added by the user to add a 10% waste factor

Click "OK" to validate the formula. It will appear in the Template creation window:

Let's now add the concrete pump:

The "Concrete pump" estimating Item is sold by the "half-day". We will then enter the constant "1" in the formula since we only need 1 half-day for this Sub contract Estimating Item.

Repeat the operation for the other Items needed for this footing and the wall :

As many Estimating Items as necessary can be entered in the template. Identical Items can be repeated with different formulas or joined in a single entry with the appropriate formula to avoid repetition in the Estimating grid.

9) Add a comment in the template to describe it:

Once the template is completed, click "OK" to insert it in the template list. A template can then be modified, duplicated or deleted.

10) Usage of the template in the takeoff and estimating process:

In the "Home" tab, the template will be available by clicking on the black arrow located under the appropriate measuring tool. In this case, the Perimeter.

Proceed with measuring with the usual method.

As soon as a measure is taken, the estimating results will start to appear in the "Estimating Items" tab of the Properties panel. The Estimating Items will also be displayed in the Estimating panel:

At this step, the user can modify the prices and markups of each Estimating Item.

Ultimately, the results in the Takeoff, Estimating and Quote reports:

Example 2 : In this example, we will create a template for calculating the components and labor for a 8 ft. partition with the Length tool. The template will use a combination of Extensions, Estimating Items and formulas. It will also include baseboards and labor. This example will be presented with Imperial (US) measures.

1) Click on the "Length Template" button.

2) This will open the "Create a new template" window.

3) Insert a significant name which will make it easier to identify in the future.

4) Go to the "Extensions" tab.

5) Select the first extension to associate with the partition and configure it.

6) Enter all the other required extensions:

7) We are now going to add some "Estimating Items". Here, we will add baseboards and their installation cost. Go to the "Estimating Items" tab, then click on the "" button.

8) Configure the baseboard first. The required length equals the length of the partition multiplied by 2 since there are baseboards on both sides of the wall. The first dimension will be the length of the partition, measured by the Length tool. Double-click on "Length" in the results list to insert the first dimension in the "Formula Builder".

The Estimating Item will be inserted in the list when the "Select" button is clicked.

Now, we have to edit the formula with the "" button.

The associated formula will be: [Length] * 2

[Length] : (measured by the Length tool)

* 2 : Constant added by the user to account for the baseboards on the 2 sides of the partition.

Note : the results of the extensions can also be a value of the formulas:

Click the "OK" button to validate the formula. It will appear in the "Create a new template" window:

9) Let's now add the baseboard installation by repeating the operation of step 7):