How to Import Items from another Project

Step by step instructions with screen shots to import an Item(s) from another project.

Import Item Feature

The Import Items will allow you to import Items that exist in a different project or in a Catalog.  When importing items, all costs and production will be imported. 

Information to remember when importing an item:

• Bid Items can already be present or not exist at all in your project to use this function.
• Items with Sub-Level Item(s) will import Item's Sub-Level Item's
• Items can be renamed during the import process, if desired.
• Takeoff quantities will be entered during the import process.  This will set the Bid quantity of the item.
• You will have the option to add the item as a Bid Item or set as a Non-Bid Item in your Item library during the import process.
• Combined Items will be copied along with the Item being imported.
  
  

How To Import Item(s)

There are 3 different ways to Import an Item:

• While in the Bid module or the Item module of Estimating Link, click the Import Item icon:
  • 
• On the Item module, go to Services > Import Item
• On the Bid Sheet module, go to Services > Import > Items from another Project

After initiating Import Item, The Select Project window will be displayed.  Select the project or Catalog (displayed in orange)  that contains the Item you would like to import into the current project:

Click OK.

The Select Items To Import window will now be displayed with all the Item(s) from the project you are coping from:

Select the Item(s) you wish to import into your current project.

• Check the "Selected" next to the item to cherry pick your items to import.
• Select All will select all the Items to import.
• Deselect All will deselect all the Items.
  
  

• Once you have selected all the Item(s) that you want to import, click Ok.
• The Import Items window will appear:

Here is where you can make modifications to the Item you wish to Import.

Import Items Window

Source Item

The Source Item section of the window displays the Takeoff Quantity, Unit of Measure, Item Number and description of the Item you are importing from.  These values cannot be changed.

Target Item

The Target Item section of the window displays the Takeoff Quantity, Unit of Measure (which cannot be changed), Item Number (details below), and description.  What you have or modify in the Target Item is what will be imported into your current project.

• Item Number
  • Note that the Item Number in the Target Item section is pre-populated with the Item Number the program thinks you want to use for the Target Item. 
  • You can import an Item to be a new Item into your current project or you can import an Item into an existing Item in your current project.  The Options section of the Import Item window changes depending on this.
    • To change the Item Number in the Target Item, either enter an Item Number or click the 3 Dots button to the right of Item Number field to see a list of existing Items in your current project:
      
    • A Select Target window will appear that displays your current project's Items:
      
      • Select the Item you would like to be your Target Item and click Ok.

    • If you specify an Item Number that already exists in your current project, you have the option to overlay (replace) that Item's resources by clicking the Overlay button or merge (include) the target item resources with the target item resources.  

Options

The Options section of the Import Items window displays:

• Target Quantity Ratio - Displays information for scaling Quantity-Based Cost.

  • Example 1: Source Item Takeoff Quantity is 4,000 and the Takeoff Qty Ratio is 2 : 1 then the new Takeoff Quantity will be 8,000.

  • Example 2: Source Item Takeoff Quantity is 4,000 and the Takeoff Qty Ratio is 0.5 : 1 then the new Takeoff Quantity will be 2,000.

• Use _________ Item for Target with the option to choose Displayed or Source by using the drop down.

  • Displayed: Uses user input as the Target Item. Allows you to create a new item Item. (Creates new Item by importing the Source Item):

    

  • Source: Uses the Source Item as the Target Item. (Overlay Source Item):

    
• Scale Quantity-Based Cost - Check this box to Scale all Item Costs based on the Target Qty Ratio.
  
• Add To Bid Sheet - If this option is selected, the Target Item(s) will be added to your Bid Sheet. 
  • This option is only available if you are importing Item(s) that does not already exist in your current project.
• Overlay Description - If this option is selected, the Target Items description will be used on the new Item.  If it is unchecked, the Source Item's description will be used.
  • If your Target Item Number is an Item Number that is not already on my Bid Sheet, this option will not be available.
• Auto-Import next "n" sub-items with these options - If you are importing a parent Item that has Sub-Level Items, checking this box can be used to automatically import all the Sub-Level Item(s) using the same options.
  • If the Item you are importing does not have Sub-Level Item(s) associated with it, this option will not be available.
• Auto-Import ALL remaining "n" items with these options - If this option is selected, the additional Item(s) you are importing will import with the currently displayed options.
  • If you are only importing 1 Item, this option will not be available.   
• Include Auto-Overlay with Auto-Copy - If this option is selected, additional Item(s) you are importing will automatically overlay.
  • If Auto-Import All remaining "X" items with these options is not selected, this option will not be available.

Import Item Window Actions

The action buttons are dynamic and change depending on your Target Item information and Options selected.

• Overlay - Selecting this button will replace all of the cost details in the Target Item with the cost details in the Source Item (scaling to Source Takeoff Quantity if Scale Quantity-Based Cost is selected)
• Merge - Selecting this button will merge cost details from the Source Item and the Target Item into your new Item, resulting in your new Item containing costs from both Source and Target Items.  Please see Rates below for more information on how they are handled.
  • If you are importing an Item that is not already in your current project, this option will not be available.
• Import - When you import an item, rates used by that item that are not in your current project’s Rate Library will be copied in from the other project. If the rate codes exist in the current project, then the rates in the item being imported are updated to reflect the rates in the current project.  Please see Rates below for more information on how they are handled.
• Skip - Selecting this button will skip importing the currently displayed Item.  If you have selected multiple Items to import, selecting this button will skip importing the currently displayed Item and then display the next Item for you to modify.
• Cancel - Selecting Cancel will cancel the import of the Item.  A warning message is displayed prior to canceling to confirm that you want to cancel.  

Rates

The updating of rates in imported items is done by resource code.  When different resources have the same code the resource in the current project will replace the resource from the source project.

• For example, if LAB02 is a pipelayer in the source project and LAB02 is an operator in the current project, then in an item imported with LAB02 the pipelayer will be replaced with an operator in the current project.  This is why it is desirable to standardize your resource codes.

Costs posted by the Subcontractor/Material Comparison (SMC) module will be converted to Subcontractor Write-Ins when imported to the current project.  The SMC tables are dependent upon the Bid Sheet and therefore cannot be transported from project to project.