Getting Started
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How to Setup Destini Estimator
This guide will walk you through the simple steps to setting up DESTINI Estimator. DESTINI Estimator is accessible through the Microsoft Remote Desktop app. IMPORTANT: READ BEFORE PROCEEDING You have been sent an email containing your “GUID” email address (ending in ‘@clients.beck-technology.com’) and a temporary password. It’s very important that you understand where your GUID email credentials are used: Your ’GUID’ email ending in ‘@clients.beck-technology.com’ is used to log into the Microsoft Remote Desktop app only. DO NOT USE your Swinerton email to log into the Remote Desktop app. You will get an error. Once you have launched Estimator, DO NOT USE the ‘@clients. Beck-technology.com’ email to get a license. You will lock yourself out of Estimator and require resetting your password. Here are the steps to get logged into DESTINI Estimator: Step 1: First we need to download and install Microsoft Remote Desktop 1.1 - Click here to download Microsoft Remote Desktop. If you're using the Chrome web browser, you'll see the file downloaded in the lower status bar. You can simply click here to launch the installer. You will find it in your Downloads folder, or in the location you chose to save it to. 1.2 - Launch the installer file you just downloaded. The installation is straightforward; just keep clicking on the 'Next' button until the application is installed, then click 'Finish'. Step 2: Now we need to log into the Remote Desktop application: 2.1 - Once installed, you can easily find the Remote Desktop application on your PC by searching for it in the Windows Start Menu search bar on the bottom left of your screen: • 2.2 - Launch Microsoft Remote Desktop. Since you'll be using Remote Desktop every time you want to access Estimator, it's a good idea to pin it to your Taskbar. To do this, RIGHT-click on the Remote Desktop icon on the Taskbar and select 'Pin to taskbar' (see below). This will keep the icon there at all times, even when the application is closed, making it easy to open in the future. 2.3 - In the Remote Desktop app, click on the ‘Subscribe via URL’ button. If you are getting this error: (AADSTS50020: User account [Your Email Address Here] from identity provider ‘YOURCOMPANY.COM’ does not exist in tenant) when you Subscribe, follow the step in this article to use the Subscribe with URL option and then return to this article. 2.4 - Copy and paste the following link into the Email or Workspace URL field - https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery Then click Next: 2.5 - Time to log in. You were sent an email from Beck Tech Support with the subject 'How to Set up Estimator in the Hosted Environment'. This email contains your ‘GUID’ email (ending @clients.beck-technology.com) and your temporary password. Use these credentials to log in here. DO NOT use your Swinerton email here. If you see your Swinerton email pre-populated in the login window, click on ‘Use another account’ and enter the Beck GUID email as shown below: Note: If you see your corporate email pre-populated in the Remote Desktop login window, click on Use another account and enter the Beck GUID email as shown below Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-V to paste your GUID email into the login window. Right-click-Paste doesn't work here. 2.6 - On your first time logging in, you will be prompted to change your password. Please create a new password by following the prompts. Note: This password will be associated with your GUID email address, and is ONLY for logging into Remote Desktop. DO NOT use these credentials inside of the Estimator app. 2.7 - Keep a record of your GUID email and password in a secure place. They are essential to accessing Estimator and, even though you won't need to use them every day, you will inevitably need them at a later date. Step 3: Setting up Multi-Factor Authentication 3.1 - The first time you log in, you will arrive at the prompt, 'More information required'. This is because you are required to set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your cellphone. We will be doing tasks on your both your PC and phone, as clearly marked on each step. 3.2 - On your PC: Click 'Next'. 3.3 - On your PC: On the screens below, click 'Next', and 'Next' again: 3.4 - On your PC: You will arrive at the below screen with your QR Code (that black square as shown). We will need this in a moment. 3.5 - On your phone: Open the App Store (iPhone) or the Google Play App Store (Android). Search for and download the free Microsoft Authenticator app. It looks like this: 3.6 - On your phone: Open the Authenticator application. If this is your first time opening the Authenticator app, skip the intro guide and press the large '+' to add your first account. If you are already using the Authenticator app for other accounts, you will have to manually add a new account by pressing the '+' button on the upper-right corner of the screen. Now, select 'Work or school account' and then click on 'Scan QR Code'. 3.7 - On your phone: After clicking 'Scan QR Code' the app will ask for access to your phone camera. Allow it, and then point your phone camera at the QR Code on your computer screen. Line up the code with the transparent box. This will add your Beck account to your Authenticator app. 3.8 - On your PC: Click 'Next' to proceed from the QR code page, and then next again on the window below: 3.9 - It will now test to make sure the app is set up by sending a notification to your phone to approve. On your phone, click 'Approve' on the notification (you should see the notification on your phone whether or not the Authenticator app is open, but if you don't see the notification, open the Authenticator app to see it there). 