Equipment Costing – Part 1
If there is anything in the field of estimating that is misunderstood it is equipment costing. First it is critical to understand that the first day when the key is first turned on at the start of the equipment’s life to the final day when…
Adding Searchable Information to Estimates
There is information that you might want to add to estimates and this information can be searchable across all estimates. Or you just want this information available for review where it has been inputted by an estimator. These fields can be customized and is found…
Adding Material – Using the Local Codebook
When you start adding material on the fly or pulling material from the system wide codebook the resource code will be copied to the Local Codebook. See below where this is located. Once the resource is in the local codebook, HeavyBid will pull the resource…
Tracking Changes to Master Estimate(s)
I got this suggestion from a user I recently trained. If you want changes to the Master Estimate(s) to be documented and tracked, create a Word document and each time a revision is made summarize (or detail) the revision. Attach it in the Setup>Estimate Information…
HeavyBid on the Enterprise Option
The Enterprise Version of HeavyBid allows a company to setup multiple business units. For example a construction company has two divisions, one heavy civil and one a general contractor. Both divisions could share one HeavyBid installation but the system wide files will also have to…
Book – Managing a Construction Firm on just 24 Hours a Day
I have been reading this book and it has lots of best practices and common sense information about estimating and managing projects. Not too intense and an easy read. I like comment from the book: “Contractors need to know their breakeven cost (direct cost and…
Comprehensive Version – Worth Considering Part III
The last and perhaps the one of the least utilized of the comprehensive features is the Equipment Biditem. I say least utilized because estimators don’t know of this feature and how easy it is to setup. Issue with the normal approach to using equipment in…
Comprehensive Version – Worth Considering Part II
The last blog was on one of the premiere features of the Comprehensive Version. The Audit Trail. Another feature that makes this version worth considering is the comprehensive work rule feature. This allows a much more detailed and accurate breakdown of labor tax and burden….
Comprehensive Version – Worth Your Consideration
The Advanced System is certainly robust and a good fit for many users. However in HeavyBid Version 2015 the new Audit Trail was introduced for the Comprehensive Version that is a game changer. If your company has the Advanced Version the new Audit Trail could…
HCSS Cloud versus Citrix Solution
Over the course of many trainings with companies who use the Citrix solution I have seen a pattern of slow response time especially if the server is off site. What I have been impressed with is the HCSS Cloud solution. I was at a hotel…
HeavyBid – Basics and Beyond is devoted to everything HCSS HeavyBid and estimating. Updated regularly with helpful insights and tools of the trade, this blog is designed to make your estimating easier and more successful.
