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Estimate/Data Maintenance

MEP Estimating, version 10.3

• MCAA Labor Updates are available with a CINX subscription.  Friom the main screen, go to Data > Price Update, select Data > Price Update to open the Price Update dialog. Select Harrison CINX Labor Update Webservice as your Service. See the Help topic, Harrison CINX Labor Update Webservice.

MEP Estimating, version 10.2

• You can now copy Bid Export templates. This is helpful when moving from one data set to another; you can copy a data set to another data set or to an estimate, rather than having to re-create it. Use the Copy option on the Template tab of the Properties window to copy a bid export template to another data set or estimate.

• You can now assign Cost Types in Databook for items that are not typically Material and Labor so that you can specify the type of item such as Material, Labor, Subcontract, Equipment and Other prior to summary.  This is especially helpful for accounting exports.  

• In Databook, a Cost Type column has been added to the Items page with in-place and column editing.

• In Summary, on the Summary Properties > Levels tab, Cost Type is available as a breakout type.

• In Specials, a Cost Type column has been added to the Items page with in-place and column editing as well as a combination box in the Edit Specials Dialogs throughout the program.  Note: You can drag & drop from Excel using the cost type names (Material, Labor, etc .).

MEP Estimating, version 10.0

• You can now copy a column of data from an Excel spreadsheet into various applications in Estimating. This drag and drop functionality is supported in most of the Data File Maintenance and Estimate File Maintenance editors (excluding Summary and Takeoff Options).
  Here is how it works:

• In the Excel spreadsheet, highlight the column or column items that you want to copy.
  When the data is selected, this cursor is displayed . Hold the left mouse button down.

• When the cursor changes to the move symbol,, you are ready to drag the data into Estimating.

• Once you leave the Excel screen, you’ll see the dragging symbol, to let you know you have successfully grabbed the data and can now drop it into your Estimating grid by releasing the mouse button. The data will be copied into the grid at the last location your cursor was placed.

Here is where drag/drop (copy & paste) is available within Estimating:

• Assemblies:

• the left-hand tree supports drag/drop in the Description field for assembly names and key names

• the grid in Description, Multiplier, and the Factor columns

• Databook:

• Category nodes support drag/drop on all three columns (Description, Manufacturer, Comment)

• Keys support drag-drop only on Description

• Levels:

• Level Types support drag/drop in ID, Description, and Comment

• Levels support all columns except  #

• Phases:

• Code and Description columns support drag/drop

• Sections:

• All columns except  #

• Sizes:

• Size Description column

• Specials:

• All columns exception Index, Category, Category Name,and all Subtotal Name columns

• Subtotal columns allow drag/drop of indexes, but a cell will ignore the drop if the dropped value cannot be converted to a valid subtotal index. (Note that a valid index can reference a blank subtotal.)

• Unit columns (Material, Field, etc) allow the words Skip, Quote, Manual, and FBO to translate into those values. If the words are misspelled, or if the cell contains additional text (e.g. "FBO value"), then the value defaults to Manual.

• Subtotals:

• Description, Factor and Phase # columns

• Phase # columns will set the Phase for any cell value that is convertible to a valid Phase index. (Note that a valid Phase index can point to a blank Phase.)

• Places where drag/drop or copy & paste does not work will show the cannot copy icon, .

Estimating, version 9.4

• Harrison Publishing House (HPH) introduced a new labor format where multiple items share the same HPH Pricing Code but have different HPH Labor Codes. When a duplicate HPH Pricing Code is found in Estimating, you will be prompted to select the appropriate Harrison Labor (LBR) Description from the Resolve Ambiguous Labor Codes screen. When you save the selection, it will update the labor, as well as, populate the Labor code field with your selection to be used for any later update instances. All labor codes found in the data set do not have to be addressed when prompted; they can be resolved in a future update. A message displays with a count of items that were not matched and will not be updated.

Set this up on the Price Update screen:

• Select “Harrison 2010 Price Update Webservice”, and then browse to your labor update file.

• Since the price code is initially matched, select Match HPH code for the location of your Harrison Code. This is typically located in the Harrison Publishing House field (previously called the Buyer Code field).

• In the new Field Labor section, select “Labor Unit” and then match it to the right with which column you currently have the MCAA Labor rates (Primary-Field or Alternate Field).

• • Select HPH Labor Code so this will get populated back into your database for future updates.

• Price Update error log reporting has been updated to include a separation between data sets to make information easier to find. Each data set will be divided by a three line header .

Estimating, version 9.2

• The number of pressure tables has been increased from 50 to 75 per shape. The table fields now support 6’ coil lines.

• The latest labor update from SMACNA has been incorporated into Databook.

• Estimating now supports Harrison Integrated Webservice. You must have a valid Harrison username, password and valid MCAA labor license code.

• Black iron and aluminum are now setup with a valid area.

• Two new pricing codes have been added to the data set: [UPC2, Vendor2, Buyer2] and [UPC3, Vendor3, Buyer3].

• The price Code Names may be customized in the Edit Profile window. From the main Estimating window, select Data >> Profile. Select the Code Names tab to enter a new Display Name.

Estimating, version 9.1

• You can now rank your Databook Categories.  Ranking Categories allow you to customize their order when using them in Takeoff (such as setting up a Special’s Category).  To rank your Categories, click   on the toolbar.  This will open the Category Rankings window.
  
  Either click and drag, or use the buttons on the right-hand side to adjust the Category positions.  If you wish to restore the original order, use the Data Set Order button.  When finished, click Save as Default and then OK to close the window.  The Category Rankings window can also be accessed from the Takeoff toolbar.
   

• New images were added to the Databook for many items, including: Equipment, Grilles, Registers, Diffusers, Dampers, Pipe, Tees, and Reducers.
   

• In Databook, the Edit Category, Edit Key, and Edit Item windows now feature Next/Previous buttons.  These buttons allow you to easily cycle through existing Categories, Keys, and Items.  In addition, any changes made are automatically saved when you move on to the next/previous Categories/Keys/Items.  Please note that when creating a new Category/Key/Item the buttons are not active.
   

• Design Specification Components descriptions have been standardized.  Components will now be displayed in the same way as in Databook, for example: #1 Key A.
   

• When saving Hanger Spacing, the program will now check for duplicate entries.  If duplicates are found, you will receive a prompt, asking if you wish to remove them.  If you answer yes, you will abort the save process, giving you the chance to remove the duplicate entries.

• You can now import new item data into your Databook and Specials files using the Price Update files received through the Harrison 2010 Price Update Webservice.  This new feature can be accessed by selecting Import From Harrison while right-clicking on a Databook Item or Specials slot.  For more information on how to import item data from Harrison, see the Importing Harrison Items into Databook and Importing Harrison Items into Specials topics.

Estimating, version 9.0

• When saving Datasets, the Dataset name is now used as the default file name.  Previously, the default filename was built around the slot in which slot the Dataset was located.     

• A new field called Same Angle has been added to Rectangular Pressure Tables.  If this field is checked both sides of the duct will use the angle of the larger side (if the larger side is not defined, the lesser size angle will be used instead).