Tutorial
eTakeoff of ePlans in Excel
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact us at any time:
Vertigraph, Inc.
12959 Jupiter Road, Ste 252
Dallas, TX 75238
214-340-9436
800-989-4243
214-340-9437 Fax
info@vertigraph.com
www.vertigraph.com
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Introduction
BidScreen XL is a Microsoft Excel add-in program that measures items from AutoCad DWG, PDF, TIFF
and other file types while working in Excel. Additional calculations on the area, length and count
measurements generated with BidScreen are performed through formulas and functions directly in
Microsoft Excel. A concise audit trail is provided by automatically storing the drawing with the digitized
measurement into any Excel workbook cell and file. In summary, BidScreen allows you to view and
measure from many files types while clearly organizing your takeoff in any Microsoft Excel workbook.
Before we begin, a few words on performing the takeoff and estimate:
⇒ Quantity Takeoff is performed by measuring certain items and then calculating the
desired quantities from these measurements.
⇒ Estimating is applying costs to the quantities.
Applying the estimated cost to the quantities is usually performed in either an Excel workbook, a stand
alone takeoff program or through a relational database estimating program. We at Vertigraph believe that
organizing your takeoff quantities in Microsoft Excel, regardless of the software used for estimating, is
often the easiest, most logical and best way to organize the takeoff for most contractors. You’ll measure
with BidScreen and calculate quantities with Microsoft Excel. Excel is not for everybody however;
certain divisions of work, such as site excavation and some of the mechanical trades may be better served
by performing the takeoff in trade specific, non-spreadsheet applications. Overwhelmingly however,
Excel is the number one application by far for both large and small contractors for documenting takeoff
quantities. In addition to the takeoff, Excel also has the largest market share among contractors for
estimating the costs of construction.
As a result of the widespread use and power of Excel, we at Vertigraph promote Excel estimating and
have included a collection of takeoff and estimating workbook files for you use and review. Many of our
customers have already created their own Excel estimating template. Others use the included Excel
workbooks and customize these templates to fit their needs. After installing the software, the Excel
takeoff and estimating workbooks provided with BidScreen are found at the C:\Documents and
Settings\All Users\Documents\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL\examples folder when installing under Windows
XP. If you installed BidScreen XL under Windows Vista, these Excel workbooks are found at
C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL\examples.
Your decision to license or evaluate our BidScreen add-in tool with Microsoft Excel indicates you have
chosen the most popular and often the best solution for automating your takeoff process.
Congratulations! We at Vertigraph look forward to working with you in the years ahead and thank you
for letting us serve you.
This quick start guide is organized into four steps:
1. Installing the BidScreen XL software and adding BidScreen XL to Microsoft Excel
2. Setting up the software.
3. Loading and viewing files with BidScreen XL
4. Measuring items and operating BidScreen XL
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Step 1 – Install BidScreen XL and adding it to Microsoft Excel
Install BidScreen XL
First, install BidScreen XL to your local hard drive by clicking of the BidScreen XL option on the
Vertigraph CD supplied. If you do not have the latest version on the Vertigraph CD, download a working
copy of BidScreen XL from Vertigraph’s web site at www.vertigraph.com. Before installing, please close
Excel and all other applications.
To download from Vertigraph’s web site go to the Vertigraph download page at
http://www.vertigraph.com/demoreq.shtml. After entering the necessary information, click the
Submit button at the bottom of the page to obtain a list of files for download. Here, you’ll click the
Evaluation link for the BidScreen XL software and then save this BidScreen_Setup.exe file to an
appropriate folder on your computer’s hard drive. After downloading, right click on the Window’s Start
button and select Explore to locate the folder where the file named BidScreen_Setup.exe was saved.
When the appropriate folder is found, double click on the BidScreen_Setup.exe file to install.
