With the launch of the integration, users now have the ability to create automation between The VECTOR™ Estimator and FOUNDATION.

As you build your estimate, every line item is assigned a cost code and cost class so there is no need for accounting to manually add jobs and budget data.

Once the estimate is complete, the project budget and contract amount appear, and accounting can drill down to any item!

Contacting Support

VECTOR
(844) 334 3378
[email protected]
https://www.vectortakeoff.com/support/

FOUNDATION
(800) 811 5926
[email protected]
https://www.foundationsoft.com/clients/ 

Connecting and Syncing VECTOR and FOUNDATION

To proceed with the integration, FOUNDATION credentials must be verified, and the database values must be synced over to VECTOR.

Requesting API Access from FOUNDATION

To connect a FOUNDATION account to VECTOR, it is required for all users to submit a request for API access as well as a unique username and password. This login is different from the username and password used to login to FOUNDATION.

  1. Go to the FOUNDATION client portal website: https://clients.foundationsoft.com
  2. Login with your FOUNDATION client portal credentials.
  3. Click the Log A Support Call option on the right side of the header.
  4. Fill out all required fields.
  5. Under the Select type dropdown menu, select “Integrations”.
  6. Under the Select Category dropdown menu, select “API Access”.
  7. Click [Submit].
  8. The ticket is routed to our technical team, who will reach out with the required credentials for API access.

 

 

Connecting VECTOR with FOUNDATION

  1. Log in to the administrator portal at https://admin.edgeestimator.com
  2. In the upper right corner, expand the menu by clicking the down arrow. Click on FOUNDATION Software.
     
  3. The FOUNDATION Software Landing Page screen opens. If your FOUNDATION account is not currently connected, a notification appears at the top of the window.
  4. Click on the hyperlinked “here” in the notification.
     
  5. The FOUNDATION API Grant Access window opens. Enter your FOUNDATION API credentials and click [Sign In]. If you successfully sign in, the window automatically closes.
    Note: Your FOUNDATION connection is valid for 24 hours.
     

Syncing Phases, Cost Codes, and Cost Classes

The VECTOR FOUNDATION integration allows you to easily import cost codes and cost classes from FOUNDATION into VECTOR. If you utilize phases, you can also bring them over to The EDGE Estimator.

You cannot manually add, modify, or delete phases, cost codes, and cost classes synced from FOUNDATION . The only way to add, modify, or delete a phase, cost code, or cost class is to do so in FOUNDATION, then sync to The EDGE Estimator.

The FOUNDATION Software Landing Page only contains phases, cost codes, and cost classes imported from FOUNDATION.

  1. To sync either phases, cost codes, or cost classes, click the [Sync] buttons in their respective tiles. To sync all of them, click the [Sync All] button in the upper right.
     
  2. The window populates with all phases, cost codes, and/or cost classes currently active in FOUNDATION.
    Note: If you delete an item in FOUNDATION that was previously synced to VECTOR, it still appears in the FOUNDATION Software Landing Page. However, it appears marked as “inactive.”
     

Working Inside VECTOR

Now that the account is connected and phases, cost codes and cost classes are synced, we can start incorporating them into our database and estimate.

Incorporating your Imported Data into VECTOR Database

By adding cost codes and cost classes to items in the database, those items appear with a default cost code and cost class whenever used in future estimates.

Adding cost codes and cost classes at the database level – for individual items

  1. Open the item manager. To the right of the item you want to add a cost code/cost class for, click the Edit icon.
     
  2. The Edit Item window opens. Scroll to the Properties section. You will see a field for cost code and a field for cost class.
  3. After selecting a cost code and/or cost class, click [Confirm].
     

Adding cost codes and cost classes at the database level – for multiple items

  1. Open the item manager. Enable the checkboxes to the left of the items you want to assign cost codes and/or cost classes for.
  2. Click the Edit Items icon.
     

    Click either [Assign Cost Class] or [Assign Cost Code].
  3. A screen opens containing a dropdown. Enter the cost code or cost class you want to assign.
     
