Kreo and Contractor Foreman provide a powerful and easy-to-implement collaboration workflow, which helps specialists to perform takeoffs in Kreo and then go ahead with estimating tasks on the Contractor Foreman side.
The first step is to create a new estimate for a project in Contractor Foreman and fill in all the required data. Contractor Foreman provides estimates and other documents based on the job costing system, that’s why users should configure Cost Codes to be able to create reports. At the same time, it would be great to set up Cost Items for materials, equipment, labor, subcontractors, etc. right away, but you can always set them up later. After several projects, you will better understand which items are mainly used.
You can find more Contractor Foreman materials under the links below:
Adding or revising cost codes
Basics of cost items database
Contractor Foreman Knowledge Base
Managing your cost item database with Contractor Foreman
Kreo provides the Assembly Database sample for Contractor Foreman users, which can be used by default or adjusted and supplemented by a user in accordance with their needs. This is the first step on Kreo side.
Get default CF Assembly sample
Go to Assemblies Database
Press “Assemblies Base Samples” and Find CF Database
The database has 3 levels:
a. Properties — any kind of parameter you need. Kreo provides CF properties by default (Type, Item name, Section, QTY, Unit cost, etc.)
b. Items — similar to CF items, you can manually recreate CF Cost Items with predefined values for properties or use 1 default item for all your takeoffs. Item is suitable for creating any material, labor, part, element, etc.
c. Assemblies — allows you to unite a few items together, which are usually based on the same takeoff measurement, for instance, Material item and Labor item for concrete works.
Learn more about Assembly Database in Kreo here.
Set up Cost Code properties and other properties you may need
Kreo provides NAHB Cost Code property by default. You can create your own new property for Cost Codes or adjust Kreo property.
📝 Note!
Cost Codes can be imported into Contractor Foreman only if you have the same Cost Code name in Contractor Foreman.
Adding or revising cost codes in Contractor Foreman
Learn how to create Single select property in Kreo
Here you can create any other property: one for geometrical sizes, one for storing and applying rates and costs, text properties and any other you may need. Also, you can create all necessary properties later.
Create and set up Items
Create analogues of CF Items within Kreo items. You can review Default Kreo Items to better understand how they are organised.
Since Item is a group of properties united by common sense, you can fill in some parameters, which are static or rarely require changes like Item type, quantity and units, Cost codes, etc. At the same time, some properties may have empty values for an item and will be filled for each specific project, for instance, Section, Rate and others. With this approach applied, an item is an independent unit such as Labor, Material, etc. For instance, a user can create an Item for “Tiling” activity and another item for the material called “Tile”. In the same way, a user is able to create separate material items for each size or manufacturer of tile, or this information can be added to tile items as two extra properties.
Another way is to use one base item for all your measurements and set all property values like Item name, Type and others on the project creation stage.
Learn more about Items in Kreo
Create assemblies
For cases when you want to get a few items based on the same takeoff, you can unite them into one assembly. Thus, a user can merge a Tiling activity item, Tile material and Tile glue items into one assembly to apply and use them in a more convenient way. At the same time, it's possible to assign a few items simultaneously for measurement, so you can just assign a few items even if you don't have the right assembly.
Learn more about Assemblies in Kreo
Create your Project
Upload your drawings to create a new project
Learn how to do this
Set up folder structure you need and assign items/assemblies
Create a folder structure in the Measurements manager in accordance with your needs. Then assign relevant items/assemblies to your folders.
Learn how to do this
Perform Takeoff
Measure all required elements on drawings with the help of relevant measurement tools or run Auto Measure. To create a measurement right in the folder, select an appropriate folder before measurement creation.
Create a report
To Create a new report, press the “+” button in the Report area, then select “Items report”.
Each row in this report is an independent item, which relates to a single measurement. Columns are all properties that are included in the items of this particular project at least once.
This report is a real-time linked report, so all data immediately updates since you make any changes to measurements or assigned items and assemblies.
Set up a report
Switch off unnecessary columns in the right part of the table. Drag and drop columns to record them for better visual control.
This type of report allows you to filter data by creating a filter in each column so that you can hide irrelevant items in your report.
You can also sort data by clicking on the header of each column.
Learn more about report types in Kreo
Export your output as .CSV file
Since everything is done and you are ready to move all data to Contractor Foreman, you can simply make a right click on your mouse and choose the “Export CSV” option in the context menu. The report will be loaded to your computer in the .CSV format, which is supported to be further imported to Contractor Foreman.
Import this file to Contractor Foreman
The next step is to go to the Items tab in your estimate in Contractor Foreman.
Press the “Edit Item” button.
Select the “Import items from CSV file” option from the drop-down menu at the top right of your Items list.
Then select the .CSV file you want to import.
Contractor Foreman uploads this file and shows you a preview. Here you can see that some columns are automatically detected by name. Validate them for the next parameters: list of properties and press the “Import” button.
Now your takeoffs are imported into Contractor Foreman, press "Save" at the bottom of the screen or make some edits and you can go ahead to get the final documents there.
