Expert Estimation
Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a listing of frequently asked questions about Expert Estimation (as well as some questions that "should" be frequently asked).

Which industries is Expert Estimation suitable for?

Current users of Expert Estimation perform work in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, telecommunications, pipeline construction, mining, tunneling, railway and other construction related fields. Companies using Expert Estimation range from large multi-national mining and engineering companies, government construction departments with hundreds of users, and local authorities, to small and medium sized engineering firms and single user contract estimators.

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Will Expert Estimation run on my computer?

Minimum and recommended computer requirements are outlined below:

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Where can I obtain an evaluation copy?

An evaluation copy of Expert Estimation may be requested by either filling out the Evaluation request form on this web site or by contacting Pronamics.

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What are the licensing options?

Expert Estimation may be purchased outright for a set purchase price, please contact Pronamics for current pricing and volume discounts.

Licenses of Expert Estimation may be registered either to the computer that the program is installed on (stand-alone) or registered to a server computer (network registration). There is no difference in the software installed, only the method of registration.
A stand-alone registration allows exclusive access to Expert Estimation at any time and allows the license to be portable (not connected to a network). Stand-alone registrations are recommended for laptop computers and high priority users; e.g. a Chief estimator who uses Expert Estimation frequently or a user that requires access away from a network.

Network registrations allow all owned licenses to be shared concurrently between multiple users; e.g. if a company owns 5 licenses they may have Expert Estimation installed on (for example) 13 computers but only 5 users would be able to access the system at any point in time.

Both of these registration methods may be used in combination in an organisation and may be changed from one method to the other at any time. Having the ability to register Expert Estimation to individual computers or share the purchased licenses on a network allows your Expert Estimation licenses to be as flexible as you require them to be.

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Is it easy to install?

Yes. The installation may be performed easily by the end user, using installation software that will be familiar to most people. The process typically takes around 5 minutes.

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Can I install Expert Estimation on both my office computer and home computer?

Yes. As long as the two installations of Expert Estimation are not used concurrently they are considered as one license.

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What support is offered with my purchase?

Pronamics include a 12 month maintenance plan with the purchase of Expert Estimation.
The maintenance plan includes access to 24hr * 7day telephone product support staffed by professional engineers and ALL updates to the product for the 12 month period.
After the initial 12 months you may elect to continue the maintenance plan for a further year. Please contact Pronamics for pricing.

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What is your policy on updates?

As part of our commitment to product development and our responsiveness to client suggestions and feedback, we aim to release about 3 to 4 updates per year. These updates (whether they are major or minor updates) are provided at no extra charge to clients who have an active maintenance plan. Updates are usually made available via an internet download. At least one update will be provided on CD per year.

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Can I request additions/changes to the program?

Of course! Expert Estimation has grown to become the most comprehensive and user friendly estimating systems available, through our staff listening and responding to the suggestions made by our clients. Additions to the software from user suggestions are made available to all clients at no cost with a current maintenance plan as part of our regular product updates.

Requested additions or changes that are company specific or are requested to be implemented as a priority may incur a development fee.

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What are the training options?

A free training voucher for participation in a scheduled, hands-on, 1 day, introductory training course is included with your purchase of Expert Estimation. Training courses are held in various locations on an as needed basis. In-house courses, courses for small groups or individuals and courses with special content are available by request. For more information on the Expert Estimation training course and to make an enquiry please see the Expert Estimation Training page.

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Does Expert Estimation have a comprehensive help system?

Yes, our help systems are the most comprehensive in the industry. Expert Estimation's help system has been developed using the latest Microsoft help technology enabling you to quickly browse or search for the information you require. We have even developed an Intellihelp^© system enabling you to interactively click though menus and windows within the help system to graphically locate information.

The help system provides information at a number of levels: globally regarding the program as a whole, window specific information, and function and field specific information. The help system is completely context sensitive, enabling you to find help for whatever window you are working in from within Expert Estimation by simply pressing a '?' button from a toolbar or by pressing the F1 key.