  4. Click [Confirm].

Adding cost codes and cost classes in the assembly manager

  1. Open the assembly manager. Click on an assembly to open its line items in the Assembly Line Items window on the right.
  2. To add an existing item to which you have assigned a cost code and cost class, click [+ Add Existing].
  3. To add a new item, click [+ Add New]. You can then add a cost code or cost class in the Edit Item window that appears.
  4. To edit an existing item and add a cost code or cost class to it, click on the item. Then, add a cost code or cost class in the Edit Item window that appears.
     
  5. You can also copy an item by enabling its checkbox, then clicking the Copy icon at the top. You can then add a cost code or cost class in the Edit Item window.
     

Incorporating your Imported Data into VECTOR Estimates

Learn how to add phases, cost codes, and cost classes at the VECTOR job level. Job level changes are valid for the current job only.

Assigning a phase to a section

If you utilized phases in Foundation, this section applies to you. Note that assigning phases is not required.
If your company does not use phases, skip the instructions below. All budget data will appear in Foundation with the default phase “1.”

  1. Open your bid. In the Build screen, click on a section.
  2. Click the Edit icon.
     
  3. The Edit Section window opens. In the Phases dropdown, you will see all the phases you imported in your most recent sync. Select the phase you want to assign to this section.
     
  4. Click [Save].

Adding cost codes and cost classes in the build screen

  1. Open your bid. In the Build screen, click on a scenario assembly to select it.
  2. Click the Edit icon.
     
  3. The Edit Scenario Assembly window opens.
  4. In the Assembly Line Items section, either click [+ Add New] to create a new assembly or click [+ Add Existing] to select an existing assembly.
  5. Click the Copy icon.

  6. The Copy Item screen opens. In the Properties section at the bottom, select a cost code and cost class.
  7. Click [Confirm].
     

Adding cost codes and cost classes to estimates – individual

  1. To visualize a list of cost codes and/or cost classes for your job items, click the Columns icon to enable the appropriate checkboxes.
  2. Open your estimate. Click on an item’s description to open its Quick Edit screen.
  3. You will see fields for the cost code and cost class near the bottom.
  4. After selecting a cost code and/or cost class, click [Apply].
     

     

Adding cost codes and cost classes to estimates – multiple

You can follow similar steps here as when you added cost codes and cost classes at the database level in the item manager.

  1. Open your estimate. Enable the checkboxes to the left of the items you want to assign cost codes and/or cost classes for.
  2. Click the Edit Items icon.
  3. Click either [Assign Cost Class] or [Assign Cost Code].
     
  4. A screen opens containing a dropdown. Enter the cost code or cost class you want to assign.
  5. Click [Confirm].

Assigning cost classes to markups

Only cost type markups can be assigned a cost class. Cost type markups are any markups added within the Material, Labor, Subcontract, Equipment, or other screens.

  1. Open your estimate. Click on its Cost Type.
  2. The Markup Record window opens. Click [+ Add Item] to add a markup.
  3. In the Cost Class column, select your cost class. The dropdown should contain all the cost classes you imported from Foundation.
  4. Click [Confirm].
     

Exporting your Estimates to Foundation

Learn how to export a job from VECTOR to Foundation from the administration portal, allowing non-estimating personnel to export jobs easily.

Exporting an Estimate to Foundation

  1. Open your estimate. In the side bar, click Overview.
  2. Click the [Foundation Export] button.
    Note: if your Foundation account is not currently connected, clicking this button prompts the Foundation sign-in window to appear.
  3. The Foundation Export screen opens. Click [Existing Job] if you want to send a budget update to an existing Foundation job. Click [New Job] if you would like to create a new job in Foundation with your exported budget.
    • If you selected [Existing Job], select your VECTOR scenario from the Selected Scenario dropdown and your Foundation job from the Job to Export dropdown.
       
    • If you selected [New Job], select your VECTOR scenario from the Selected Scenario dropdown and enter your new Foundation job’s title.
      Note: When Foundation receives the job, a job number is automatically created using Foundation’s job number increment functionality.
       
