- How do I edit the Template Tab Assembly area display in TradeTek?
- Users can edit or make changes to the property columns that are displayed.
See the User's Guide or Help Videos for more details.
From the Template tab, column widths can be resized by placing the mouse at the header row
column dividing line and when the arrow icon displays drag the column edge to adjust its width.
Click into a property value cell to change its value.
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Assembly Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new area assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
To create a new area assembly, click the Area button from the New Assembly button group to
launch the new Area Assembly dialog.
Name the area assembly and click OK to add the assembly to the main template area.
Double click on the assembly to launch it's dialog.
You can now add properties and sub-items to that assembly. All changes made to the
assemblies here in the assembly group will save as default values.
For more information regarding the Assembly dialog Info tab and Takeoff tab, refer to
the Takeoff Button Group section in the User's Guide, Help Videos or the Q/A Database.
Click here for more details: assembly-area.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new count assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
To create a new count assembly, click the Count button from the New Assembly button
group to launch the new Count Assembly dialog.
Name the count assembly and click OK to add the new assembly to the main template area.
Double click on the assembly to launch it's dialog.
You can now add properties and sub-items to that assembly. All changes made to the
assemblies here in the assembly group will save as default values.
For more information regarding the Assembly dialog Info tab and Takeoff tab, refer to
the Takeoff Button Group section in the User's Guide, Help Videos or the Q/A Database.
Click here for more details: assembly-count.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- What information is displayed in the Template Tools button group?
- The Template Tools button group located at the top of the Template tab contains the following
buttons related to working with assemblies:
- New Folder: Adds a new folder to the selected assembly group for the purpose of
organizing assemblies.
- Delete: Deletes the selected assembly or folder including its contents.
- Import Group: Imports an assembly group file that has been exported by another computer.
Double clicking on an assembly group file will automatically import the group.
- Export Group: Exports an assembly group file that can be imported by another computer.
- Expand All: Expands all folders, assemblies and sub-items in the main area so that all
items are visible.
- Collapse All: Collapses all folders and assemblies in the main area so that all sub-items
become invisible.
Click here for more details: assembly-groups.mp4
Click here for more details: assembly-group-folder.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Template Tool Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I add or edit an assembly group in TradeTek?
- Assemblies can be created with sub-items that can be used to calculate quantities and costs.
New assemblies can be created and added to assembly groups.
By default, three assembly groups are included in TradeTek (“Assembly Group 1, 2, 3”).
Navigate to the Template tab and select the Assembly Group tab.
Assembly groups are displayed by clicking the Assembly Group drop-down menu at the top of the
main assembly area and choosing the group that you would like to display.
To move an assembly group up or down in the list by selecting the assembly group and clicking
either the up or down arrow to the right of the assembly group drop-down menu.
Click the Add button to the right of the drop-down menu to add a new assembly group.
New assemblies and folders can now be added to this new assembly group.
Rename or delete an assembly group by selecting it and clicking the Rename or Delete button
to the right of the arrow buttons.
Click here for more details: assembly-groups.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Assembly Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I edit, add or delete Calculation Formulas in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Double click on the assembly to launch the Assembly dialog.
Select the desired Sub-Item from the Sub-Item drop-down menu.
Click the ellipsis (…) button at the far right to launch the Formula Editor dialog.
You will notice the available formula operator buttons above the text area.
Click on the operator button to insert the operator at the cursor location.
To the right of the operator buttons is the operand drop down list with Select Property
displayed that provides all the available number properties within the “family tree”.
Clicking on one of these properties in the list will add it as an operand in the formula
at the cursor location. You can create formulas that contain a combination of number
properties, operators, and literal numbers (numbers that you type into the equation).
Formulas will execute from left-to-right and anything inside of “()” operators will execute
before continuing to the right. See the User Guide for a formula example.
If the entered formula is working, the result shown in the bottom left corner of the
Formula Editor dialog should be a valid number.
If there is a problem with the formula, the result should display an error message.
