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      Haul Calculator Feature

      Overview and step by step instructions on using the Haul Calculator Feature in Estimating Link.

      Overview

      The Haul Calculator feature in Estimating Link is designed to streamline the estimation process for hauling materials. This tool allows users to input key parameters such as distance, vehicle speed, capacity, total material amount, and rate per unit, providing accurate calculations for time, number of trips, and total cost. 

      By simplifying these complex calculations, the Haul Calculator enhances project planning, ensures precise cost management, and improves overall efficiency, making it an invaluable asset for heavy construction project estimators.

      Benefits

      • Accuracy: Provides precise calculations, reducing the risk of underestimating or overestimating haul requirements.
      • Efficiency: Simplifies the process of haul calculation, saving time and effort.
      • Cost Management: Helps in budgeting and cost control by providing clear cost estimates.

      Tutorial

       

      How to Use

      The Haul Calculator is available for all Rates within the Equipment and Rental resource categories.  For this article, we will use Equipment to refer to both owned and rental equipment.


      Enable Haul Calculator on a Rate

      Before the Haul Calculator can be used, the rate needs to be enabled to use it.

      To enable the Haul Calculator on a piece of Equipment, navigate to the Rate Tables > Equipment / Rental > Rate.  Add a checkmark to Include Haul.

      When a piece of equipment has the Hauling Calculator enabled, it will show on the Item sheet grid after the description as: " - Haul Calculator available".

      Note - if you attempt to access the Haul Calculator on Equipment that is not yet enabled, a pop-up message will appear asking if you would like to enable the Rate by going to it. 

      • Clicking Yes will bring you to the rate.
      • Clicking No will cancel the Haul Calculator

      Access & View Haul Calculator

      • While on the Item Sheet, right click on an Equipment or Rental Rate.  (The Haul Calculator only shows on Equipment and Rental Rates, not the other resource categories).
      • Select Haul Calculator.  The Haul Calculator window will appear for that Rate.

      When a piece of equipment has used the Hauling Calculator, it will show on the Item sheet grid after the description as: " - Haul Calculator used".

      Haul Calculator Window

      Selecting the Haul Calculator on a piece of equipment, will bring up the Haul Calculator window:

      Note:  If your Haul Calculator window does not look like the above, expand the window to see the additional properties.

      At the top of the Haul Calculator window, the Resource Unit field will be populated with your Rate’s description.

      • Quantity: Enter the quantity for the piece of Equipment. 
        • Originally auto-populated from Item’s rate quantity.  Also a user-defined field.
        • When this field is edited by the user and the user clicks OK, it updates the Item’s rate quantity.
      • Capacity U/M: Enter the unit of measure you will use the calculate the equipment's capacity to haul. 
        • user-defined field.
        • Once this field is entered, it will auto-populate the Unit Capacity field’s unit of measure as well as the Total Amount to Haul field’s unit of measure.
        • This field is for reporting and not used in calculations.
      • Unit Capacity: Enter the equipment's capacity based on the measurement you inputted in the Capacity U/M field.
        • User-defined field.
      • Total Amount to Haul: Enter the total amount this piece of equipment needs to haul for this item.
        • User-defined field.
      • Distance to Haul: Enter the distance (miles or kilometers) from the job site to the haul site, one-way.
        • User-defined field.

      Important: "Distance to Haul" must be in the same unit of measurement as the "Speed U/M" (Speed Unit of Measurement). If "Speed U/M" is in miles per hour (MPH), then "Distance to Haul" should be in miles. If "Speed U/M" is in kilometers per hour (KPH), then "Distance to Haul" should be in kilometers.

      • Speed U/M: Enter the unit of measure you will use to calculate the equipment's average speed.
        • User-defined field.
        • This field is for reporting and not used in calculations.
        • Once this field is entered, it will auto-populate the Loaded Avg Speed unit of measure as well as the Empty Avg Speed field’s unit of measure.
      • Load Time: Enter the amount of minutes you anticipate it will take to load your equipment at the job site.
        • User-defined field.
      • Unload Time: Enter the amount of minutes you anticipate it will take to unload your equipment at the haul site.
        • User-defined field.
      • Other Time: Enter all additional time (not included in Load or Unload Time) that you anticipate associated with this haul (i.e. waste time, re-fuel time, grease time, etc.)  
        • User-defined field.
      • Unit Production: Enter the Equipment's Factor. 
        • User-defined field.
        • Originally auto-populated from the Item’s Rate Factor. 
        • Days or Hours is auto-populated from the Item’s production field.
      • Rate: Auto-populated from the Rate on the Item.
      • Costs: Originally auto-populated from the Costs of the Rate on the Item.  This field auto-recalculates based on the Haul Calculator’s Quantity field.
      • Haul Calculations:
        • Unit Trips
        • Total Trips
        • Distance per Unit
        • Total Distance
        • Time per Unit
        • Total Time:
      • Notes: Enter notes you would like saved for this Hauling Calculation.
        • User-defined field.
        • Used for reporting.
      • Update all Resource’s Production/Factor: User defined field.
        • When Checked:
          • Haul Calculator Quantity updates the Rate’s Quantity on the Item
          • Haul Calculator Unit Production updates all Rates Factors on the Item and the Item’s Days/Hours Reqd field.
        • When Unchecked:
          • Haul Calculator Quantity updates the Rate’s Quantity on the Item.
          • Haul Calculator Unit Production updates only the Rate’s Factor on the Item Sheet.
      • OK
        • Clicking OK will save the Haul Calculator and update the equipment's Quantity & Factor on the Item and close the Haul Calculator.
          • If you have Update all Resource's Production/Factor checked, you will receive a confirmation message (since the Haul Calculator is a manual override of the rate's factor and you are changing the Days/Hrs Reqd field):

          • Click Yes to All
      • Cancel
        • Clicking Cancel will cancel any modifications you've made and close the Haul Calculator.

      Report

      To print a basic report with all your Haul Calculations on your project, go to Reports > Item Sheets > Haul.

      Formulas 

      • Speed = Distance / Hours
      • Time (Hours) = Distance / Avg Speed
      • Trips = Total Amount to Haul / Capacity
      • Minutes = Hours x 60
      • Hours = Minutes / 60
      • Total Time = Travel Time + Additional Time
      • Haul Time = Trips x Total Time

      Considerations

      • Copying or importing an Item does not include the Haul Calculations
      • Copying a project does not include the Haul Calculations
      • Unit production field is not a calculation.  Users must manually enter this field to change it.
      • Haul Calculator is not available via Write-in window