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
• Organize Your Estimates Into “Phases” and Save Time on Revisions!Organize Your Estimates Into “Phases” and Save Time on Revisions!
  
  In its simplest form, a “phase” is merely a chapter or subdivision of your estimate. By organizing your estimate in to “phases”, revisions for changes in project scope can be made quickly and easily. For more details on how to setup your estimate into “phases” for quick revisions and calculations, click on the title of this article.
• Customize your estimate cover pageCustomize your estimate cover page
  
  Would you like to customize your estimates to reflect your business name and contact information? Now you can! Customize the cover page for all of your future estimates or for just one estimate. For step by step instructions on how to customize your estimate cover page, click on the title of this article.
• Rename User DivisionsRename User Divisions
  
  Use the BUILD OR CUSTOMIZE REPORTS feature to select the estimate data you want to appear in your print reports. Depending on what options you choose, this feature can be used to either shorten or lengthen a report.
• Rearrange Line Items in Your EstimateRearrange Line Items in Your Estimate
  
  HomeTech ADVANTAGE allows you to rearrange the order of your estimate line items within a particular Division. Since the order of line items on the screen will also be the order of line items in your print reports, you may want to use this feature to make your estimates easier to read. Simply changing the line item of a number allows you to move that item anywhere within a Division.
• Flag Open Items in Your EstimateFlag Open Items in Your Estimate
  
  When creating a new estimate within HomeTech ADVANTAGE, sometimes you don’t have all the information you need right away. How can you be sure that you don’t forget to add in these items later? The answer is, don’t wait. Add all your items now. Then, “flag” the open items to be sure that you remember to address them later.


• Reporting Tips
• Build or Customize ReportsBuild or Customize Reports
  
  Have you ever wished that you could change the standard reports that are available within HomeTech ADVANTAGE? Well, you can. And, it's easy. Use the BUILD - OR CUSTOMIZE REPORTS feature to select the data that you want to appear in your print reports. Depending on what options you choose, this feature can be used to either shorten or lengthen a report.
  
• Create Reports, Printouts with Specific Estimate ItemsCreate Reports, Printouts with Specific Estimate Items
  
  Create reports or printouts for subcontractors, tradesman and suppliers that include specific estimate items. With the HomeTech ADVANTAGE software, you can print selected items from your estimate to create reports or printouts that include only the chosen estimate items. When estimating, obtain "hardened" quotes from subcontractors for specific items in your estimate. During construction, use reports to list the project responsibilities for a specific subcontractor or supplier.


• 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
• Use the "Change Markup" Feature and Save TimeUse the "Change Markup" Feature and Save Time
  
  Save time using the "Change Markup" feature in the "Right-Click Menu" to change the markup percent on individual or multiple estimate line items. Changing markups for a group of estimate line items saves time versus changing each line item markup individually.
• Get Complete Control of Markups for Your Estimates in HomeTech ADVANTAGEGet Complete Control of Markups for Your Estimates in HomeTech ADVANTAGE
  
  HomeTech ADVANTAGE allows you to set the specific markup amount in your estimates. You can set markups individually for specific line items, you can also control markups for the estimate Overhead, and the estimate Profit.


• Tips for Working with the “Assemblies” Feature
• Reduce the amount of time it takes to create an estimate by using the "Assembly" feature.Reduce the amount of time it takes to create an estimate by using the "Assembly" feature.
  
  The "Assembly" feature is one of the most powerful timesaving features in the HomeTech ADVANTAGE software. If you are trying to reduce the amount of time it takes to create an estimate, the "Assembly" feature can help you accomplish this. You can modify or delete existing Assemblies as well as create your own. To get the most benefits from the "Assembly" feature, you will probably need to modify the existing assemblies, and create your own new assemblies.
• Create an Assembly from an Existing EstimateCreate an Assembly from an Existing Estimate
  
  In addition to creating Assemblies using the "Tag & Transfer" method in the Cost Books, you can also create new Assemblies from all or part of an existing estimate. Creating an Assembly from an existing estimate can be very useful when the line items used in the estimate are used in many of the projects you estimate (electrical components for an addition for example).
• Using the "Assembly" Feature to Transfer Data Into An EstimateUsing the "Assembly" Feature to Transfer Data Into An Estimate
  
  Using the "Assembly" feature can save you valuable time when creating your estimates. The "Assembly" feature is one of the most powerful time saving features in the HomeTech ADVANTAGE software. If you are trying to reduce the amount of time it takes to create an estimate, the "Assembly" feature can help you accomplish this sometimes cut your estimating time in half!


• Tips for Updating Your HomeTech ADVANTAGE Estimating Solution
• Loading Multiple LAMI AreasLoading Multiple LAMI Areas
  
  HomeTech ADVANTAGE software users can choose from any of 218 LAMI areas in the United States and Canada. LAMI stands for Local Area Modification Index. (In short, these are the different pricing areas in the United States and Canada that HomeTech Information Systems, Inc., monitors on a quarterly basis). You can load up to any 4 of these pricing areas in the software at any one time. You can then choose which of these pricing areas to use when calculating your estimate. To find out how to load up different LAMIs, click on the title of this article.
• Backing Up Your HomeTech ADVANTAGE DataBacking Up Your HomeTech ADVANTAGE Data
  
  Did you know that you can back up your HomeTech ADVANTAGE data in six simple steps? By backing up your data you can save hundreds of keystroke hours if data is destroyed by unlikely events such as fires or power outages. For details on backing up your HTA data, click on the title of this article.