[David Cutler]

Welcome to the UChapter2 Brainery @austinsqeidaho-com .

I’m not familiar with Intellibid as we use a software called B2W (formerly Bid 2 Win). B2W allows you you import quantities from an Excel file into the software.

I’ve built custom tools in Revu that include the information that B2W requires for import (Item Number, Item Description, Unit of Measure and Quantity). Once I have my takeoff complete I export the markups from Revu as a .CSV file. I then “wash” the data in Excel to prepare it for import into B2W. Others use Power Query to complete this “washing”, I’m still working on that skill.

Basically you need to start your takeoff with the end product that your estimating software needs to import in mind. You should be able to find this in your documentation from ConEst – or just call their support line and ask.

@troy-degroot has some great posts on creating custom tools, including custom columns that will help you to gather the data that you need, in the format that you need, to import into your system – assuming it has the capability.

[David Cutler]

I’m not a programer @isaac-harned but I’m very curious to see how this works out! Perhaps @lizlarsen can chime in on this one….

[David Cutler]

Again @ChrisRiley I’m not a Sessions user. Commenting to engage @Roye and @Doug McLean …

[David Cutler]

Interesting question @ChrisRiley – I don’t use Sessions so I’m not of any use here. Perhaps @Roye or @Doug McLean can educate us all on this…

[David Cutler]

I’d be pleasantly surprised to hear that the newer version corrects this for you… 🤣

I haven’t worked with drop down selections so unfortunately I’m no immediate help on this one…

[David Cutler]

Seems as if I remember discussing exporting form data during a MCR session. I’ll see if I jotted anything down in my notes….

[David Cutler]

Have you tried “Merging” the data @Vince ?

Jason Artley emailed me a follow up to the “Forms” MCR back in June (Thank you Jason!). In his words “Exporting Data is intended for one form at a time…” “Merging Data will allow you to combine all of the data from different forms into a single CSV or XML file. These fields do not need to be open to do this, so this is a super-fast way to consolidate that data.”

Perhaps this will help?

[David Cutler]

Haven’t heard of that one before @troy-degroot ! Definitely a worthy add-on tip!

[David Cutler]

I guess you could apply the group as a markup and then “ungroup” it prior to exporting to the CSV…

Unless perhaps there is a setting that expands grouped markups when exporting….

Maybe a Javascript routine to “Ungroup all groups”?

Maybe a candidate for a future feature?

Another work around idea would be to setup a “template” file that has all of the text boxes that you are looking to use repeatedly, arranged as you like. You could then select all, copy the selection and then paste that “collection” as needed into your document. Not a clean as having them as one single custom tool, but it would save you ungrouping dozens of grouped markups.

[David Cutler]

That’s a good question @lizlarsen

I typically work in a single, multi-page pdf file so all of my markups are extracted into a single .CSV file.

I’m not sure how this would work with a drawing set.

If he is working in single sheets he could always merge them together before extracting his info.

So many options!

[David Cutler]

Could you gather the information in a series text boxes that were grouped and saved as a custom “tool” @Vince ? Text box information would show in the markups list and include the space assignment.

[David Cutler]

Could you use Power Query to bring the data sets from your forms and your markup list together?

[David Cutler]

Love it when we find new uses for tools @Vince !

[David Cutler]

Using the Typewriter today I identified another Bonus Tip @Vince !

Similar to most tools in review the Typewriter is customizable – you can change font size, color, font (as noted by @troy-degroot ) background color, outline box color, etc. Once you use the tool it shows in your “recent tools” with your adjusted attributes. You can then re-use the tool with all of those settings over and over again without changing your default settings.

For a double extra bonus tip you can save the customized Typewriter as a custom tool in your toolbox.

For a triple extra bonus tip drag the customized typewriter up into your “My Tools” toolbox and establish a keyboard shortcut to activate the tool!

This could get interesting… 😎

[David Cutler]

That’s a great idea to have on the “intro to Revu” list @Doug McLean ! We have someone who just started in our accounts payable team that I’ll have to show the tool to…