3.10 - On your PC: You should see that your approval on your phone is acknowledged, and you can move on to the next step. Now, we need to add your cellphone number. Enter your number in the empty box and click 'Next': 3.11 - You will receive a text message on your phone containing a six-digit code. Enter this code on your PC and click 'Next'. This completes the MFA setup process. Step 4: Launching Estimator 4.1 - You should now be logged into Remote Desktop and you should see Estimator, File Explorer and, for some users, Data Manager icons in the Remote Desktop window. From now on, this is what you'll see when you open Remote Desktop. 4.2 - Launch Estimator by double-clicking on the appropriate icon. 4.3 - The first time you launch Estimator, you may be prompted with a Window Security sign in window. Sign in here with your GUID email and the password you created in Step 2 and click "Remember Me". 4.4 - Once Estimator has launched, you will see the Web License window pop up.DO NO CLICK 'ACTIVE DIRECTORY'. DO NOT sign in with the GUID email ending ‘@clients. Beck-technology.com’ here. Doing so will cause an error. Click on ‘Sign Up Now’ and Create your log in with your regular Swinerton email. It will ask you to verify your email by sending you a code. Once the email is verified create a unique password. Please remember this password since you ill use it every time you log onto Destini Estimator. Complete the rest of the information required and click on Create. Step 5: Connecting to your databases • 5.1 - If this is your first time using Estimator, you will need to connect to your Cost and Estimates databases. Click on the ‘Connect to Database’ button and select your cost database, and then do the same for the estimates database via the drop-down on the right (see both highlighted in red in the screenshot on the right). If you are going through the initial Lessonly Training select the Training cost database and the Training Estimate Database. Once the Lessonly training is completed you can connect to the production cost database and the production estimate database. Setup Complete You are now setup and ready to use Estimator in the Hosted environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to BTech Support and we will be happy to assist you.
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How to use the Hosted File Explorer Tool
To make it easier to navigate and manage files in the hosted environment, we have launched the File Explorer tool. This lets you upload and download files in the cloud-based Z: Drive. The File Explorer offers all the same options as within Estimator, including the ability to create new folders, delete a file/folder, upload a file/folder from your local computer, and download a file/folder to your local computer. *Note – ‘Drag and drop’ from a local File Explorer window into the Explorer tool does not work. You must use the Upload option to move files/folders from local into the hosted environment. You still have the option to copy and paste from your local computer into the shared location - How to get files in the hosted environment.
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How to Access my Swinerton Z: Drive in Estimator Hosted Environment
How to get files from the hosted Environment to local and vice-versa. You CANNOT map the Hosted Z-Drive to your local Computer. This drive is only available on the remote desktop. Also, see the article - upload or downloading files to the hosted environment To access and load files to this company's shared drive, follow the steps below: 1. Go to the Takeoff, Project, or Dashboard and click the Open Folder tab 2. Next copy the file from your local drive and paste it into the folder - (easiest and fasted method) 3. Depending on the file you will need to enter *.* and then press Enter to see all the files in the folder. Note: The workflow is to set up and map a centralized document storage repository. This Network drive can be One-Drive, Egnyte, Box drive, etc... and they will be accessed the same way as the example below using One-Drive. How to map DropBox as a Network Drive How to map Egnyte as a Network Drive How to map Box as a Network Drive Accessing Local PC and Shared Network Drive To access your local computer from the Remote Desktop follow these steps: 1. click on This PC and you will see your Local and Shared drive access locations. 2. Click the C on COMPUTERNAME > Users ---- DONOT select Windows (C:) 3. Select your Name and then you will have access to your local Folders In the example below - the image on the left is my Remote Desktop and the image on the right is my local computer, as you can see each letter matches up to the corresponding local or shared drive. Accessing One-Drive Here is how to access your shared One-Drive location - in this example, I am accessing files from a shared location after creating a shortcut to My Files. Note: You can also access your Company's shared One-Drive location as well by following the same steps above and navigating to that location. Very Important - Any files in the Hosted that are saved to This PC > Desktop, Document, or Downloads are temporary and will be deleted by the system once you close that session. That is because you may not get added to the same server every time, so it is highly recommended to save your file to your Z-Drive (long GUID folder below Temporary Storage (D). Or you can save it to any of the folders that start with a Letter and your computer name as shown in my example below.
