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Welcome to Methvin’s Student Portal.

Education is a journey, never be done travelling!

Build your professional skills in project management and professional pricing practice. 

We invite you to use Methvin’s estimating, and other applications in your studies, it’s free of charge and we know will make some of your projects and pricing assignments a little bit easier.

Methvin registration will offer you access to a range of professional tools that will enable you both as a student and a registered professional.

1. 1. Agile project management 
   2. Estimating application 
   3. Takeoff application

You will also find a couple of pointers to 

• • • Writing a research assignments
    • Open source Academic Journals you might find useful.

Connect and collaborate for group assignments

Agile project management

Register and we will unlock and set you up with a shared account valid for your undergrad and postgrad study period. Just drop us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. once you are registered. Have your team emails ready to load and share.

You can also head to the contact page and book a demo if you want live help.  Don’t forget to also connect to us on Linkedin and join the conversation. We love to hear how our customers experience our platform and if you have any great ideas that will make the tools better, drop us an email.

Methvin Agile software offers you a mainstream project management tool to manage not only complex group work, but any of your larger more complex assignments or projects. 

Agile ensures that you stay connected while you collaborate and will help you stay accountable to the group.

Follow these simple steps to set your team up

1. 1. If you don’t have a Methvin log on, register on the home page.
   2. Once you have a log on, head to the “Create a new project”. The button is on the top right hand side of your screen
   3. Once in this, you will see a “+” on the left to create a “child project”.
   4. Give you child project a name
   5. You will note a screen pop up with a default position. When you add team members, all of them will see the “child projects”. If at some later stage you want to specifically allocate tasks to a specific team member privately you will need to change this default.
   6. Add team member by clicking on the “share'' button (top right). Type in the email address of the team member and hit enter. Repeat till all members are listed
   7. Using the “check child project “  you can now start creating your workflow
   8. (+) Add columns. When you add a column you can label it. Traditionally these might be labelled like this 
      1. Task
      2. In Progress
      3. For review
      4. Completed
   9. You and the group can call them anything that makes more sense to your team.
   10. Within the first column,task, using the (+) button add tasks to your project. Once you have a task loaded you can add sub notes to each task. It is at this point you will allocate a responsible person or persons and a due date.
   11. While in this task window you will note that you can assign this task to your other columns, a,b,c,d, etc by using the drop down.
   12. As you allocate to b, c or d the task will move to that column.
   13. On the main project page you can also use the drag and drop function to reallocate tasks or move columns around.

A great feature here is the ability to add files to the team project. Everything sits in one space, open and shared. Good luck with that project! 

Taking the “guesstimation” out of estimation

Knowing how to price using an estimation tool will position you professionally ahead of your colleagues. It demonstrates fiscal responsibility to the project profit outcomes. 

Estimating application

Get started with these easy steps and review an estimating demo here if you need to.

1. 1. Register for an account to log on if you haven’t already done so.
   2. Create a New Project.
   3. Add the scope/SoP.
   4. Each item has its own attached worksheet.
   5. Include hours by resource for increased accuracy.
   6. Think about risk costs.
   7. Review and adjust the estimate as needed.

Need some help with information for estimating assignments?

We cannot write that assignment but maybe we can help with some other useful information.

Production rates 

These will help you price works using construction norms, which in turn increases your  accuracy.

Takeoff application 

This will give you fast accurate takeoff for any dwg, dxf and pdf file, just set the scale and start measuring.

To start your first takeoff: 

1. 1. Click on  “New project” top right hand of home screen 
   2. Select “new takeoff project”. 
   3. Give the project a name and save. 
   4. This will open the  application and you should then drag and drop your drawing in file formats, pdf, dwg, dxf and svg onto the takeoff window.

Top tips

1.   Setting the scale.

Once the drawing has opened, a calibration screen will open. Set the scale by using the offered (+) pointer to start and finish a measured line. Then, tell the application what that measure distance is; ensuring that you select both the system ( metric or imperial) and the appropriate units. 

2 .  Measuring options

There are icons at the top of the take off tool. Follow this link for a takeoff demo view. 

