Issue link: https://construction.trimble.com/en/resources/i/1520113
TOP-FIVE SPREADSHEET FRUSTRATIONS Excel isn't a four-letter word, but it's responsible for many estimators using a few now and then. These are the top-five frustrations: Wasted Time – Searching for cost information or reconciling non-standardized input from multiple sources Costly Mistakes – Undetected formula changes and errors carried over from a previous spreadsheet Uncertainty – About where to get the most accurate and up-to-date labor, equipment and material rates Inefficiency – Entering data from scratch takes too much time, and estimators can't work simultaneously Redundancy – Without a link between estimating, accounting, field operations and DOT systems, data must be re-entered multiple times 2 Stepping Up from Spreadsheets to Specialized Software Spreadsheets were a breakthrough when estimating was done with pencils, paper and calculators. Now, they leave companies at a big disadvantage against competitors managing estimating and bidding with specialized software. Spreadsheets are error prone. Intentional or inadvertent changes to cells and formulas impact calculations and carry over to future estimates built with the same template. Often, the estimator is unaware of such errors. Specialized software removes the risk, providing a bulletproof framework with built-in calculations. More Bids – Less Time Specialized applications enable estimators to work faster. Instead of starting from scratch or searching multiple sources and previous bids to find cost components, they simply bring accurate, up-to-date cost items or templates from a pre-populated, central database into the estimate. This formalized process can standardize bidding enterprise wide. Estimators gain the confidence to bid with assured accuracy and the efficiency to complete the simplest or most complex bids quickly. Collaborate and Communicate Good estimating applications also allow multiple users to work on an estimate at the same time – a big benefit for complex bids or larger companies operating in multiple locations. Additional advantages over spreadsheets include automated, built-in error checking, analytics and reporting capabilities. Finally, specialized estimating software can link directly with accounting and field operations applications, as well as electronic bidding systems. "The younger workforce is expecting these kinds of tools. We need to deliver them to the people who are the future of our company so that they don't get frustrated in having to do things the same way that things were done 30 years ago."