Material Take Offs

NOTE-- We retired MacNail in 2000 or 2001, when we introduced the first version of Goldenseal construction business software. Like MacNail, Goldenseal is built for home builders, remodelers and other project-based businesses. Goldenseal is "run your whole business" software that creates simple construction schedules, and also covers your accounting, construction estimating, and project management needs. The Bill of Materials reports in Goldenseal will give you a material takeoff list, similar to the takeoff worksheets in MacNail.

Material Takeoff

The *Material Takeoff command will make a material takeoff list from the active schedule in the MacNail construction scheduling software. It "looks up" materials from the Takeoff Master, based on the item code for each line in the schedule.

To make a Material Takeoff:

1. Select the row or rows on the schedule from which to make the takeoff list. For example, to get a list of all framing items, drag the mouse through all the rows in the schedule that relate to framing work in the MacNail project management software.
2. Choose *Material Takeoff from the Data menu. You will be asked to choose a range.
3. Click on Entire Schedule if you want to get a material list for everything in the project-- it doesn't matter which rows are selected. Click on Let Me Select a Range if the current selection is not correct, but you only want to make a takeoff for part of the project. Click on Current Selection if the rows already selected (darkened) are the ones you want.
4. The material takeoff list will be put in a separate file in the Material Takeoffs folder. A takeoff made from the Matthews Schedule will be saved as Matthews Materials -- or Matthews Materials 10/1/90 if you are using dates in report file names (see page 96).
5. Notice that the rows used to make the takeoff now have their first column in italic. This will help you to avoid accidental double-ordering of materials via the MacNail project management software.

To list different materials for any construction item, or to add new construction items, change the Takeoff Master (see page 127). The management of this file is handled better by MacNail Customizing.

For instructions in the use of the takeoff list, see page 52.

MacNail Commands Page 91
Keyboard shortcut: option-command-T.

Running time: 1-2 seconds per selected row.