Cost Schedule

Overview

The Cost Schedule is the main quoting view. It's built up of Work Groups with items for Materials, Labour, Supplier or Subcontractor quotes, and allowances. The Cost Schedule can be sent quantities from Plan Scan automatically calculating the Contract Total as you go. The Timber List and Job Specifications totals are transferred to their own Work Groups in the Cost Schedule. The business markup allowances can be viewed or edited at the bottom of the Cost Schedule.

Enter your quantities into the grey Quantity field of each item, and add your supplier quotes into the grey Rates field of the selected item. Items can be setup with an Auto Quantity equation, which means they auto-calculate there quantity from another Item/s within the same Work Group. An Auto Quantity item can be identified with no grey fields for the item row.

Toolbar

New Work Group

This adds a new Work Group to the Cost Schedule. Work Groups consist of items which build up its total cost.

User Tips

  • When adding a new work group, locate where it's added by selecting the group below where you want it added above.
  • Work Groups can be re-ordered by drag and dropping them to a new location and changing their Code #.
  • Use the (chevron) arrow to open and close a Work Group, or double click on its header or sub total row.
Edit Work Group

Opens the selected Work Group to view or edit. Double-clicking a Work Group heading will also open it.

Delete Work Group

Deletes the selected Work Group/s. Once deleted, it cannot be undone.

Move Work Groups

Use your mouse cursor to drag & drop a Work Groups up or down the Cost Schedule.

New Item

This adds a new Item to the selected Work Group. It can be setup to auto quantify a material cost, labour hrs, labour cost or to add a supplier quote amount. These Items can received quantities sent from Plan Scan and setup multiple item quantity equations within the same Work Group to speed up the quoting process.

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Edit Item

Opens the selected Item to view or edit.

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Delete Item

Deletes the selected Item/s. Once an Item has been deleted, it cannot be undone.

Move Items

Use your mouse cursor to drag & drop an item up or down the Work Group.

Job Details

Opens the Job Details window to enter the Site information, Client/s details, Client Representative details, and log the jobs documentation and plans for tracking design changes.

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Price List

Opens the Price List for updating prices, adding or editing items, and setting up suppliers price lists. It also opens the Live Pricing to import price files from your suppliers manually or directly using the 24/7 Live Pricing supplier connection.

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Plan Scan

Opens the on-screen takeoff measuring tool. This enables you to add job plans, calibrate them to scale, then start measuring up quantities sending them directly into your quote. We recommend you set up Plan Scan with duel large screens to optimise your quoting efficiency.

Measure: Areas, Vertical Areas, Roof Areas, Lengths, Lengths (with heights), Counts, Counts (with lengths) and Volumes.

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Calculator

Opens the default calculator on your computer for quick manual calculations.

Link Reports

Opens the Cost Schedule Link Reports to check for broken links between views. The Link Reports should show as empty if all links are correctly set up.

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Settings

Opens the Cost Schedule Settings to edit your Business Markups, Labour Rate, Workday Hours, Columns On/Off, Variations Default Markup %, and auto Renumber Work Groups and Items sequentially.

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Export

Allows you to export the Cost Schedule data to CSV, which can be imported into other applications, such as Excel.

Importing a CSV file to Excel

Importing a CSV file to Excel

Open Microsoft Excel ► Open New Blank workbook ► Go to the Data tab ► Select From Text/CSV (Get & Transform Data) ► then find & open the CSV file you're wanting to view or edit ► File Origin 1252: Western European (Windows) ► Delimiter Comma ► Select Load

If you require assistance, please contact your local IT technician.

Help Centre

Opens the SoloAssist Help Centre to the topic you are currently in. Learn more faster!

Show Contributing Items Only

This allows you to view only items that have been added into the quote/job. All other Items unused will be hidden.

