Features:

Customer Database

• Generate map of customer location (by assigned address).
• Get customer directions (from your location to customer).
• Searchable Memo fields for storing large amounts of information per customer.
• Ability to import customers and customer information from external systems, including Quickbooks.

Project Database

• Estimator information.
• Labor, Material, Subcontract & Equipment Markups & Taxes.
• Ability to manage GST and PST taxes for Canadian customers.
• Customized report defaults per project.
• Multi-Tax capability.
• Project Photo database.
• Searchable Memo fields for storing large amounts of information per customer.

Supplier Database 

• Assign Suppliers to Items.
• Suppliers and Contractors based reports are available.

My Company Information database  

• Setup Multiple Companies.
• Insert your digital logo for reports.

My To-Do List

• To-Do lists can be created and assigned to estimates.
• To-Do list items are automatically tracked and managed by the system.

Area Database  

• Automatic calculation of area dimensions.
• Areas can be denoted as physical rooms or logical work-breakdown structures.
• Areas are a 3rd level of reporting which roll up to Phases which are a 4th level of reporting if required.
• Areas can contain multiple offset dimmensions so that complex physical dimensions can be calculated.
• Areas can be imported and exported to a spreadsheet.

Estimate Database  

• Import/Export estimates to disk.
• Estimates can be exported to a spreadsheet.
• Clone estimates and reassign to projects/customers.
• Merge estimates.
• Estimate Bid Management System.
• Estimate maintenance Utility
• Estimate Wizards.
• Estimate Analysis Utility.

Item Assemblies  

• Assembly Analysis Utility.
• Composite Assembly Creation.
• Import and export assemblies.

Item Cost Database  

• Appx. 3000 items and 60 item categories supplied.
• Import/Export of Item database to MS Excel.
• Internal backup and restore of Item database.
• Integration with Bid4Build Craftsman Costbook databases (4 currently total- Genereral Construction, Insurance & Repair, Home Improvement and Electrical.) Costbooks contain upwards of 30,000 items and 600 categories each.
• PDF versions of the costbook manuals are included.
• Area Modification factors by postal code.
• Costbooks span USA and Canada.
• Construction Image Library
• Integration with Bid4Build Craftsman Costbook database.
• Craftsman Crew and Area Modification Factors/Analysis.

Built-in calculators and conversion programs  

• Bid4Build Construction Calculator.
• Area Calculator.
• Roofing Calculator.
• Studs Calculator.
• Concrete Calculator.
• Conversion Calculator.
• Build your own Expression Calculator for complex calculations.

Dynamic and extensive reporting to screen and printer

• Estimate and Internal reports.
• Invoice reports.
• Supplier, Customer, Project reports.
• Subcontactor, Bid reports.
• Label reports.
• Scheduling reports.
• Job Costing reports.
• Takeoff reports.
• Contract Writer and mail-merge system.
• Report customization.
• Reports can be output to PDF and emailed.

Scheduling System  

• Detail and Summary level scheduling.
• Gantt Charts and scheduling reports.
• Direct integration with MS Project, Excel and VirtualBoss.
• Direct integration with QuickGantt.
• Ability to locate and analyze local suppliers via the internet for scheduling purposes.
• Ability to provide schedules via the internet or on hand held devices through the VirtualBoss integration.

QuickBooks Interface  

• Import Quickbooks customers to Bid4Build.
• Export Bid4Build customers to QuickBooks.
• Detail and Summary Estimates sent to QuickBooks.
• Detail and Summary Invoices sent to QuickBooks.
• Detail and Summary Invoices sent to QuickBooks.

On Screen Takeoff Solution

• Tightly integrated with the Bid4Build estimating system.
• Ability to assign takeoff objects to costbook items.
• Automatically calculates areas, perimeters, SF, LF, and volume.
• Ability to accumulate groups of takeoff items.
• Customized item descriptions & notes.
• Ability to work with all images including PDF documents.
• Ability to control zoom, colors, create objects and manage an entire design.

General Utilities  

• Customize colors.
• Screen print utility.
• Mail Merge.
• Office Links (MS Word and Excel).
• Password features.
• PDF Output Integration.
• Email Integration.
• Calendar.
• Import/Export features and functions.

System Requirements:

This system will run with Microsoft Vista.

The recommended system for MS Access is Windows 2000 Professional on a computer with a Pentium III processor and 128MB of RAM. Pentium 133 MHz or higher processor required.

RAM requirements for Microsoft Access depend upon the operating system used, plus an additional 8 MB of RAM for each Office application running simultaneously: for Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition, 24 MB of RAM for the operating system; for Windows Me, Windows NT Workstation or Server 4.0, 32 MB of RAM for the operating system; for Windows 2000 Professional, 64 MB of RAM for the operating system.

Hard-disk space requirements will vary depending on configuration. 170 MB of available hard-disk space is required for the default configuration of Microsoft Access with 115 MB on the hard disk where the operating system is installed. Customers without Windows 2000, Windows Me or Office 2000 SR1 will require an extra 50 MB of hard-disk space for the System Files Update. Custom installation choices may require more or less hard-disk space. The Bid4Build application is relatively small. With all components considered, it only takes up a maximum of 5KB of hard-disk space.

CD-ROM Drive.

Super VGA (800x600) or higher-resolution monitor with 256 colors.

Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6 or greater, or Windows 2000 or greater. On systems running Windows NT 4.0, the version of Internet Explorer must be upgraded to at least 4.01 with Service Pack 1.

Other Products Available

Their current commercial version of the Bid4Build Construction Estimating System is version 3.5. They have an Enterprise, Network and Lite versions of release 3.5. Their Enterprise Edition retails for $395.00 and their Lite version retails for is $199.00. They have a digital on screen takeoff solution, version 3.5, which can be operated as a stand-alone component or in conjunction with their estimatin system as an integrated solution.

They are an authorized reseller of Craftsman Book Company products. Products include the line of Craftsman books and electronic cost data. They are currently providing a fully integrated electronic versions of the Craftsman National General Construction Costbook, National Insurance and Rennovation, Home Improvement and Electrical for the Bid4Build version 3.0 and above. This represents close to 100,000 individual construction items with up-to-date costs provided each year.

To insure a smooth transition from your current estimating process or software to Bid4Build, they offer an extended support contract. When you purchase the Bid4Build software, you will automatically receive email support. Their extended support package (retail price $179.00 per year) will provide you with free updates (even between versions) and assign you to a specific Bid4Build Customer Support Representative with 24/7 support.