During installation, we recommend that you install BidScreen XL to the default directory named
C:\Program Files\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL. We also suggest that you download the latest version of the
BidScreen XL software periodically from the Vertigraph download page at
http://www.vertigraph.com/demoreq.shtml to insure that you have the latest, most enhanced version of
BidScreen XL installed.
Add BidScreen XL to Microsoft Excel
Adding BidScreen XL to Excel version 2007 is different than adding BidScreen to previous versions of
Excel. The following instruction applies to Excel versions that are before Excel version 2007. After
installing the BidScreen XL software to your hard drive, open a blank Excel workbook. Next, click on
the Tools | Add-Ins menu command in Excel and then press the Browse button to search for the
BidScreen XL add-in file. After pressing the Browse button, the folder initially displayed will be the
Add-Ins folder. At this folder you’ll click on the down arrow to move up to the C: drive at the top of the
list. The BidScreenXL.xla file we’re seeking is located at C:\Program Files\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL.
Once this BidScreenXL.xla file is located, click OK to add BidScreen XL to the list of Add-Ins available.
Once displayed on the Add-Ins available list, click OK again to return to the Excel workbook.
Adding BidScreen XL to Excel version 2007 or later is a little different. Under Excel version 2007, click
on the Add-Ins menu and then right click on Office button found at the top left hand corner of the
window. Next, select the Customize Quick Access Toolbar and then select the Add-Ins option. At the
Add-Ins window, click the Go… button at the bottom of the page and browse for the BidScreenXL.xla
file at C:\Program Files\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL folder.
If this is the initial installation, you’ll be informed that BidScreen XL is an evaluation copy with the
number of days of use remaining. If you would like to license the software and obtaining a registration
code click Yes here and provide Vertigraph with the customer code displayed via email at
info@vertigraph.com or by phone at either 214-340-9436 or 800-989-4243. Once Vertigraph receives
your customer code or serial number, you’ll be automatically provided with the registration code. You
may register at any time. If you don’t register during installation, you’ll be asked to register when
opening and closing Microsoft Excel.
After adding BidScreen XL to your MS Excel application a menu option named BidScreen will be added
to the left of the Excel Help menu. Additionally a BidScreen XL toolbar will also be added to Excel. If
the toolbar is not displayed, click on View | Toolbars in Excel to insure the BidScreen XL toolbar is
checked. If the BidScreen menu in Excel is not active and grayed out, please exit Excel and reopen to
activate the BidScreen menu.
Now that BidScreen is installed and added to Excel we are now going to setup the various BidScreen XL
options and measurement styles….
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Step 2 – The BidScreen XL Setup window
Before loading, viewing and measuring files, please click on the BidScreen | Setup menu command to
specify various BidScreen XL options.
Please note:
o The Options check boxes displayed above are the settings that we recommend. Please change
these recommended options to meet your needs after you become more familiar with
BidScreen.
o The Use Styles checkbox allows you to create predefined line colors and styles for the
various items you’re measuring. When Use Styles is checked, the styles are created and
organized at the Styles tab of the BidScreenXL Setup window. If the Use Styles option box
is not checked, you’ll set the line color, line style, line width, count symbol and area fill
pattern of items measured individually for each cell.
o If Prompt for Scale on Open Drawing is not checked, you’ll need to select the BidScreen |
Scale command before measuring areas, lengths and counts. If Prompt for Scale on Open
Drawing is checked, you’ll be asked for the drawing scale or CAD measurement units
whenever you accept the loaded drawing. Again, we suggest that this option be checked.
o We also recommend that you check Show All Cells so that all of your digitized lines will be
displayed as you measure into a new, blank cell.
If the Use Styles box is checked at the Options tab, click on the Styles tab to create and organize you
measurement styles
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Individual styles are organized into groups. Groups may be identified in any logical manner. You may
organize your groups any way you want. Some users organize their style groups by project name, CSI
division, material type, subcontractor trade or even color.
