Great Program for any size contractor!

After six months of exploring the estimating software products available on the market, my company chose Trimble's Accubid. This product outshines the competition in many ways. The main ways are the fully customizable database, integrated supplier pricing module, multi user capabilities and the live update feature that transfers from takeoff to extension to labor makeup and topsheet tabs. The reporting module is great in that it looks very professional and allows the user to analyze data taken from the entire project. The integrated supplier pricing module is invaluable for larger companies in that its an extreme time saver and gives the user certainty on their materials or commodity pricing. If your company uses external bidding tools as well, the Accubid data can also be exported to predefined templates easily. I would definitely recommend Accubid to another contractor or colleague. We are very happy with our purchase!

Pros

Fully customizable database, Supplier pricing modules, live takeoff, multi user interface.

Cons

The standard "out of the box" reporting styles could be a little less cumbersome. they have columns that you wouldn't normally use and the columns would extend onto more than one page. We customized our report style and it works fine. It could have been more intuitive but in the end the product is great!

I am a DB Manager and very experienced formula writer. Ken Brooks and I share techniques regularly.

The time frame to train new employees in Accubid Enterprise is drastically reduced from the previous Accubid Classic. True Multi-User mode within an estimate is a great advantage too, I can problem solve remotely, without a streaming interface. The instant availability of price updates and assembly changes is also a huge help. There's no more after-hours updates, only to have one person not log out and waste my efforts.

Pros

My favorite part about Accubid Enterprise is the extreme customization. I can tailor the user experience to the specific needs of my colleagues. The flexible way that assemblies can be built allows me to future-proof my work so that one seemingly minor request doesn't balloon into two 40hr weeks of copy/paste/rename.

Cons

Despite the flexibility in customizing the user experience, there are quite a few instances where a feature seems like it wasn't properly beta-tested. For example, there is no such thing as a template estimate. There are estimates we call "Template", however there is no functional difference between and Estimate and a Template Estimate. I have to leave my "Template" vulnerable to someone changing something in it, in order for it to be copied from. Another example is; Specifications reside in jobs and cannot "Retain Database Version". If I make a change to an assembly that requires a corresponding Specification change, I have to do a whole host of things to prevent existing jobs from breaking. This creates instability for your clients, particularly newer clients with limited overall database experience.

Accubid the best estimating software in the market

Pros

The biggest pro of using Accubid is the ability to make modifications to an existing bid after it has been completed, like owner revisions or addendums adding or deleting materials, relocating equipment and easily moving all the associated branch circuits or feeders. Another great advantage about using Accubid is the familiar layout of the system which is really similar to a regular excel spreed sheet with several steps that resemble regular tabs.

Cons

Accubid can be a little difficult at first, it requires the user to watch the available training videos and any other available training material before a complete estimate can be completed, and the quality of the current videos is not the best, particularly the sound of the videos is muffled and low quality. High cost for one on one training.

Very thorough Product

Overall this Product far exceeds comparable in market products.

Pros

Thoroughness of the Product layed out sequentially to ensure complete coverage of scope.

Cons

I found that the Initial learning curve was steep.

Field Electrician for 15 years. Estimator for 10 years. Expeditor for 2 years.

Ability to quick change conduit & cable sizes, quantities & types.

Pros

Substituting material, changing conduit & cable sizes & types. This software has great potential, but in my opinion is still a work in progress.

Cons

Resolving issues. For someone who doesn't use the software everyday, it can be a challenge. I sit down with our superintendents, who have gone through the class, and reteach them how to put together an estimate. Glad to do it, but that was not the case with Accubid Pro. But my biggest complaint about Enterprise is not being able to see Material & Labor $ after each line of take-off without having to calculate labor & material values. There has to be away this can be automatically calculated without bogging the system down. It worked in Accubid Pro. Most of my projects are not "cookie cutters". I need to know those values immediately after take-off. Highlighting and clicking on "calculate labor & material values" after every take-off is a pain. Something else that could be made easier is setting up projects in "Change Management". Way too many steps. I have done it several time over the past two years and still need to refer to the tutorial one of our administrators put together. Glad he did. Like I stated in the Pros, this software has great potential, but in my opinion is still a work in progress.