Business Markups
All Work Group item costs will be applied with the business markups set up in the Cost Schedule Settings. See the bottom of the Cost Schedule to view the contributing amounts.
Price List
Cost Schedule items can be set up with a link to suppliers price lists.
Timber List
Cost Schedule items can be set up linked to Timber List items. They will auto populate a Timber groups item QTY.
Plan Scan
Use Plan Scan to measure up your QTY's and send them directly into the quote as you go. Its fast, accurate and neat.
Cost Control
Cost Schedule item material and labour costs, are allocated to Cost Centre budgets in Cost Control. This helps you track the jobs profits and losses.
Purchase Orders
Cost Schedule Work Groups and Items can be added to purchase orders, work orders or quote requests.

Contract Total

Contract Total - Display, Override, Lock

Contract Total - Update Pricing

This will update the pricing on the Cost Schedule, Timber List and Job Specifications to your latest Price List database shared pricing. This will only update the prices of items of their allocated supplier.

If this feature's not showing for you, it means it has not yet been activated in the Home menu ► Options ► Databases ► Price List

Learn more in Help Centre ► Options

Contract Total - Display

Double-clicking on the Contract Total Display, Padlock or Site Address will open their settings to view or edit.

Contract Total - Override

In the Contract Total Lock window, you can manually override the Contract Total if required. The adjusted difference will then show at the bottom of the Cost Schedule either in green profit or - red loss.

Contract Total - Lock

The Contract Total is only locked once the client has signed the contract for that price.

Locking the Contract Total ensures the Progress Payments stage amounts remain the same if you decide to adjust quantities or make cost changes.

If you have Unlocked the Contract Total and it has adjusted, you can enter the original Contract Total then lock it again if required. Check the Progress Payment stage totals have adjusted back to their correct claim amounts.

Re-entering Sales Invoices and payments received in chronological order may be required to re-balance the progress payment stages.

Item Status

Included, On Standby, Off

Cost Schedule Items showing included (), will only show if a Quantity has been added, or an amount is showing in the Total column. You can turn Items On/Off or toggle between auto quantity item selections by clicking on the item status icon, as shown below.

= Item On
(Standby with nothing entered / Not included in Quote)
= Item On
(with Quantity or Supplier Quote or Allowance entered / Included in Quote)
= Item Off
(with Quantity or Supplier Quote or Allowance entered / Not Included in Quote) (New)
= Item Off
(with no Quantity, Supplier Quote or Allowance entered / Not Included in Quote)

How do I...

Add New Work Groups?

To add a new Work Group, follow the steps below.

Step 1
With a single left click, select an existing Cost Schedule Work Group heading (shown in yellow) of where you would like the new Work Group to be placed above it.
Step 2
In the Cost Schedule toolbar, click New Work Group (). Then enter the new Work Group name into the New Work Group window, then click OK.

Note: After the Work Group has been added, you can drag & drop it to a different location if required. Additionally, if you want to make the Work Group code number inline with the other Work Groups above and below it.

Go to the Cost Schedule toolbar, click Settings () and press Renumber Sequentially.

Step 3
Add your new items into the Work Group. See below…

Add New Items?

Before proceeding, read the Cost Schedule Items page.

To add a new item to a Work Group, follow the steps below.

Step 1
With a single left click, select where in the Work Group you want to add the new item. If the Work Group has no items, select the row under the Work Group heading (shown in yellow).
Step 2
Select New Item () from the Cost Schedule toolbar. Then select the Help Centre () button to open the Item window instructions.

Cost Schedule Items can be setup multiple ways for multiple purposes. Make sure you read the Cost Schedule Item instructions before proceeding. The quickest way to learn

Open the Sample Template from the Home (menu) Welcome list to view and learn how different item types work. Open different items to see how they have been setup.

Click here to learn more about Cost Schedule Items: Cost Schedule Items

Add Suppliers or Sub Contractors Quoted Amounts?

To add a Suppliers Quoted amount, follow the steps below.

