How Do Assemblies Work in Accubid Anywhere?
Assemblies are one of the most important productivity tools in Accubid Anywhere.
Instead of taking off every individual component of an installation separately, an assembly allows multiple items to be grouped into a repeatable installation.
Think in Installations
Consider something as basic as conduit.
The estimator isn’t purchasing only conduit. Depending on the installation, there may also be fittings, supports, boxes, hardware, grounding components, wire, and other associated material.
Taking each component off independently creates unnecessary work and increases the possibility of omissions.
An assembly allows that installation logic to be built once and reused.
Assemblies Improve Consistency
Speed gets most of the attention, but consistency may be even more valuable.
If every estimator independently decides which components belong with an installation, estimates can vary significantly between users.
Assemblies establish a baseline.
The estimator can still make project-specific decisions, but the common installation doesn’t have to be reinvented every time.
Good Assemblies Require Thought
Creating an assembly is easy.
Creating a good assembly is different.
You need to determine:
· What components should always be included?
· What should remain optional?
· What quantities should change based on installation conditions?
· What labor should be associated with the installation?
· When should one assembly become several assemblies?
Those decisions come from estimating and field knowledge—not simply knowing how to operate the software.
Don’t Overbuild Them
An assembly that attempts to account for every conceivable situation can become harder to use than performing the takeoff manually.
Build around repeatable conditions.
Handle unusual conditions as unusual conditions.
The purpose of an assembly is to remove repetitive estimating work, not create a programming exercise.
A developed assembly library is one of the biggest differences between starting with a basic database and starting with a database designed for production estimating.
