ConstructConnect Takeoff is a momentous leap forward in collaborative takeoff and estimating. Not only can you see what your fellow estimators are doing (within the same Organization, for now), but you can work on the same bid at the same time. Multi-User support means you can break up large jobs and assign different parts to different estimators. For example, you could have Estimator 1 work on Architectural plans while Estimator 2 works on Mechanical plans and Estimator 3 works on Electrical plans.
As users work in the same bid, they see each others' work immediately on the Takeoff Tab (well, within the blink of an eye...) but, as we explained in the previous articles, the Summary and Worksheet Tabs provide for manual updating, so your screen does not update as you are looking at it. Using Filtering, Tags, and Layers, each user can choose to hide other estimators' Takeoff Items and Takeoff (see Related articles for more information on Filtering/Grouping). This way, each user can concentrate on what he or she needs to work on!
Remember, the Project and Bid List is yours uniquely - what you see may not be what another user at your Organization sees.
Workflow Suggestions
Because this level and style of collaboration may be new to you and your estimating staff, here are some suggestions. These are not 'set-in-stone' rules, just things we suggest to help you and your organization get the most out of ConstructConnect Takeoff. How you the tool is, ultimately, up to you.
Invest a Little Time in Setup
Invest the time to setup your bid Masters, especially Takeoff Item Templates. Setting up your Masters before turning your estimators loose with the product avoids your organization ending up with fifteen copies of the same Takeoff Item Template because each estimator saved a copy with a slightly different name. After you setup Masters, instruct your users not to modify them.
See Related Articles for details on setting up your Organization's Masters.
Educate Your Estimating Staff
Remind all users that they may be working on the same project, dynamically, so changes they make affect other users.
For example, if Estimator 1 deletes a Takeoff Item that Estimator 2 used because they didn't recognize it, all the takeoff Estimator 2 did with that Takeoff Item would be permanently lost. If someone deletes a Page from the Plan Organization because they think it is not needed, they are deleting it for every bid in the project and possibly a lot of work.
Make sure each user reviews this User Guide so they understand how the product works, how various tools are used, and how to get assistance if they hit a ball into the weeds.
This leads to the next key concept...
Stress Communication
Use the Annotation and Communication Tools, to communicate between estimators and the field. Just like jotting down a note for someone to read or sending then a text message, Annotations help you collaborate faster than ever. See 10 Annotations (Plan Markups) Overview for more information on using the internal communication tools in Takeoff.
Please make sure your Users raise a red flag if they do not understand how a feature works or they feel that something is wrong. It is better if they ask a hundred questions rather than get frustrated with the program.
If in doubt - Contact Support.
Delegate Responsibilities
Assign champions to be responsible for specific bid functions such as creating projects/bids, Adding Plan Sets, Creating Takeoff Items (and Templates). It can be more efficient (and faster) to have one person who functions as an Estimating "Administrative Assistant" than have 10 estimators stepping on each others work.
This delegation also allows estimators to concentrate on their specialty. Whether you separate a bid into Sections, Floors, Phases, etc., you can ensure people remain focused on their part of the project.
Stress Consistency
Develop naming Conventions for projects, bids, Pages, Takeoff Items, Areas, etc. Make sure all users are on the same page by publishing these standards to your estimators (you can even upload your Standards as a Page or an Attachment). Create a template project and duplicate it if you typical work on similar jobs. This way, all you need to do is upload the appropriate plans and your estimators can be up and running in no time.
Leverage the Product
Use the features of the product to improve your workflow and efficiency:
- Hide the takeoff for Takeoff Items that you do not use - if you are responsible only for taking off Walls and Ceilings, you can turn off Site, Mechanical, and other Takeoff Items to de-clutter the Takeoff Window. Use Layers to make your individual workspace more efficient. Takeoff Item and Takeoff Layers are detailed in Chapters 5 and 6.
- Use Tags and Takeoff Item Groups to Filter your Takeoff Item Pane so you only see those Takeoff Items you need (we recommend you use your name or initials as a "Tag" so you can filter the Takeoff Items list to only your Takeoff Items). Creating and Using Takeoff Items are covered in Chapters 5 and 6 (those are some really great Chapters!).
- Use Disciplines to organize your Pages if they are not curated already! That way, someone working on Walls can locate the plans they need quickly instead of searching through 500 sheets looking for the floor plans. You can collapse all Disciplines other than the one you are working on using the Page Navigator. We cover Plan Organization and the Takeoff Tab in the Chapters that follow.
Multi-User Notes
Adding or Creating Projects and Bids
You do not want multiple copies of a project or bid floating around your Organization, it is confusing and has the potential to cause bidding errors. It may be a good idea to designate a person or two to act as project Admins for your Organization and task them with the responsibility for adding projects from ConstructConnect or creating them manually.
If you open a project from Project Intelligence, there is only one copy of that project in your Organization even if another user opens the project from Project Intelligence, they are accessing the same copy of it in the Takeoff platform. If you are creating projects manually, coordinate with other users to ensure you are all using the same project.
Uploading Pages
When User 1 creates a project, the image files he or she loads are processed on his or her local workstation, then uploaded to the Takeoff platform servers. Until that upload is complete, other users should refrain from opening or modifying that project/bid - in most Cases, other users are prevented from performing many actions.
Shared Bid Components
Because everyone accessing a particular bid can make changes to the bid that affects other users, it is important that you avoid "stepping on each others' toes". As we mentioned above, delegating responsibilities is important. Only one user should setup bid Areas and Typical Areas, for example, because that dialog doesn't update the bid until it is closed. If another user opens the dialog box at the same time, they may try creating the same areas that you are creating...causing duplication and confusion.
Use Tags on Takeoff Items to keep your Takeoff Items separate from other estimators'. This allows users to filter the Takeoff Items Pane so they see only their Takeoff Items. Of course, you do not want to create multiple copies of the exact same Takeoff Item, so if there is a Takeoff Item that needs to be used by multiple estimators, that's OK. Just be sure to communicate with the other users if you have to make changes to a shared Takeoff Item, and remember, if you delete a Takeoff Item, you delete all takeoff drawn with that Takeoff Item (by all users) within the current bid.
Masters
All Takeoff users have equal access to the Masters.
It is important that you remember your changes are shared throughout your organization. If you make a change to a Takeoff Item Template, for example, anyone creating a Takeoff Item using that template is affected by those changes. If you delete a Project Type or Bid Status, that record is deleted for everyone.
Tell Us Your Story!
As you work through the product, if you come across a "Best Practice", concern, question, or suggestion, please submit a Feature Request. We may publish your suggestion as a Frequently Asked Question or incorporate it into a future update! You can send a Feature Request by clicking Help > Request Feature from the main Projects and Bids List. And do not forget, please avail yourself of the free training and support included with your Subscription.
It is time to start digging into the program, first we take a closer look at the Projects and Bids List and working with projects creating in Project Intelligence and those you create within ConstructConnect Takeoff.
The Worksheet Tab (Introduction)