Create an Estimate from a Template

Increase the efficiency & accuracy of construction cost estimating by generating new construction estimates from saved company estimate templates in ConstructionOnline™

BACKGROUND

A key component of the industry's leading construction financial management software, ConstructionOnline's powerful, cloud-based OnCost™ Estimating empowers construction companies to build and manage detailed, accurate construction cost estimates quickly & efficiently. ConstructionOnline™ offers four convenient ways to create new Estimates: create a blank Estimate, create from a Template, import from Excel, or create from Redline™ Takeoff. With the option to create construction estimates from company templates, construction teams can standardize preferred estimate options, estimate structure, and estimate details across the company - saving time, money, and resources. 

PREREQUISITES

• To create an Estimate from a template, users may use one of ConstructionOnline's 20+ preloaded, fully customizable Advanced Estimate Templates or create an Estimate template within ConstructionOnline™ prior to creating the Estimate itself.
  • Company Accounts can save an unlimited number of Estimate Templates. 

STEPS TO CREATE AN ESTIMATE FROM A TEMPLATE

1. Navigate to the desired Project via the Left Sidebar.
2. Select the Financials tab to automatically open the Estimating category.
3. Select the "Choose Template" button to create a new Estimate from an existing template. 
   
   
4. Within the Create Estimate from Template window, select the following information: 
   
   1. Template: From the "Choose Template" dropdown, select either a preloaded ConstructionOnline™ Advanced Estimate Template or an Estimate Template previously saved within the ConstructionOnline™ Company Account.
      1. The first template in the "Choose Template" list is selected by default. Expanding the template dropdown list will provide access to all available Estimate Templates. 
      2. "Favorite Templates" will populate at the top of the available templates list, and "Additional Templates" will populate below those marked as "Favorites." (If no templates have been marked as "Favorites," there will be no segmentation within the list of available Estimate Templates.)
      3. In the instance there are no Estimate Templates saved to the ConstructionOnline™ Company Account, the "Choose Template" dropdown will populate as blank. An Estimate Template will need to be created before proceeding down the path to create a new Estimate from a Template. 
   2. Estimate Type: As Estimate Type determines the primary calculation method applied within a construction estimate, New Estimates created from Estimate Templates inherit the Estimate Type assigned to the selected Template. Estimate Type cannot be modified when choosing to create a new Estimate from a saved Template. If such modification is required, consider editing the Estimate Template. 
   3. Level of Detail: A key factor in determining the overall structure of a construction estimate, the Level of Detail for the New Estimate is also a property inherited from the selected Estimate Template. Level of Detail cannot be modified when choosing to create a new Estimate from a saved Template. If such modification is required, consider editing the Estimate Template. 
   4. Related Project: This field automatically populates to the current Project from which the "Create Estimate from Template" option is being accessed and cannot be modified within this step. 
   5. Estimate Name: Enter the preferred name for the project's Estimate being created. By default, the Estimate Name does populate automatically as [PROJECT NAME] Estimate. 
5. Finalize the Estimate settings by clicking the blue "Save" button to create the new Estimate. The new Estimate will automatically open in OnCost™ Estimating for review. To customize the new Estimate created from a saved Template, begin managing the included Estimate Details, such as Line Items, Quantities, Assigned Resources, and more. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Estimates in ConstructionOnline™ must be saved within a Project or Opportunity. Estimate Templates may be saved independently within Company Templates or as an included element within a Project Template. 
  • To create a new Estimate for a Project, Project Template, or Opportunity with an existing Estimate, you will need to delete the existing Estimate first. 
  • All current subscriptions to ConstructionOnline™ provide for an unlimited number of Opportunities, offering users flexible options for creating multiple estimates as needed during initial sales negotiations. Each Project, Project Template, or Opportunity is limited to ONE single Estimate saved to the Project, Project Template, or Opportunity at a time. 

• Permissions: Only ConstructionOnline™ Company Users with Estimating permissions set to “Can Create, Edit, & Delete” can create an Estimate. 
  
  • ClientLink/TeamLink Access: ClientLink™ and TeamLink™ Users do not have access to any OnCost™ Estimating features within the Portal.

• Mobile App: Creating an Estimate is available through browser access to ConstructionOnline™ only. Estimates are presented in View-Only Mode on the ConstructionOnline™ Mobile App. 

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

• Frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding OnCost Estimating can be found in the FAQ: Estimating article. 
• If you need additional assistance, chat with a Specialist by clicking the orange Chat icon located in the bottom left corner or visit the UDA support page for additional options.