Fix Your Productivity Information in Tree View
It is not unusual when I review a HeavyBid setup for a company that has used HeavyBid for a long time that some of the Activity Productivity Categories are blank. This is a system wide setting so probably someone was trying to change a productivity…
Network Issues – Open Files
If you are having performance issues on your network with HeavyBid, you should check to see of you have any open HeavyBid files on the server. These can occur when there are issues with the HeavyBid update install or a variety of other ways but…
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…
Clean up Spreadsheet Calculations
If you are a regular reader of my blogs you know I like the internal spreadsheet (SpreadSheet Gear) in HeavyBid. But honestly there are a lot of spreadsheets in the list that you will never use such as all the Metric ones (unless you are…
Indirect Bid Item(s) Versus Indirects in Mobilization-Best Practice Discussion
I train companies new to HeavyBid who historically have put their indirect costs all in mobilization. Estimators who do this come from a background of estimating with a spreadsheet or just by hand where it was difficult to spread indirect costs. Usually companies that continue…
Backup System Wide Files
While the backup by action now offers an huge improvement over just manual backups there is still an issue with the system wide files like the Activity and Material Codebooks. All the system wide files can only backup to one file but you can selectively…
Modify Bid Pricing Indicators-Bid Price Screen
In the lower right hand corner of the Bid Price Screen are the Indicators. Many companies don’t use Takeoff/Bid quantities differences so they don’t need Markup and Profit shown for both. Also to most users “Markup% on Sales” description is at best confusing. This would…
Why You Need a Test Estimate
What is a Test estimate? It is an estimate that you setup as one of your master estimates to create estimates in order to test HCSS routines and see how they work. I always admonish users not to treat HeavyBid as a Black Box where they…
HeavyBid Internal Spreadsheet
If I was asked what feature of HeavyBid is under utilized by users the answer would be easy. It is the internal spreadsheet found in SETUP>SPREADSHEETS (located on the System side). This spreadsheet program is Excel like but is very efficient and can be linked…
Customizing the Look of Tree View
I know when estimating my eyes after a long day have trouble distinguishing between the biditems and activities. This is especially true when the biditem numbers are large (like in JV estimates) and they resemble the activity codes. There is a user setting so that you…
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.
