Create an estimate to determine the estimated cost of a project. You can then use the estimate as a basis for a bid.

1. If you are going to invite vendors to bid on portions of the job, set up vendor(s) to be used in Estimating.
2. Create a new estimate job. If you are going to invite vendors to bid on portions of the job, set the appropriate WBS code on the cost items for which you will create invitations to bid.
3. If you haven't already done so, set your estimating preferences.
4. Set the scale of the drawing you plan to use to digitize quantities.
5. Create custom views of the sheets in your job to reference during takeoff.
6. Determine how you will use WBS codes and rename them.
7. Select the catalog of cost items you want to use to build the job estimate.
8. Copy the cost items that will make up the estimate from the catalog to the estimate.
9. Use the Shape Recognition tab to locate count items on digital plans and add them to the estimate.
10. Digitize all the quantities you want to use from the drawing.
11. Enter quantities for the cost items in the estimate so you can estimate costs and quantities for the job.
12. Use the Earthwork integration to copy quantities from an Earthwork job into the estimate.
13. Select the WBS code values for cost items in the estimate.
14. Check the estimate for common issues such as cost items with zero cost or missing WBS codes.
15. Create invitations to bid to request bids from vendors for materials and/or subcontracts.
16. Create and post alternates to your estimate.
17. Create and post change orders to your estimate.
18. Summarize the estimate using WBS codes you entered for the cost items.