Interactive Bids

Estimating and Takeoff go hand in hand. On Center Software products do, also.

You use On-Screen Takeoff to quantify your plans. That information can be transferred directly to Quick Bid. This Interactivity means you can be more efficient and get your bids done faster.  

Rules for the Interaction of Quick Bid and On-Screen Takeoff

• You need to be using the current release versions of both On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid in order to ensure correct operation. You can download the current shipping versions at www.oncenter.com/support - just have your Client and Host ID's handy. Alternately, simply fill out a Support Request and let us know you'd like a new CD - we'll be happy to ship it out right away.

• Create new bids in On-Screen Takeoff.

• Create, Modify and Delete conditions in On-Screen Takeoff.

• Update condition quantities in On-Screen Takeoff.  On-Screen Takeoff passes this information to Quick Bid.

• Build your conditions in Quick Bid. Add or adjust labor, material and other costs on the Quick Bid Condition Details dialog.

• To open the Quick Bid Conditions Detail dialog from On-Screen Takeoff, right-click the condition and select Change Details (you can change this to default to open Quick Bid Condition Details in On-Screen Takeoff, Tools>Options.

• Once an On-Screen Takeoff project is linked with Quick Bid, you will create all conditions on the On-Screen Takeoff side

• Once a job in On-Screen Takeoff is linked with Quick Bid, you will not be able to change any condition quantities in Quick Bid

• If you have a condition that you need to create but want to enter the quantity manually rather than taking it off by hand, you must create the condition in On-Screen takeoff and enter the quantity manually on the Worksheet Tab

• If you need to create an Alternate or Change Order on a job linked between On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid, you must create the Alternate or Change Order on the On-Screen Takeoff side.  You will not be able to create an Alternate or Change Order within Quick Bid on an interactive bid

To Create an Interactive Bid

• Create a new (or access an Existing) Bid in On-Screen Takeoff

• On the Cover Sheet, select either Price Using Quick Bid (interactive) or Price Using Quick Bid (manual).
   

• Price Using Quick Bid (interactive)

• With this method information is automatically updated between the programs.

• This is the preferred method of interaction as it ensures that changes in one program are automatically updated in the other.

• Price Using Quick Bid (manual)

• With this method you must initiate the updating of information between the programs.  This can be done in either program by pressing the F9 key on your keyboard.

• The "Database"

• Click and the On-Screen Takeoff Cover Sheet will close and you will see a companion Quick Bid project created in the database you selected.

To price a bid created in On-Screen Takeoff 3 with Quick Bid 4, create the bid in On-Screen Takeoff 3 and go to the Cover Sheet of the bid.

Click the drop down box for Price Using.

• You have two choices with Quick Bid - Interactive or Manual.  The main difference between these two methods of pricing is that Quick Bid Interactive sends your condition information over in real time and requires you to have Quick Bid open at the same time, while Quick Bid Manual requires you to tell On Screen Takeoff when to send your condition information.  Interactive mode is the easiest to use and is the preferred mode.

Once you have selected which mode you would like to use, a new field will open to the right side called Database.  Here you can click on the lookup button and select the Quick Bid database where you would like to create the Quick Bid side of the interactive bid.

Once you have selected your database, click OK.  If you do not have Quick Bid running On-Screen Takeoff will prompt you to open it.  

Now when you view the On-Screen Takeoff bids tab, you will see a small blue Quick Bid mini-icon next to the bid that is linked to Quick Bid, and in Quick Bid, there will be a small green On-Screen Takeoff next to the bid that is linked to On-Screen Takeoff.

• If you are in Interactive mode all changes to your takeoff will appear in Quick Bid instantaneously.  

• If you are in Manual Mode, you click Bid>Refresh Quick Bid or press F9 to update your bid in Quick Bid.

Connecting and Disconnecting Jobs