The icons can be described as below

1. 1. Selecter: This is used to move the page around. Click and hold and drop
   2. End area calculation for earthworks volumes. Click on this to select end area type ( cut or fill)
   3. Wall details. This is used to measure walls or fences. You will need to input the height and units.
   4. Length of object
   5. Any area
   6. Count . Used to count any item like lamp posts

As you measure items it will create layers into the measurement report on the left hand side icon bar to lower right hand side of the tool. Return to the takeoff demo to review these functions.

The icons can be described as below

1. 1. Open document: this allows you to switch between uploaded drawing files
   2. Select additional files to upload
   3. Zoom functions. This can be done with the mouse as well
   4. Export file to PDF
   5. Export raw data to excel
   6. Pivot table to manipulate data to preferred layout
      1. Export to excel
      2. Export takeoff to pricing module

Writing a Research assignment?

The best advice we can give you to make your life easy is to become a super guru user of EndoNote, Word, Excel and referencing styles. Outside of presenting credible data this is where GPA’s can go up and down at University by half a grade at post grad levels.

EndNote.

Most Universities will be able to get this software to you FOC. Take it and take all the free lessons they offer in your library. EndNote will literally save your writing life. You can create a cloud library, use search engines, and create abstracts to search and a whole bunch more.

If the Institution doesn’t offer it to you, get it here on free trial for 30 days.

http://endnote.com/downloads

Use this online training

https://www.youtube.com/user/EndNoteTraining

Know your referencing style requirement

For example: Does you Academic institution require APA referencing, Harvard, author date etc? Getting this right will save you a whole ½ grade point at a Masters level.

A useful tip: Make sure that the reference imports with the grammar correct. It is often not loaded in Journals that way, especially the older ones.

Word and excel.

At the beginning of your course you will have been told by your academic institution what formatting is required for assignment submissions. If you don’t know, ask. Set this up on your computer in word as a default setting.

https://www.howtogeek.com/school/microsoft-word-document-formatting-essentials/lesson5/

Need to Cross Reference a table, figure, and page, learn how to automate it in word. You will save hours of editing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LWwcl01uUE

Need to build a formula, create a pivot chart etc

https://www.howtogeek.com/school/microsoft-excel-formulas-and-functions/lesson2/

Open source Academic Journals you might find useful

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/alexandria-engineering-journal/

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/data-in-brief/ 

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/development-engineering/

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/engineering/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/engineering-science-and-technology-an-international-journal

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/fuzzy-information-and-engineering

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/international-soil-and-water-conservation-research

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-king-saud-university-engineering-sciences

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-magnesium-and-alloys

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-materiomics

Category: Featured News

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estimating

Technology is changing the way we do things from our homes to the workplace. This, too, is obvious in the construction industry, where modern tools and equipment are changing the landscape at a faster pace. 

Beyond that, there are also innovations that are revolutionizing construction: digital technology. This is rapidly expanding and has evolved into a complex web of different kinds of solutions that cover estimating, procurement, financing, productivity management, design, and more. These digital tools have become an ecosystem unto themselves and are evolving how construction companies approach their tasks. 

Among those, estimating software for construction has around 288 vendors currently, according to a survey conducted by McKinsey & Company. It is easy to see why: a proper estimating tool can make or break a project deal. 

A map of a construction technology ecosystem created by McKinsey & Company where estimating has 288 vendors.

Fewer mistakes are made, numbers are more accurate, and less time is spent on crunching numbers. These lead to an increase in production, which ultimately, make a company more profitable. 

But what are the technological drivers behind those results? We discuss some of the ways that technology is changing the way estimating software work below. 

Cloud Estimating

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is drastically changing the way companies work, regardless of their industry. It does so because of the easy availability of software in the cloud, allowing people to work on any device at any time as long as they have an internet connection. 

And while SaaS is usually associated with CRMs and customer service platforms, finance and accounting software, BI and analytics tools, collaboration and social applications, and ERP and e-commerce, cloud-based software also exists for the construction industry. 

An example is estimating software that you can access on your web browser. Initially, estimating programs are available only on-premises, making it hard for parties involved to do their tasks on the go.

However, with the rise of web-accessible programs like estimating applications, those in construction like you can perform your estimation while you are on the move or while you are supervising on-site projects. Because of this, you can be more productive at work. 

This way, you can provide your clients with cost estimates as soon as they need it. 

