Anybody got some real-life workflows/documentation for material takeoffs with the quantify-tool?
All kinds of (real-life-practice) info is appreciated, but in particular i would like to find some more information on:
From a technical standpoint: some may say that you could create an iModel and use Navigator to get your quantities, as it could be easier to see certain things.
Just to clarify: When you say Database setup, do you mean pushing the output to a MDB file, or using a tool that uses a database like Timberline?
I am old school, and like the Quantify tool (or am used to it?) so here's a few things:
1) Forms know their direction, so you may have to do some cleanup of your walls (for example) so they all "face" the same direction...this way you get standard results when you ask for a wall quantity ("left" vs "right").
2) Get creative with the formulas...if you know certain things are formulaic based on quantity, then build it into the process. For example, if you know how to calculate number of studs or "board feet" (if you were doing timber based construction), then build it into the formula. The classic "simple" formula is doing a paint calculation...if you know you are going to do two coats of paint, you can measure the Sq Footage of a Wall Side, and multiply by two.
3) I recommend making your Component Family names the same (or matching/mapping) to your Estimating software names. So, for example...if you are going to Timberline, and you have a coding system for items, make your Component Name that coding system, and connect to the Part.
Another example: some have a CSI based Part Library, but the Estimators use UniFormat. One could "model" in CSI, and 'quanitify" in Uniformat by making your Component names UniFormat based (whether you want to go to Level 3 or Level 4 UniFormat is your choice)
4) If you can find a copy of the TriForma Users Guide 7.1.1 on the SELECT Site, or in your archive, I highly recommend it, as there are some more detailed help items around the Quantification Tool. Besides, you'll get to learn what a "FORF" is :)
5) Go into your setup and make sure you setup your Layout properly, and get the columns set the way you want, so you line up the things that are important for you.
6) Use the Pricing! Many forget that there is a pricing module built into the Quantification Tool. And it's variable pricing..so the tool can understand thresholds of quantity (either by Total Quantity or Per Piece...that little Sigma icon does mean something)
7) Components can be used for counting as well (if you use the unit "PC" for "Piece") so it's a great way to quantify individual counted items (like cells types...desks, chairs, doors, etc.)
8) As far as Updates, I would only use the "Raw" exported data as that...Raw Data...and then link the spreadsheet to another sheet or XLS file for formatting and other sheets...that way you can update your quantities and not hurt or overwrite work.
HTH,
Thanks,
Shawn
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If you use Quantify - create a empty myQ.dgn and reference all your 3d-model files to it and turn off and on ref+levels as you want them. And save settings. And lock that file from everybody else. And do nothing but Q from it.
Or do one per floor.
regards / Thomas Voghera
The best way to do this is to export an i-model and then connect to Excel as an ODBC data source, its highly flexible and you can sum things with a pivot table.
Its important that your model has enough 'i' in it to be able to differentiate types though.
Robert
are you talking about this
www.bentley.com/.../imodel+OBDC+Driver.htm ?
I can download and run the installer - but don't get an i-model option in the Excel Data source dialog as per the video .
I think there were some recent changes in its workflow, which was not updated in the movie. But now you could use MS Excel>Data Tab>From Other Sources (Data Connection Wizard)> ODBC DSN> i-model Datasource and finally specifying the i-model from which you want to import the EC data.
Regards, Junaid