Creating a component

Walk through it once and you have the pattern for every component you will ever add. Most components take under a minute to set up.

Where to find it

Components > Add component.

The fields

Component name. This is how you search or find the component, and also what shows on your quote. You can edit it at any time.

Component type. Main or Extra. Main is a core job component (most things you quote). Extra is a one-off item or anything you want separated for the customer quote or your records. See Components vs Extras.

Measurement method. How your component is normally measured:

• Lineal - for cable runs, conduit, trunking, and anything measured by length.
• Multiple Cable Runs (multi-lineal) - measures several runs separately and sums them. Use this when you want individual run lengths recorded but priced as a combined total.
• Curved Cable Run (curved line) - for arcs and curved conduit paths measured on the plan.
• Area (m2) - for components priced by floor or ceiling area, such as lighting layout or underfloor heating.
• Count - for outlets, switches, light fittings, circuit breakers, data points, smoke detectors, and any item priced per unit.
• Fixed - for a single flat price regardless of quantity (call-out fees, permit costs, etc.).
• Hours / Days - for labor charged by the hour or day.

Material pricing. How the material cost is calculated. The default is per unit. For cables and conduit that come on drums or in fixed lengths, use a pack strategy instead:

• Per pack - by length. The most useful for electrical - enter the drum or reel price and the length per drum (e.g. a 100m cable drum at $120). The app calculates how many drums your measured run requires.
• Per pack - by area. For sheet or roll materials priced by area.
• Per pack - by coverage. For materials applied at a rate.
• Per pack - by volume. For bulk materials priced by volume.

Pack pricing rounds up to whole packs. Waste is applied before the pack count is calculated.

Labor price. The labor rate per lineal metre, per unit, per hour, or per item.

Waste type. For cable runs, Fixed waste is most useful - it adds a set length per run to account for terminations, slack, and routing allowances (e.g. 500mm extra per cable run). Percentage waste works if you prefer a blanket allowance across all runs.

Pitch multiplier. For cable runs through roof spaces on a slope, enable rafter pitch. The app will scale the plan measurement up to the actual run length along the slope. Valley and hip pitch types do not apply to electrical work.

Material orders. Tick if this component can be added to material orders. See Creating material orders.

Walked example: general cable run

1. Name: General wiring - 2.5mm twin & earth.
2. Type: Main.
3. Measurement: Lineal.
4. Material pricing: Per pack - by length. Pack price: $120. Pack size: 100m.
5. Labor price: $8 per lineal metre.
6. Waste: Fixed, 500mm per run.
7. Pitch multiplier: Off (or Rafter pitch if running through a pitched roof space).
8. Material orders: On.

Walked example: double power outlet

1. Name: Double power outlet.
2. Type: Main.
3. Measurement: Count.
4. Material pricing: Per unit - $18 per outlet.
5. Labor price: $35 per outlet.
6. Waste: Off.
7. Pitch multiplier: Off.
8. Material orders: On.

Walked example: call-out fee (Extra)

1. Name: Call-out / travel fee.
2. Type: Extra.
3. Measurement: Fixed.
4. Material pricing: Per unit - flat amount.
5. Labor price: 0.
6. Waste: Off.
7. Pitch multiplier: Off.
8. Material orders: Off.

After you save

The component is in the dropdown when you add components in Manual Quote or digital takeoff. You can edit or delete it any time; editing does not change quotes you have already built.

Related

• Components vs Extras
• Waste and pitch
• Plan vs Actual