Estimating

OBJECTIVE

Quotations are used to provide written conditions and commitments for providing a product and/or service in accordance with a customer's requirements.

This function is used to create two types of quotations:

• Construction (associated with projects)
• Distribution (associated with customer orders)

This procedure applies only for construction quotations.

Using Security Management in the Access Restrictions tab, you can restrict access to tabs.

 

PREREQUISITE

• Configuration - Project
• Quotation Status Codes Table
• Define Quotation Types
• Customer Management
• Supplier Management
• Catalogue Management
• Resource Management
• Define Assemblies
• Contact Management

 

Summary

To view a specific section, click one of the following links:

• Estimate Selection Window
  • Icons of the selection window
• Access an estimate
• Estimate Window
  • Upper Section of the Estimate Window
    • Icons of the Estimate Window
    • Access Path
    • Fields
  • Lower Section of the Estimate Window
    • Tabs
• Table of keyboard shortcuts

 

Estimate Selection Window

This Window is used to:

• create a new quotation, quotation template or assembly
• open an existing quotation, quotation template or assembly
• search for an existing quotation, quotation template or assembly
• quickly view quotations based on their status
• export information from quotations to an Excel file (right mouse button/Transfer to Excel).

 

Icons

Icons of the Selection window

Icon	Title	Description
	New (F5)	Creates a new quotation, quotation template or assembly.
	Accept (F12)	Opens the quotation selected in the current list.
	Delete (CTRL+F5)	Deletes the quotation selected in the current list.
	Print (CTRL+P)	Generates quotation lists.
	Display the first record (CTRL+F3)	Displays the first quotation in the list.
	Display the previous record (F3)	Displays the previous quotation.
	Display the next record (F4)	Displays the next quotation.
	Display the last record (CTRL-F4)	Displays the last quotation in the list.
	Configuration	Gives access to the next 2 options: Useful for big estimates. Load the estimate in the background Start each quotatio in a seperate environment
	Display Entered Estimates	Displays quotations with A - Contemplated status. NOTE: If additional statuses are created in the Quotation Status Codes Table, maestro* displays the quotations with a status represented by the codes A to F inclusively.
	Display Proposed Estimates	Displays quotations with G – Proposed status. NOTE: If additional statuses are created in the Quotation Status Codes Table, maestro* displays the quotations with a status represented by the codes G to K inclusively.
	Display Resfused Estimates	Displays quotations with L - Refused status. NOTE: If additional statuses are created in the Quotation Status Codes Table, maestro* displays the quotations with a status represented by the codes L to O inclusively.
	Display Accepted Estimates	Displays quotations with P - Accepted status. NOTE: If additional statuses are created in the Quotation Status Codes Table, maestro* displays the quotations with a status represented by the codes P to U inclusively.
	Display Transferred Estimates	Displays quotations with V - Transferred status. This status is automatically assigned by maestro* if a quotation was transferred using the Final Transfer option. NOTE: If additional statuses are created in the Quotation Status Codes Table, maestro* displays the quotations with a status represented by the codes V to Z inclusively.
	Display Dispatched Estimates	Displays quotations with 3 – Dispatched status.
	Display Completed Estimates	Displays quotations with a 4 - Completed status.
	Show Template Estimates	Displays only quotations with a 2 - Template status.
	Display Assemblies	Displays only estimates with a 1-Assemblies status.
	All Estimates	Displays all estimates.

 

Access an estimate

Requirement	Actions
Open a quotation	Double-click on a quotation or Select a quotation and click the Accept icon (F12).
Create a new quotation	Click the New (F5) icon.
Create a new assembly	Refer to help topic under Define Assemblies
Create a quotation template	Refer to help topic under Define Templates.

 

Estimate Window

The quotation window is divided into two sections as illustrated below:

 

Upper section of the window

This section contains the basic menus, icons for various quotation options and general information on the quotation.

 

Icons of the Quotation window

Click here to display Quotation window icons.

