HBXL estimating software facilitates job pricing

Stephen Woodhams brick layer and software support advisor, explores HBXL's Estimatorxpress estimating software.

Stephen switched careers four years ago from an IT consultant to a qualified brick layer, and uses his IT expertise to provide IT support for builders across the Midlands.

Stephen explains that installation of Estimatorxpress is quick and easy, with clear instructions to guide users through the process.

The software arrived in a box along with a book to get you started.

The manual is broken down into small bite size exercises that guide you through set up step-by-step, screen-by-screen.

The product registration and macro security tweaks were straightforward for Stephen and he soon downloaded the latest price book.

Each section of the manual is broken down into manageable exercises with an estimated time to complete each exercise.

There is help available within the package that is well presented, clear and easy to navigate.

Inside the application, the help format mirrors that of Microsoft applications.

It takes a couple of minutes to define the job specification, profit margins and type in the address and then you can start estimating the job you've defined using the job set up wizards.

The wizards in Estimatorxpress enable the user to enter data into the engine of the application while providing graphical representations of what is being estimated.

The wizards break the estimating process into logical steps that provide clear, quality images that are backed up with tips and useful information.

The software will also provide reports and charts which can be printed and exported into other applications.

When Stephen imported diagrams from the wizards into Word the transition was seamless and he found manipulating the diagrams undemanding.

The quote that Estimatorxpress produces allows you to turn images on or off and gives you the option to provide a basic or detailed quote without the need for any typing.

Drop in your company logo and click print.

Estimatorxpress is an application in its own right, rather than just a Microsoft Excel add-on.

The package is backed up with a manual with instructions and exercises to reference real estimates.

As a bricklayer that has only worked on new builds, Stephen says that he would be far more confident in costing a private job with the aid of this software.

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