[Doug McLean]

So I just finished the Takeoff and ran a full mark-up summary.

3076 different line items.

Now bear in mind that I have a lot of these where I have two or three items taken off together (which I will have to separate in Power Query)

🤯🤯🤯

[Doug McLean]

I did like the idea of a Power BI dashboard on various projects’ deficiency lists…cool idea.

He showed the data Model, but didn’t explain what it was. He’s showing relationships but not explaining them and how they work.

You can’t just do things like that. It will only serve to frustrate people

[Doug McLean]

nope, but this one will make your 🤯

[Doug McLean]

@Vince … I’ve kicked this one up to a 12

Doing this made me learn a few things. I made a few tools using the ; as a delimiter for the Label, then I got to thinking… could I do this for both the Label AND the Subject. Turns out I can.
I had to learn a couple of new tricks in Power Query, but HOLY COW!!!!.

It even works if I have a different number of delimiters.

Me thinks a video is coming on how this is done.

[Doug McLean]

Insert your own delimiter… that works.

What I meant earlier was about the import of the door schedule. The data was a mess and I probably should have just fixed it in the csv file. A bunch of the columns were offset and I needed to get them all lined up in the right ones.

Once I had that, the rest took me less than 30 minutes

[Doug McLean]

fortunately, Power Query is also within Power BI, so if you do get the chance to learn even the basics in PQ, you’re moving in the right direction.

BI is really for visualizing your data. Excel CAN do this, but BI takes it up another level.

The big trick to learning either Power BI or Power Pivot (in Excel) is understanding what’s called the data model and the relationships between tables.

I’ll talk about that a little in my presentation in June

[Doug McLean]

Thanks Troy

Being a Journeyman, it comes with the gig. I know that teaching the next generation is part of that certification.
My instructors at BCIT taught us that its the best Journeymen that don’t let others repeat the same mistakes.

If I can help make your job easier, even once, then I’m happy.

[Doug McLean]

I personally love working off SharePoint. If you’re doing any kind of remote work its just so much faster than working over a VPN.
If you have a team working on a set of plans, I would suggest teaching people to access them through the DMS toolbar instead of File Explorer. This way, the file will get ‘checked out’ just like you’re working in a Studio Project. If you allow people to use File Explorer, you’ll get a local copy and you can actually have two people working on the same document at the same time.

Even if you have to pop into the field, all you need is an internet connection and you have your drawings. No need to log into your server remotely.

[Doug McLean]

not really

That being said, we just learned that one of the next things getting overhauled is the SharePoint connector to Revu. I guess we’ll see what happens.

Working on SharePoint is great but it does have a few challenges. You might have to do things a little differently than you’re use to doing them. Otherwise, its a much better option than a VPN for remote work

[Doug McLean]

Power BI is really great for visualizations, so that’s what you should use it for.

I do find it easier than Power Pivot for final reporting too.

[Doug McLean]

I don’t want to get that crazy… lol 🤣

[Doug McLean]

It doesn’t really show in section well, but one of those is a panel molding that is about 6′ around each opening.

The LDS church really LOVES this level of finish in their temples. The trick is finding the right installation crew to handle the really high end finish.

[Doug McLean]

fortunately all the ceilings here are at 12′ or better, so the crown goes over the top of everything.
As for the doors in the wainscoting, I made a count tool for the different size doors which I will deduct out of the perimeter.

[Doug McLean]

We can also get multiple takeoffs from the one markup.

In most of these rooms, I can get both the crown and the wainscoting from a single markup. (normally I would also get the base, but it’s all stone).

[Doug McLean]

I did this with the door casings and whatnot.
Unfortunately, it took me longer to format the data than it did to do the math. Learned a whole bunch along the way though.

Next up, the wainscoting and all the trim