Quick Biditem Spreadsheet On the Fly
I was working on an estimate and had this need for a spreadsheet for the biditem. I won’t need it again as it just a one-off spreadsheet. Now you can create a spreadsheet using the internal spreadsheet for an activity but I needed it for…
Helicopter “Air Cranes” – And you thought your projects were tough
I love ENR (Engineering News Record ENR.com) of which I have subscribed to for many years. This is a great article on how you prepare for remote conditions in tough environments. I have trained contractors who use helicopters – when you need one there is…
Priority of Setup Data for HeavyBid
When I train new customers they usually want me to prioritize the tasks of setting up HeavyBid. Usually at the training we are able to setup the Master Estimate which will include the Labor, Equipment and Crew setup. Here is my opinion of the priority…
Bid Item Codebook – Why aren’t you using it?
If there is one underused or ignored feature in HeavyBid it is the Biditem Codebook. Of course if you are a DOT type contractor this is a huge time saver but it also is valuable for county, city and even private work. Typically if a…
Milestones in Audit Trail – Make a Milestone Backup
The Audit Trail (Comp Version Only) allows setting of a milestone. First if you have a the Comprehensive Version of HeavyBid and don’t know what the Audit Trail is then call HCSS Tech Support and have them show you how to turn it on. Highly…
Skype vs TeamViewer
I was recently preparing for a conference call/screen sharing training with a new client. Although not ideal for training, the screen sharing/conference call was enough to cover some basics and answer any of their specific questions about HeavyBid. As I was setting up for the…
Print Estimate Structure
HCSS is slowly integrating the Plus report format. If you use parent-child relationships and especially when there are more than two levels this report gives a good visual of the bid item structure. HCSS even allows a short cut from the Tree View to print…
Adding Activities From An Estimate to the Activity Codebook
Once an Activity Codebook is in place there are usually activities that have to be added. One method is to go ahead and make it on the fly in the estimate and then add it later to the Activity Codebook. This also holds true for…
Heavybid-Who is it for?
Occasionally I train a new customer who incorrectly assumes that HCSS provides cost data for estimating. Usually, in these cases, the company wants a relatively inexperienced estimator to be able to put together complex estimates for work their company has not historically performed. This misunderstanding…
Considerations for Weekend Work
In my training I always make it a point to discuss planned weekend work especially for utility construction work. So you are working on an estimate where the estimator knows that a utility tie in (or whatever it is) can only be done on off…
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.