Step 1
Find the Work Group your wanting to add your Suppliers quote amount to. E.g. Electrical, Plastering, Brickwork, etc.
Step 2
You should now see the first (3) Items setup are showing as Quoted by:

To Items setup as Supplier Quoted, you will be able to enter the quote amount directly into grey field of that item on the main screen. But if you open to the item setup, you can select your suppliers name and enter the quote amount. The Supplier name will show after Quoted by: for the item.

E.g: Quoted by: EDK Electrical

User Tip

Ensure your Suppliers details are setup in the Suppliers view before you start quoting, otherwise you will not be able to select their names for the Supplier Quoted items.

Step 3
If no Supplier Quoted items are setup showing Quoted by: then you will need to select New Item () from the Cost Schedule toolbar. From this point, please read the Cost Schedule Item page to learn more about item setups.

Change the Description or Rate of an Item?

Depending on your Item Setup, it will require a different process to change its Description or Rate. All (4) methods are listed below.

Step 1
Select the Item you want the Description or Rate changed to. Double click on its name, or click () Edit Item. This will open the Item setup. Check the selection for the Item Setup. This will determine which heading in Step 2 you will need to follow.
Step 2
Select which Item setup below and follow its instructions to change your Item Description, Rate or Unit.

Standard (default)

This item is not linked to a Price List item.

If the Item is showing without the Pricing Price List Item fields selected, then you can manually change the Description, Rate (ex. GST or inc. GST) or Unit fields directly in the Item setup window.

Then click OK to finish.

Standard (default)

This item is linked to a Price List Item.

If the Pricing Price List Item fields have been pre-selected, then double click on either Rate (ex. GST or inc. GST) field or click the Price List button in the bottom left-hand corner. Both options will open the Price List with the Item pre-selected for you to edit the Item Description, Rate and Unit. Then click Close X in the top right-hand corner and it will auto save the changes and take you back to the Item setup window in which you should see the updated changes.

Then click OK to finish.

Supplier Quoted or Allowance

The Supplier Quoted and Allowance amounts can be changed directly on the Cost Schedule main screen in the grey Rate (inc. GST) field.

Additionally, you can make changes from in the Item setup window. Select the item and click () Edit Item, or double-click on the Item name to open the Item setup window and make your changes.

Then click OK to finish.

Timber List Link

For Cost Schedule Items setup with a Timber List Link. You will need to press the Timber List Settings button beside the Supplier name field. This will open the Timber List Settings window with the Item pre-selected. In this window, note the Price List Supplier name allocated for the Timber Type. Then double-click on the item your wanting to change. This will open the Price List with the Item pre-selected for you to edit. Before editing the Rate, ensure it has the correct Price List Supplier name selected. After you have edited the Item. Then click Close X in the top right-hand corner and it will auto save your changes and go back to Timber List Settings which should show the updated changes. Click Close. Now you should be back at the Cost Schedule Item setup window which should be showing the updated changes.

Then click OK to finish.

Add PC and PS Item Allowances?

Prime Cost and Provisional Sum Item allowances are added into your quote in the Job Specifications view. The Job Specifications is setup to track each PC & PS Item allowance and the overall PC & PS amount totals. The Job Specifications overall totals are then transferred to the Cost Schedule Work Group ► Job Specifications. The Cost Schedule is where your Business Markups are applied onto the Job Specifications totals.

Note, Job Specifications Settings is where the PC & PS excess (overrun) markup percentage is set. Example: 20% (default)

Below are the (3) totals transferred from the Job Specifications view to the Cost Schedule ► Work Group ► Job Specifications.

1) Total - Included Items (These are item allowances that are not PC or PS items.)

2) Total - Prime Costs

3) Total - Provisional Sums

To learn more, see the Job Specifications page.

Change the Business Markups?

The Business Markups for each quote is edited in the Cost Schedule Settings. You can open the Cost Schedule Settings (3) different ways.

1
In the Cost Schedule toolbar, click Settings ().
2
Double-click on the Contract Total in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
3
At the bottom of the Cost Schedule, double-click on any of the Business Markups rows.

