HomeTech ADVANTAGE Estimating System Tips
On this page you’ll find helpful tips for using your HomeTech ADVANTAGE Estimating System. These tips are designed to help you with your estimating, help you organize your estimates, save you time when estimating and, help you get the most of your HomeTech ADVANTAGE Estimating System. We’ve organized these HomeTech ADVANTAGE tips in the following categories (scroll over any article title to read a summary):
- Tips for Managing Your Estimates
- Reporting Tips
- Time Saving Tips
- Change an Entire Division's Cost PercentagesChange an Entire Division's Cost Percentages
Useful when adjusting percentage markups for "judgment" factors (see both BBI May 2007 and June 2007 for more on judgment factors), the Change Cost by % feature allows you to change costs by percentage individually for each of the 4 possible line item costs ("Labor", "Material", "SubC", and "Other").
- Right Click Menu ItemRight Click Menu Item
An easy way to edit an estimate line item is to access the EDIT ITEM feature using the “Right-Click” menu. Use the EDIT ITEM feature when you want all line item data displayed in a single window to edit at the same time. For more detailed information on using the “Right-Click” EDIT ITEM feature, click the title of this article.
- Build a New Estimate from a Saved OneBuild a New Estimate from a Saved One
An existing estimate can be used as a ‘template’ to create a new estimate which will save you even more time.
Using the “Save As” feature you can create a ‘Carbon Copy’ of an existing estimate with a new name. Then you just need to make modifications to meet the specifications of the new project instead of starting from scratch. For example, you already created an estimate for Mr. Smith for a basement remodel. Now, six months later Mr. Jones wants you to estimate a basement remodel for him that is very similar to the scope of work in Mr. Smith’s project. You can use Mr. Smith’s existing estimate to create a new estimate for Mr. Jones. The result is a huge time savings for you and a happy prospect who receives their estimate quickly.
- Help Links Provide Help with a Mouse ClickHelp Links Provide Help with a Mouse Click
In various places within HomeTech ADVANTAGE, there are Help Links that provide information about the specific feature you are using. These links are identified by a large ? and the word "Help." The Help Links may include specific steps on how to use a feature, information regarding settings or preferences, or examples of how to use the feature.
- Tips for Working with Markup Percentages
- Tips for Working with the “Assemblies” Feature
- Tips for Updating Your HomeTech ADVANTAGE Estimating Solution