Step 1: Initialize the Project
On your homepage, click Create Estimate in the top left.
Enter the Site Address in the Project Info section.
Note: A site address is strictly required; you cannot generate an estimate without it.
Pro Tip: If you are uploading plans that already contain the address, the AI will automatically extract and fill this for you.
Step 2: Define the Scope of Work
The AI needs a detailed scope of work to know what to focus on when creating your financial data. You have three ways to populate this:
Option A: Using Templates: If you don’t have plans, click Select Sample Description to choose from common projects like "Kitchen Remodel" or "Roof Replacement".
Option B: Speech-to-Text: Click the Microphone button in the bottom right to speak your project details directly into your device for transcription.
Option C: AI Plan Analysis: Click Add Files to upload your plans, images, or spec books.
Limit: You can upload up to 10 PDFs (max 50MB each) and 20 photos (max 10MB each).
Warning: If uploading plans, do not select a sample template, as it may cause the AI to mix template data with your actual project files.
Step 3: Refine AI Instructions
Before generating, use the Scope of Work Instructions (Optional) field to tell the AI how to organize the estimate.
Specify Focus: You can tell the AI to only focus on a specific trade (e.g., "Only include work for painting and wall coverings for the first floor").
Verify Visibility: If information is missing from your generated scope later, ensure that detail is clearly visible in the files you uploaded.
Step 4: Review and Save the Scope
Once the system analyzes your plans (this takes a few minutes), it will generate a scope with summaries and quantities.
This text is completely editable—simply click in the text box to add, change, or remove info.
Create a Personal Template: If you like this scope, click Save in the top right to name it and save it as a custom template for future use.
Step 5: Generate and Edit the Estimate
Click the Blue Arrow in the bottom right to move from the "Scope" stage to the "Estimate" stage. The AI will now pull pricing from your saved catalog and local zip code data to build the line items.
Three Ways to Edit Costs:
AI Assistant: Use the chat box on the left to request changes like "remove all landscaping" or to ask for the rationale behind labor calculations.
Manual Line Item Edits: Click on a specific line item to adjust the quantity, unit cost, markup, or cost code.
Pro Tip: If you change the total cost of a Category, the AI will proportionally update every line item underneath it.
Batch Edit Mode: Click the Paper and Pencil icon in the top right for a spreadsheet-style view to adjust multiple line items quickly.
Step 6: Finalize
Click Save to finalize the estimate or Preview & Send to share it with your client.
Troubleshooting
The AI Assistant is struggling with a big change: The AI Assistant is best for specific, small-to-medium edits. For massive structural changes, it is better to go back to the Scope of Work stage and regenerate.
I don't like the AI's latest edit: Click on the version in your chat history and select Revert to go back to a previous state of the estimate.
Missing Information in AI Scope: If the AI fails to include specific details from your plans, verify that the text is clearly legible in the uploaded file. You can also use the Scope of Work Instructions field to point the AI toward specific pages or sections.
Cannot Click Generate: Ensure the Site Address field is populated. The system will block generation if this required field is empty.
AI Assistant Not Responding Correctly: The AI Assistant is best for smaller adjustments like deleting items or updating measurements. For large-scale structural changes to the project, it is more effective to go back to the Scope of Work stage and regenerate.
### FAQs
How long does plan analysis take? It typically takes a few minutes for the system to process files and generate the initial scope.
Is the generated scope the final price? No, the scope is just the description of work and quantities. The actual estimate with pricing is generated in the final stage.
Can I adjust my markup? Yes, you can adjust markup and pricing quality by clicking on Estimate Preferences.
Can I revert changes made by the AI Assistant? Yes. In the chat history, you can click on a specific version and select Revert to restore the estimate to that previous state.
How does changing a category cost affect line items? If you edit the total cost of a category, the system will proportionally adjust the cost of every line item within that category to match the new total.
Do I need to select a template if I am uploading plans? No. It is recommended that you do not select a sample template if you are uploading plans, as this can cause the AI to mix template data with the specific data from your files.
Reorder Categories: In batch edit mode, Click the pencil icon next to Categories. Change the Category Codes to reorder the list (the system uses alphanumeric ordering).