Cost Categories

NOTE-- We retired the MacNail estimating program in 2000, and replaced it with Goldenseal construction estimating software. There are still a significant number of die-hard MacNail users, so we keep the manuals online for them! Goldenseal is an integrated program that also includes accounting, scheduling and contract writing. It uses a system of cost categories for estimating and job costing, that is very similar to the one in MacNail.

Category Names in a Price Master

The 'stock' MacNail Price Master has MacNail as a category name, since it already uses the MacNail categories in its line items.

When you make a new Price Master from another Price Master, the new file has the same category name as its 'parent'. If you make a new Price Master 'from scratch', the new file has no category name, unless you assign one with the Cost Categories command.

Category Names in a Category Sheet

The MacNail construction management software is shipped with four Category Sheets which duplicate the category systems used in the 'stock' MacNail estimators. Their category names are either MacNail or CSI.

When you make a new Category Sheet from another Category Sheet, the new file has the same category name as its 'parent'. If you make a new Category Sheet 'from scratch', the new file has no category name, unless you assign one with the Cost Categories command.

Category Names in a Cost Control Sheet

Job Cost Control worksheets created by MacNail Accounting version 3.4 or later will have the same category name as the estimate used to create them. This insures that the Feedback Job Costs command will put things in the proper places.

Cost Control sheets created by earlier versions of MacNail Accounting have no category name defined, so you must be careful that their category system matches that of the Price Master which they're updating.