Once the group caption is labeled, you’ll create individual styles under each group. The individual style
is named in the Caption field and the various drawing attributes are selected from the drop down list
boxes. A visual representation of the style is displayed at the bottom as changes are made.
The buttons at the bottom of the screen are used to add and delete groups and styles. You can also place
the group or style in the desired order by using the Move Up and Move Down buttons. Press the OK
button when finished creating the style.
Once the BidScreen options are setup, we are ready to begin loading, viewing and measuring files…
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Step 3 – Loading and Viewing files with BidScreen
After installing BidScreen XL and adding it to MS Excel, open an Excel workbook, click on any cell
except A1 and then load the desired drawing by clicking on the Load Drawing command found on the
toolbar or by selecting the BidScreen | Load Drawing command from the menu.
The Open Drawing File window is displayed below:
Display the files by file type by clicking on the down arrow at the Files of type list box at the bottom of
the screen. BidScreen XL works with many types of file formats. For your information, architectural
drawings are either vector or raster image files. A raster image, such as a TIFF and PDF file, is a data file
representing a grid of pixels (dots) on a computer monitor. A vector file on the other hand represents an
image in computer graphics created through the use and assembly of geometrical, mathematical shapes
such as points, lines, curves and polygons. AutoCAD DWG and DXF files are vector files. In summary,
computer aided design (CAD) vector files are represented by mathematical shapes such as lines. Raster
files such as TIFF, BMP, PDF, JPEG and picture images are represented by dots.
BidScreen XL operates differently depending on the type of file loaded. Please note the following:
Δ If you have licensed and installed Adobe Acrobat version 7.0 or later on your computer, BidScreen
will use the installed Adobe Acrobat for viewing all PDF files. Adobe Acrobat will also enable you
to create PDF files. The Professional version provides hyper linking between PDF files. When
working with PDF files we recommend that you license the Adobe Acrobat version 7.0 or later
software. For further information, please contact Vertigraph, Inc. at 800-989-4243 or
infor@vertigraph.com.
Δ If you do not have Adobe Acrobat version 7.0 or later installed, BidScreen will use the adobe
compatible reader included with the BidScreen XL software when viewing PDF files. The Adobe
Acrobat version 7.0 generally displays a cleaner and sharper view of the PDF file. As a result, if
the PDF files you are loading are not as crisp as you desire, please consider licensing the Adobe
Acrobat software to use with BidScreen and PDF files. Vertigraph resells the Adobe Acrobat
Standard and Professional product. Again, please contact Vertigraph for best pricing and further
information.
Δ Raster files such as TIFF, CAL, BMP, JPEG and PDF operate differently than Computer Aided
Design (CAD) vector files. The advantage of vector files such as DWG and DXF is that you don’t
select or calculate a drawing scale like you do with raster files. Rather you’ll select the CAD
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drawing unit directly from the vector file which generates much more accurate takeoffs than raster
files.
Δ With CAD, vector files you’re also able to turn on and off design layers (i.e. isolate layers). Layer
information that is not relevant to the current takeoff may be eliminated from view for easier
takeoffs.
Δ Most importantly, the big advantage of CAD, vector files is the ability to snap to the design object
while measuring with your mouse. You can now obtain the exact measurements from the design
object with vector files. With raster files on the other hand, you’ll generate approximate, not exact,
measurements by digitizing on points contained on the raster file. Again, vector CAD files will
provide much more accurate measurements than raster files.
Δ Currently, many contractors and internet plan rooms are distributing raster files such as TIFF, CAL
and PDF. As the benefits and acceptance of distributing CAD, vector files becomes more apparent
and accepted, we believe the distribution of CAD, vector files will increase substantially in the
years ahead. I think you’ll find that your takeoff will be much easier and exact if you have the
ability to use a DWG or other CAD, vector image file rather than a raster file.
Δ In this quick start guide, we will demonstrate measuring from a raster, tiff image by using the
including Floor_1.TIF file. We will also demonstrate the snap to object capability and
enhancements available by using a CAD, vector file by demonstrating with the included
BLDG.dwg file.
