Job Estimate Entry Grid Form

Job Estimate Grid Form

To open the Job Estimate Grid form, click on Job in the shortcut menu, then click Job Estimate Grid.

The job estimate grid allows you to edit job estimate items in a spread sheet format, as opposed to the screen prompt format provided by the Job Estimate form.

The job estimate grid form provides access to the same data that appears in the Job Estimate form, but there are some differences:

You cannot add or delete items,
You cannot re-arrange the sequence or grouping of estimate items,
The grid form does not provide access to the following item information:
- Lead Time
- Allowance Item
- Phase
- Invoice Note
- Sell At Cost
- Item Markup Percent
- Alternative
- Change Order Cancel
- Change Order Add
- Journal Notes
- Item Photos

Grid Colors

The Job Estimate Grid form uses color to represent the following information:

Item names displayed in green followed by "(PO'd)" indicate that the item has been purchase ordered. Items are "purchase ordered" when a purchase order has been entered in the Purchase Order Entry form.
Item names displayed in red followed by "(Purchased)", or "(Invoiced)" indicate that the item has been "purchased" or "invoiced". Items are "purchased" when a purchase transaction is entered in the Purchase Entry form. Items are "invoiced" when an invoice is entered in the Invoice Entry form.
Data displayed in blue indicates that you can edit the data.
Data displayed in black indicate that you cannot edit the data. These fields are for display only.
Data displayed in light grey indicate that you cannot edit the data. These fields are normally editable, but they are greyed out because the item has been purchase ordered, purchased, or invoiced.

Item Sort Sequence

Use the Order By prompt at the top of the form to change the sequence of the estimate items in the grid:

Item Name sorts estimate items by item name.
Item Structure organizes them the same as they appear in the Edit Job Estimate form.
Job Phase sorts by job phase, then by item name. Note: the sequence of job phases is not alphabetical; it is determined by the sequence defined in the schedule module that is currently set for the job in the Schedule tab of the Edit Job form.
Job Section
CSI Division

Subtotals

The Job Estimate Grid displays subtotals for group items.

Note: When you edit amounts in the grid, the subtotals only get recalculated if the grid is ordered by Job Phase, Job Section, or CSI Division, but not when the grid is ordered by Item Structure. To refresh the item subtotals when the grid is ordered by Item Structure, you must close the form and open it again.

Grid Column Sequence and Widths

The first time you use it, the Job Estimate Grid form automatically adjusts the width of each column to fit the widest text in the column. The columns are sequenced with material costs first, a spacer, then the labor costs, scheduling, and resources, another spacer, and then the job section, product, vendor/sub, and Job Phase.

You can change the position of any column by dragging the column heading.

You can change the width of any column by dragging the column border in the column heading.

You can hide a column by dragging the column border in the column heading until the column is no longer visible.

You can change the sequence or width of columns as often as you like.

Once you change the sequence or width of a column, the grid will always be displayed with that format in that job.

When you create a new job, the grid columns will be sequenced the same as the last grid in which you changed the column sequence or widths.

To automatically re-size the width of any column to fit the widest cell in the column, double click on the column heading border.

To reset the columns to their original sequence, click the Reset Columns button.

Column sequence and widths are retained separately for each job. New jobs default to the format of the last job you changed, but when you change the format in a job, it will affect only that job.

Grid Columns

The Job Estimate Grid form contains the following columns:

Item Name

Displays the Item Name.

Count

Enter the estimated item count.

Unit

Select the item count unit. Use the Unit entry form to add to the list of count units.

Mtrl/Unit

Enter the item material cost per unit. This is your contractor's cost for materials - before adding markup.

Materials

Displays the total cost of materials based on the Count and the Mtrl/Unit entered above.

Sub/Unit

Enter the item Subcontract cost per unit. This is your contractor's cost for the subcontract - before adding markup.

Subcontractor

Displays the total cost of the subcontract based on the Count and the Sub/Unit entered above.

Equipment

Enter the total cost of Equipment.

Other

Enter the total of Other costs.

Hours/Unit

Enter the estimated labor hours per item count unit. For example: if the item is "Siding", with an item count = 2000, and count unit = "Square Feet", then if you enter 0.10 Labor Hours /SqFt, the program will automatically calculate a total of 200 hours labor for the 2000 square feet of siding. See additional notes about Labor Costing below.

Cost Rate:

Select a Labor Cost Rate to override the individual Labor Cost Rates for employees assigned to the job item (in the Resources prompt below). The Labor Cost Rate is used to calculate the Labor Rate per hour when estimating for a "prevailing wage" job in which pre-set wages must be paid for specific job items. The Labor Cost Rate selected for the job item supercedes the Labor Cost Rates assigned to employee resources (in the Resource entry form). This allows you to estimate labor costs specifically for each job item, regardless of which employee has been assigned to the item.

