There are three fields at the top of every Takeoff Item Property dialog box that we recommend setting:
|
Field |
Description |
Example of use |
|
Takeoff Item Group |
You can assign this Takeoff Item to an existing Takeoff Item Group or type in the name of a new Group to add it "on-the-fly". |
Groups (as the name implies) are useful for Grouping and filtering the Takeoff Item Pane and the results on the Summary and Worksheet Tabs. |
|
Layer |
You can assign this Takeoff Item to an existing Custom Layer. You cannot add Layers "on-the-fly" from the Takeoff Item Properties dialog box. Layers must exist before you can select them from the drop-down. |
Use if you want the takeoff drawn with this Takeoff Item to be stored on something other than the "Takeoff Objects" Layer. Check out Related Articles for more information on Layers and why you may want to use them. |
|
Tag |
Tags are user-defined keywords that allow you to group and filter Takeoff Item. |
If you are working on a bid with another estimator, but do not use the same Takeoff Items, each of you may want to set the Tag on the Takeoff Items you create/use to your initials. Then, you can filter or group the Takeoff Items Pane by "Tag" and hide all those Takeoff Items created by other estimators, that you don't want to see. |
You can group and filter Takeoff Items and Results in the Takeoff Items Pane, in the Summary Tab, as well as the Worksheet Tab by these fields so it's wise to fill them out.
You can set Takeoff Item Group, Layer, and Tag in the Takeoff Item Properties dialog box, and as a shortcut, you also can set Takeoff Item Group and Layer using the Takeoff Items Pane Context Menu.
Setting the Group, Layer, and Tag in the Takeoff Item Properties Dialog Box
When you add or edit a Takeoff Item, you can set its Group, Layer, and Tag by clicking on the drop-down for each field.
You can add Takeoff Item Groups and Tags "on-the-fly" if they do not exist, however Custom Layers can be added only from the Layers Pane and must exist before you can use them in a Takeoff Item. To add a new Custom Layer, go ahead and create your Takeoff Item, leaving Layer as it defaults. after you close the Properties dialog box, open the Layers Pane, and add the Custom Layer. Then use the Takeoff Item Pane Context Menu (see below) to set that Takeoff Item's Layer (or re-open its Properties and make the change there).
If you make changes to a Takeoff Item's Properties after you use it to draw takeoff, all existing takeoff is updated. But to see the changes reflected on the Summary and Worksheet Tabs, you must click the 
button.
When you enter a new
Takeoff Item Group, if you save the
Takeoff Item as a Template, if that
Takeoff Item Group does not exist in the Masters, it is added automatically.
Setting the Group or Layer using the Takeoff Items Pane Context Menu
You can assign one or more Takeoff Items to a different Takeoff Item Group or Layer from the Takeoff Items Pane using the Context Menu.
Select the Takeoff Item(s) (use Ctrl or Shift to select more than one Takeoff Item).
Right-click to bring up the Context Menu.
Select Set Layer or Set Group and then click on the Layer or Group to which you want to assign the Takeoff Item(s).
The Takeoff Items Property Window