On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid

I've recommended this company many times, advised two companies in the last two years, including the one I currently work with, to buy the software because it's simply the best value I know of. And one REALLY important thing; Their SERVICE in superb. Full stop.

I see lots and lots of major changes still ahead for this industry of estimating, and software will lead in that new complexity/simplicity. More to understand, more to buy, more to manage. Having a 'let's get this fixed now' tech team, along with a friendly 'no such thing as a stupid question' mandate, if all OCS keeps doing is being the best at SERVICE, they will always have my business .

Pros

When using both OST and QuickBids together there is a synergy that not only allows you to 'standardize' your pricing, but also build unlimited 'conditions' using those standard conditions, or from scratch. As an independent can manage clients in completely different databases if that level of separation is required.

Yesterday a client gave me some feedback-just a little too high. Well, I have 4 other floors ready to submit for the next phase. I just go into 'markups', a little wiggle, a jiggle, and I have my pricing in line to vigorously compete in the next round. Total time, including new reports, 1 hour. Every single condition, adjusted for the new pricing (not just some lump sum discount, that's just lazy) and re-sent in a lunch hour. Nice... Alternates and change orders are even faster.

Cons

Reports stinks. Sorry, I call 'em like I see 'em. It's a bit better, more choices for printing and a 'master list' of available functions, but STILL, the actual graphics are completely terrible! No headings, no subheadings, just all one font, all one size, all run together with random page breaks. It takes me a lot of time, hours for big projects, to go through it all and make it legible. A little bird says it's in the works, I have the champaign chilled to celebrate when it's available in an update because it's probably the only thing that still irks me.

Also, fix the output PDF distiller!!!

Great software if you need to do professional quantity takeoffs

Pros

This product offers you a lot of options to structure your takeoff:
- Conditions: This is the main structure to organize your takeoff. Fully customizable, conditions can be used as a CSI-Code structure.
- Layers: Similar to CAD-Software, you can create layers (even as Master layers which will be available for all projects) and assign a layer to each takeoff. Turning layers on/off helps you to work with multiple takeoffs on one drawing.
- Zones: Creating zones (and organize them on a separate layer) helps to split your takeoff according to the zones - fully automated!
- Takeoffs: Each takeoff can have up to three different quantities - whatever you need.
Takeoff description: each takeoff (condition) has a name as well as a field for notes where you can put a full description of your item.
- Multi-takeoff: This is an outstanding feature, saving a lot of time: mark several conditions (takeoff-items) and do your takeoff: the takeoff will be done for each of the simultaneously!
- Second window: the program allows you to open a second window, to have another drawing (details etc.) open while you work on your first drawing.
- Overlay: changes in drawings can made visible by using the new drawing as an overlay on top of the old drawing: you will automatically see, what changed.
There are much more pros and features available than any other takeoff software. This is the great thing about a software that is a takeoff software and nothing else: the software does not pretend to be an estimating software and by focusing on takeoff, the software does a great job.
Online descriptions are available for almost every issue you might run in.

Cons

The software is missing only one feature: to assign a different condition to a specific takeoff is not available (up to now).