16.01.00 Interactive (Linked) Bids

Takeoff (Quantity Surveying) and Estimating (Bidding) go hand in hand - so do On Center Software products!  Use On-Screen Takeoff to perform your quantity survey and that information can be transferred directly to Quick Bid.  This interactivity means a company can realize significant improvements to efficiency - information needs to be entered once instead of multiple times getting Bids done faster.  

Using On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid interactively is a great way to get the most out of the programs.

• Take your company's takeoff & estimating to the next level - check out On Center Software's revolutionary project management software, Digital Production Control.  Digitally track job progress in REAL TIME!  For more information, contact your Account Manager at On Center Software.

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

DO'S

• Use the latest versions of both On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid to ensure correct operation.  Download the current shipping versions by contacting Technical Support.

• When working with On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid, only ONE On-Screen Takeoff database should ever be linked to a Quick Bid database and vice versa.   The following tables are synchronized between the programs' databases and can become corrupt if databases are connected in a multi to one or multi to multi environment:  Employees, Job Statuses, Condition Types, Cost Codes, and Payroll Classes.   
• To clarify: only bids from a single On-Screen Takeoff database should be connected to a single Quick Bid database.   
• Only one estimator should work on an Interactive Bid at any one time - whether in On-Screen Takeoff or Quick Bid to avoid bid-locking errors. (One estimator can perform the takeoff and another estimate the Bid but NOT at the same time.) 
• Create new Bids, Alternates, and Change Orders in On-Screen Takeoff.
• Create, Modify and Delete conditions in On-Screen Takeoff.   Once a job in On-Screen Takeoff is linked with Quick Bid,  the ability to add/delete Conditions or change Condition quantities in Quick Bid is disabled.
• Update condition quantities in On-Screen Takeoff.   On-Screen Takeoff passes this information to Quick Bid.
• Build (Material/Labor) Conditions in Quick Bid.
• Add or adjust Labor, Material, and all other costs in Quick Bid.
• When using SQL databases, the server name and database names MUST be spelled identically for all users in order for all Interactive functionality to work correctly.
• If it is vital that if you MUST share databases that you are using SQL Server type databases.  SQL Server is designed for this use and provides the performance and stability necessary.  See our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
• Use the JOB No. field to customize the number for your project (not the Bid No.).

DON'TS

(We've formatted these in bold, scary text to emphasize their importance.)

• Never link more than ONE OST database to any QB database (or vice versa).  Interactivity should be a 1:1 relationship, for example, all Bids in the On-Screen Takeoff database "Takeoff 2012" should be connected to ONLY ONE Quick Bid database, let's say this database is called "Estimates 2012".   NO bids in the  "Estimates 2012" database should EVER be connected to an On-Screen Takeoff Bid residing in ANY OTHER database other than 'Takeoff 2012".   

• We'd like to share a few critical warnings about Interactivity between OST and QB:
   NEVER share Microsoft Access databases between users, especially if you are using Interactive Mode.  If you simply MUST share Interactive Bids, you must use Microsoft SQL databases.   
   Never open an Interactive Bid (in EITHER PROGRAM) if one of the programs is in No-License mode, this will cause the interactive connection to partially break causing issues later on.
   Don't change the Bid Number after the Bid is created.  There is functionality that reduces the chance that two Bids will be numbered the same upon Bid Creation.  This technology does not prevent two users from renumbering their Bids at the same time which can cause problems with both Bids (use the Job No. field if you must enter a custom number).

Helpful Tips

• To open the Quick Bid Conditions Detail dialog from On-Screen Takeoff, right-click the Condition and select Change Details (change this to the default action in OST by clicking Tools > Options and setting the Default dialog for Condition Change button to "Quick Bid Details").
• If there is a Condition in a Bid that does not require takeoff and you can discern the quantity from the plans, create the Condition as usual in On-Screen Takeoff and then enter the quantity manually on the On-Screen Takeoff Worksheet Tab.  Remember, all Conditions, Areas, Typical Areas, and Quantities must originate in OST.
• To manually refresh Bid information between On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid, press "F9".  This is only necessary if you are not in Interactive Mode.

Creating an Interactive Bid