Icône Icon Name Used to Contact Access Contact Group Management. Send Quotation Send the quotation to the customer by email. For more information on this topic, refer to the Sending a quotation help topic. Send request for quote to suppliers Sending a price request to suppliers. For more information on this topic, refer to the Sending a price request to suppliers help topic. Send request for quote to subcontractors Send a price request to the subcontractors. For more information on this topic, refer to the Sending a price request to subcontractors help topic. Pivotal View Analyze the quotation using dynamic vector-based analysis. Catalogue Inquiry Access Catalogue Inquiry. Takeoff Quantity Import the takeoff quantities in order to save the variables without the quantities. NOTE: Only available for maestro* 3.05 Validate quotation Activate quotation validation. Use the dropdown menu to the right of the icon to access the Display the result of the validation in a pivot table to display errors found during validation. For more information on this topic, refer to the Validating a quotation help topic. Calculate the quotation Refresh the quotation amounts if necessary. This icon can be clicked if automatic calculation is not enabled. The available choices are: Calculate the Quotation (F9) Clicking the calculator updates only the data that has changed since the last calculation. The small arrow on this icon provides access to the following four options. Recalculate the Quotation (CTRL+F9) Recalculates all amounts on the quotation. Get Updated Prices Updates only the costs of items on the quotation with data from Catalogue Management. Get Updated Table Information Updates the costs, units, type and description of items on the quotation with data from Catalogue Management. Do the quotation calculation automatically Selected by default. Recalculate the amounts on the quotation automatically. To ensure that automatic calculations are not performed on the current quotation, deselect this option. Quotation Transfer Transfer the information from the quotation to other maestro* modules. For more information on this topic, refer to the Processing the response help topic. Configuration Configure the behaviour of the application in the quotation. NOTE: These settings are saved by user, except for the Validation tab, which applies to all users in the company. For more information on this topic, refer to the Configuring the quotation help topic.

Access path

maestro* > Projects > Estimating > Processing > Quotation

Fields

Complete the information related to the quotation:

Field	Description
Description	Summary description to identify the quotation. Available when searching the Selection of Quotation window.
Quotation Number	Number of the quotation. NOTE: If a quotation type has been entered and automatic numbering was specified, the system assigns a number to the quotation when it is saved.
Status	Status of the quotation. The basic statuses are: NOTE: New statuses can be created in the Quotation Status Codes Table. Contemplated Default status when creating or copying a quotation. At this stage, the quotation can be modified. Proposed Quotation sent to the customer. NOTE: When saved with this status, the proposed date is automatically updated in the Information tab. Refused Refused quotation. This status lets you maintain a record of refused quotations. Click the Display the rejected quotations icon to retrieve the quotation (available in the Quotation Selectionwindow). Accepted Quotation accepted by the customer. The selling amount is locked and cannot be changed. Only cost amounts can be changed. With this status, you can transfer information from a quotation to other maestro* modules. Transferred Final transfer of the quotation. You can change information from a transferred quotation using the final transfer option. Template Reusable quotation template. Assigned Quotation assigned to a user in Quotation Dispatch. WARNING! If the user saves the quotation with an Assigned status, it will be impossible to change the quotation later. Completed Quotation dispatch completed.
Cost Amount	Total cost of the quotation, excluding Administration Fees and Profit, if entered in the Closing tab. It represents the total costs for levels. Maestro* uses the Estimated Cost amount as the Cost amount if there are no other costs in the level (i.e. materials). If there are two cost amounts (Cost amount and Estimated cost amount), maestro* uses the Cost amount.
Proposed Amount	Selling amount (without taxes) including Administration Fees and Profit. An icon with a locked padlock is displayed if the user changes the amounts in the Closing tab. When the padlock is locked, any changes to the quotation will only affect profit. It will be impossible to change the Total Amount. A message is displayed in the Proposed Amount field indicating why the padlock was locked. You can unlock the padlock if the status of the quotation is not Accepted.
Profitability	Average percentage of profit excluding Administration Fees.
Profit	Average profit amount on the entire quotation including administration fees.

 

Lower section

Tabs

The lower section contains the various tabs for the quotation.

The most important tabs in a quotation are:

• Information
• Detail
• Project Activities
• Closing

These tabs are essential for preparing a quotation and transferring it.