  4. Click [Export].

Working with Your Exported Estimates in Foundation

After exporting a job from the administration portal, accounting personnel can verify the job and its budget for validity.

Enabling Validate Third-Party Jobs

Before you can import any third-party job, you need to validate them in Foundation. Follow the steps below to enable this feature within Foundation.

  1. From the main menu, navigate to Tools > System > Security
  2. Expand Companies > Company Name.
  3. Click the “Users” tab
  4. Scroll to find the Validate 3rd Party Jobs column.
  5. Check box to enable functionality for the desired users.
  6. Hit [Close]
     

     

Validating Third-Party Jobs

See how to utilize the Validate 3rd Party Jobs functionality below and finalize a new job import from VECTOR.

  1. Navigate to the Jobs “General” tab from the main menu (Job Costing > Maintenance > Jobs).
  2. Click on the [Validate 3rd Party Jobs] button.
  3. The New Job Validation screen opens. Enable the checkbox next to the VECTOR job you exported.
  4. Click [Validate].
  5. The job will not be fully validated until you click [OK] in the Jobs screen. Before clicking [OK], however, you might want to verify all the budget information you imported in from VECTOR. The next section goes through key fields to check for in the Jobs screen.

Verifying the Information Imported from VECTOR

This integration’s purpose is for adding new jobs into Foundation and should not be used for change orders. Foundation has change order functionality, but it is not integrated with VECTOR at this time.

Exporting to existing jobs is possible, but potentially dangerous and should only be done in certain situations. Please reach out to a support representative before doing so. Best practice is to always export a new job, even if only slight adjustments are needed to a previous export. You can always clean up old jobs from your Foundation database.

  1. In the Jobs “General” tab (Job Costing > Maintenance > Jobs), you will see a few things:
    • The Description matches what you entered in VECTOR.
    • The Job Type is marked as a “Budget.”
    • The Original Estimated Cost is the net cost, plus markups, from VECTOR.
    • The Original Contract is the total contract amount, plus any overhead or profit markups, from VECTOR.
       
  2. In the Jobs “Budgets” tab, you see a few things:
    • Clicking the magnifying glass next to the Phase fields opens a window with all phases in the budget. If no phases were used in The EDGE Estimator, the default phase appears here.
    • Clicking the magnifying glass next to the Cost Code fields opens a window with
       
  3. In the right-hand side of the Jobs screen, all cost classes are grouped by their respective cost codes.
    • Any markup given its own cost class different from other job items displays as such.
    • For any markups that were assigned a cost class matching that of other items, VECTOR checks what items the markup applies to. That markup’s dollar amount is displayed under the same cost class as the other items.
       
  4. Click [OK] to validate the job and the budget.
     
  5. A window appears confirming the validation.

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn about duplicate detection functionality in VECTOR tools

Duplicate Detection

Duplicate Detection functionality is automatically implemented in The Edge when using VECTOR tools.

To best understand duplicate detection, for this example let’s say we were going to perform a mass assignment

Select the partition project condition

  • Set the Scope to Section
  • Under Families, we select one of the wall types
  • Click Assign

When we select Yes to apply to the entire Section, we receive message stating that there were no shapes assigned because some that you selected were previously assigned to a different page

This is the Duplicate Detection module telling you that even though it detected walls of this type on other pages, in 9 instances it decided not to assign those quantities.

Click OK or the X to close the box

Disable Duplicate Detection Warnings – Option 1

To no longer see the duplicate detection warning window, click the box next to Don’t Show Again, then click OK

You can also disable the sound that comes with that pop up window by clicking the Sounds button at the bottom of the screen

Disable Duplicate Detection Warnings – Option 2

Click the View tab at the top left of the screen, then choose Options

Takeoff Options Screen

Click the tab Information Sticky Note

If the checkbox is selected beside Show assigned/skipped # of shapes in STO assignment, you will see the warnings. Deselect the box to not show the warnings.

