The Formulas tab is made up of two grids, the one on the left shows all the Formulas that are available in your Organization, and the one on the right shows all the Formula Types you can use to group and sort those Formulas.
Every Custom Formula is based on the Type of Takeoff Item (Linear, Area, Count, Attachment) in which the formula will be used, and for Counts and Attachments, the Shape of the object being measured.
Formulas
There are three ways Formulas get added to the Master Formulas list.
- When creating/editing a Takeoff Item with a Custom Formula you created within that Takeoff Item, you save the Takeoff Item as a Template (Masters).
- You create a Custom Formula in the Masters window. Open your Masters by clicking your name in the upper-right corner of any screen and selecting "Masters and Templates".
- System Formulas are added to the program as part of on-going development.
You Add (
), Edit (
), and Delete (
) Formulas (Custom Formulas, that is) from the Masters list.
The Formula Editor
The Formula Editor is a dialog box that allows you to set and test (validate) Custom Formulas.
In the articles that follow, we are going to show you some example of how to create Custom Formulas to generate Results from Linear, Area, and Count Conditions.
Because Custom Formulas added at the Master can be used in all Bids, and modifying them could affect other users at your Organization, we recommend that each Organization designate a person to add and maintain Master Custom Formulas. This way, you avoid two estimators adding similar Formulas, one estimator modifying or deleting another estimator's work, or an estimator making unwanted changes to a Master Custom Formula used by other estimators.
Keep in mind that only Organization Admins and Editors can add and/or modify Master Custom Formulas. Those assigned the role of User can see and use existing Custom Formulas created for the Organization.
Formula Types
The Result Formulas included with ConstructConnect Takeoff (by default) are all set to Formula Type of "System Formulas".
On the Formulas screen, you also manage all the Formula Types used by your Organization. Formula Types allow you to group your Formulas in a logical manner.
To add a new Formula Type, click the 
button, a new row is added.
Type in the name of the new Formula Type to add and hit Enter on your keyboard.
To edit an existing Formula Type, click twice on the row, this puts the row into Edit mode.
To delete an existing Formula Type, click the row and then click the 
button. If the button is not active, that means at least one Formula is set to this Formula Type (it is "In Use") and cannot be deleted.
When you save a
Takeoff Item as a
Template, if it includes and Custom Formulas, they are added to the Formula Library. Any Formula Types that do not exist in the Masters are added to the Masters also, automatically.
Default Layers