Click here for more details: calculation-formulas.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Properties: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- What are assemblies in TradeTek?
- The fastest way to perform most takeoffs is by utilizing assemblies.
An assembly is created from one of the main takeoff tool types, but also contains sub-items or parts.
This allows you to generate quantities for as many different items as needed related to a single takeoff.
For example, a framing contractor might create a linear wall framing assembly that will allow them to
perform linear wall takeoffs from floor plans. They could add several sub-items to that assembly, each
one representing an item that is part of the process of building that wall, all with their own unique
set of user added properties.
In TradeTek, you can also add database lists that each assembly sub-item can be connected to, for
example, if you update pricing in your lists, the updated data filters through to your sub-items.
Click here for more details: assembly-groups.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
See Takeoff Basics – Assemblies and Sub-Items section: Takeoff-Basics.pdf
- How do I edit, add or delete an Assembly Group Folder?
- Folders can be added to assembly groups to organize and group assemblies.
Navigate to the Template tab and the Template Tool button group.
To add a folder to the currently selected assembly group, click the New Folder button.
Name the new folder and click OK to add the new folder to the assembly group.
When a folder is added it will be inserted below the last item in the main area.
Left click + hold and drag the folder to reposition it.
The delete button will delete the selected assembly or folder including its contents.
Assemblies can be placed into folders by dragging the assembly below the folder.
To remove an assembly from a folder, drag it above the folder.
Click here for more details: assembly-group-folder.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Template Tool Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I copy / paste Assembly Groups in TradeTek?
- The Clipboard button group located at the top of the Template tab contains the
following buttons related to copy and paste of folders and assemblies in the
main template area:
To copy an assembly or a folder containing assemblies, click on the desired
assembly to select it and then click the Copy button to copy the assembly or
folder and its contents to the clipboard.
You can now paste the copied assembly group or folder to the same assembly group
or select a different assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Click the Paste button to paste the contents of the clipboard into the main
template area.
Click here for more details: assembly-copy-paste.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Template Tool Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new joist assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Click the Joist button located in the New Assembly button group to launch the Joist Assembly dialog.
The Info tab in the joist assembly is the same as an area assembly.
In addition to the takeoff measurements in the Takeoff tab of area assemblies, the joist assembly
also has Total Joist Length as well as Joist Segment Count. These measurements can be accessed in
the quantity calculation formula of other properties and sub-items in the assembly.
From the Joist tab, enter the joist material description in the Joist Material input or connect
the generated joists to a list by clicking the Connect To List button and selecting the appropriate
list name and column to connect to.
Choose the generated joist color, select your Length Calc preference and set the joist on-center
spacing from the OC Spacing drop-down menu.
When the Convert Short Lengths checkbox is checked, all generated joists shorter than 8’ will
be figured out of longer material.
- 14’ joist sub-items will be generated for all 7’ long pieces.
- 10’ joist sub-items will be generated for all 5’ long pieces.
- 12’ joist sub-items will be generated for all 6’, 4’, 3’, 2’ and 1’ pieces.
The same applies when TradeTek is in metric mode.
When the Convert Short Lengths check box is checked, short joists are never generated to the
Nearest Even Foot.
You can turn the joist length labels on or off, add a joist waste percentage that will get
added to all of your generated joist quantities and can also set checkboxes to add joists at
each end of each joist area or add double joists.
Any properties that you add in the Joist tab will be included in all generated joists from
that joist assembly.
If connected to a list, the value of any joist sub-item properties that match a column name
in a connected list will be updated from the list.
Click here for more details: assembly-joist.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new beam assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Click the Beam button located in the New Assembly button group to launch the Beam Assembly dialog.
The Info tab in the beam assembly is the same as the segment assembly.
In addition to the takeoff measurements in the Takeoff tab of segment assemblies, the beam
assembly also has Total Beam Length as well as Beam Segment Count and Total Beam Material LF.
These measurements can be accessed in the quantity calculation formula of other properties
and sub-items in the assembly.