Mass Assignment Not Detected

In this example, we click on the floor plan called Enlarged Floor Plan – Bike Room

Remember we worked with a P0F3 wall type and here’s the Bike Room shown on the Level 1 Floor Plan

When we navigate to the Bike Room, we see based on the room tag and our families that the P0F3 wall also exists here, but no condition was automatically inserted to the page, and no quantities exist.

So, why did the mass assign not detect this wall and map quantities?

Let’s clear our selection, and select an individual one of these walls, and left click on the General tab

Note the field labeled Entity Key 10541686 is the entity key ID number. Every Revit element extracted from a model will have an entity key

The rule for duplicate detection goes as follows: No Revit element with the same entity ID can be assigned more than once. A condition can only hold quantity for one entity key id number at a time.

On our floor plan we see that same entity key ID number for level one where that quantity was aggregated

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn about viewing estimates from an item on the estimate screen

Viewing Instances

For this example we will be in the Estimate screen and focusing on the Install Stainless Steel Door Labor

The icon in the upper, left-hand corner of your screen that looks like a # (pound sign) is the Instance Count Column

The number reflects how many times this item is being used in the job

Detail Records Window

If you hover over the number for an item you can left click to open the Detail Records window

The list contains the 2 assemblies on the build screen that generated this item

Adjust Columns

You can adjust the columns by left clicking on the columns button

For this example, we will remove Unit Price by left clicking inside the check box beside this item

Close the columns module by left clicking on the Columns button

When you return to the Details Record screen, you will see that your Unit Price has disappeared

You can bring it back by clicking on the Columns button and clicking in the check box once again

Select Section

To focus on a specific section on a scenario, click the drop down arrow in the Select Section box

Here you will find a list of any other sections where this item is being generated

Select the section by left clicking on it

Filter by Page

Once you select a Section, you can filter by Page

Left click in the Select Page drop down, then left click to select a Page

Filter by Assembly

Once you choose a valid Page, you can also filter by Assembly

Left click on the drop down and click on an Assembly to view the data generated for that item

Show Source

Left click on the Show Source toggle at the top, right-hand side of the window to display additional information above the section data

On this example, the Section and Page are now shown above the data

Click the X to close the window and return to the Estimate Screen

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn how to un-assign or undo a mapping of quantities in Version 12 of The EDGE in a Vector exported scenario

Un-Assigning the Mapping of Quantities

From the Project Conditions pane from the TakeOff screen:

  • Left click on the Project Condition

  • Click in the background image to trigger the VECTOR tools

Un-Assign Single or Multiple

When you unassign a shape it will be changed back to the default color and reduce your each count

To unassign an individual shape:

  • Left click on the shape
  • Click the Unassign button

To unassign all:

  • Click the unassign button

In this example we have unassigned all and there are no available shapes to unassign

Our quantity is now back to Zero

Pages Pane

Left click on Pages on the left hand side

In this example, we have a condition added to a page

  • Left click to select that page

The 3 walls that were previously assigned are already highlighted in the unassign column

You can click the unassign button as we did in the previous steps to unassign all 3

From the page you can also perform an unassign:

  • Click an individual shape 
  • Click and hold Ctrl to select multiple shapes
  • Click unassign

The lineal footage from those walls has been unmapped from the partition condition

You can also click and drag to create a lasso around shapes to select and then click unassign (Please see video of demonstration)

Now both conditions are empty of quantity and display in that fashion

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn how to map quantities using mass assignment

Project Conditions

From the Project Conditions pane in the TakeOff screen of The Edge, Version 12,  left click the project condition you’d like to map quantities for

Click the drop down by Choose Page and select the page you would like to start with

In the pane on the right-hand side, click the Scope drop down and select Section

Using Filters to Finish the Mapping of Quantities

For this example, we are working with the Single Door Condition

  • On the right-hand side, click Families
  • Choose from single door Family Types
  • Select the box by Filtered Shapes to select all door types

Assign Button

Left click the Assign button at the top of the pane

A pop up will appear asking you to confirm

Click Yes to continue

The 4 doors are now mapped to the single door condition for this page

Overall Quantity

Floor Plan – Level 2 was also inserted under the Single Door Condition, with a count of 8 each, so the overall quantity is now (12 ea)