Here we will initially select to open the Floor_1.TIF file by displaying All or the Tagged Image File
(TIFF) file types and then browsing to the C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Documents\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL\drawings folder to select the Floor_1.TIF file if using
Windows XP. If using Windows Vista, the Floor_1.tif file is found at C:\users\Public\Public
Documents\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL. After selecting the Floor_1.TIF file click the Open button to
display the file.
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IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE:
Zoom in by holding the Shift key down on the keyboard as you click the left mouse
button. The Mouse pointer will change to a magnifying glass when the keyboard Shift
key is depressed.
Zoom out by clicking the right mouse button while holding down the keyboard’s Shift
key.
Once zoomed in, move around the drawing (i.e. pan) by holding down the Ctrl key on
the keyboard as you drag the mouse around the window with the left mouse button
depressed. When you depress the Ctrl key, the mouse pointer changes to a hand which
indicates you are in the panning mode.
When loading, opening and viewing the displayed file, you’ll zoom and pan around the
drawing file for two reasons: 1) to determine if this loaded file is the image you want and
2) to determine the drawing scale by either locating a displayed scale or by finding a line
with a known length that could be used to calculate the scale.
Maximize the window by dragging and dropping the window’s corners around the screen
or by clicking the maximize command in the top right hand corner of the window. It is
preferable to have the largest viewing area possible.
Additional commands are available at the Open Drawing window menu bar and by
clicking the right mouse button when the cursor is displayed over the image.
At the Open Drawing window, we recommend that all options be turned on (i.e. checked)
under the View menu.
The Drawing menu at the Open Drawing window allows you to rotate the drawing for
easier viewing. The Drawing | Deskew command allows you to rotate the drawing along
any defined line. At Deskew, you’ll click the mouse at the beginning and end of a line
and the drawing will be rotated along that defined line. The deskew line will be parallel
to the horizontal edge of the monitor.
When loading and viewing the image, try to find a displayed drawing scale. When you
accept this drawing by clicking the green checkmark, you’ll be asked for the proper
drawing scale. If you don’t know the scale, search for the longest line on the drawing
with a known length. You’ll be able to calculate the scale by digitizing the beginning and
end points of this line and enter its length.
To set the scale and accept the drawing so that items may be measured in Excel, click the
green checkmark in the top right hand corner of the Measure window to accept.
If the file loaded is a raster file such as TIFF, JPEG, CAL and PDF the scale dialog window is displayed
after clicking on the green checkmark accept drawing button. This scale window is displayed only if
Prompt for Scale on Open Drawing is checked at BidScreen | Setup.
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For raster files, English scale units return square feet for areas and lineal feet for lengths. Metric returns
square meters for areas and lineal meters for lengths. If you know the scale, select the scale from the drop
down list box. Digitizing the scale is often the best way to insure the scale is accurate. To digitize the
scale, click on the Digitize button and then click the beginning and end of a line. Next you’ll enter the
length of the line to calculate the drawing scale.
If you are loading a CAD, vector file, such as an AutoCAD DWG file, instead of a raster file, the CAD
Drawing Unit dialog is displayed. Here you’ll select the drawing unit by clicking on the down arrow at
the Drawing Units list box or you’ll digitize a line to determine the proper drawing unit. If your drawing
unit is incorrectly selected, your area and length measurements will also be incorrect. As a result,
digitizing the unit by clicking the Digitize button may be best.
Please note the following regarding the above windows:
The Scale dialog is displayed for raster files such as tiff, PDF and the CAD Drawing Unit dialog
is presented for AutoCAD DWG and other vector files.
This appropriate window is displayed after accepting a loaded drawing by clicking the green
checkmark only if Prompt for Scale on Open Drawing is checked at BidScreen | Setup.
