Import Items that do not currently Exist

When importing resources from a spreadsheet into cost items that do not currently exist in the CBS, these resources are automatically added to the Resource Rate Register with the rate defined in the spreadsheet. Because the spreadsheet itself does not contain all of the fields used to create a resource in Estimate, it is incumbent upon you to define and modify the data that is automatically defined after the resource has been imported.

The Resource Cost defined in the spreadsheet will populate the Undefined cost category for that resource in the Resource Rate Register and will be designated a unit of measure of Each.

When importing resources from a spreadsheet that do not exist in the Resource Rate Register, it is necessary to define the Resource Type field in the spreadsheet so the import routine knows what kind of resource you want created. The Resource Type field must be defined with one of the following values:

  • Labor

  • Construction Equipment

  • Rented Construction Equipment

  • Installed Material

  • Installed Equipment

  • Supplies

  • Unique

When defining the Resource Type for a resource in the spreadsheet, the resource type must match one of the above resource types exactly.

When importing new resources that do not currently exist in the Resource Rate Register, and you want to define a different rate for them, map the Resource Code, Resource Quantity, Resource Cost, Resource Type, and one or more of the production fields. To define the production rate for your duration driven resources (Labor, Construction Equipment, and Rented Construction Equipment resources) map the Man-Hours (Duration Driven), Hours (Duration Driven), and Resource Work Hours fields.

The Man-Hours (Duration Driven) or Hours (Duration Driven) fields, when mapped and imported, define the production rate for the cost item as a whole. The Resource Work Hours field, when mapped and imported, defines the production rate for the individual resource that only Resource Work Hours have been defined.

In the event that both the Man-Hours (Duration Driven) and Hours (Duration Driven) fields have been mapped for a cost item and non-zero values have been defined for both, the Man-Hours (Duration Driven) field is imported and the Hours (Duration Driven) field is ignored. If both the Man-Hours (Duration Driven) and Hours (Duration Driven) fields have been mapped for a cost item and one of these fields has a zero value or is blank, the field that contains a non-zero value is imported.

Use the following step-by-step to import items that do not currently exist.

Step by Step — Import Items that do not currently exist

  1. On your spreadsheet, define the Resource Code, Resource Quantity, Resource Cost, Resource Type, and production rate (Man-Hours (Driven), Hours (Duration Driven), and Resource Work Hours) on each cost item that you want to import resources.

    The Resource Cost defined in the spreadsheet for Labor resources is the Scale 1 rate. The Scale 2 and Scale 3 rates for new Labor resources imported will be zero on the cost item in that it was imported and in the Resource Rate Register.

  2. If you need to import more than one resource for any or all cost items, move to the right in the spreadsheet to the next set of resource columns and define the appropriate data.

    A separate set of resource columns is required for each resource that you want to import for an individual cost item.

    If all duration driven resources (Labor, Construction Equipment, Rented Construction Equipment) will be working the same number of hours on an cost item, you need only define the hours in the Man-Hours (Duration Driven) or Hours (Duration Driven) column (see cost item 1 Mobilization and 2.1 Excavation in the screen shot above). By doing this, you are essentially defining the production (hours) for the cost item as a whole rather than for each individual resource.

    If each duration driven resource (Labor, Construction Equipment, Rented Construction Equipment) will be working a different number of hours on a cost item, define the hours for each duration driven resource separately in the Resource Work Hours field.

    When defining Resource Work Hours for duration driven resources (Labor, Construction Equipment, Rented Construction Equipment) in your spreadsheet, upon import these resource employments are imported as quantity driven resource employments (CI-Quantity cost driver) and designated as unique resource employments on the cost items in that they are imported. Unique resource employments, by definition, are not updated when the subject resource code is modified in the Resource Rate Register.

  3. From the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Register menu, choose Data Source > Import/update CBS from > Excel.

  4. Select the Define Mapping button.

  5. Map the Resource Code, Resource Quantity, Resource Cost, and production fields (Man-Hours (Duration Driven), Hours (Duration Driven), and Resource Work Hours).

  6. If you are importing more than one resource into any of the cost items, select the Import additional resources into the same cost item by moving to the right of the last mapped field option. If you are only importing one resource for all cost items, there is no need to select this option.

  7. Click OK on the Define Mapping dialog box.

  8. Click Import on the Import/Update CBS from Excel dialog box.

  9. Click Yes to save the job or Library.