Multi-Currency Estimates

New technologies like SaaS enable you to go global because of its mobility and full-featured interfaces. This means that you can access every tool you need in a single platform, including multiple currencies that you can take advantage of in your international undertakings. 

It can be helpful when you need to present estimates with different currencies, especially when you have international suppliers and subcontractors. This can help you avoid discrepancies once you present your estimates to clients. 

What’s more, you can convert the values into your project’s base currency so that you and your customers can have a better understanding of the costs. 

Software Integration

Connecting different applications did not use to be possible. However, new technological advances enable software, particularly those in the cloud, to synchronize with each other for a better exchange of information. Because of this, you no longer have to deal with entering the same sets of data numerous times in different interfaces. 

When you select a construction estimating software with robust integration capabilities, you can reduce, if not eliminate, errors. That is because you can let the applications talk with each other and transfer data by themselves, ensuring the accuracy of the information you get. 

Moreover, integration lets you link with productivity tools that enhance your estimation workflow. 

Client-Facing Project Breakdown

An advantageous tool to have in an estimating application is a work breakdown structure (WBS). But what is more essential is a WBS that can be split into two views--internal and client-facing. 

The latter lets you present the project workflow according to the client’s expectations. Meanwhile, the former allows you to have a drilled-down itemization. It’s a hierarchical structure that enables you to detail the requirements for the fulfillment of an objective.

Technology makes it possible to present one part of the breakdown to clients so that they only see the most relevant information and so that you get to keep your internal processes.

In-Depth Report Creation

Estimating in building construction often requires looking back at historical data. An estimating software with a robust reporting module can help you look at the estimates you have made previously and look at them from multiple angles. Plus, a reporting tool allows you to analyze the changes over time for better decision-making. 

These use cases can happen because of big data solutions that have made it into estimating programs. As such, you can generate reports that help you decide the breakdowns of projects, analyze project costs, and more. With this kind of information on hand, you can be confident that you are taking the right path with your estimates. 

Going global with the right technology

Even when your company is equipped with first-rate construction technologies, it is not possible to reach a high rate of success unless you are maximizing the tools in the right way. That is why you have to choose carefully which digital construction solution, such as estimating software, belongs in your toolbox. Also, expensive does not always equal better. There are many factors that you have to consider when shopping around for an estimating application and your technology budget is among them. As such, you have to shop smart so that you can get the most out of your investments.

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Multi-currency Estimating

A major difficulty facing businesses bidding on large International Projects is dealing with multiple currencies within the same estimate. When projects are funded with international funding in multiple currencies or when suppliers or subcontractors are providing material or services in a multitude of currencies. Funding Organizations often require as a prerequisite in providing funds that goods and services be provided in the same currency that the financing is provided. To estimate projects in multiple currencies, the estimator requires a system that allows resources to be saved in multiple currencies, as well as different currency values for each of those resources.

Converting Resources between different Currencies

• To efficiently bid in multiple currencies your resource table must
  allow the user to set the base rate in its base currency and then provide a
  procedure to convert the value into the projects currency.

• For material and labour resources this is a very straight forward process,
  which involves just multiplying the rates by the appropriate exchange rate.

Entering and Comparing Quotations in Different Currencies

• In a single estimate various suppliers may also quote on the same
  commodity in different currencies. The system must save the quotation in the
  source currency but also convert the currency to the base currency of the
  estimate so the quotations can be compared against each other.

Generating Cash Flows in Multiple Currencies

• One of the prime purposes of creating an estimate in multiple
  currencies is that the financing will be procured in these same currencies. It
  is therefore important to have the ability to generate separate cash flows in
  each currency.

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WBS

The work breakdown structure (WBS) module is the latest module incorporated into the Methvin estimating package. It allows for two independent work breakdown structures. The first allows you to present the project in the manner the client expects to see it. And the second provides an opportunity to break the project into a hierarchical and incremental decomposition of the project into phases, deliverables and work packages. It is a tree structure, which shows a subdivision of effort required to achieve an objective; for example a program, project, and contract. In a project or contract, the WBS is developed by starting with the end objective and successively subdividing it into manageable components in terms of size, duration, and responsibility (e.g., systems, subsystems, components, tasks, subtasks, and work packages) which include all steps necessary to achieve the objective.