[PM] Import Estimates Template

How to Setup a PM Import Estimates Template

Importing projects/jobs can make setup faster, and more accurate. However, there are no standard PM Import Estimates templates available when you first get the software. This article will explain the basic steps of creating a PM Import Estimates Template.

NOTE: This article explains a typical basic setup. You may alter this for cross-references, etc. later.

Creating a New Template Record & Populating Info Tab

1. Open PM Import Estimates and click on Template Master

2. Click the 'New Record' button

3. Enter the Template Name, and Description

4. Enter the Import Routine. This example uses the Generic routine as it is the most common, once selected the next 3 steps will default automatically.

5. Choose the Format that describes your import file. This will usually be a delimited file (the data is separated into columns by tabs, commas, etc.).

6. Choose the delimiter that separates your data columns

7. Choose the Record Type column. This is the column in your import file that tells the system what type of record that row belongs to. This is usually '1'.

Below is an example of the Info tab:

Import Parameters

1. Select an option for when no item records are available to import, none is typically used if your file contains items in it ( schedule of values, contract items ), but if you are using a Timberline routine - you will need to change this selection.

2. Choose 'Duplicates Only' for "Create unique phase using item or sequential # as last part phase" if you have phase codes associated with more than one contract item.

3. Choose an option for when material codes exist ('Import All Material Codes' is the most common).

4. Select any of the other options as you wish. A description of each field is below:

   1. Rollup material codes - When checked and material detail is the same (i.e. the material codes, phase codes, cost types, units of measure, and unit price match), detail will be rolled up into one record. If material detail is not the same, the material record will be imported separately.

   2. Accumulate phase costs into contract item amount - Check this box to have the upload process accumulate the costs for each phase into the contract items where the item's amount is zero. If multiple phases are assigned to a single contract item, costs for all phases will be pulled into the contract item.

   3. Use contract item quantity and UM for cost types - Check this box to use the contract item quantity and unit of measure for all cost types assigned to the contract item when importing data from the text file

   4. Create a subcontract record when import cost type equals PM subcontract cost types - Check this box to have a subcontract detail record created for every occurrence of a subcontract cost type in the import text file where the import subcontract cost type is equal to either of the cost types specified for subcontracts in PM Company Parameters. If multiple records exist with the same unit of measure, the units and costs will be summed and the record created. However, records will only be created if the subcontract record does not already exist.

   5. Use description from SI codes when loading contract items into work table - Check this box to use standard item code descriptions for contract items. When checked, the contract item will be checked against available standard item codes. If a standard item code is found in JCSI (JC Standard Item Codes) that matches the contract item number, the description for the standard item code will become the contract item's description. If there are duplicate standard item codes with different region codes, the description from the last record will be used. If no standard item code exists matching the phase characters, the contract item description will default as null.

   6. Always use the phase master phase description - Check this box to use the phase description from JC Phase Master (JCPM) when importing phases that already exist in JCPM. Imported phases that do not exist in JCPM will use the import phase description.

Here is a typical setup:

Edit/Upload Parameters

1. Choose your options to create cross-references when records are missing (Prompt is most common on everything)

2. Select upload into Project Management options. A description of each is below:

   1. Create project firm record for each vendor set up in firm master - Check this box to have the upload process automatically create a record in PM Project Firms for each vendor in the subcontract or material work file. A record will only be generated if the vendor is already set up in the PM Firms and at least one contact is set up for that firm. If multiple contacts are set up, the vendor will be set up in PM Project Firms with the first contact specified in the Firm Master.

   2. When uploading change order, each contract item becomes change order item - Check this box if you are uploading import data as a pending or approved change order and want the upload process to create a change order item for each contract item. 

   3. When uploading change order, set the item amount as a fixed amount - Check this box if you are uploading import data as a pending or approved change order and want the

      upload process to set each item's amount as the Fixed Amt for the change order item (PM Pending Change Orders, Items section, Info tab).

   4. Create standard item codes - Check this box to have the upload procedure add standard item codes to JCSI (JC Std Item Codes) if they do not already exist for the region. (Note:

      A region code must exist in order for this feature to work.) This is not common

   5. Default contract and description from project - Check this box to default the contract number and description from the project code and description.

Again, typical setup:

Create Cost Types

This form is used if you want to create an associated record for a specific cost type record in the text file. For example, if you want to create a burden cost type record for every labor record imported, you would use this tab. This is not common

1. Enter the cost type that will be in your text file. In our example above, this would be our labor cost type

2. Enter the 'Create C-T' which is the cost type record we want created. In our example, this would be the burden cost type.

Cross References

After inputting your info and parameters, you can elect to create cross-references so that when a record matching that cross reference record, the cross-reference record is created instead. For example, if everytime you imported Phase 1000, it would, instead, upload phase 10000, you can create a cross

reference for that. Cross references may be created for phases, cost types, units of measure, material records, and vendor records. You may want to wait until you have mastered the import process before you implement cross-references.

Template Detail

When you put in your import routine (Generic, in our example), the template detail populates with what fields need to be contained in the import file, any defaults, etc. You may not need to do anything with this at all, but we will run through it anyway. This is most commonly used if you are going to be importing User Defined (UD) fields.

1. Info - Record Types. The identifier in your record type column (typically, the first column in your import file) that designates what type of record that line is.

   

2. Items, Phase, Cost Type, Subcontract Detail, Material Detail, and Estimate Info Tabs - These tabs are basically the same, they just contain different columns to be imported. The important items you need to know are below:

   1. Record Column - The column in your text file that contains this data

   2. Viewpoint Default - This checkbox works in conjunction with the Override checkbox to determine the value used for this field when importing data.

      1. If you check this box and the Override box, the Viewpoint Default Value (specified to the right of this field) will always be used, regardless of whether an import file value exists. 

      2. If you check this box and uncheck the Override box, the import file will be used, unless null. In which case, the Viewpoint Default Value will be used. If the

         Viewpoint Default Value is null, the User Default Value will be used. If the User Default Value is null, the field will be set to null.

      3. If you uncheck this box and check the Override box, the User Default Value will always be used. If the User Default Value is null, the field will be set to null.

      4. If you uncheck both this box and the Override box, the import file value will always be used. If the import file value is null, the field will be set to null.