Import CBS from Excel

Both the Master Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) and a job's Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) provide you with the ability to import a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet containing cost item data as a means of setting up cost items in Estimate.

This process is essentially the same, whether you are working with the Master Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) or a job's Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS). Specifically, this import from Excel provides a means for you to define cost item data in a spreadsheet and import that data into the Master CBS or the Cost Breakdown Structure in Estimate according to how the data in the spreadsheet is mapped to Estimate fields in the corresponding Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Register. The spreadsheet data will consist of information regarding the cost items, including Cost Item Identification data; Cost Item Labels, Tags, and Assignments; Cost Item Work Rules; Cost Item Schedule Setup data; Cost Item Production data; Cost Item Employed Resources & Hours, and Cost Item Plug Costs.

A mapping tool allows you to define which of the spreadsheet columns represent which of the data fields in the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Register in Estimate.

You have the ability to import new cost items without affecting existing cost items, or import new cost items and update existing cost items in Estimate by re-importing a modified version of the spreadsheet to support incremental changes to the scope of the work.

Import CBS from Excel

After you have set up your spreadsheet template and filled it with the data that you want to import into Estimate, you are ready to define your mappings and import the data.

All currency values imported from Excel are assumed to be in the job default currency.

Excel imports that have an impact on a job's price and cost generate entries in the PBS Changes Register.

Select the Import File

The import file specified here is the workbook that contains the spreadsheet that is the source of the data you want to import.

If the workbook selected as the import file contains multiple worksheets, the import routine will read and import the first worksheet in the workbook regardless of its title.

Use the following step-by-step to select the import file.

Step by Step — Select an import file

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

  2. In the Import File field, click on the browse button, navigate your file system to the preferred workbook (Excel file), select it, and click Open.

Define the Import Rules

The import routine allows you to add new cost items to the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Register while not affecting existing cost items, or to add new cost items to the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Register and, at the same time, update cost items that already exist in the CBS.

When updating existing items, the data fields for existing items are updated to reflect what is currently in the spreadsheet for the currently mapped fields. The items in the spreadsheet are matched to the items in the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Register, based on the matching field specified on the Define Mapping dialog.

Use the following step-by-step to define the import rules.

Step by Step — Define import rules

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

  2. Select the Update existing items in addition to adding new items check box to add new items and update existing items, or uncheck this option to add new items only without affecting the existing items.

New items are those items that have been added to the spreadsheet but have not yet been imported based on the matching field defined. Changing the data value in the matching field on the spreadsheet for an item that has been previously imported will result in that item being considered a new item, if the matching field value defined does not currently exist for any of the items previously imported.