How to
Build the estimate
crux drafts the estimate in your template from the approved takeoff, your rates and your prices.
crux drafts the estimate in your estimate template (or the crux default; see Templates), from the approved takeoff, your labor rates, your production rates and your material prices. The file is a DRAFT until you say it is done.
1. Ask for it
When the takeoff is approved, ask in the job's chat: "build the estimate". crux writes one line per takeoff condition and coat, with the quantity, gallons, labor hours and labor cost, and the materials. If the job needs a particular wage basis (open shop, union, prevailing wage or Davis-Bacon), crux asks which rate set to use.
2. Fill in the material costs
crux asks how you want to price the materials. You can:
- edit the prices in the file yourself,
- type prices in the chat,
- upload a supplier's price file, or
- say "use my price book" for the prices in Materials.
3. Check it on the Project tab
The Estimate card counts:
- lines in the estimate,
- budget-grade lines: a price or rate you have not confirmed (a crux default, or a price with no date or older than 90 days),
- PRICE NEEDED lines: no price at all yet.
If the estimate is out of date (the takeoff or an answer changed since), the card says so. Ask crux in chat to rebuild it; your markups and inputs are kept.
4. Adjust the numbers
Click Preview on the Estimate card. The preview shows the workbook's pages, and beside it Adjust the estimate: the markups and taxes, the lift and material, and the other general requirements. Change a number, then Save changes. crux writes it into the input cells only (never a formula) and marks it as confirmed by you today. Undo my edits puts back what you changed.
Careful: Close the workbook in Excel first. If Excel has it open, nothing changes and the panel tells you to close it.
For extra rows or line items, ask crux in chat. Open in Excel opens the file; Show in folder shows where it is.