Estimating Cost Database - Work Assembly Overview

A Work Assembly is a group of Labor, Equipment, and Work Items that are part of a single system or operation of work and share common dimensional information. Work Assemblies are a powerful tool for generating estimates quickly and eliminate the risk of an item being missed. For example, when adding an assembly to the estimate, all components will be added at once. The quantity of the assembly and each component is calculated using a shared list of variables as shown in the example below.

Work Assembly Example

Important Things To Know

• The Work Assembly and Components must each have a formula that contains one or more shared variables. Otherwise, the quantities cannot be calculated at once.
• Components can be added or removed from the Assembly after it is in the estimate. For example, in a concrete assembly the strength rating of concrete (eg. 3000, 3500, or 4000 PSI) may change from estimate to estimate. Thus, the original item (eg. 3000 PSI) would be deleted and replaced with another (eg. 3500 PSI).
• Variable Codes should not have any spacing. Example 'L S' for Length of Slab.
• Variable Codes should not be a single character. Example W or L.
• If a multiplier is used in a Component or Assembly Formulas and is less than 1 (eg. 0.33), it must be preceded with a zero (0).
  Correct Equation = Length * 0.33
  Incorrect Equation = Length * .33

Steps To Complete Before Entering Work Assemblies

1. Ensure all Labor Items, Equipment Items, and Work Items have been created that will be referenced as an assembly component.
2. Optional: Classification Codes (eg. Cost Codes) can be used to group or filter Work Assemblies Items.

Add/Edit Work Assemblies

• Add Manually
• Edit

Assembly Variables and Equations

• Allowed Math Functions in Equations
• Special Variables That Can Be Used In Equations