WBS and UBS Codes

Work breakdown structure (WBS) codes and universal work breakdown structure (UBS) codes help you organize, locate, update, and summarize cost items that make up your catalogs, estimates, alternates, and change orders.

There are 20 WBS codes that can be used to do the following:
  • Sort and filter the estimate
  • Set baseline costs for summarizing the estimate
  • Summarize the estimate
  • Allocate financial cost items
  • Make bid day adjustments
  • Identify alternates that have been posted to the estimate
  • Identify change orders that have been posted to the estimate
  • Identify cost items for invitations to bid
  • Sort alternates and change orders
  • Create billing codes when creating a project from the estimate
  • Create estimate reports based on WBS codes
  • Export estimates to other software packages

You should determine which features you will use before setting up WBS codes to ensure that you set them up to meet all of your needs.

The five UBS codes are the same (universal) across all estimating jobs and catalogs, so you don't need to copy them from one estimate or catalog to another. However, they currently have limited functionality. You can use them to sort and filter the estimate.

There are two steps to setting up WBS/UBS codes:
  1. Enter names for WBS/UBS Codes
  2. Enter values for WBS/UBS Codes

You can enter names for WBS and UBS codes in Define Catalog Globals or Define Estimate Globals. WBS codes created using Catalog Globals appear in the Catalog tab for the estimate job. WBS codes created using Estimate Globals appear in the Estimate, Alternates, Change Order, and Summary tabs for the estimate job.

You can set up WBS codes in the catalog and a set up different WBS codes in your estimate. If you want to use the same WBS code names in another catalog or estimate, use the Estimating Explorer to copy the Global properties. See Copy Globals Using the Estimating Explorer for more information.

Note: Viewpoint recommends that you use the same WBS codes in all your estimates and catalogs.

When you name the WBS/UBS codes, the WBS/UBS columns display the name you enter. This makes it easier to enter and select WBS/UBS codes in other places. By default, the WBS/UBS codes are named WBS1 through WBS20 and UBS1 through UBS5.

You can select a WBS/UBS code to be the parent of another WBS/UBS code, which links the values of the codes.

For example, say you define the following values for WBS1:

  • 01 (General Requirements)

  • 02 (Sitework)

Say you define the following values for WBS2:
  • 01.01 (Construction Photography)
  • 01.02 (Mobilization)
  • 02.01 (Bedding and Backfill Materials)
  • 02.02 (Paving Materials)

If you make WBS1 the parent for WBS2, when you select a value for WBS2 in a cost item, the application changes the value for WBS1 to the corresponding value. If you set the value for WBS2 in a cost item to 02.02 (Paving Materials), the application changes the value for WBS1 to 02.01 (Bedding and Backfill Materials). If you then change WBS2 to 01.01 (Construction Photography), the application changes WBS1 to 01 (General Requirements).

To open a job in the Manage Estimates screen, click Estimating > Estimating > Manage Estimates in the All Tasks pane. Then select the job you want to open, and click OK.

Tip:
  • Multiple users can work on the same job in the Estimating tab at the same time. The last person to perform an edit function to an estimate item will have the data retained.
  • Any sorts a user performs are temporary unless the job is set to Exclusive mode, which allows you to save sorts. Moving items also requires the job to be set to exclusive, or the move will be temporary.
  • To turn Exclusive mode on, get all other users to close the job, then click Set Job Exclusive. Make the changes to the estimate, then turn Exclusive mode off by clicking Set Job Exclusive again.
  • You can also lock a job, which not only turns on Exclusive mode, it prevents other users from editing the job. Note that all users can view a locked job. To lock a job, get all other users to close the job, then click Lock Job. To unlock a job, click Lock Job again.
  • Any filters performed in the Estimate tab are only seen by the user performing the filter.
  • You will see changes occur in real-time by changing tabs in the Manage Estimates screen or by refreshing the Estimate tab.