Use the Labor Cost Rate Entry form to add to the list of cost rates units.

Labor Rate

The Labor Rate prompt will display the total estimated labor cost (per hour) after you have assigned employees to the job item in the Resources prompt below, and after you have (optionally) selected a Labor Cost Rate.

At that point you can override the computed labor cost by replacing the amount displayed in this prompt. This should be your total cost (including taxes, insurance, benefits, etc.) to employ all workers assigned to the item for one hour. See additional notes about Labor Costing below.

Total Hours

This field displays the total labor hours calculated as the Hours/Unit times the item Unit.

Note: If the Hours/Unit is zero, this field can also be used to enter the total hours so that the program will calculate the Hours/Unit (hours per count unit) as Total Hours divided by Item Count.

Total Labor

Displays the total labor cost calculated as the sum of Total Hours times each selected employee's cost rate, or Total Hours times the Labor Cost Rate selected above. See additional notes about Labor Costing below.

Item Total

Displays the item total cost calculated as sum of Materials and Total Labor.

Job Costing Notes

See the How Do I... Track Job Costs topic for more information.

Scheduled

Check the Scheduled box to add the item to the job schedule. This will allow you to select Resources in the Resources column.

Days

The estimated number of days to schedule work for this item.

Days defaults to the duration defined in the schedule model for the job if you do not enter estimated labor hours.

If you enter estimated labor hours, then Days Duration is automatically calculated as Total Hours column divided by the number of employees selected in the Resource column times Schedule Work Hours Per Day (entered in the Job Options form).

Resource:

When you tab to or click on the Resource field, a "..." button will appear to in the right of the field. Click on the button and a box will open containing the list of Resource(s) that can be scheduled to work on the job item. Check the box next to resources in the list to assign them to the job item. You can assign any number of resources to a job item.

Use the Resource entry form to add or edit Resources.

Resource Notes:

As you click on resources to assign them to the job item, you will notice number in the column for Labor Rate will be updated (unless you have selected an entry in the prompt for Cost Rate - see below). That number is the sum of the hourly Labor Cost Rates that have been assigned to the resources in the Resource entry form.

For example: say you assign two employees to a job item, Joe and Marty. Joe has been set up (in the Resource entry form) with Labor Cost Rate = "Skilled Labor", and Marty as been set up with Labor Cost Rate = "Foreman". If "Skilled Labor" is defined (in the Cost Rate entry form) with a Cost Rate of $20.00, and "Foreman" is defined with a Cost Rate of $40.00, then the Labor Rate for the job item will be $60.00 after you assign both Joe and Marty to the job item.

The Resource prompt will be disabled if the Schedule check box is not checked. You have to schedule an item in order to assign resources to it.

Use the Resource entry form to add or edit Resources.

Don't worry about accidentally assigning a resource to more than one job on the same day. The job schedule will display a "C" (for Conflict) on days on which a resource has been scheduled for more than one job. Right click on that schedule day to view information about the schedule conflict and to change the resource(s) assigned to that item.

Section

Select a job section to assign this item to. The drop down list includes all of the job sections that you have checked in the prompt for Job Sections: in the Edit Job form.

Note: This column is not visible if you have not selected any sections in the prompt for Job Sections: in the Edit Job form.

See the How Do I Use... Job Sections? topic for more information.

Product:

This is the name of the specific product to be purchased. Select the product from the list. Use the Product entry form to add or edit Products.

Note: The Product field will be disabled if the current item has been purchase ordered. To change the Product, remove the item from the purchase order in the Purchase Order Entry form.

Vendor/Sub:

This is the name of the vendor where this item will be purchased, or the name of the subcontractor if the item will be subcontracted. Select a Vendor/Subcontractor from the list. Use the Vendor/Sub entry form to add or edit Vendor/Subs.

The Vendor/Sub prompt associates a vendor or subcontractor with an item so that Smart Contractor can automatically generate Purchase Orders, and enter Purchases.

Note: The Vendor/Sub prompt will be disabled if the current item has been purchase ordered. To change the Vendor/Sub, remove the item from the purchase order in the Purchase Order Entry form.

Job Phase:

Select the Job Phase from the drop-down list. Select the Job Phase. Use the Job Phase entry form to add or edit Job Phases.

The Job Phase is used to for a number of purposes:

The Job Phase is used to group items in the Schedule Model so that job items can be automatically scheduled.
The Job Phase is used to group items in a number of reports, including:
- the Allowance Schedule
- the job listing report
- the job cost analysis report

Note: Use the + button to the right of the prompt for Job Phase in the Edit Job Estimate form to automatically set all sub-items to the same Job Phase.

When you are done entering job items, click the Schedule button in the main window. Smart Contractor will automatically generate a job schedule and display it in the Job Schedule form.

Use the Job Progress entry form to update the actual count, and status of items as work is completed. This will allow you to generate invoices for work as it is completed.