From the Beam tab, enter the joist material description in the Beam Material input or
connect the generated beams to a list by clicking the Connect To List button and selecting the
appropriate list name and column to connect to.
Select your Length Calc preference, set the number or beam Plies (layers of material) and
optionally add a bearing value.
If Bearing is set to 6”, then 6” will be added to each end of your beam segment takeoffs,
so you would need to do your takeoff from the inside of the opening on one side to the inside
of the opening on the other side.
When the Convert Short Lengths checkbox is checked, all generated beams shorter than 8’ will
be figured out of longer material.
- 14’ beam sub-items will be generated for all 7’ long pieces.
- 10’ beam sub-items will be generated for all 5’ long pieces.
- 12’ beam sub-items will be generated for all 6’, 4’, 3’, 2’ and 1’ pieces.
The same applies when TradeTek is in metric mode.
When the Convert Short Lengths check box is checked, short beams are never generated to the
Nearest Even Foot.
Any properties that you add in the Beam tab will be included in all generated beams from that
beam assembly.
If connected to a list, the value of any beam sub-item properties that match a column name in
a connected list will be updated from the list.
Click here for more details: assembly-beam.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- What can assembly sub-items calculate?
- Sub-items can be added to assemblies to calculate materials, labor, subcontract, equipment
or item quantities and cost.
Click here for more details: assembly-subitems.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I import / export an assembly group in TradeTek?
- Exported / Imported TradeTek files are cross-platform and can be used by other TradeTek
macOS and Windows users.
Navigate to the Template tab and the Assembly Group tab.
To export and assembly group, choose the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Click the Export button located in the Template Tools button group to export an assembly
group file that can be imported by another computer.
The exported file will save to your desktop by default.
Alternatively, you can choose a different exported location by editing your Preferences
Default Export Location.
To import and assembly group, click the Import button located in the Template Tools button
group to navigate and import an assembly group file that has been exported by another user.
Double clicking on an assembly group file will automatically import the group.
Click here for more details: assembly-import-export.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Template Tools Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I add or edit an assembly sub-item property in TradeTek?
- Properties can be added to assembly sub-items. When sub-items are connected to a list, all
sub-item properties that match a column name from the list will be updated with the values
of the selected item.
Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Double click on the assembly to launch the assembly dialog and select the Sub-Item tab.
Click the Add Property drop-down menu and select the property type (text, number, color, image)
to launch the Edit Property dialog. The syntax of the name must match the connect list column
name exactly.
Select the appropriate format from the Format drop-down menu and click OK.
You can now reference calculated properties in the sub-items quantity calculation by click the
ellipsis (...) to the right of the Quantity field to launch the Formula Editor dialog.
Click the Refresh button to generate the value display.
See the User's Guide, Help Videos or the Q/A Database for additional information on
Calculation Formulas.
Click here for more details: assembly-subitem-properties.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I edit, add or delete an assembly sub-item in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
To add an assembly sub-item, either click on a new assembly button to create a new assembly
or double click on the icon of an existing assembly in the main template area to launch its
dialog and click the Add Sub-Item button.
Name the new sub-item tab and click OK to add the new sub-item.
From the Assembly dialog Sub-Item tab, you can now find your sub-item name displayed in the
sub-item drop-down menu.
To add multiple sub-items to the assembly, click on the Add Sub-Item button from either the
Info or Takeoff tabs.
To add sub-items to other sub-items, click the Add Sub-Item button from the Sub-Item tab.
The new sub-item will be added to the currently selected sub-item.
All sub-items can be accessed from the sub-item drop-down menu in the Sub-Item tab.
Sub-items to other sub-items are indicated in the drop down menu with * in front of the
sub-item tab name.
Once a sub-item is added to an assembly, you can now input property values, add new properties
and can also connect the sub-item to a list.
You can rename or delete assembly sub-items but selecting the appropriate sub-item tab name in
the drop-down menu and clicking either the Rename or Delete buttons to the right.
