PR-4901 · Live

Estimate Studio

The Estimator opens Estimate Studio and builds the whole estimate in one place. They add the scope by trade: materials, equipment, subcontractors, and labor in man-days. As they work, the gross margin and the gross margin per labor dollar update on screen, and a flag appears when the numbers fall below the company's target. When the estimate is ready, they submit it and the assigned manager is notified to review and approve it. Once it is approved, the product produces the branded customer proposal and a clean export file for setting up the job.

Built for

Estimator

the person it works for

Processes

Estimate

one unit of work

Priced

240 rivets

per estimate

Returns

40 min

back to the estimator

40 min × $18/hr

$12

Returned Each Run

The promise

The Estimator finishes an estimate and it is already a branded proposal and a clean export file, without re-typing the same numbers into three different systems. The margin sits on screen as they build, so they know the job clears target before it ever goes for approval. The time that went to reformatting and re-keying goes to the next bid in their queue.

How it works

The path from input to value.

Build the estimate

The Estimator picks the company, enters the job, and adds scope by trade: materials, equipment, subcontractors, and labor in man-days. Templates and equipment packages fill in common jobs.

Watch the margin as it builds

The gross margin and the gross margin per labor dollar update on screen as lines are added. A flag appears when the estimate falls below the company's target.

Send it for approval

The Estimator submits the estimate. It routes to the assigned manager with a notification, and its status is visible on the dashboard.

Approve or revise

The manager approves, rejects, or edits. If it comes back, the Estimator revises and resubmits, and every prior version stays on the record.

Hand off the finished estimate

Once approved, the product produces the branded customer proposal and a structured export file for setting the job up.

The day before. The day after.

Same moments. Lived differently.

Before

After

The Estimator pulls current pricing into the spreadsheet template and starts a rooftop-replacement estimate. They rebuild the labor and overhead math by hand, the way they do on every bid.
7:30 AM
The Estimator opens a rooftop-replacement template in Estimate Studio and adds the scope by trade. The margin and the gross margin per labor dollar update as they work.
7:30 AM
Before
The Estimator pulls current pricing into the spreadsheet template and starts a rooftop-replacement estimate. They rebuild the labor and overhead math by hand, the way they do on every bid.
After
The Estimator opens a rooftop-replacement template in Estimate Studio and adds the scope by trade. The margin and the gross margin per labor dollar update as they work.
With the numbers set, they copy them into the Word proposal and reformat it to the company's branding. They run the margin in a side calculation to confirm the job clears target.
9:00 AM
The estimate clears target, so they submit it. The branded proposal is already generated, and the manager gets a notification to review it.
9:00 AM
Before
With the numbers set, they copy them into the Word proposal and reformat it to the company's branding. They run the margin in a side calculation to confirm the job clears target.
After
The estimate clears target, so they submit it. The branded proposal is already generated, and the manager gets a notification to review it.
They re-key the estimate into the CRM, then type the same details into the job system to set the work up. Two systems, the same numbers twice.
11:00 AM
The manager approves it. The product produces the export file for job creation, so there is nothing to re-type.
11:00 AM
Before
They re-key the estimate into the CRM, then type the same details into the job system to set the work up. Two systems, the same numbers twice.
After
The manager approves it. The product produces the export file for job creation, so there is nothing to re-type.
A manager asks which version is final. The Estimator opens three files to find the current one before they can answer.
4:00 PM
There is one record and one current version. They spend the afternoon on the next two bids in the queue.
4:00 PM
Before
A manager asks which version is final. The Estimator opens three files to find the current one before they can answer.
After
There is one record and one current version. They spend the afternoon on the next two bids in the queue.

What it doesn’t do

The edges we drew on purpose.

A product that tries to do everything ends up doing nothing well. Here’s what we left out, and why we don’t feel bad about it.

×Delivering the proposal to the customer or following up after it is sent.
×Writing the scope or pricing the work automatically; the Estimator enters scope, labor, and exclusions.
×Managing the job after the estimate is accepted, including scheduling, execution, and invoicing.
×Maintaining a live parts catalog priced from supplier feeds.