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.

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.

Line Item Takeoffs

They need to add a calendar on the job info tab that relates to the dates and duration

Pros

I like a couple of things about this estimating software. The top pro is the ease of operation while using this software. I feel it is built more for the industrial contractor that enters items one item at a time. Also, I have always had a very fast response time with customer support. I normally send them an email with my issue and they either respond within an hour or so with what I can try or give me a call and take over my computer to fix the issue.

Cons

I do not like the speed of the program when trying to enter a plans and spec commercial project. I find it to be cumbersome and they do not have the capability to multi screen takeoffs at the same time as their competitor. The breakout screen assignments for the various tabs is somewhat cumbersome as well and needs an easier way to assign those amounts in the breakout screen instead of the tabs for individual items

Trimble Estimating Software Review

Pros

Trimble has been very good with product support as far as software and training. The staff is generally very knowledgeable and has been quick to assist members of our estimating department in trouble shooting and efficient operation techniques when utilizing the system(s).

Cons

Being from Western Canada the Trimble products (and many other estimating software products) lack reliable material pricing support/updates. This issue leaves contractors with very labour intensive manual updating and discount management, not what we are looking for in estimating software. The result is that any time saved in completing take-off is then wasted in pricing updates and material research.

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.

Accubid Enterprise...

Pros

The Customer Service is Excellent but they are very busy and will get back to you in the same day, you can't catch anyone right away.

Cons

- There seems to be little in the database for pre-made electrical Assemblies and Product for what we are paying for.
- System is awkward to work with, seems to be unnecessary steps to items...

- My Mouse keeps disappearing and no one can seem to fix it.

- There are measurements in Junction Boxes and Size Selections that do not pertain to the Product, yet it still shows up as a selection which causes errors, makes no sense.

- There seems to be a lack of continuity or ease of Flow with Accubid Enterprise.

- Run into several Errors where I want an LB Fitting c/w cover and gasket, but I can't seem to get that...I have to create a Spec to allow the Cover and gasket? - Why?

- If you look at the Lighting assemblies in the non-Spec items, some of them do not work and errors show up when Chosen...Don't know why you have it in the system if I have to modify the Non-Spec to a Spec item.

- Just received the LED Lighting update 3 Days ago but I cannot update the assemblies because of losing the present Data on my System and would have to file it into an old file.

- Just wanted a Breakout done, in other Estimating Systems I have used, I choose Breakout Highlight the area I want to have and it will provide a separate item for it...The Breakout that was described to be in my help today seemed to be a lot of Steps and the Tech support lost me in the 1st 3 Minutes and did not explain what seemed like 3 Steps to just get a break-out.

- When I modify a Recap Sheet for a specific Job, it seems to save it for all Jobs in the future, why is there no flexibility with modifying a size or areas to a sheet then having it save specific for that job? Why does it save it for all future Jobs?

- When I create an item in my take-off sheet, why can I not just highlight this and then have it into an assembly? Other Estimating Software Systems do this?

Overall it seems to not be a very great system and I have worked very hard on this system to learn it...It seems that I have to take an extensive training course to learn the ins and outs and the Special things I have to do to make something work. I do not like the fact that I have to create so many personal assemblies for my System because there is such a limited Selection.
Even looking for Low Voltage Switching devices is not easy and that is with using the search engine. There is a lot of Assemblies, but they are basically a lot of repetition of the same items.

I am no Rookie when it comes to Estimating Software but It seem to me that we will have to pay a lot of Money in going to Accubid training sessions to understand the system, that should not be the case. I worked with other Estimating Software for 12yrs and needed to take one basic training course and that was only for upgrades and I learned the system very well.