Add Items to a Quote?

In the Cost Schedule, you can add items to a quote (3) different ways.

1
You can manually enter quantities into the grey Quantity field of each line item. You can enter multiple quantities into the same field by placing a space between each quantity. The item will auto calculate its total.
2
You can manually enter your suppliers quoted amount into the grey Quoted by: field. Ensure to open the item and select your Supplier name for the quoted amount entered. Make sure you have setup all your Suppliers details in the Suppliers view first.
3
You can send quantities directly from your onscreen takeoff in Plan Scan to any item in the Cost Schedule, Timber List or Job Specifications that has a grey quantity field to send to. Ensure to check and or setup your Plan Scan Item links (in Plan Scan) to send your takeoff quantities into your quote.

Note: You cannot send quantities from Plan Scan to Cost Schedule items setup with an Auto Quantity. Remember, these items can be identified by no grey quantity field to send to. Use dual screens to work efficiently. Put the Cost Schedule on (1) screen, and Plan Scan (onscreen takeoff) on the 2nd screen.

Note
If using a copy of the Sample Template, many Cost Schedule items have already been setup with Auto Quantity equations. This means one or more items have been setup to auto calculate their quantity from another items quantity entered above it. The Auto Quantity Items are always setup below the primary quantity added items. Items with an Auto Quantity equation setup will not show with a grey field for the item to enter a quantity. If you open an Auto Quantity Item, you will see its Auto Quantity SUM = equation setup.

Print and Email a Quote?

Go to Print Options, select Print Quote (Lite) or Print Quote (Full Details) and any other selections required, then go to the Printer Setup and select Microsoft Print to PDF, then select Preview. After checking over and approving the document in Preview, select Print and you will be prompted to save the file to PDF. Then you can attach the PDF file to your email.

Check which Cost Centre Budget has been allocated for a Material or Labour Cost?

Hover your mouse cursor over a Material or Labour Cost on the Cost Schedule, and it will show you its allocated Cost Centre budget in Cost Control. Alternatively, open the item to see both Material and Labour Cost Centres allocated.

Export to a CSV file?

Step 1
Export from SoloAssist

Go to the toolbar and select Export, then select either Contributing Work Groups & items or All Work Groups & Items. Then click OK to save the CSV file to your job folder.

Step 2
Import a CSV file into Excel

Open Microsoft Excel ► Open New Blank workbook ► Go to the Data tab ► Select From Text/CSV (Get & Transform Data) ► Open the SoloAssist CSV file ► File Origin 1252: Western European (Windows) ► Delimiter Comma ► Select Load

If you require assistance, please contact your local IT technician.

Troubleshooting

Auto Save Backups

After you have saved your quote for the first time, SoloAssist will then start saving 5 backup file copies spaced at 15min, 30min, 1hr, 2hrs, 24hrs or older. These backup quote/job files are saved to the following folder location.

Backups Folder Location
This PC ► Local Disk (C:) ► Users ► (Your name) ► Documents ► SoloAssist ► Quotes & Jobs ► Backups

If you need to use one of the backup files, do not re-save it into the Backups folder. Copy it back into its job folder and rename it back to what was originally and remove the backup file extension. E.g. _15min, _30min, _1hr, _2hr, _Older.

Auto Save Backups can be turned On/Off in the Home (menu) Options.

My Contract Total changed after adjusting the Cost Schedule Settings / Business Markups?

The Cost Schedule Business Markups each calculate progressively from the last total above it, at the bottom of the Cost Schedule.

Example

If you combine the Job Contingency % and or Business Overheads % in with the Management Fee (Profit Markup) %, then your Contract Total Business Markups will calculate differently (and to less) to when each has been entered separately as layed out in the Cost Schedule Settings Business Markups.

User Tip: We recommend entering each of your Business Markups separately for accurate cash flow tracking totals.