After Takeoff Boost returns results to On-Screen Takeoff, the first thing you'll want to do is:
We recommend running Takeoff Boost on every Page you
plan to take off before Reviewing, Deleting, Editing, etc. This way, you'll have to edit Boost Conditions just one time.
Review Results
As we mentioned in the previous article:
Takeoff Boost returns several results automatically:
- Footprint Area
- Net Area
- Walls
- Counts (the exact number of Count Conditions that Takeoff Boost creates depends on the Plan)
Conditions created by Takeoff Boost:
- Are created in a folder named, "Boost"
- Takeoff Boost assigns the Conditions it creates to specific "Boost" Layers, so you can toggle off everything else and focus just on the Conditions and takeoff created by Takeoff Boost
The "Boost" folder and Layers are what Takeoff Boost creates by default, in the next few articles, we're going to walk you through moving those Conditions to your own Folders, renaming the Conditions as needed, and reassigning various takeoff objects to Conditions you create.
Typically, you run Takeoff Boost on all the Pages in your project first, then go back to modify the Conditions/Takeoff that Takeoff Boost creates. This way, Takeoff Boost re-uses the same Conditions on each Page (the ones in the "Boost" folder). However:
- If you rename a Condition, Takeoff Boost it will not be re-used when you run Takeoff Boost on another Page or re-run it on the current Page, Takeoff Boost creates a new Condition in the "Boost" folder.
- If you move a Boost Condition out of the "Boost" folder, it will not be re-used when you run Takeoff Boost on another Page or re-run it on the current Page, Takeoff Boost creates a new Condition in the "Boost" folder.
Takeoff Boost creates a single "Wall" Condition with its "Connect to" property turned off, regardless of your database options, this way, each takeoff object can be moved independently.
The first thing you're going to want to do is figure out what you need (want to keep) and what you don't (what you're going to delete).
Turn off the "Default" Layer and any custom layers your created to hide all the Conditions/takeoff you've already created.
Leave the "Image" layer and all "Boost" layers turned on - this makes reviewing Boost Results easier. See The Layers Window for help showing/hiding Layers.
Delete What's Not Needed
Let's say you are a drywall contractor. Takeoff Boost returned many of the wall measurements (Linear takeoff) you need (if you selected "Wall Types" in the Takeoff Boost dialog box, most linear takeoff should be associated with a Condition named for the Wall Type, although, sometimes, the plan's Wall Type labeling may be obscured or missing, these object are associated with a generic Condition named "Walls". In the next few articles, we cover how to reassign takeoff.).
Takeoff Boost also returned Areas (footprint and net areas) and possibly several Counts (toilets, doors, sinks, etc.) that you may not need.
Let's start by deleting the "stuff" we don't need for our bid. You can delete the takeoff or the Conditions, we cover both below:
Delete Takeoff Associated with a Takeoff Boost Condition (leaves the Condition(s))
Because Takeoff Boost uses the same Conditions when it's run on multiple Pages, it's best to perform deletions and edits in a way that affects only the current Page. That's why we recommend selecting and deleting the takeoff associated with Boost Conditions Page by Page and not deleting Boost Conditions (which would affect the entire Bid).
This is also why we recommend running Takeoff Boost on all Pages that will require takeoff. That way, if you do delete or rename a Condition (the next section in this article), you won't have to do it multiple times.
Continuing with our drywall contractor example, we know we don't need the three Area Conditions (although, if you wanted to calculate Cost per Sq Ft, you might keep "Footprint").
In the Conditions list, right-click on the Condition whose takeoff you want to delete (in our example, the first one is "Boost Net Area") - the Condition context menu opens,
Click Select Objects.
This selects all the takeoff objects on this Page associated with that Condition. Notice, they all have a yellow border around them. (If you've run Boost on other Pages, the takeoff on those Pages is not affected.)
Image Tab showing multiple selected objects - all other Boost Layers have been turned off
Next, there are several options to delete selected takeoff objects:
- Click
in the Main toolbar, - Press the <DEL> key on your keyboard,
- Right-click on one of the selected objects and select Delete from the context menu
Pay close attention to which
button you click.
Do not click the button in the Conditions Window toolbar - this deletes the
Condition entirely, which deletes it and all
takeoff, on every Page in your Bid.
On-Screen
Takeoff does not prompt you to confirm deleting
takeoff objects because, while you're still on this Page, you can "undo" the action. Once you navigate to another Page or leave this Bid, you lose the ability to "undo" deleting
takeoff.
Repeat this process of selecting objects and deleting them for any takeoff you don't need.
Leave all unused/unneeded Boost Conditions in the Boost folder, in the next article, we'll walk you through editing the Conditions you need and moving them out of the Boost folder.
See Selecting and Editing Takeoff and Annotation for more information.
Delete the Boost Condition (Deletes the Condition and all Its Takeoff)
You can delete a Boost Condition which deletes all takeoff, on every Page drawn with the Condition.
If you know that Boost has not been run on any other Page in this Bid (by you or anyone else), or you are certain that you do not need a particular Condition (such as drywall contractor and plumbing fixtures...) you can delete the Boost Condition(s).
Deleting a
Condition deletes it from the Bid entirely - this affects all Pages in the Bid and all
takeoff drawn with this
Condition. If you are not absolutely certain you have not used this
Condition on an Page (that this is the only Page on which you've run Boost), use the "Select Objects" method to delete the Boost
Takeoff instead.
To delete a Condition,
- In the Condition list, click on the Boost Condition you want to delete and click the button at the bottom of the Conditions window, or
- Click on the Condition and then press the <DEL> key on your keyboard, or
- Right-click on one of the Boost Conditions in the Conditions list and select "Delete"
You can select and delete multiple Conditions at once by pressing the key (Conditions adjacent to each other) or key (Conditions not adjacent to each other).
Because this is an action that cannot be "undone", On-Screen Takeoff prompts you to confirm the action. Remember, deleting a Condition affects all Pages in your Bid, not just the Current Page.
Click Yes.
Delete any Boost Conditions you are certain you don't need. For our examples in the next few articles, we deleted all but the "Wall" Condition.
After deleting a Boost
Condition(s), if you run
Takeoff Boost on another Page (or even again on this Page), Takeoff Boost re-creates any Conditions it requires. This is why we recommend running Takeoff Boost on all the Pages in your Bid on which you intend to perform
takeoff before starting the "clean up" process.
Next up, editing what's left to suit your needs.
Boost Conditions and Takeoff (Boost Results)