BidSmart Estimator version 2.0 is released for FREE…

Download the free version below, including a 28-page Quick Start Guide.

UPDATE: Microsoft now blocks all macro-enabled files that were downloaded from the Internet or other “untrusted sources.” Read this post to find out how to fix this problem.

The BidSmart Estimator, version 2.0 is a Microsoft Excel© (Windows version) workbook. Built using Microsoft Office’s Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming, it provides ample functionality for small to medium-sized contractors. It is compatible with Excel versions 2016 through 2021 (Office 365.) See this post, How to Update the BidSmart Estimator, for help and advice on updating your Estimates.

Versions prior to 2.0 were provided to a few organizations as a customized application. Version 2 is released as a FREE standard application with the option to have it customized to the needs (and location) of the business. Although the Estimator is meant for the building industry, it can also be used for any business that needs to estimate time and materials.

Features of the BidSmart Estimator 2.0

• Task-based job estimating with customizable Markups, Profit and Overhead, and several other values such as the Labor Rate.
• Ability to track Mileage, Mobilization, Planning, Design, and other costs
• Change Order creation (from an existing estimate)
• Invoice creation (from an existing estimate)
• Reporting based on an estimate (with or without subtotaling):
  • Details report – Listing of the Estimates task showing several key costs
  • Itemized report – Listing of tasks without or without costs
  • Scope of Work – A task listing only, exportable to Excel, Word, or a PDF file
• Import the Estimate (and other reports) to JPEG file format for inclusion in text messages (MMS).
• The Estimate and every report are exportable to another Excel workbook, Word, or a PDF file
• Import data from other Estimates
• New Estimate Wizard to easily create new estimates based on existing ones or not
• The companion BidSmart Contract (licensed separately) can be filled in via a link with all the pertinent data exported from an Estimate. (The Contract, by nature, is licensed as a customizable document.)

Data Entry made simple…

While inserting data into the Estimate worksheet directly is allowed, input is best achieved by using the various forms. These forms provide greater data validation and feedback to ensure a good estimate is generated.

Using the Estimator is as simple as entering the Description of the Work to be Performed, generally one specific task of many, and adding values to its costs. Costs are then calculated according to user-defined variables, such as Markup, Labor Rate, and Profit Margin. These variables can be entered directly in the workbook’s cells, or through the various Input forms. Using the input forms is the suggested method, as it prevents the user from altering any vital formulas or data, and provides validation so that your entries are usable values.

Easily change the calculation variables…

The BidSmart What if? form allows you to try different Markups, Profit Margins, and other values without changing the Estimate. Once you have massaged the data, you can easily save the new values to the Estimate.

Extensive customization options…

And…of course, there are numerous options to change the way the Estimator looks and works. All these options and preferences are available on one tabbed form.

BidSmart Contract – BS Contract…

The BS Contract is a related Microsoft Word document that is easily linked to any BS Estimate. The contract is also programmed extensively with VBA to cooperate with the estimate or be used separately. The input is form-driven the same as the Estimator and simple to use. It is licensed separately from the Estimator.

If the BS Estimator code or formatting has been changed from what is available on this website, the Contract may not work as expected, or at all. The proper working of these documents depends on both the instructions to fetch and export data and the location of that data.

The BS Contract 1.0 is in Beta development. All the new features have been incorporated. Comprehensive testing and bug squashing are now being performed.

The BS Estimator is FREE to use, Copyright Richard L. Barnes 2014-2023, and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Check the following link to see what that’s all about:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

When opening the Estimator for the first time you may need to close it and reopen it after changing the Trust Center options. The Quick Start guide explains this situation. Microsoft now blocks all macro-enabled files that were downloaded from the Internet or other “untrusted sources.” Read this post to find out how to fix this problem.

For more information, contact the developer.