Structural Steel Estimating Software
Problem: Structural Steel Fabricator needed to replace decades old MS-DOS character-based structural steel estimating program with modern/productive Windows-based software
Solution: Mill Creek Systems, Inc. was selected to develop a structural steel estimating program
Customer Requirements:
- Easy to set up job for estimating with multiple areas within a job
- Easy and fast “heads up” data entry for each take-off line item in the bid for maximum data entry speed by using predefined drop-down menus and auto-complete fields
- Display estimate in master-detail format – subtotals material cost and labor hours for each area of and for the whole job
- Need dialog to manage Specials (special job-specific components added to estimate)
- Steel items can be priced in terms of cost per linear foot or cost per lb
- Separate Admin interface needed to easily change price of raw steel as price fluctuates rapidly and add/remove steel beams
Original MS-DOS-based Structural Steel Estimating System Output
Step 1 – Create the Job and then add the appropriate Areas within the job to categorize take off items.
Job/Area Management Dialog
Step 2 – Enter all the structural beams, plates, bolts, anchors and other hardware.
Line Item Entry Dialog
Step 3 – Define any job-specific items (“Specials”) used only in the current job. Specials can be defined in terms of a weight/foot and price/lb or just a unit price.
Job-Specific Items
Step 4 – View the estimate in master-detail view by Area.
Estimate shown in in Master-Detail view
Step 5 – Create a PDF output of the estimate.
Final Estimate PDF output
Admins can update steel items (weight, cost, etc.) through the database through the Administrative interface. Multiple items can up updated concurrently.
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Administrative interface to edit standard items, weights, prices, etc.