Click here for more details: assembly-subitems.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- Do Assemblies work with metric and imperial measurement types?
- Yes, if you will be using TradeTek in both imperial and metric measurement modes, it is recommended
that you create separate assembly groups for each mode.
When TradeTek is in imperial mode, some inputs and labels in the dialogs will be imperial in metric
assemblies instead of metric as you might expect.
When TradeTek is toggled back to metric mode, those metric assemblies will go back to how they were
when you created them.
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I manage the Templates side panel in TradeTek?
- Users can select an assembly group and view its assemblies from the Templates side panel
From the Home tab or Page tab or Tool tab navigate to the Templates side panel and
choose the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Click the assembly to select it and then click the green button to launch the assembly
to perform takeoffs with.
Click here for more details: templates-side-panel.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Template Tools Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new Panel / Roll Assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
Click the Panel button located in the New Assembly button group to launch the Panel Assembly dialog.
Name the new panel assembly, then click OK to add the new assembly to the group.
Input all corresponding information into the:
- Info tab.
- Takeoff tab in Panel mode.
- Takeoff tab in Panel mode with Trim checkbox checked.
- Takeoff tab in Roll mode.
See the User's Guide, Help Videos or the Q/A Database for additional details.
Adding sub-items to a panel assembly works the same way as adding them to all other assembly
types.
Click here for more details: assembly-panel.mp4
Click here for more details: panel-siding.mp4
Click here for more details: roll-good-flooring.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- I don't see a sub-item name from the Assembly Sub-Item List drop-down menu?
- Assembly sub-items must be connect to a list in order to see its property from the
drop-down menu.
When connected to a list, all sub-item properties that match a column name on a list
will be updated with the values of the selected item.
See the User's Guide or the Q/A Database on how to connect a sub-item to a list.
Click here for more details: assembly-subitems.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new linear assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
To create a new linear assembly, click the Linear button from the New Assembly button group to
launch the new Linear Assembly dialog.
Name the linear assembly and click OK to add the new assembly to the main template area.
Double click on the assembly to launch it's dialog.
You can now add properties and sub-items to that assembly. All changes made to the assemblies
here in the assembly group will save as default values.
For more information regarding the Assembly dialog Info tab and Takeoff tab, refer to the
Takeoff Button Group section in the User's Guide, Help Videos or the Q/A Database.
Click here for more details: assembly-linear.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I connect a sub-item to a list in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
To connect an assembly sub-item to a list, navigate to the Sub-Item tab in the assembly dialog,
select the appropriate sub-item tab name from the drop-down menu and click the Connect To List button.
When the Connect To List dialog presents, select the list and column that you want to connect to
the Name property of the sub-item.
Once connected to a list, the Name property value becomes a drop-down menu that allows you to choose
an item from the connect list column. Start typing the name of the item that you are searching for
to reduce the list size and find items faster.
If you choose the wrong item, delete that item from the name field in order to display the
drop-down menu again.
If a sub-item is connected to a list with multiple columns, the other columns of data for the item
selected can be updated in the sub-item if their properties have been added.
See the User's Guide for an example.
Click here for more details: assembly-subitems.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I edit the property column layout in an assembly group?
- Property columns can be displayed in the Template tab main assembly area.
Navigate to the Template tab and select the Assembly Group tab.
Choose the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu and click the Layout button to launch
the Template Layout dialog.
From the Template Layout dialog, you can add property columns, delete columns and change the
order of the columns.
To add a property column, click the Add Column Name drop-down menu and choose the property to
be displayed. The drop-down menu displays all takeoff item and sub-item properties that exist
in the Template tab and Estimating tab.
Click here for more details: assembly-groups.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – Assembly Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- How do I create a new segment assembly in TradeTek?
- Navigate to the Template tab and select the desired assembly group from the drop-down menu.
To create a new segment assembly, click the Segment button from the New Assembly button
group to launch the new Segment Assembly dialog.
Name the segment assembly and click OK to add the new assembly to the main template area.
Double click on the assembly to launch it's dialog.