To make this document easier to read, links have been added to access sections that require additional explanation. You can display, hide and/or change the order of tabs by clicking the right mouse button on the tab name. These settings are stored by user.

 

Tab	Description
Detail	List of the elements in a quotation. Detailed Help Topic - Detail tab
Information	Includes the general information on a quotation, such as customer contact information, methods for calculating costs, selling prices and profit, etc. The tab is divided into eight sections: Customer Information Site Information Detailed Description Main Customer’s Information Contacts Dates Other Transfer Information Detailed Help Topic - Information tab
Additional Fields	Used to create additional fields for entering information about the quotation and for which no fields in the quotation contain this information.
Variables	Creates variables that are used to perform calculations. These variables are used to store values and can be used in all Quantity fields.
Calculating Sheet	Links an Excel file that contains quantity breakdowns. This tab can serve as a bridge between "takeoff" software and the quotation in maestro*. Excel formats supported are those with *.xls, *.xlsx and *.xlsm file extensions. Detailed Help Topic - Calculating Sheet tab
Local Catalogue	Lists items defined in the Detail tab, as well as items created locally in this tab by the user. This tab is useful for: quickly viewing a list of all the items in the quotation entering discounts setting costs or selling prices that have been guaranteed determining whether maestro* will use the cost or selling price entering replacement items adjusting prices or amounts adding comments defining or changing suppliers Product sub-tab Tab that lets you quickly see the items used in the Detail tab from Catalogue Management or created locally in this tab. Product Type sub-tab Tab that lets you quickly see the types of products used in the Detail tab, depending on the product type specified in Catalogue Management. Detailed Help Topic - Local Catalogue tab
Resources	Resources in the Detail tab. Detailed Help Topic - Resources tab
Subcontractors	Summary of all subcontractors in the Detail tab, whether selected or not. This tab lets you: quickly see a full list of all subcontractors in the quotation quickly analyze all prices received quickly change the selection of subcontractors (Supplier column) quickly change the selection of a subcontractor, and quickly enter negotiated prices Detailed Help Topic - Subcontractors tab
Customers	Summary of customers to which the current quotation is sent. This tab is used when the quotation is to be sent to multiple customers. It makes it possible to: create a list of all customers to which the quotation will be sent create a list of all potential customers to which a certain type of quotation can be sent (in a quotation template for example) send a different price for every customer Detailed Help Topic - Customers tab
Quotations Submittals	Information about submitting the quotation, for information purposes. This information does not affect the quotation and can be printed on customized forms.
Plans and Addendas	Information on plans and addendas, for information purposes. This information does not affect the quotation and can be printed on customized forms. When the tab is completed, it lets you: display an updated list of plans and specifications consulted during the quotation and see the last addendum number consulted see the number of addenda consulted during the quotation
Project Activities	Includes project structure activities. When the quotation is transferred, amounts assigned to project activities can be transferred to the project budget. Detailed Help Topic - Project Activities tab
Closing	This tab finalizes the quotation. Is part of the closing phase of the quotation and consists of: applying an amount for administration fees and/or profit rounding or distributing the amounts in the quotation the finding a layout mode for the quotation

 

Table of keyboard shortcuts

The following table describes some of the keyboard shortcuts available.

Key	Function
CTRL + S	Adds an empty subcontractor line to the end of the list of subcontractors at the current level.
CTRL + I	Adds an empty item to the end of the list at the current level.
CTRL + R	Adds an empty resource line to the end of the list at the current level.
CTRL + E	Adds an empty equipment resource line to the end of the list at the current level.
CTRL + L	Adds an empty labour resources line to the end of the list at the current level.
CTRL + M	Adds an empty assembly line to the end of the list at the current level.
CTRL + C	Copy a line so it can be pasted elsewhere later.
CTRL + V	Paste a copied or cut line.
CTRL + X	Cut a line to paste it elsewhere (move).
CTRL + Z	Cancel the last action.
CTRL + F6 or Delete	Delete one or more lines.
CTRL + Y	Redo the last action that was canceled.

 

Last modification: May 18, 2024