What are Costbooks in ConstructionOnline?

The term "costbook" generally refers to comprehensive catalogs or databases that contain detailed lists of information about the costs associated with various construction components such as materials, labor, equipment, subcontractor costs, etc. In ConstructionOnline, Costbooks can contain two components: Items and Assemblies.

Individual Costbook Items are where cost details are stored such as Classification, Unit Cost, Purchase Unit, Unit of Measure, Coverage Rate, Waste %, and more. Costbook Items can be arranged into Folders for optimal, flexible organization built to support every company's cost structure. Additionally, Costbooks can also contain Assemblies which are groups of commonly-used or related Costbook Items organized as a package or "assembly" for quick & easy insertion at the Subcategory level of an OnCost Estimate. So, for example, all of the commonly-used Costbook Items for framing, such as lumbar, nails, and labor hours, could go into a "Framing" Assembly. 

Costbooks are valuable resources for professionals across the industry as they streamline the cost estimating process, enhance accuracy, and provide a basis for developing realistic project budgets. For these reasons, and more, we highly recommend utilizing Costbooks in ConstructionOnline as a way to standardize your company's processes and ensure ultimate ROI. 

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