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How to Set Up Fees and Indirects in Estimator
Here is how the fees work in Estimator
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How to use Subtotals in fee table in Estimator
This video will show you how to use subtotals in the fee table in Estimator.
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How to apply bond to a bid package
This video will show you how to apply bond to a specific subcontractor in your estimate.
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How do I connect to a database?/Which database should I connect to?
There are two types of databases. The cost database and the estimate/source database. The Cost Database is the database that has all the line items and assemblies needed to build and estimate. To connect to a cost database click Connect to Database to select the database required for you estimate. The Estimate Database is where the estimate file will live once saved. To connect to an estimate database, click the dropdown list on the right and select Swinerton_Production_DESTINIData. If you are receiving a yellow triangle warning sign when launching DESTINI. I will most likely be resolved in one of the three areas shown in the image below: If you are logging in to get a license do not click Active Directory but instead log in with your Swinerton Email and the unique password you use for DESTINI.
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How to start an Estimate?
ALWAYS START AN ESTIMATE FROM AN EXISTING SWINERTON TEMPLATE! To do this: Make sure you are on the Swinerton_Production_DESTINIData Estimate database 2. Go to the Templates tab on the left side of the Start View window: 3. Select the template that your team/division uses and click New estimate from template or use the General Template
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Swinerton Custom Report: How to Set Up/Configure
Configuring Your Workspace In Beck Destini Launch Beck Destini. Open any estimate to activate the full ribbon. Navigate to Home > Preferences. Change the Custom Reports path to reflect Z:\Reports\Templates. Navigate to Home > Reports to confirm that the list of custom exports is now available. Select any of the available exports above to launch MS Excel. In MS Excel The first time you launch MS Excel in the hosted environment, you will need to enter your MS Office credentials. Once MS Excel has been authenticated, you will need to instruct MS Excel to enable use of any custom Beck Destini exports as follows: Navigate to the File tab Navigate to the Options (bottom left corner) Navigate to the Trust Center Click on [Trust Center Settings…]. Navigate to Trusted Locations and select the option to Allow Trusted Locations on my network. Click on Add new location. Browse to the location Z:\Reports\Templates. Click [OK] to accept the new trusted location. Click [OK] when returned to the Trust Center window. Click [OK] when returned to the Excel Options window. At this point, close MS Excel to complete the configuration.
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Swinerton Custom Report: How to Run Report
General Comments for All Exports Always remember to save any pending changes to the estimate, as the export will only be able to extract content associated with the current estimate based on when it was last saved. Since the export routine is a VBA code-enabled Excel file, it may take a few moments for the Excel application to load in the hosted environment. Once you select a report from the available list after navigating to Home > Reports, please allow a moment for Excel to open, as selecting reports without waiting for this to happen may eventually lead to several sessions of Excel to open when the processes “catch up” to any requests made. Since the export routine actively extracts data from the current estimate, the process may take up to several minutes to complete depending on the size of the project. Whenever the process indicates it is Working… in the upper-right corner of the launch dialog, please be patient and allow the routine to continue until informed it is Ready for action to be taken by the user. Since the Excel-based export routines are initiated in the hosted environment, the resulting Excel file output is also saved in the hosted environment. To locate the results for any Excel exports you’ve generated, you will need to… Launch the File Explorer in the hosted environment Navigate to the folder heading “Z:\Reports\Output” Locate the subfolder associated with your name NOTE: The first time you invoke any of the Excel export routines created to date, a new folder will be created as a subfolder of the parent heading “Z:\Reports\Output”. Feel free to purge any unnecessary results in this folder from time to time, after you’ve safely copied what you need from the hosted location to any appropriate local/network target location as required. Multi-Level Item Crosstab Detail Sort Criteria In order to [Render Export], you must select an available WBS property for the column sort and at a minimum of one row sort. Only those WBS properties available to the current estimate will be listed. As you select WBS properties for the different sort levels, previous levels will be locked in. Each WBS property can only be used once, with the selections for sublevels reduced by those already chosen for previous levels. A previously selected sort level can be changed when the level just beneath it is changed to “(none)”. Should you need to start the sort selection process over again, click [Reset Sort Levels]. Fees Distribute fees? – selecting this option will instruct the export to distribute any fees marked as such in the [Distribute] column of the Fee Editor for the current estimate. Include zero amount fees? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include any fees having a zero-dollar amount in the export for the current estimate. Leaving this option unchecked will suppress all zero-dollar fees as well as unnecessary intermediate subtotals. Retain subtotal positions? – selecting this option will instruct the export to display any subtotals listed in the fee editor for the current estimate in the same positions visible there. Leaving this option unchecked will itemize the fees only without any intermediate subtotals. Subtotal Rendering as running totals – selecting this option will instruct the export to display the subtotal amounts as a running total accumulator, as observed in the Beck Destini application. as group totals – selecting this option will instruct the export to display the subtotal amounts as the current subtotal for that section only. Comments on Subtotal Rendering: The grand total for the estimate will be the same, regardless of the selected option. This option only visible if you select the option to Retain subtotal positions? Item Scope Combine like items? – selecting this option will instruct the export to consolidate duplicate items common to all crosstab columns and sort levels onto the same combined row. Items must have the same attributes below in order to combine into the same row: Item Number Description Unit of Measure Include zero amount items? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include any item having a zero-dollar amount (combined or otherwise) in the export for the current estimate. Include notes column? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include a blank column for notes to the right of the totals column. Sort Criteria The rendering of an optional notes column has been converted from an Include notes column? checkbox to the radio button selections listed below: not required – this option (which is the default on the Crosstab Detail and Detail exports) will suppress the Notes column from appearing in the output. as blank cells – this option (which is the default on the Estimate Comparison Detail export) is equivalent to checking the previous Include notes column? checkbox, showing the Notes column in the output, but without any content. from source estimate – this option will not only show the Notes column in the output, but also any notes detected on the associated line items in the source estimate. Additional comments on the from source estimate option above: For all items not having notes defined in the source estimate, the associated cells in the output will be blank, similar to the as blank cells option. Selecting this option in conjunction with the Combine like items? option may lead to slightly different results from the as blank cells option if the same line items have different note values defined (you will also see this notification upon hovering the mouse over this selection) Export Validations The following checks are performed on the data before any results are rendered: Detection of any WBS property values having leading spaces (e.g. “C – Interiors” vs. “C – Interiors ”) Detection of any WBS property values having the same values when compared in a case-insensitive manner (e.g., “B – Shell” vs. “B – SHELL”) Detection of any fees having invalid or unattainable WBS property value and/or cost type distribution criteria Should any of the above criteria not be met, you will be presented with an exception audit with information to correct in the current estimate before running the export again. When all of the above validation criteria are satisfied, the final step will be providing appropriate quantities and units of measure upon which to base unit costs for each column in the output. Any cells needing a quantity or unit of measure will appear with an orange background shading. Multi-Level Item Detail Sort Criteria In order to [Render Export], you must select an available WBS property for at least one (1) row sort. Only those WBS properties available to the current estimate will be listed. As you select WBS properties for the different sort levels, previous levels will be locked in. Each WBS property can only be used once, with the selections for sublevels reduced by those already chosen for previous levels. A previously selected sort level can be changed when the level just beneath it is changed to “(none)”. Should you need to start the sort selection process over again, click [Reset Sort Levels]. Fees Distribute fees? – selecting this option will instruct the export to distribute any fees marked as such in the [Distribute] column of the Fee Editor for the current estimate. Include zero amount fees? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include any fees having a zero-dollar amount in the export for the current estimate. Leaving this option unchecked will suppress all zero-dollar fees as well as unnecessary intermediate subtotals. Retain subtotal positions? – selecting this option will instruct the export to display any subtotals listed in the fee editor for the current estimate in the same positions visible there. Leaving this option unchecked will itemize the fees only without any intermediate subtotals. Subtotal Rendering as running totals – selecting this option will instruct the export to display the subtotal amounts as a running total accumulator, as observed in the Beck Destini application. as group totals – selecting this option will instruct the export to display the subtotal amounts as the current subtotal for that section only. Comments on Subtotal Rendering: The grand total for the estimate will be the same, regardless of the selected option. This option only visible if you select the option to Retain subtotal positions? Item Scope Combine like items? – selecting this option will instruct the export to consolidate duplicate items common to all crosstab columns and sort levels onto the same combined row. Items must have the same attributes below in order to combine into the same row: Item Number Description Unit of Measure Include zero amount items? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include any item having a zero-dollar amount (combined or otherwise) in the export for the current estimate. Include notes column? