Switching from BidMagic

This page explains how to switch to using Goldenseal for your construction estimates, when you already have experience with the BidMagic construction estimating software.

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If you have been using BidMagic, here are the differences you can expect:

File Management

Goldenseal saves each estimate as a record in your company file, rather than as a separate file. To view estimates, open the company file and choose Estimates from the Income menu. Use the browser "book" at upper left to move through estimate records. If you have many estimates, use the Find command to locate specific estimates.

Basic Costs

Goldenseal does not use fudge factors, locality adjustments or quality adjustments. You can enter an overall adjustment into the Adjustment Percent field.

To enter labor costs, choose Cost Items from the Costs menu and look for the labor costs.

Overhead and Profit

To add overhead and profit, enter line items in an estimate. You can also use markup to the Cost Items and Assemblies that you include in the estimate.

Soft Costs

To add soft costs, enter line items in an estimate.

Dimensions

Goldenseal arranges construction measurements onto seven 'cards' that are very similar to the dimensions in BidMagic. To enter dimensions for an estimate, choose Estimates from the Income menu, find the estimate, and then choose Estimate Dimensions from the Options menu. Click here for specific information about Goldenseal dimensions for construction.

Specifications

To enter specifications for an estimate after you've entered dimensions, click on the Form Type button at lower left and choose Long Form. Make sure you have a Category or Item breakdown, and then enter hard costs into the breakdown table.

HINT-- If you start with a template, your estimate will start out with typical construction items.

Bottom Line

Goldenseal displays the total estimate price in the main Estimate window.

Click the Cost Summary button to see a breakdown by labor/materials/subs, and a cost per square foot.

To see a detailed breakdown, choose Estimates from the Reports menu, and choose Itemized Estimate from the submenu (or use one of the other reports). You can also use the Print Forms command to print out a detailed "business form" estimate that you can give to customers.

Unit Prices

To change or add unit prices, choose Assemblies from the Costs menu.

Material Manager

To change material costs, choose Cost Items from the Costs menu. To see the components in each unit cost, choose Assemblies from the Costs menu.

Updating Unit Prices

Goldenseal automatically updates material prices when you enter Material Purchases. To update prices in an existing estimate, click the Update Prices button.

Templates

To turn an estimate into a template, choose Template this Item from the Options menu.

Customizing

BidMagic uses fixed layouts that can't be changed. In Goldenseal, you can customize the dimension layouts (choose Custom Layouts from the Options menu, and choose Estimate DImensions from the submenu). You can also change the way dimensions calculate (choose Calculations from the Options menu, and choose Calculated Dimensions from the submenu).

Room Dimensions

In BidMagic, you enter overall project dimensions or room dimensions, but not both. Goldenseal lets you enter both.

HINT-- If you type in regular dimensions AND room dimensions, Goldenseal will add them together. That approach can be very useful for the combination of a new addition and work in existing rooms.

Starting Specifications

Goldenseal does not start out with a standard construction project. To set it to your style of construction, follow these steps:

When you first start your company file, base it on the Construction Starter File.
Create an Estimate with your normal type of project in it.
Choose Template this Item from the Options menu, and make a template.

To start a bid from the template, follow these steps:

Choose Estimates from the Income menu.
Click the New button, or choose New Record from the Edit menu.
Click on the template button (to the right of the New button) and choose a template.
Enter dimensions for the project.
Click on the Form Type button at the lower left corner, and choose Long Form.
Click the Update Quantities button.
Look through the breakdown items and change any items that are not correct. You can also remove items (set the quantity to zero) add new items (click in the bottom row, and hit the Return key), or change the order of existing items (hold down the Command or Control key and drag a row up or down).