Be sure to review the previous articles carefully before you start working in Interactive Bids.
As Conditions are added, takeoff drawn, Bid Areas/Typical Areas created, and/or Alternates and Change Orders added/modified/deleted (all done from the On-Screen Takeoff interface), those changes are synchronized between On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid.
Master Table Synchronization
When you connect a Bid interactively between OST and QB, two Master tables are synchronized between the two databases:
Condition Types
Job Statuses
When you use Digital Production Control to track labor, the Labor Cost Codes and Payroll Classes used in the Quick Bid estimate are synchronized to the DPC database, but not the entire Master tables.
Interactive Modes
You can connect OST to Quick Bid using one of two methods:
- In Interactive mode (recommended), changes are synchronized between the programs instantaneously and automatically.
- In Manual mode, you must manually initiate any update from On-Screen Takeoff by clicking Bid > Refresh Quick Bid or pressing <F9>.
Anytime your bid becomes "disconnected" and On-Screen Takeoff is no longer synching with QB automatically/dynamically, you'll see a red banner on the Image Tab in OST. You must follow the instructions in the next article to ensure your bids are connected properly and then set the bid back to "Interactive Mode" before continuing your work.
Interactivity with On-Screen Takeoff - Overview and Rules (DOs and DON'Ts)