How Do Specifications Work in Accubid Anywhere?
Specifications in Accubid Anywhere allow estimators to establish estimating rules and preferences that can be applied throughout an estimate.
They are an important part of creating repeatable estimating standards.
Why Specifications Matter
Set the project requirements once for better consistency and communication
An estimator shouldn’t necessarily have to make the same basic decision every time an installation is selected.
Specifications provide a way to establish preferences that influence how the estimate is built, for example, Conduit material type, fittings for EMT, wire type (THHN or XHHW).
Used correctly, this can make takeoff faster while helping multiple estimators produce more consistent results.
Specifications and Assemblies Work Together
Specifications become especially useful when combined with developed assemblies.
The assembly provides the installation framework.
The specification helps determine how that installation should be configured for the estimate.
This allows a database to support different project conditions without requiring an entirely separate assembly for every possible combination.
Set Them Intentionally
Specifications shouldn’t simply exist because someone discovered the feature.
Each specification should solve a real estimating problem.
Ask:
What decision is this removing from repetitive takeoff?
If there isn’t a good answer, the specification may be creating complexity rather than eliminating it.
Flexibility for Takeoff
Specifications can allow mass changes to assemblies if the original take-off was not done correctly
Discovering late in an estimate that a fundamental assumption was configured incorrectly can typically be cleaned up easier with specifications.
The more automation you build into an estimating database, the more important it becomes to understand the flexibility driving that automation.