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Can more than one person work on the same estimate at the same time?

Yes. Expert Estimation includes multi-user support so multiple users may work on the same project at the same time. Whenever another user changes or enters information it will update in real-time on your screen if you are looking at information related to what was changed. Expert Estimation also contains protection so that multiple-users cannot edit the same information at the same time.

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Are the project files portable so I can email them to others or work on the estimate at home?

Yes. Each project has its own set of files which may be copied to other computers via a network, emailed or copied on CD's or floppies. Expert Estimation also includes a function to zip and unzip files when copying to make transferring projects even more convenient.

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Can I copy and paste information from other Windows® based software such as Microsoft Excel® or Lotus 123?

Yes. Most data entry windows in Expert Estimation allow data to be copied and pasted directly from other standard windows software that copies tabular data using the windows clipboard. For example if you have received a schedule (bill of quantities) from a client electronically, you can copy and paste this data into Expert Estimation's Direct Cost Schedule window, or if you have a spreadsheet containing resource rates you can copy and paste these into Expert Estimation.

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Can I export data from Expert Estimation?

Yes. Information from most data windows may be copied and pasted to and from other standard windows applications via the Windows® clipboard. All reports may be exported to either the Windows® clipboard, Microsoft Excel®, or spreadsheet (.csv). Commonly used project data may be exported to a standard text file format (either delimited (.csv etc) or fixed width formats). All relevant project information from Expert Estimation may be imported into Expert Project for on-site financial management of the project after the tender has been won. Schedule information may also be imported and exported using the Optus inCITE (Construction Industry Trading Exchange) standard format. Import bill of quantity information and submit completed schedule information from the Queensland Main Roads Departments Tender Schedules program. Applicable project information may be exported to Scenario Project Manager and COINS Site Manager for use in these packages after the tender has been won. Estimate information may also be imported and exported to and from CATS, Leighton Holdings Limited's in-house estimating software.

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Are there limits to the number of items, estimate lines, or resources that I can enter?

No. Expert Estimation allows virtually unlimited numbers of schedule items, estimate lines per item and resources. The only limitations are the space available on your computer and its speed; i.e. a very large estimate running on an old slow computer will take longer to perform calculations than the same project running on a newer quicker computer. See the Will Expert Estimation run on my computer? question above.

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Can I create group (complex or assembly) resources?

Yes. Expert Estimation allows you to create an estimate for group resources using a hierarchical structure up to 9999 levels deep (more than would ever be required). So your group resources may be as complex or simple as required.

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Can I create a library of resources to store my standard resource information?

Yes. Any other project may be used as a resource library for your resources. Expert Estimation provides the ability to link multiple libraries to your project allowing resources to be quickly selected from your library resource lists. As any project may be used as a library, you may choose to create projects specifically as libraries for resources or you may use any previously created projec; e.g. if you are doing an estimate for a bridge and you have performed an estimate for a similar bridge previously, you may use that project as a library as well as using a dedicated library project if you have one created.

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Does Expert Estimation include a database of prices or estimate library?

No. As Expert Estimation is used in so many diverse industries and regions we do not supply a resource or estimate library with the program. If you have an in-house resource database stored in a spreadsheet, your current resources may be easily copied and pasted into Expert Estimation. If you would like to purchase a resource database, Pronamics can supply libraries from the Franklin+Andrews range in Expert Estimation format for an additional cost. Please contact Pronamics for further details. Most commercially available resource libraries can be simply copied and pasted into an Expert Estimation projects resource database.

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Can I use a takeoff sheet to calculate quantities?

Yes. Each schedule item has a flexible Takeoff window allowing the quantities for Direct or Overhead cost schedule items to be calculated and transferred back to the schedule.
The Takeoff window may also be used for calculating other quantities/values for use in each item's cost estimate.

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Can I apply custom margins/profits and configure the spread of margins and overhead costs over my schedule items?

