Quantity Generators

Each item in a bill can have its own Quantity generator. They allow you to either Assign values to or Read Number Variables into the quantity field of the current item.  Quantities of any item can be set to number variables and later items in the bill can use that quantity.

For instance, many items on a house may be related to the floor area. By setting just one item you can have subsequent items pick up and manipulate that item's quantity to calculate their own quantity.

Assigning

       [double arrow]        >>Variable: Sets the current Item quantity to the Number Variable, creating it if it does not exist.

       [single arrow]        >Variable : Adds the current Item quantity to the Number Variable, creating it if it does not exist.

If a valid Number Precedes the arrows, that number is assigned, rather than the current item's value

       examples

>>DoorCount                        the quantity of the current item is set to variable "DoorCount"

>DoorCount                        the quantity of the current item is added to variable "DoorCount"                145.7>>FloorArea                variable "FloorArea" is set to 145.7

Text Variables can also be assigned from quantity generators, and are then available for later items in the bill

               {Yellow with polka dots} >> Bathcolour        variable "Bathcolour" is now "Yellow with polka dots"

Multiple assignments can be made on one item by putting each assignment on subsequent lines

       example

               >DoorCount

               >OpeningCount

               {RH}>>Doorhand

In fact, you can use one item (usually at the start of the bill) to preload virtually all quantities in a bill (or recipes)

       example

145.7>>Floorarea

97.3>>Perimeter

{Hawthorn Reds} >>Bricks

{Rheem 2020}>>HWS

Reading

Simply enter the Number Variable, or use it in a formula. That number will the become the quantity of the current item

example

DoorCount

FloorArea x 1.15

A first door in a bill could have a Quantity Generator of >> doors. Subsequent doors could have a Quantity Generator of > doors. A further item of, say, hinges, could have a Quantity Generator of doors*2. which would be twice the total number of doors

Quantity generators can be edited either in Global Quantities or in the Q Gen tab of the main estimating screen

Another way to enter quantity generator texts is to include them in an item's template after a line starting with "[QG]". The Quantity generator texts will be created when that item is added, or Load Current Template is run from the  main estimating screen.

They can be processed either in

Generate quantities action in Global Quantities

Actions/Generate Quantities menu of the main estimating screen

Macros