Creating a job estimate can be a tedious and time-consuming task that can take hours, if not days or even weeks. If you have ever wondered how to streamline the process so that you can get more work done in less time, SharpeSoft Estimator has a solution. Simply recycle and reuse your old job bids.
If you have been in the civil construction business for a while, you know that while each job is unique, they also can be similar in many ways, especially if you are doing site preparation or underground utilities. If you have an existing job in your database that is similar to one you are currently bidding, you can save a lot of time by making a copy of the old job and using it as a “template” for your new estimate.
In Estimator’s Jobs window, you can create a copy of any job by clicking on the one you want and then clicking the Copy Job button in the Actions menu or toolbar. The system will prompt you to give the copied job a unique code, and will then put the duplicate of the job in the Jobs window under that code. You now have the foundation upon which you can build your new estimate, without having to create it from scratch. All you need to do now is tweak the details to fit the job you are bidding.
First, you will change details in the Job Information window (description, job type, bid date and time, agency, etc.). Then, since most of your bid items are already compiled in the Bid Items window, all you need to do is make any needed adjustments to their quantities, prices and other details; delete what you don’t need and insert any new bid items. Then you will go to the Summary window and Rounding Sheet to adjust your markups and round out the bid, and you are ready to print your proposal.
COPY BID ITEMS FROM PAST JOBS Another way to recycle, reuse and save time is by copying completed bid items from one job and inserting them into the job you are currently bidding. For example, if you did a 12” sewer
main in a previous job, you can simply copy that bid item from the older job and paste it into the bid items window for the job you are bidding. Make a few changes to the materials, quantities, prices and other details as needed and you’re finished. No need to rebuild that entire sewer main from scratch!
ITEM MASTERS AND TRENCH PROFILE MASTERS Ultimately, one of the easiest ways to save time is by using Item Masters - completed bid items from past jobs (incuding all of their underlying sub items, detail, production and cost codes) that you save to your Item Masters table to be used again on future job bids. Then, if the job you are working on calls for a 12” sewer main, you can simply copy it from your Item Masters library and paste it into your estimate. Once again, make any needed changes for materials, quantity, etc. and you are ready to move on to the next bid item.
In the same way, you can save any trenches you create for a job to your Trench Profile Masters table and you can use them again in future bids.
ONCE AGAIN, WE SAVE YOU TIME... By RECYCLING and REUSING work from previous jobs, you can SAVE TIME and MONEY. More importantly, it also means you will have more hours to spend with your family, on the golf course, or just taking more naps. To learn more about these time saving features, set up a free demonstration by clicking here. And, if you are already an Estimator user, simply consult your on-screen Help manual, or give us a call.