BidMagic Bottom Line

Problem

Bottom line is off, too high, too low, not the same as what they've calculated from unit prices or Specs, computed price wrong. Especially in trim, windows, doors, electrical, plumbing cards of BidMagic Construction Estimating Software.

Diagnosis

1. choose Basic Costs from Navigate menu. Check the fudge factors. Also ask if they're doing Rough Estimate. If so, check quality and locality factor. If any factors are much off from 0%, that's the problem.
2. if the above doesn't fix problem, choose Bottom Line from Navigate menu. Are they hiding soft costs?

Solution

1. Explain that the fudges, quality and locality are multipliers-- the bottom line has them applied to it, so it won't match. The quality is 'weighted' so it really affects plumbing and electric finish, trim, windows, doors, etc.
2. If so, stop hiding soft costs.
3. If neither of the above work they are probably confused by unit quantity versus cost. Or possibly have a weird # in an 'other' item.

Comments

4. To isolate 'wrong number' problems, look at the Bottom Line. Is just one section off from what they think it should be? If so, go to that section in Specifications. Have they made any new unit prices? If so, either check the logic of the new unit prices, or remove them from the bid and see if that corrects the problem. If not, check the quantities on existing unit prices. If everything SEEMS logical and if no clues appear, remove each unit price one by one and then check how that affects the bottom line. Often while bumbling thru this process the user will say something that explains why the # is off.
• If prices are off in all or many categories, it's nearly always a Fixed Cost problem-- go back to double-check. Or it may just be that BM is right!
• If still baffled, they can send the file to us on disk and we can check it.

Entered 9/13/95 by Dennis. Updated 10/18/2010.

NOTE-- We retired BidMagic estimating software in 2002. It has been replaced by Goldenseal, which is integrated estimating software and project management software (plus optional accounting software).