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Digitize an Alternate Cost Item

Modified: 7 Jun 2026 Viewpoint Estimating Estimating Help
  1. Open a job in the Manage Estimates screen.
  2. From the Takeoff tab, open the Alternate panel tab.
  3. Select the takeoff item you want to use from the appropriate alternate 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.
  4. When you are done digitizing the item, click Finish on the speedbar or double-click on the final point.
  5. The grid area displays the basic information for the cost item, including the current quantity in the alternate.
  6. The Takeoff area displays the quantity calculated 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 quantity 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 alternate, notepad, and/or working total.

    • Subtract – Subtracts the quantity from the alternate, notepad, and/or working total.

    • Replace – Replaces the quantity in the alternate, notepad, and/or working total.

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