Yes. Expert Estimation allows numerous ways of applying margins and profit to your project. Margins may be applied as a percentage to all costs or to your final contract value. You may also apply different percentages to different resource types (labour, plant, material or subcontract) or cost types (direct costs, overhead costs, risks and opportunities etc) and to particular subsets (sortcodes) of resources (e.g. all hired plant to only get 5% margin). As well as percentages, margin may also be added as a plain value to the project costs.

The spread distribution of the overhead and margins over the direct costs may be configured to spread evenly over the direct cost items based on cost, in varying proportions over different resource types, or spread based on the resource content of each item. The spread distribution may also be configured item by item allowing you to choose whether to spread overheads and/or margins over items, or for some items to have no spread at all. Other options are also available to make the distribution of margins and overheads even more flexible, please contact Pronamics for more information.

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Can I produce an estimate of my project cashflow?

Yes. Expert Estimation allows you to produce a cashflow of your estimate using one of two distinct methods. You may create a program of activities with start dates and durations and allocate these activities to your schedule items, or you may define a project start and finish date and allocate a quantity for each schedule item to be performed per period (week/month) in the project. Either method may be used to produce a cashflow that allows you to analyse the flow of costs (reported for each resource type) vs the income for the project duration. The cashflow allows for analysis of interest costs/benefits, retention of money by the client, and user defined progress claim payment and cost payment periods.

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Can I perform an analysis of supplier or subcontractor quotations?

Yes. Expert Estimation includes a Resource Quotation Analysis module which allows you to enter quotations from multiple quoters, who are providing quotes for multiple resources. The Resource Quotation Analysis then allows you to select the preferred quoters resource rates and transfer them to your project's resource database. Quotations from suppliers for Direct Cost items may also be recorded and analysed.

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Can I compare my estimates with previous or historic estimates?

Yes. Expert Estimation includes a RateTrak module for comparing the rates for your estimates of items, sections of estimates and group resources with similar estimates either within the same project or in other historical projects.

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Can I do "What If" type analyses?

Yes. There are a couple of methods available for performing this style of analysis. Expert Estimation provides the ability to include and exclude items and sections of estimate from your project, enabling you to price a section of work using alternative methods and then exclude all of the alternatives that you are not current analysing. Further, as up to 9 projects may be opened at any time, Expert Estimation provides the ability to save revisions/alternatives as a new project which can then be opened together to analyse the impact of any changes made between the projects.

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Can I analyse my items using Work Breakdown Structure codes?

Yes. A WBS (or Item Grouping) code may be applied to each item for analysing the distribution of costs and selling values between the codes.

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Can I produce a project budget for on-site cost control after winning the project?

Yes. Cost codes may be applied to each schedule item, to lines within the estimate and to resources wherever they occur. These cost codes then allow the project's costs to be recast into a format suitable for use in a project cost management system (such as Expert Project) for managing the costs and budget of your project on-site.

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Can I export the estimate into a project cost management system?

Yes. All relevant project information from Expert Estimation may be imported into Expert Project for on-site financial management of the project after the tender has been won.
Your project information may also be copied and pasted from most windows within Expert Estimation, exported to a text file, or reports may be exported directly to Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets, csv files or to the Windows® clipboard for use in other applications. Expert Estimation also contains in-built functionality to export budget information to construction accounting software such as Scenario Project Manager and COINS Site Manager for use in these packages after the tender has been won.

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Where can I find out more information?

More information may be found in the following pages of this web site, or by contacting Pronamics.

Expert Estimation	The Expert Estimation page provides an overview of what the software can be used for and how it works.
Features	The features page provides a detailed look at the features that make Expert Estimation the estimating system of choice for professional estimators.
Training	Included with your purchase of an Expert Estimation license is a voucher to attend a scheduled one day hands on training course. This page contains details of what will be covered in your training session.
Evaluate Expert Estimation	To experience Expert Estimation yourself an evaluation may be requested here.

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