The available pages in the Visual Assembly screen will vary depending on the type of visual assembly you are defining. Pages include:

• Information page

• Detail pages

• Openings page

• Equipment page

• Crews page

• Miscellaneous page

Information page

This page does not automatically appear when you open a visual assembly because the information is entered during creation. You need to click to open it, or click to select Information from the field in the upper right corner.

Detail pages

Use the detail pages to enter the dimensions, cost items, and specifications of the visual assembly. On some visual assemblies, you also enter the type of visual assembly, such as whether a column is round or rectangular. The detail pages will vary by the assembly type.

There are six basic ways to enter cost items and values for a visual assembly:

• Selecting Cost Items from the Lookup

• Click to select a value from a drop-down field.

• Select an option.

• Select a checkbox.

• Specify a value using the arrows .

• Digitize Quantities in a Visual Assembly.

You don't need to select a cost item or value for every part of a visual assembly. You should only select cost items and values for the parts that are necessary for the visual assembly. For example, not all walls will need reinforcing or finishing. If you don't need to select a cost item or value for a part, select None for the cost item, or set the value to or another appropriate zero value.

However, if the requirements for the assembly don't specify a cost item or for a part, you may still need to select an appropriate cost item or value outside of the assembly to create an accurate estimate of the assembly. For example, the specifications may not include chairs as part of the plans for a concrete slab visual assembly, but you know that you will need them to support a mat reinforcement.

Openings page

Openings are visual assemblies such as doors and windows inside a wall visual assembly, such as block or brick walls. You enter all the cost items that make up the opening visual assembly such as doors, windows, and lintels. You can open and edit the opening visual assembly from within its master visual assembly. To edit the opening visual assembly, double-click the item from the Description column.

Note that by entering cost items that make up the opening visual assembly, the Openings page takes away from the surface area of the wall assembly where the cost items were entered.

Equipment page

Use the Equipment page to enter equipment into the visual assembly. You should only add equipment items that have a unit of time on the Equipment page of a visual assembly. If you want to add an equipment item that has a unit that is not a unit of time, add it to the Miscellaneous page of the visual assembly.

By adding equipment cost items that have units of time, you can add production rates that are specific to this visual assembly. This enables you to take into account any special circumstances of the visual assembly.

Adding equipment costs to visual assemblies is similar to selecting cost items for other parts of the visual assembly. You select a cost item that has some measure of time for its unit from a Lookup, enter a production rate, then select the appropriate units for the production rate.

For example, you select a Concrete Mixer that costs $100 per hour, enter a production rate of 20, and enter CY for the unit of the production rate. This would give you an equipment item that can mix 20 CY an hour at a cost of $100 per hour.

Each visual assembly can have five equipment crews on the Equipment page. If you have additional equipment costs, you can add them to the Miscellaneous page. However, you won't be able to enter production rates for these items.

Crews page

Use the Crews page to enter labor costs into the visual assembly. You should only add labor costs that have a unit of time on the Crews page of a visual assembly. If you want to add a labor cost item that has a unit that is not a unit of time, add it to the Miscellaneous page of the visual assembly.

By adding labor cost items that have units of time, you can add production rates that are specific to this visual assembly. This enables you to account for any special circumstances of the visual assembly.

Adding labor costs to visual assemblies is similar to selecting cost items for other parts of the visual assembly. You select a cost item that has some measure of time for its unit from a Lookup, enter a production rate, then select the appropriate units for the production rate.

For example, you could select a Concrete Finishing Crew that costs $100 per hour, enter a production rate of 20, and enter SF for the unit of the production rate. This would give you a labor item that can finish concrete at a rate of 20 SF an hour at a cost of $100 per hour.

Each visual assembly can have five labor crews on the Labor page. If you have additional labor costs, you can add them to the Miscellaneous page. However, you won't be able to enter production rates for these items.

Miscellaneous page

Use the Miscellaneous page to enter cost items into the visual assemblies that don't fit on the other tabs of the visual assembly. The Miscellaneous page is where you enter equipment and labor cost items that don't have units that are units of time.

You can add an unlimited number of cost items to the Miscellaneous page. You can also add cost items to the Miscellaneous page and have the total quantity of the item calculated based on one of the dimensions of the visual assembly.

Once you have selected all the cost items and values required for a visual assembly, you can save the visual assembly in the catalog or estimate. You can then copy the visual assembly and build variations of the visual assembly.