The factor is how the scale is determined. For English raster file scales, the factor is the
reciprocal of the scale times twelve. For metric scales which are based on centimeters to
centimeters, the factor is the reciprocal of the scale. The factor for feet drawing units for vector
files is equal to 100.
If you measure with an incorrect scale, you’re able to change the scale at any time by clicking on
the BidScreen | Change Scale command.
Once the file is loaded, we may now measure areas, lengths and counts in Excel…
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Step 4 - Measuring items and operating BidScreen
After the drawing is loaded and the scale is set, click on the either the toolbar or BidScreen menu to
select the desired measurement command. There are four measurement commands:
1. Area
2. Continuous Length
3. Section Length
4. Count
After selecting one of these measurements use your mouse to measure the desired items. Additional
commands are available by clicking the right mouse button or by selecting the Edit menu from the
Digitizer Control window.
Please note:
Zoom by holding down the Shift key as you click the left and right mouse buttons.
Pan around the drawing by holding down the Ctrl key while zoomed.
The Enter key on the keyboard closes one area so that you can add another area. The Enter key
also ends one continuous line and allows you to begin a new line.
Press the minus sign (-) to subtract areas while measuring areas. When negative area is turned
on, the word Area at the top of the Measure window is displayed in red. Turn off negative areas
by pressing the plus (+) key on the keyboard.
The green checkmark is used to close the window and record the number and drawing into the
Excel cell.
Please use the Edit menu, right mouse popup menu or keyboard commands to properly measure,
navigate and edit items with BidScreen XL.
While measuring you may want to display the magnifying or panning window by clicking on the
desired option under the View menu.
At View | Takeoff you may display the current measurement or all measurements.
Lengths, but not areas, may be rounded up or down by setting a degree of precision at the
Options menu.
Three numbers are generated while measuring areas: count, length and area. To record the
perimeter length of an area, you’ll end the area takeoff in one cell and then move to a new, blank
cell and select the BidScreen | Continuous Length command. Here, you’ll accept the
measurement by clicking the green checkmark to record the perimeter length of the last area
measured into that cell. When measuring areas, the perimeter of negative areas is added, not
subtracted, to the perimeter length.
Section lines are ideal for measuring straight lines. A section line will only have two points, a
beginning of line point and an end of the line point. If the count number is even, the next point
you click will be the beginning of the next line. If the count number displayed is an odd number,
the next point you click will be the end the line. When digitizing around a corner with section
lines, you’ll click the corner twice, once to end the line and again to start the next line from the
corner. Thinking beginning of line or end of line while measuring will reduce section line errors.
Lengths and areas of circles are measured by clicking on any three points around the
circumference after selecting the Edit | Circle command. Rectangles may be measured by
clicking on any three corners either clockwise or counter clockwise after selecting the Edit |
Rectangle command.
After you digitize one point, you can create arcs (i.e. curved lines) by selecting the Edit | Arc
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command and clicking the high and low points of the arc.
For circles, rectangles and arcs, the line is not drawn on-screen until the last point is clicked.
An Excel cell comment is placed on the cell where the measurement is recorded and indicates a
digitized drawing supports the number in the cell. The cells with drawings may be copied and
moved in MS Excel.
If measuring from a CAD vector file, click on the CAD button, to pick and chose desired layers
and to select the snap to object feature. By snapping to the object, you’ll receive exact
measurements if the CAD drawing unit is properly set.
You’ll only load a file once. Changing between files after the file is already loaded is performed
by clicking on the drop down file list found on the toolbar.
To print multiple cells, click on the first cell and hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard as you
click on other cells that have a digitized drawing. Once all the cells are selected, select
BidScreen | Print Drawing to display the Print Preview Window. The available print commands
are found at the top of the Print Preview window.
We wish you much success and increased productivity with BidScreen XL.
If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, please contact us at any time at 214-340-9436, 800-
989-4243 or www.vertigraph.com. Congratulations, you’re now ready for a real project with BidScreen
XL.
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