Version 2015 – New Color Settings
If you just upgraded to Version 2015 set your resource colors so they show up in the Tree View. A new way to get to this user setting is through the Tree View itself. Go to Display Options and then bottom left “User Color Preferences”….
Equipment Mechanic Hours
How can you calculate a total number of mechanic hours in HeavyBid? The EOE has to be setup with the “Calculate” setting (not hourly) so along with the mechanic hours the fuel use and other EOE costs will be inputted. I see companies set this…
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…
Multi-State Workman’s Comp Setup
If you want to have the WC code to come in with the crew when an activity is selected from the Activity Codebook just set this up in the Activity Codebook. To apply the correct unique state rate for a project then you will need to…
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…
Naming a Master Estimate – Best Practice
I have found estimators using the “ESTMAST” as their company’s master estimate. True its name is “Blank Master Estimate” but best practice is not to use this estimate for your company’s master estimate. Two reasons. First you might want “blank out” a setup like labor and you…
Library Estimate Limitations with Spreadsheets
I really encourage estimators to use the internal spreadsheet in HeavyBid. This feature has improved over the last four years and can increase an estimator’s productivity and accuracy. A Library estimate is one option where the estimator just copies over to their current estimate particular bid…
Override Calendar % Issue-Started Revising
There are times that the overtime calculation does not calculate the desired result so there is an option to override the calendar. This works well except when you have specific crafts with different work rules. For example if you create an all overtime calendar like…
Master Estimates – How Many Do You Need? Part 2
You need multiple labor setups but multiple master estimates can be difficult to keep synchronized. A better solution is to create one master with the labor, equipment, crews and default settings and then copy in labor rates from a Labor Master for each estimate that…
HeavyBid Youtube Help Videos
The staff and I have been working on help videos for HeavyBid. These are quick videos that should help develop new skills in HeavyBid. Eventually this will be linked to directly to the videos when you press Help (F1). Maybe late 2015 but for now…
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.
