AURA

Load an estimate from Excel

The «Load from Excel» button in the «Estimate» tool moves your XLSX or CSV table into the project estimate or into the actuals of a reference project. A production table with the columns «Name», «Description (W×D×H)», «Specification», «Qty», «Price», «Amount» works. Before loading you can see what was read: sections, sizes, formula components and rows without a price. Available in beta to everyone, no invitation needed.

Learn more: Help · Features.

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How to use it

  1. In an order, open the «Estimate» tool and click «Load from Excel» at the top right.
  2. Click «Choose an XLSX or CSV file». The file can be up to 5 MB; the first sheet and up to 2,000 rows are read.
  3. Check what was read: at the top, the number of rows and sections, how many are not counted and the grand total; below, the sections with rows, sizes, specification, quantity and price.
  4. In «Where to load», choose «Add to project estimate» or «Into a reference project».
  5. For an estimate, say what the «Price» column holds: «Client price» or «Cost», and click «Load into the estimate».
  6. For a reference project, choose it in the list and click «Write into the reference project»: the total of each section becomes the reference project's actuals in the category with the same name.

Which file works

  • You need the «Name», «Qty» and «Price» or «Amount» columns. The «Description (W×D×H)» column with sizes and the «Specification» column are read if present. The header row is found by the column names within the first 40 rows of the sheet.
  • A row with a name and no numbers that starts with the word «Zone» or is in bold becomes an estimate section.
  • If a price is calculated by a formula like =(a+b+c)/100*90, the parts of the formula become the row's components, and the multiplier is added to them as a note.
  • Formulas with numbers, references to cells on the same sheet, brackets, the four arithmetic operations and SUM are recalculated. For the rest, the value saved in the file is used.
  • An empty or zero price means «not counted», not zero: such a row arrives marked «no price».
  • A CSV is read the same way, only without formulas and bold text.

Good to know

  • Nothing is saved until you click «Load into the estimate» or «Write into the reference project».
  • Loading the same file again updates its rows instead of duplicating them.
  • In the estimate, rows from the file are marked «From Excel» in the «Source» column.
  • Loading first saves your edits in the estimate. If another member changed the estimate at that moment, the loading stops and offers to load the current estimate.
  • If you have no reference projects yet, make a closed order one in the «Actual» tool or add a project in «Production», in «Reference projects», with the «Add a project by hand» button.

Frequently asked questions

  • Did the rows end up under «No section»? Add a zone row to the file: a name without numbers that starts with the word «Zone», or make it bold.
  • The file cannot be read? Check that it has the «Name», «Qty» and «Price» or «Amount» columns, and that the file itself is XLSX or CSV, not the old XLS.
  • Do I need a special template? No: your production table works as you keep it, as long as it has the required columns.

Importing an estimate from the phone

In the production estimate choose import and an XLSX, XLSM, CSV or TXT file of up to 5 MB. The app shows preliminary rows that you can check and change. Choose the rows and what the price is for, then confirm the application. Until you confirm, the estimate does not change.

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