Tree View – Customized Tab
I was actually in Australia (Newcastle) training when I came to the decision that the customized tab in the resource section is now the one to default to. Now that equipment and labor pieces can be revised without going to the modify crew routine it…
Stop Right Now & Setup Your Credentials
This really drives me crazy as an HCSS Trainer. Even before HeavyBid is installed for new HCSS customer estimators should be set up for each estimator. It is that important! It allows estimators to get in the HCSS Academy and start watching videos on HeavyBid….
HeavyBid Coaching: the Next Level
An estimating coach can help with that. I have been thinking a lot about how my company can better assist HCSS customers. Usually, after training, whether typical training or at even a UGM, the trainee is on their own to implement everything they have learned….
Estimate/Production History Variance Setting
The ability to see HeavyJob data in HeavyBid and in the Estimate History is awesome, but there is a setting that will give you more results when you do a query. The default in Tree View Binoculars is to return plus or minus 25% of…
GSA P-120 Publication
I like finding documents that have good information on estimating. This might be especially useful if you are thinking of bidding GSA projects but even if you are not there is some good general estimating information in this document. There is not much out there…
Crew on the Fly
When I set up a new customer I recommend that they set up a blank crew along with their standard crews. I would set the crew code to “ZCREW” and the description to “CREW ON THE FLY”. There will be no labor or equipment saved…
DOT Biditem Descriptions
If you import in biditems into HeavyBid from the Expedite/Aashtoware many state DOT’s will have biditem descriptions greater than 50 characters. Issue is the information truncated beyond HeavyBid’s 50 character limit can be the most valuable information of the entire description! HeavyBid has many options…
Cost Estimating Definitions
I found this in Wikipedia and highly recommend this for review for all estimators, project managers and even people who are in accounting that work with budgets and day to day construction operations. This is actually better than what I find in most construction estimating…
Checklists in HeavyBid – Video
Checklists are a good way to keep different checklists running for the estimating team for an estimate. Like anything else in HeavyBid to really make use of this tool, you need to add and customize the checklists beyond what comes with the original HeavyBid install….
HCSS Custom Reports
If there was “my most important blog post of the year” category this would be it. HCSS has a great custom reports group that can do amazing things for a very reasonable price. It is a service that HCSS struggles to get the word out…
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.
