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Precon - Planswift

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BASICS  

THE WHAT

Onscreen quantity take-off program that digitizes plans for use in obtaining quantities to use in estimating and bidding.

FOR HELP

Subject Matter Expert: Matt Brinker

DEFINITIONS

QTO: Quantity Take Off

Object: An area, linear, or count take off generated by the program user

Node: Specific points which define and object. 

Snap: A program feature that allows the users cursor to automatically move to an object node when in close proximity.

Ortho: Allows users to work easily in the vertical and horizontal axis, and creates object which are parallel perpendicular.
HOW TO USE THE PROGRAM  

GETTING SETTING UP

  1. The program is located on the cloud server. For access, please contact the IT Department. 

OPEN AN EXISTING PROJECT

  1. Under the Home Tab click the "Open" button.
  2. Select the St. Louis, Denver, KC folder in the pop-up window.
    • Note the local folder only saves to your personal computer
  3. Highlight the desired project.
  4. Click the "Open Job" button
  5. If the list of existing projects does not populate under the "St. Louis, Denver, KC" folder, contact the IT Dept for assistance.

NEW PROJECT SET UP

  1. Under the Home Tab, click the "New" button
  2. In the Job/Quote# Field, type the P-File # or Job # using the following format
    P-Files:  P-XXXX
    Job Files: 0XXX
  3. Insert a description with a date
  4. Under the New Job Location pull down menu, select St. Louis, Denver, KC.
  5. Click Next.
  6. DO NOT USE THE BROWSE OPTION
  7. Selection of image files: click the browse button and highlight the folder that the drawings are saved in.
  8. Click OK.
  9. TO GET TO YOUR LOCAL DESKTOP TO UPLOAD DRAWINGS:
    1. This PC
    2. "Computer Name"
    3. Users
    4. "Employee Name"
    5. Desktop
  10. Check the box for the drawings you want to import.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Under the "DPI for TIF Files" field, insert "300". (Recommended format is Grayscale (16 shades)).
  13. Click Next
  14. Unless you are importing excel templates, click next.
  15. Click finish.
  16. You are now ready to begin QTO for your job

SETTING THE SCALE

  1. Click on the desired drawing at the left hand part of the screen
  2. Find the largest vertical and horizontal known dimension
  3. Click the scale button at the top of the screen
  4. Enter the known dimension in the field provided
  5. Click on one end of the dimension, and then click on the opposite end. Zoom in to be as accurate as possible.
  6. You are now ready to begin take-offs.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Planswift has an Auto Scale option, however this should only be used if the scale can be verified using known dimensions.

 

 

 

PERFORMING A TAKE-OFF

  1. Click on any one of the following:
    • New Area
    • New Linear
    • New Segment
    • New Counter
  2. Enter the desired name of the item you are taking off
    (i.e. Light Duty Asphalt - 4" + 8")
  3. Select a color
  4. Enter a description if desired (this step is not required)
  5. For an area: Click on the points outlining the area
    For a Linear or Segment: follow the line of the item you are taking off
    For a Counter: Click on each item you wish to count
  6. Once you have completed the take-off, press escape to end the current item you are taking off. (Double click works as well).
    Or press "N" on the keyboard to begin the next take off of the same item

TAKE-OFF QUICK USE GUIDE

  1. Magnify: In order to assist your take-off, use the "M" key for a magnification around your cursor.
  2. Arc: When performing a take-off around a curve, click the first point/intersection of the curve, press the "A" key, click the center of the arc, then click at the opposite end of the arc.
  3. Area: Areas are also useful to find the perimeter length of objects. Simply hold your cursor over the area in question, and a pop-up box will appear.
  4. Segment/Linear: A segment is a similar take-off tool as the linear. However, the segment tool will only take-off one straight line at a time before automatically starting a new take-off.
  5. When using the linear and snap tool, hold the shift key as you drag your line to keep it at a 90º angle.
  6. Count: The count tool can be scaled and different shapes can be used. It is also helpful in layout out items such as fire hydrant or street lights which have to be spaced at specific intervals. The scaling option can be used to visualize and layout the spacing.
  7. Legend: The legend can be turned off/on by right clicking on the screen, while the cursor is not on a take-off object. Select "Show Legend". The quantities and units can be hidden or shown on the legend using the setting tab, under "Annotations".
  8. Continue with a take-off item not currently in use:
    1. The QTO item is NOT on your current drawing:
      • Right click over an area with no items
      • Click "continue with"
      • Select the item you wish to use
      • Perform the take-off as usual
    2. The QTO item is on your current drawing:
      • Highlight the item "Pages" or "Takeoff Summary" view
      • Click on the green circle to the left of the object's name
  9. Hiding Items: If your drawing is getting cluttered with too many items you can hide the ones you don't wish to see. Click on the light bulb icon next to the item you wish to hide/unhide.
  10. Estimating Tab: The estimating tab can be used to review all QTO's for an entire job. The quantities can be exported to excel using the "Export to Excel" button. The columns shown in the estimating tab cab be customized by right clicking anyone of the existing column headings.
  11. Copying and Pasting Items: If you have similar sheets, you can copy over take-offs from an existing sheet and paste to a new sheet. Make sure the scales are the same on both sheets. If your take-off items are highlighted in green, you are able to move them around the drawing to an exact location.