Input/output workflow

In programs that have a "Bill of quantities" tab, once the installation has been modelled in the corresponding tab, a specific workflow should be followed to ensure that the bill of quantities is generated correctly. There are several working methods, including the following:

Method 1: Entering prices manually

In this method, prices are entered directly into the project database, and this is suitable if you want to work exclusively with your own project prices, without using a cost database or performing mapping. The workflow is as follows:

1. Set the general bill of quantities parameters (from "Project", "General parameters").
2. View bill of quantities items (from "Update", "Update bill of quantities", "Delete current bill of quantities data", keeping the "Mapping" and "Cost database" boxes unchecked).
3. Manually enter prices for items in the project database (from "Prices", "Project database"). When you close the project database window, the changes will be applied automatically.
4. Finally, bill of quantities reports can be obtained directly (from "Reports").

Method 2: Directly assigning codes from a cost database

In this method, the generated items are manually linked to a cost database from the project database, when such a cost database is available, but mapping is not desired. The workflow is as follows:

1. Set the general bill of quantities parameters (from "Project", "General parameters").
2. View bill of quantities items (from "Update", "Update bill of quantities", "Delete current bill of quantities data").
3. Create or import a cost database (from "Project", "Cost databases").
4. Assign the codes, one by one, from the reference cost database to the project database (from "Prices", "Project database", "Add cost database items"). When you close the project database window, the changes will be applied automatically.
5. Finally, bill of quantities reports can be obtained directly (from "Reports").

Method 3: Using mapping files (recommended method)

This is the most comprehensive and flexible method, as it automates the correspondence between the modelled elements and the items in the price database. This workflow allows cost databases and mappings to be reused, speeding up the generation of the bill of quantities. The recommended workflow is as follows:

1. Set the general bill of quantities parameters (from "Project", "General parameters").
2. Create or import a cost database (from "Project", "Cost databases"). The options available for this include the following:
   • Create a new "Empty" cost database, adding work sections, items, and documents from scratch:
     • (Optional) Add items manually (from "Add items").
     • (Optional) Add items from the CYPE Cost Database (by dragging them from the FIEBDC export button that appears in this program and dropping them onto the cost database you are working on).
   • (Optional) Create a new cost database from a "Template", adding items and documents.
   • (Optional) Import a cost database in BC3 format ("Import BC3 file").
   • (Optional) Create a new cost database based on unit concepts from the "CYPE Cost Database" for the selected country and location (only in some programs).
   • (Optional) Create an "Empty" cost database and import information in CSV format.
3. Create a new empty mapping file (from "Project", "Mapping").
4. Update the bill of quantities (from "Update", "Update bill of quantities", "Delete current bill of quantities data"), selecting both the mapping and the cost database created. In the pop-up window, you must:
   • Assign the work section structure in the mapping file (from the mapping pop-up window, "Work sections").
   • Assign the codes, one by one, from the reference cost database to the mapping file (from the mapping pop-up window, "Assign codes", "Assign").
   • You must accept the pop-up window to apply the changes.
5. Optionally, it is possible to:
   • (Optional) Review or modify the mapping (from "Project", "Mapping").
   • (Optional) Increase or adjust prices from the project database (from "Prices", "Project database").
   • (Optional) Manually edit the bill of quantities, adding work sections, items, and/or bill of quantity detail lines (from "Edit").
   • (Optional) Register and manage construction certifications (from "Project", "Certificates").
   • (Optional) Export the bill of quantities to FIEBDC-3 format (from "Import/Export", "Export BC3").
   • (Optional) Graphically represent the bill of quantities (section "Graphs").
6. Finally, bill of quantities reports can be obtained directly (from "Reports").

In the event of changes to the installation, it is possible to update the bill of quantities to reflect them (again, from "Update", "Update bill of quantities", "Update current bill of quantities", selecting both the mapping and the cost database created).

The mapping created with this method can be reused in other works created with the same installation program. If new materials or items are added to a model and a mapping is selected that does not include them, the program will warn of the elements with incidents in the pop-up window that appears when "Update bill of quantities" is selected. In this case, the mapping can continue to be worked on and enriched with the new associations made.

The program collects various data from the "Installation" tab to compose and fill in the field in the "Reference" column in the "Classification" section of the mapping: the reference of the element types (or verification criteria), the reference of the materials, and other relevant data (such as the dimensions of a water heater). Therefore, if this data is modified (by rewriting the reference of the types of elements or materials in the "Installation" tab, or by selecting elements with other dimensions), the association with the items assigned in the mapping will be lost, so the mapping must be revised to incorporate the new cases.

Method 4: Workflow with Archimedes

This method allows you to integrate the items created in Arquimedes with the bill of quantities generated by the installation program, maintaining the structure defined in the bill of quantities. The final documents are obtained with Arquimedes. The steps are as follows:

1. From Arquimedes:
   • Create a new bill of quantities with items without a bill of quantities.
   • Export the bill of quantities in BC3 (from "File", "Export", "Export to FIEBCD-3").
2. From the installation program:
   • From the "Installation" tab:
     • Create the geometry of the installation.
   • From the "Bill of quantities" tab:
     • Create a new cost database by importing a BC3 file (from "Project", "Cost databases", "Add", "Import BC3 file"), selecting the BC3 exported from Arquimedes.
     • Create the mapping by importing the BC3 file exported from Arquimedes (from "Project", "Mapping", "Add", "Import BC3 file"). This will generate the same work section structure created in Arquimedes.
     • Update the bill of quantities (from "Update", "Update bill of quantities", "Delete current bill of quantities data"), selecting both the mapping and the cost database created.
     • Assign codes, one by one, from the reference cost database to the mapping file (from the mapping pop-up window, "Assign codes").
     • Accept (or, where necessary, set) the currency parity.
     • From the toolbar of the general interface of the "Bill of quantities" tab, export the bill of quantities to FIEBDC-3 format (from "Import/Export", "Export BC3").
3. Back at Arquimedes:
   • Import the quantities in BC3 format (from "File", "Import", "Import FIEBDC-3 bill of quantities"), selecting the BC3 exported from the installation program, and ticking the box "Process only registers related to quantity details". This way, the bill of quantities made in the installation program will be incorporated into the Arquimedes items.
   • Finally, the reports are obtained from the options available in Arquimedes (for example, from "File", "Print").