Automatic Section Breakout

Aaron Rowarth

Updated December 04, 2023 20:40

Overview

The Automatic Section Breakout feature automatically creates project sections and groups products into them, by using the Phase and/or Building Area of the openings.

This can be especially useful for:

Breaking out separate pricing sections when estimating a project.
Breaking project pricing down for a Schedule of Values.

How it works

The system assigns products to a project section according to the default section configured for the product category. When a project has Automatic Section Breakout enabled, the system will automatically generate project sections based on the format selected in the project setup window (Fig. 1). When pricing is run, the system will automatically assign products to these sections based on the Opening's Phase and/or Building Area.

Section Format	Description
Section Only	Resets the project sections to the product category defaults, and Disables the Automatic Section Breakout function.
Section - Building Area	Uses the product category's section followed by the opening's building area.
Building Area - Section	Uses the opening's building area followed by the product category's section.
Section - Phase	Uses the product category's section followed by the opening's phase.
Phase - Section	Uses the opening's phase followed by the product category's section.
Section - Building Area - Phase	Uses the product category's section followed by the opening's building area and phase.
Section - Phase - Building Area	Uses the product category's section followed by the opening's phase and building area.
Building Area - Phase - Section	Uses the opening's building area followed by the opening's phase and the product category's section.
Building Area - Section - Phase	Uses the opening's building area followed by the product category's section and the opening's phase.
Phase - Building Area - Section	Uses the opening's phase followed by the opening's building area and the product category's section.
Phase - Section - Building Area	Uses the opening's phase followed by the product category's section and the opening's building area.

Note: Openings are not required to have a building area or phase when using a format that includes this field. If the field is blank the system will use the product category's section only for that opening.

Estimating Projects

The Automatic Section Breakout format can be changed freely on Estimating projects until the Estimate is sold.

Tip: Using the Section - Phase format and entering Separate # or Alternate # into the opening phase, you can break out specific openings for bids that require Separate or Alternate pricing.

Detailing Projects

The Automatic Section Breakout format can be changed freely on Detailing projects until sourcing has started. Once sourcing of a project has started the Automatic Section Breakout setting is locked. Additionally, the Building Area and Phase of openings with sourced products are also locked.

To change the Building Area or Phase of an opening with sourced products, you will need to use a change order. However, existing products on the opening will not be assigned to new sections.

Making changes after a Project is sold

When changing the Automatic Section Breakout format it is important that you review and adjust the Markups and Contract Value for the project. When a Section's Contract value is sold, or locked, and the Automatic Section Breakout format is changed, the contract value will remain assigned to the sold section even when there is no product left in the section.