Digital Production Control - 04.02 Project Manager - Sending the Bid to Field using Project Express - DPC

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Using Project Express to send a project to the field is the easiest method to share information with your foremen. Depending on your role and license you will have different options for sending/receiving files, these options are explained below.

Caution

Please see Setting up Project Express (previous article) for Requirements to use this utility.

Sending Bid Packages and DPC Packages

From within the "Budget" copy of the Bid (see related articles for more information on preparing your Bid for use in DPC mode)

Click the Send button

Click the 'send' button, then DPC Bid Package, then Via Project Express

Depending on the Roll/License, the following options are displayed:

Roll and License	Options Shown	What Gets Sent
The Estimator with only an OST license		On-Screen Takeoff Bid Package (*.osp). This file will setup the project on the Project Manager's machine.
The Project Manager with OST and DPC_PM license		DPC Bid Package (*.dpm). This is the bid in DPC Mode and will setup the project on the Foreman's machine. Also used to recreate or update the Foreman's project with new budget information.
A Foreman with just a DPC_FR license		A DPC Change file (*.dpc). This file sends new percents and timecard entries to the Project Manager. This is an incremental file. Previously sent changes are not included with each new file - only new information. (This is discussed later in this section)

Choose "Complete Package" (*.OSP file), "DPC Package" (*.DPM file), or "DPC Changes" (*.DPC file) - depending on what and to whom you want to send

Click via Project Express

Select either Yes or No to "Send Images" (does not display when sending DPC Changes)

In the Create Bid Package dialog box, select Custom Images from the drop-down

When you opt to "Send Images", the page Range becomes active.

Select whether the bid package should include "All Pages", "Pages with Takeoff", or "Custom Select Images"

Click the Create button - if you've selected "Custom Select Images", you will see the Select Images dialog box where you will select which images to include in this Bid Package, otherwise, Project Express starts.

In the Select Custom Images dialog box, select only those images the Foreman requires

Select the image files to include in the bid package

Click OK - the bid packages is created and Project Express takes over

Cautions

Including "All Images" increases the size of a Bid Packages and the package will take longer to transfer through Project Express. We recommended including only the images the Foreman needs (this also makes it easier for the Foremen to navigate the project).

If you send out all pages, then subsequently send out only 'some' pages, the pages not sent in the 2nd project file will be removed from the recipient's project when they import the new project file.

The Project Express Send File dialog displays.

Enter recipient information in the Project Express Send File dialog box

Note

Based on your current license and the type of file you are sending, Project Express chooses the appropriate recipient if you have setup your Bid correctly - meaning you've specified Project Manager and Foreman on the Cover Sheet.

Verify the foreman’s e-mail address. While e-mail addresses are used to identify the recipient, the file is not actually transferred via e-mail. The recipient receives the file in their Project Express Inbox the next time they do an Update. If The Foreman also will receive a notification via e-mail that there is a file available for download.

You can add multiple e-mails by separating them with semi-colons (;).

Recipients from the Employee List dialog can be added by clicking the Lookup tool the lookup button is a magnifying glass that opens a Master list to select a record , assuming they have been setup with e-mail addresses, of course.

Edit the Subject text to include the Project Number, a short but descriptive Name, and the EST Hours/Days (from the Budget Tab - see Related articles for more information).

Note

It is a best practice to change the subject so that the file can be immediately recognized. Including the Budgeted hours in the subject allows the Foreman to verify that they are downloading the correct file (they will compare what you tell them are "Budgeted Hours" with what DPC shows them as "Budgeted Hours" on the Budget Tab).

Click Send - if you've saved your Project Express login information previously, the file is sent immediately, otherwise...

If login information was not saved, the Login dialog displays

Enter password and click OK, the Login dialog closes (Check 'Remember my Project Express login' so this dialog does not keep reappearing).

Click Send - the file begins to send and the Success Notification dialog displays when the package is sent successfully.

Project Express upload successful confirmation screens after the file is uploaded

Click Close.

The next time the Foreman checks his Project Express Tab, he will be able to download this job.

Setting up Project Express

Foreman - Downloading Bids (using Project Express)