Issues:
Run Into problem – Picking a Strip Fixture assembly: Sizes(4" X 4100k) for item "Lamp T8 7x CRI TCLP - Fluorescent" not found within the database's Item Sizes table.
“Available Sizes: 24" X 3000K | 24" X 3500K | 24" X 4100K | 36" X 3000K | 36" X 3500K | 36" X 4100K | 48" X 3000K | 48" X 3500K | 48" X 3500K | 48" X 5000K | 4100K X 5000K | 48" X 6500K |
Resolution Details:
Striplight Direct Mount w/ T8 7x CRI TCLP Lamps - Starter Toggle Bolt No Connection Lamp T8 7x CRI TCLP – Fluorescent”
Note: There is just sizing shown – Nothing indicating to Change the Colour of the lamp.
So
I decide to choose a Strip Light Assembly Toggle Bolt Row Mount and this appears:
“Formula "[Wire Size]" within assembly "Striplight Direct Mount w/ T8 7x CRI TCLP Lamps - Row Toggle Bolt" is invalid.” – It did not even ask for a wire size in the Entry.
The Same Applies to all Fixture Choices only the Industrial Indirect Mount works and can only Choose Starter not Row on that selection of assemblies.

Why there are only single face Exits on the Assemblies and why is there not an assembly for a T-Bar Installation?

- Why is there in Floor Boxes selection for Flush Floor Outlets and Recessed Floor Outlets – Is this not the same?
Accubid’s will confirm with the developers and trainers if this is the correct behavior in LiveCount and will get back to me.
Accubid just confirmed with another LiveCount Support rep that continuing a measurement on another page does not merge the counts for AutoCount items.
As Trimble suspected, the AutoCounts for the search pattern “Tel/Data-Drop Drop (Eng, Psyc, and Informative)” was created as separate searches.


- No assembly for a 4 Gang with Dimmer combinations to Empty Assembly for Boxes for 2, 3 & 4 Gang Devices…Had to create my Own to get a basic assembly

- Lost my Link to LiveCount as an Error appeared on my Profile, this is not a User issue.

- I also am having an issue where now when I enter an Item into my take-off is does not appear, when I choose another item then the previous items appears on the take-off screen and this is a step behind for all items I am attempting to Enter.


- Attempted to Choose a 4” Emt Connector, in the Global Items list, the Selection shows up as an error…(See attached e-mail notes below) Why would the Customer “the Customer “me”” have to Manually add an item to an Assembly that was already created by the Designer???

Called about another Issue June 27, 2016 on the Final Pricing Item, the Total Pricing Recap – total Pricing Changes when I modify the Material Overhead Mark-up, but it does not change when I modify the Labour Overhead…

June 27th, just fixed my LiveCount issues this morning with Logging on but now I have lost access again at 1:32PM… to see if there is anything he can do. Managed to get it working again and we discovered that when I chose the View to go onto Ribbon, the System would not work.

June 27th…Called again regarding the Close out and Final pricing when we pinned the Total Overhead Line item 25 at 10% we could change the Material Overhead, but not the Labour Overhead. When I removed the pin, it worked on both…Adam from Accubid is going to look into this as he said it is not supposed to do this and he figures it is some type of bug.

Easy to learn, easy to use, but lacks features.

This program works well enough out of the box. If you are looking for a solid estimating system this is a good one.

Pros

Trimble Accubid Pro Classic is easy to learn, easy to understand, and very easy to use. The program is good for breaking out your estimate, escalating labor, factoring labor, repricing material and sorting data. The program has a logical step-by-step feel.

Cons

Trimble Accubid Pro Classic is an old estimating system and lacks features. The assemblies are not very dynamic and can't be easily modified. Trimble Accubid has another estimating system called Enterprise that has much more power, but the learning curve on that is steep!

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!

Electrical estimating company we have been using AccuBid and Enterprise since 2006.

Pros

We have four offices across the southeast.
able to maintain one database while allowing each office to have their own assemblies and pads.
We have estimated projects with 157 breakdowns with no problem using AccuBid Enterprise.
Being able to do Unit prices with ease.

Cons

The reporting is to complicated to get a hard report if you need one.
when doing project breakdowns do not have a way to see percentages material and labor the way we use to be able to see it in AccuBid.