To Digitize an Estimate Cost Item

  1. Open a job in the Manage Estimates screen.
  2. From the Takeoff tab, open the Estimate panel tab.
  3. Select the cost item you want to take off.
  4. Click on the appropriate takeoff tool, if it is not already selected, and digitize the item.
    Note: If you make a mistake while digitizing a cost item, click to undo the last digitized point or press Esc to undo the entire annotation. Once you click Finish, if you need to undo what you have digitized, you have to Manage Annotations.
  5. Click Finish on the speedbar or double-click on the final point.
  6. Modify the following fields as necessary:
    • Reference: This field defaults to the reference of the cost item selected in the Library.
    • Description: This field defaults to the description of the cost item selected in the Library.
    • Comment: Add a comment if needed.
    • Quantity: Displays the quantity calculated for the cost item.
    • Unit of Measure: Displays the unit of measure for the cost item.
  7. To assign the annotation to a specific layer from this tab, click Use Layers. Choose the appropriate layers and click OK.
  8. If you selected to take off a volume or if you want to calculate an area using height and length, enter the height of the item in the units specified in the Height field.
  9. In the Show As area, select one of the following options for how to show the annotation:
    • Count
    • Length
    • Area
    • Volume
  10. Select one of the following options in the Show this form on Takeoff finish area to set when the Finish Takeoff popup window (current window) appears:

    • Always: Finish Takeoff popup window displays after every annotation is finished or an existing annotation is opened.

    • New item: Finish Takeoff popup window displays only when a new annotation is placed on the takeoff.

    • When selected: Finish Takeoff popup window displays only when an existing annotation is opened.

  11. Select the appropriate Send Data To checkboxes to specify where to send the quantities of this takeoff item:
  12. Click one of the following options in the Send Data To group to specify how the quantity of this takeoff item is calculated:

    • Add: Adds the quantity to the Estimate, Notepad, and/or Working Total.

    • Subtract: Subtracts the quantity from the Estimate, Notepad, and/or Working Total.

    • Replace: Replaces the quantity in the Estimate, Notepad, and/or Working Total.

    Note: If you are adding or subtracting values from the Working Total, the units of the takeoff and the Working Total have to be the same.