[David Cutler]

That’s an interesting question @jeromesteelfabusa-com – can’t say I’ve seen this discussed previously.

I’m not familiar with Fabsuite. You might see if you can configure Fabsuite to accept the data in feet decimal form. Perhaps it has the ability to take the data and display it in FT – IN?

Welcome to the Brainery BTW!

[David Cutler]

I like the use of the offset lines @dhwalkellc !

Had a couple of questions after re-reading your post:

– Do you start by making your area measurements first, then add the spaces?

– Are you capturing all of you takeoff (ceiling/floor/crown/etc) with one area tool and custom columns?

– How do you use the quantities after you complete your takeoff?

I’ve toyed around with offset lines a bit, but not enough to be productive with them, yet. Probably need to go back and watch @vince ‘s video again….😎

[David Cutler]

Mine would have to be people that have access to Revu still using that a “A*****” program when they are trying to show me something on PDF file. 🙂

[David Cutler]

Thank you for sharing this @vince !

If you are faster with a hard copy and highlighters you need to provide a video of you in production mode!

You hit the nail on the head when you said that the additional data that you collect outweighs the additional time that you spend in the process. Don’t forget that you are also saving the time that I takes to plot the drawings, file them when you’re done with your takeoff, find them again when you need to look something up, etc.

I want to go back and watch the video again before I make any suggestions, but what you’ve put together so far is brilliant!

[David Cutler]

Welcome member #1900! What questions can we answer for you?

[David Cutler]

Thank you for the heads up @vince 😎

[David Cutler]

Interesting question @nic_bitting

A couple of ideas:

– Select the markup tool from “Recent Tools” Tool Chest rather than from the markups list

– If you select the markup and it jumps to the previous page use the “Previous View” button to take you back to the page that you want to continue your takeoff on. You can also us the “Alt + Left arrow” keyboard shortcut to jump back to the previous view

– From time to time I’ve also established a “Working Set” tool chest were I copy tools that I’m going to be using extensively to so that I don’t have to scroll through the same larger tool chest repeatedly. Kinda like having a pouch of tools that you take out of your main tool box in the basement to have handy when you are working on the second floor bathroom 😎

[David Cutler]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in Excel @vince – but I can’t say that I’ve gone looking for it either… 🤔

[David Cutler]

Both this, and your original suggestion would definitely be handy @isaac !

[David Cutler]

Are you looking for something more powerful than the current format painter @isaac ?

[David Cutler]

I wonder if they would setup a “make space from measurement” option….

[David Cutler]

That is pretty slick Isaac! Nice video clip with the on screen keyboard too.

[David Cutler]

Second idea – setup reusable cutouts for openings. I’m pretty sure you introduced me to this method @vince

Basic idea here would be to establish a markup that has a series of standard sized cutouts already made. You should be able to apply wall of standards group of cutouts onto your takeoff sheet and then drag the appropriate sized cutout from the wall of standards onto your specific takeoff. The idea here is to eliminate the need to continuously draw new “sketch to scale” markups and then have to trace them to make cutouts.

[David Cutler]

Okay, first idea, use standard door tools (already drawn to scale) for your interior openings. Place them on your interior wall markups, bring the wall markup to the front and then use the cutout tool to make the openings snapping to the door markup.

Disclaimer – I’m thinking out loud here and haven’t tried this so it may not work with the sized markup behind the wall markup. 😎

[David Cutler]

I think that you would find that most of us use less than 30% of the features of the software @aekrogh. 😎 In part I’m sure that this is due to users simply not knowing the capabilities of the program. That is one of the great benefits of this on-line forum that @troy_degroot has provided for us – we get to see how others use the various features that we don’t use already.