The mass assignment functionality looks across the entire section as denoted in the scope field and identifies whether any of the selected family types exist in other pages in the section

In this case, those door types did exist on Level 2 so they were identified and automatically mapped to this condition for that page

This is the Mass Assignment functionality taking effect

Takeoff Screen – No Filters

Let’s view what this would look like if we did not use project conditions

Back on the takeoff screen and this time from our page pane, focus on the Level 1 Floor Plan

A single door condition has been inserted that is not a project condition

Scope Field

Left click on that condition to select it and make sure your section is in the scope field

You also see the additional option of scenario. When mass assigning at the project condition level you can only go across sections, as project conditions do not extend across scenarios

However if working with normal conditions the mass assignment functionality can read into other sections and perform automated take off there as well

  • Left click Families
  • Then click the single door family name
  • Select the single doors
  • Click Assign

Apply Changes

Click Yes to apply changes

Takeoff has now been aggregated for Level 1 & Level 2

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn how to map quantities using the filters tab in The EDGE from a VECTOR exported bid

Project Conditions

On the Takeoff screen in the Project Conditions pane, left click the project condition you’d like to start mapping quantities to

For this example we left click on USG 2×4 Acoustic System to select it

In the middle pane, left click the drop down arrow by Choose Page

For this example we will choose Ceiling Plan – Level 1

The sheet now loads in with the background image in the middle pane

Filter Name Section

  • On the right-hand side in the Filter Name section, left click the drop down arrow next to Families
  • Left click again next to Family Types

Locate the Family Type containing data that matches with his condition which for this example would be our 2×4 ft acoustical system

Left click the Apply Filter box

Assign

Now, all Revit elements belonging to that family type been highlighted on the screen

The assign button is now highlighted and we can left click to begin the mapping

Mapping

The mapping of our quantities has taken place as square footage (SF), lineal footage (LF) and segment terminators (ST)

Note: When mapping in this functionality:

  • We did not need to set the Condition
  • The Map to automatically read we were working in an area condition and changed to SF
  • Scope was kept at the page level

DW Ceiling Condition

For this example:

  • Left click on the DW Ceiling Only condition
  • Left click in the middle background image to refresh the pane

Note: Condition, Map To and Scope fields are already set

  • Left click Families
  • Left click Family Types
  • Left click the Apply Filter box next to GWB on Mtl. Stud
  • Left click Assign to map both shapes

Pages Pane

For this example, we are focusing on the Pages pane

We selected the Level 2 Ceiling Plan

Under Conditions, select the USG 2×4 Acoustical System

Note: Because we are not in the Project Conditions pane, and don’t see a PC label, we know this is a normal condition

Note: Condition, Map To & Scope Fields are automatically set

  • Left click Families
  • Left click Family Types
  • Left click Apply Filter for 2×4 ACT System
  • Left click Assign

The quantities for both ceilings have now been mapped to the page

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn about mapping quantities via manual shape selection on an individual page in The EDGE

Project Conditions Pane

We start from The Edge Version 12 Takeoff Screen, in the Project Conditions pane

For this example:

  • Left click on the condition you would like to start mapping quantities for; in this case we are using P1A6T Partition
  • In the middle pane, left click on the Choose Page dropdown
  • Left click on Floor Plan – Level 1

Manual Selections – Option 1

  • Left click on the Condition again
  • Left click Add to Page button
  • Left click Move to Page

Manual Selections – Option 2

  • Left click on the Pages pane
  • Manually left click the Condition inside of the Level 1 Floor Plan

Now, all Revit Elements appear grey

Select a Shape

Left click on the node labeled Conditions and the shapes will now appear green

  • To select a shape, click on it and it will appear blue (selected)
  • Left click somewhere else in the background to undo your selection

You can also left click, hold and drag to select any shapes within that selection (please see video for demonstration)

VECTOR Filters

Focusing on the VECTOR Page tools, VECTOR Filters section note:

Condition:

Left click and select the condition from this page that you would like to map quantity to

Map To:

Based on the condition type, this field will display choices

Scope:

The dropdown is greyed out at the Page level

Assign

You can now click on an individual shape to select it and the assign button will become highlighted with a number in parenthesis indicating how many shapes were selected.