You can now add properties and sub-items to that assembly. All changes made to the
assemblies here in the assembly group will save as default values.
For more information regarding the Assembly dialog Info tab and Takeoff tab, refer to
the Takeoff Button Group section in the User's Guide, Help Videos or the Q/A Database.
Click here for more details: assembly-segment.mp4
See TradeTek User's Guide – Template Tab – New Assembly Button Group: TradeTek-User-Guide.pdf
- When importing an Assembly that references Folder properties, instead of showing [FolderUp1.Building] and [Folder.Location] why does it show [?]
- Perhaps you configured the Default Folder properties separately, thus each property is assigned a unique Tag.
Next you imported the Assembly Tab or a Bundle that has configured Assemblies that refer to properties with the same names (but different tags).
Since the assembly properties refer to tags that don’t exist, they show up as [?].
When the Bundle is originally exported, the Folder properties should be included.
Now when importing into an empty TradeTek preferences, everything works.
Alternatively, if everything is setup and working on Computer 1, go to Preferences dialog and click Export.
From Computer 2, go to Preferences dialog, click Import and choose to exported file.
Now all preferences match on Computer 1 and 2.
- Can some Property values of an Assembly Sub Item come from a Connected List while others are manually entered in Assembly dialog?
- Assume that an Assembly SubItem is connected to a List. The SubItem has a Property named Cost and the List has a Column named Cost.
During the Assembly Update or Refresh process, the name of the SubItem determines the associated row of data in the List.
The value of the Cost column in the List is automatically copied into the Value of the Property in the SubItem.
If the user attempts to edit the Cost property value, a "Connected List Warning" dialog indicates that value comes from the list.
To manually edit that value, change the value of the Cost column in the list to IGNORE.
Now TradeTek allows that Property value to be manually edited from the Assembly dialog without presenting the "Connected List Warning".
- How can Folders and Assemblies be organized and nested within the Estimating or Templates panel?
- Set the Reordering checkbox at the top of Estimating or Templates panel (this prevents accidental reordering).
First organize the nesting structure of Folders and Assemblies within folders.
Once all items are at the desired nesting level, you can change the order of items within each folder.
Drag an Assembly or Folder until you see a horizontal line directly below the desired parent folder.
To unnest an Assembly or Folder from a folder it resides in, drag it above the first item at the top.
Now change the order of Assembly or Folder items by dragging them up or down in the list.
If your nesting list contains Folders, drag each item below the parent folder to achieve the desired order.
- How can Assembly Presets dramatically improve the performance of TradeTek and the takeoff process?
- TradeTek 2.1 introduced Presets to Template Assemblies. When setting up an Assembly, the user can define any number of named Presets.
Each Preset assigns a collection of default values to the Assembly and SubItem properties. During the takeoff process, the user clicks
the Green dot and is prompted to select a Preset. That assigns the default properties.
Without Presets, users often configure a dozen nearly identical Assemblies, where they can now have one Assembly with a dozen Presets.
Using Presets can dramatically reduce the number of required assemblies making it much quicker to add or change Sub Items or Properties.
With Presets, preferences are much smaller so TradeTek features like open, save, export, report generation, etc will now be much faster.
- Can a new Property be added to multiple Assemblies at once?
- Click the Add Property button on the Template panel to present the Add Property dialog.
Enter the Property name, type and details, then add it to selected Takeoffs, SubItems or both.
- How can I add manually entered items and properties into TradeTek without doing takeoff?
- From the Template panel, configure a Manual assembly with SubItems and associated Properties.
From Estimating panel, click Add Item in the top ribbon and select a Manual assembly from a dialog.
Alternatively, select the Template tab in the right side panel and doubleclick Manual assembly name.
In the Manual assembly dialog, enter quantities, make selections and assign property values.
A Manual assembly can be pull data from a List or Global Properties.
Data entered with a Manual assembly can be included in a custom Report.
A Job can be created without drawing pages to use Manual assemblies for any type of estimating project.