Auto Estimate

Auto Estimate is designed to revolutionize your estimation process by allowing you to import up-to-date price rates and production rates from tens of thousands of our materials API directly into your pricing, resources, and worksheets. This eliminates the need for manual entries and ensures that you always have the most current and accurate information at your fingertips, saving you valuable time and effort.

⚠️Production rates and units are based on the imperial system (used in the USA and Canada). However, material rates are automatically converted to your local currency for accurate cost estimation.

Accessing the Auto Estimate

Select a bill item to add a material to.
In the estimate interface, locate and click on the Auto estimate icon in the toolbar.
You can also access the auto estimate by right clicking on a bill item.
Upon clicking the icon, a side panel will open on the right side of the screen.

Searching for material

In the search bar at the top of the side panel, type the name of the material you wish to add to your project. For example, you can type "LED" to search for LED lighting options.
A list of search results will appear below the search bar, displaying various materials that match your search query.
You can choose any material you wish to add either by searching or just browsing through the available options.
You can enter a location to obtain accurate pricing based on your project’s location.

Exploring Options

Review the available materials in the search results. You can see essential details such as the product name, price per unit, and any available allowances.
The products offer additional options, such as:

Include Labor: Check this box if you want to include labor costs associated with the item.
Include burden cost: Check this box if you want to include the burden cost of your labor overheads costs.

Adding material to Your Project

Once you have selected a material, click the "Add to Project" button. This will add the selected item to your project's estimate with all the specified options.

Refresh Auto Estimate Options

Refresh Auto Estimate Labor

This option allows users to refresh the labor rates in their project estimates. The rates are updated based on the most recent data from the API, ensuring that the labor costs and production rates reflect the latest market conditions.

Accessing Refresh Auto Estimate Labor

Navigate to the Tool in the application menu.
Select "Refresh Auto Estimate Labor" from the dropdown options.

This action will automatically update all Auto Estimate labor-related costs in your project, including the hourly rate, labor cost per unit, and production rate. It ensures that your estimate is aligned with the latest available rates.

Refresh Auto Estimate Material

This option allows users to refresh the material rates in their project estimates. Like the labor refresh, this ensures that all material costs are up-to-date based on the latest pricing data from the API.

Accessing Refresh Auto Estimate Material

Navigate to the Tool in the application menu.
Select "Refresh Auto Estimate Material" from the dropdown options

This action will automatically update all Auto estimate material-related costs in your project, reflecting the most current prices. It ensures that your material estimates are accurate and up-to-date with the latest market information.

Auto Estimate’s CSI MasterFormat Integration

We are thrilled to introduce our new auto estimate feature, which fully automates the integration of CSI's (Construction Specifications Institute) MasterFormat and UniFormat standards. This feature ensures that your project data is organized consistently across all estimates and documentation, significantly reducing the potential for errors when setting up cost centers and compiling estimates.

MasterFormat's detailed divisions and sections provide precise tracking of costs associated with specific project components. This structured approach makes it easier to monitor budget adherence and identify potential cost overruns early. With a clear and standardized format, project managers and accountants can quickly assess financial allocations, leading to better control over project finances.

Additionally, our software's compatibility with other accounting and estimating tools designed around MasterFormat allows for automated cost allocation and reporting. This reduces manual data entry errors and enhances efficiency. The standardized format also facilitates seamless data transfer between systems, such as from estimating software to accounting software, ensuring that financial records are always up-to-date and accurate.

This integration not only streamlines your workflow but also ensures the highest level of accuracy and efficiency in managing project costs.