By selecting additional shapes, the Assign number will change accordingly

For this example, (2) shapes are selected so the number by Assign has also been updated to (2)

Left click on the Assign button and the quantities for those two Revit elements will then be mapped to the selected condition

Lineal Footage

In the calculations table in the bottom right hand corner, the Lineal Footage (LF) has been updated

If you left click on the name of the condition, the Lineal Footage will be displayed there as well

The Revit elements have changed color to indicate they have now been mapped to a condition

Without Project Conditions

Let’s take a look at how this would work if we did not use project conditions

For this example, we will focus on Floor Plan – Level 2,  where we see a condition has been added in the normal fashion (Partition)

There is no PC label to indicate this is a project condition

  • Left click on the Conditions tab to select
  • Input your Condition & Map To drop down
  • Select your shapes
  • Left click the Assign Button to map the quantities

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn how to identify a scenario exported from VECTOR in The EDGE

Opening a VECTOR Bid

For this example, note these two things:

  • The name of the bid: Medical Equipment Warehouse Job (2)
  • The name of the exported Scenario: Export to Edge

The EDGE Version 12

To quickly find a bid & scenario exported from VECTOR, use your search bar in Version 12 to search by the exact name of the bid

As you can see from our successful export a bid was automatically created and inserted in your bid grid in Version 12, with much of the information entered on the overview screen flowing as well

You will also see the scenario with the same description as the one we exported from VECTOR

To advance further into the scenario, double left-click in the title field or use the next Arrow

Sections in Version 12

In Version 12 we see two sections:

  • Walls
  • Ceilings

Sections in VECTOR

If you jump back to VECTOR, you see the two sections are also labeled:

  • Walls
  • Ceilings

Take note of the plans that have been uploaded under each section

The EDGE – Walls Section

Advance into the walls section by clicking the next arrow

Here, you will see the exact same 4 pages as the scenario exported from VECTOR

Left click the Sections breadcrumb to return to the sections

The EDGE – Ceilings Section

Advance into the ceilings section by clicking the next arrow

Here, you will see the exact 3 pages as the scenario exported from VECTOR

Left click the Sections breadcrumb to return to the sections

Launch Take Off Screen

Click the Take off screen icon in the toolbar in the upper, right-hand corner

Take Off Screen – General Properties

For this example, we left click on Floor Plan – Level 1, where we see all of the same 2D representations of 3D shapes from the model on our sheet

View the properties of this Revit element:

  • Left click on a shape
  • Click the General tab in the right-hand side pane

Take Off Screen – Filters

  • Left click on the Filters tab
  • Click the arrow next to Categories to expand
  • Click the arrow next to Families to expand, and again next to Family types to see all filter information on this page

VECTOR Screen Properties & Filters

Back on the VECTOR Screen, you can click on a shape, then left click on the Properties tab to view all properties of this shape

You can also view all Filters for this shape by left clicking on the Filters tab

Objective: In this video and/or step by step walkthrough, you’ll learn about the available user preferences on the estimate screen

User Preferences – Estimate

Next to your login first and last name, left click the down arrow

Then, select My Preferences

User Preferences Screen

This video focuses specifically on the User Preferences screen for the Estimate section

Left click on the word Estimate to minimize or expand the tools (please see video for demonstration)

Auto Save Every Duration

This tool allows you to set the duration in which Auto Save takes effect.

Click in the box under Auto Save Every

Backspace and type in a value

Font Size

This setting allows you to change the size of the font of your data on your estimate screen. By default, it will be set to medium

Click on Large to select

Click on Save Preferences

Estimate Screen – Auto Save Every & Font Size

From a current bid on your Build Screen, you can view the effects of the Auto Save Every & Font Size changes you made

Left click on the settings icon at the top, right-hand side of your screen

From here, you can see that Auto Save Every has been changed to 60 seconds and the Font Size has been changed to large per our preferences