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include a blank column for notes to the right of the totals column. Export Validations The following checks are performed on the data before any results are rendered: Detection of any WBS property values having leading spaces (e.g. “C – Interiors” vs. “C – Interiors ”) Detection of any WBS property values having the same values when compared in a case-insensitive manner (e.g., “B – Shell” vs. “B – SHELL”) Detection of any fees having invalid or unattainable WBS property value and/or cost type distribution criteria Should any of the above criteria not be met, you will be presented with an exception audit with information to correct in the current estimate before running the export again. When all of the above validation criteria are satisfied, the final step will be providing appropriate quantities and units of measure upon which to base unit costs for each column in the output. Any cells needing a quantity or unit of measure will appear with an orange background shading. Multi-Level Estimate Comparison Detail Regardless of any additional estimates selected for comparison, the current estimate in your active Beck Destini session will be considered the Master Estimate. The Master Estimatedetermines the following: The project description at the top of the resulting worksheet The display order of any fees in common with other selected estimates If selected, the subtotal positions and associated descriptions displayed in the export STEP 1 – Selecting the comparative estimates Scenario #1 – Master estimate has related versions If the current estimate has other versions related to it, the initial launch will assume to set the comparative estimate Eligibility Criteria to related versions only, with all of them pre-selected. At this point, you can deselect any related versions that you do not wish to include in the comparison. In this scenario, you must select at least one (1) related estimate version in order to [Continue >] to the next step in the export process. If desired, you may opt to select unrelated versions of the current estimate instead by changing the Eligibility Criteria to all estimates, which replace the Eligible comparative estimates checklist with a list of estimates determined by the search criteria you provide. In this scenario, you must select at least one (1) other estimate in order to [Continue >] to the next step in the export process. Scenario #2 – Master estimate does not have related versions If the current estimate does not have any other versions related to it, the initial launch will set Eligibility Criteria to all estimates, as this is the only method to select comparative estimates. In this scenario, you must select at least one (1) other estimate in order to [Continue >] to the next step in the export process. STEP 2 – Positioning the selected estimates At this point, you can rearrange the estimates you selected such that they appear in the desired “left to right” order in the resulting output. Once satisfied with the estimate columnar order, click [Continue >] to proceed to the next step. STEP 3 – Finalizing your export selections Sort Criteria In order to [Render Export], you must select an available WBS property for at least one (1) row sort. Only those WBS properties in common to all selected estimates will be listed. As you select WBS properties for the different sort levels, previous levels will be locked in. Each WBS property can only be used once, with the selections for sublevels reduced by those already chosen for previous levels. A previously selected sort level can be changed when the level just beneath it is changed to “(none)”. Should you need to start the sort selection process over again, click [Reset Sort Levels]. Fees Distribute fees? – selecting this option will instruct the export to distribute any fees marked as such in the [Distribute] column of the Fee Editor for the current estimate. Include zero amount fees? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include any fees having a zero-dollar amount in the export for the current estimate. Leaving this option unchecked will suppress all zero-dollar fees as well as unnecessary intermediate subtotals. Retain subtotal positions? – selecting this option will instruct the export to display any subtotals listed in the fee editor for the current estimate in the same positions visible there. Leaving this option unchecked will itemize the fees only without any intermediate subtotals. Subtotal Rendering as running totals – selecting this option will instruct the export to display the subtotal amounts as a running total accumulator, as observed in the Beck Destini application. as group totals – selecting this option will instruct the export to display the subtotal amounts as the current subtotal for that section only. Comments on Subtotal Rendering: The grand total for the estimate will be the same, regardless of the selected option. This option only visible if you select the option to Retain subtotal positions? Item Scope Combine like items? – selecting this option will instruct the export to consolidate duplicate items common to all crosstab columns and sort levels onto the same combined row. Items must have the same attributes below in order to combine into the same row: Item Number Description Unit of Measure Include zero amount items? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include any item having a zero-dollar amount (combined or otherwise) in the export for the current estimate. Include notes column? – selecting this option will instruct the export to include a blank column for notes to the right of the totals column. Generate variance amounts? – in the event there are exactly two (2) estimates selected, choosing this option will instruct the export calculate the variances between the two projects, with the differences calculated as the values in the second estimate less the first one. NOTE: The Generate variance amounts? option is only visible when exactly two (2) estimates are selected for comparison. Export Validations The following checks are performed on the data before any results are rendered: Detection of any WBS property values having leading spaces (e.g. “C – Interiors” vs. “C – Interiors ”) Detection of any WBS property values having the same values when compared in a case-insensitive manner (e.g., “B – Shell” vs. “B – SHELL”) Detection of any fees having invalid or unattainable WBS property value and/or cost type distribution criteria Should any of the above criteria not be met, you will be presented with an exception audit with information to correct in the current estimate before running the export again. When all of the above validation criteria are satisfied, the final step will be providing appropriate quantities and units of measure upon which to base unit costs for each column in the output. Any cells needing a quantity or unit of measure will appear with an orange background shading.