Fixing Common Takeoff Problems in Accubid Anywhere

When takeoff isn’t behaving the way you expect in Accubid Anywhere, the temptation is to immediately assume something is wrong with the software.

Sometimes it is.

Often, however, the problem comes from the relationship between the estimate, database, specifications, assembly configuration and takeoff selection.

Start With What You Expected

Before changing anything, define the problem.

What did you select?

What did you expect it to produce?

What did it actually produce?

That sounds simple, but it prevents random troubleshooting.

Check the Assembly

If an assembly produced unexpected material, inspect the assembly logic and components.

The software may be doing exactly what the assembly tells it to do.

Understanding that distinction is important because changing the wrong thing can create problems elsewhere.

Check Specifications and Selections

Specifications and other estimate settings can influence the result.

When something works differently between two projects, compare the settings before assuming the database changed.

Watch for Duplicate Takeoff

Digital takeoff makes it easy to work quickly.

It also makes disciplined review important.

Use the drawing information and estimate quantities together to identify duplicated or missing work.

Don’t Fix Symptoms Forever

If the same problem appears repeatedly, don’t keep correcting individual estimates.

Fix the underlying database, assembly, specification or workflow.

That is one of the biggest advantages of a centralized estimating system:

Solve a repeatable problem once instead of asking every estimator to solve it independently forever.

When troubleshooting becomes an everyday activity, the issue may not be the estimator. The estimating environment itself may need development.