Variables

Variables are a very useful tool in the Databuild armoury.

Basically, you use a Variable Name to represent either some text or value that changes with each job.

By setting the value once for each job, whenever that value is required, it will be replaced by the correct value.

What is a Variable ?

Simply a string of up to 70 characters. Spaces are NOT permitted, as are not  ?, /, \, *, ' , linefeeds, TABS,'' or any non printing characters. Also forbidden are Abs, Sin, Cos, Tan, ACos, ASin, Atn, Log, Log10, Exp, Sqr, Int, Frac, Ceil, Floor, RUN , RISE, BH, BL, BLL, PI, max, min, case, Rnd, Qty and if

There are 2 basic types:

Text Variables

Text Variables allow you to replace standard blocks of text in bills and orders with the relevant value for the current job

For Example: If you have entered  Color of Bath: {bath color}    in your workup text

and if Text variable {bath color} is set to "ivory", then the final bill and order contain the following text:

Color of bath: ivory

Where do they go ?

They go in the workup area of any item in any bill

How  do you get them there ?

Enter them directly into the workup area of bill in estimating or global quantities

Include them in templates in your price list. They will be added automatically next time you call up that item

Enter them into your standard bills, and they will be copied with quantities onto your current job

How do they get their values ?

Do nothing. When printing bills or orders, the system will stop and ask you for a value

Select Quantities/Global Quantities:

Select a job

Select Scan Text Variables

Press GO. The system will scan the bill for any Text Variables and add them to the Job Variables table. The TREE will display all Text Variables found and the Items they appear in. You can then enter your current values, or select from the drop down box of

prompts. These prompts are setup in Variable Prompts from the Global Quantities toolbar

How do you edit Text Variables ?

From Quantities/Global Quantities, edit the Job Variables table directly

Number Variables

Number Variables are similar to Text Variables, except that as the name implies they relate to numbers, not text

They are used as the basis for quantity generators and as variables in any formula calculations such as in workup routines or recipe explosions

Where do they go ?

They go in the Quantity Generator (QG) area of any item in any bill

How  do you get them there ?

Enter them directly into the QG area of bill in estimating or global quantities

Include them in templates in your price list following "[QG]". They will be added automatically next time you call up that item

Enter them into your standard bills, and they will be copied with quantities onto your current job

How do they get their values ?

Do nothing. When generating quantities, the system will stop and ask you for a value

Select Quantities/Global Quantities:

Select a job

Select Generate Quantities

Press GO. The system will scan the bill for any Number Variables and add them to the Job Variables table.  You can then enter your current values.

How do you edit Number Variables ?

From Quantities/Global Quantities, edit the Job Variables table directly

Global Variables

Global Variables are variables that do not change from Job to Job and can be either Number Variables or Text Variables (or both)

They are used in exactly the same manner as Job based Text or Number Variables.

How do you edit Global Variables ?

From Quantities/Global Quantities, edit the Global Variables table directly