To Excel or Not to Excel, that is the Question.
Microsoft Excel, the leading spreadsheet software program. Whilst the main functions of Excel are data entry and management, charting and graphing and almost anything that needs to be organised, it is still commonly used in the industry for estimating purposes. There are lovers and haters though, let’s explore each.
Lovers would argue that:
No additional purchase is required, it comes with Microsoft Office, which comes with most computers
It is easy to use in its simplest form
It allows advanced data organisation – viewing and processing vast amounts of data.
Haters would argue that:
Large data files can be slow to run. Trying to break data down into smaller files can lead to data loss
There is a lack of security – data corruption, not safe from hackers
Most spreadsheets contain errors which are easy to make but difficult to find
The software is not designed for collaborative work.
The above views have been formulated by “everyday” users, but let’s explore how Excel is best used in my fabulous world of Estimating.
Take Off:
Processing large amounts of data to produce simplified outputs which are ultimately used in an estimate e.g. Mass Haul Diagrams, Concrete and Reo Quantities for Concrete Structures, Excavation, Bedding and Backfill Quantities for Drainage Lines.
Subcontractor Package Comparison:
Input, compare and select subcontractor/s for relevant packages of work.
Price Build-ups:
Output of take off used to produce simplified build-ups instead of using complex formulas, which makes reviews difficult.
Apart from the fact that Estimators live to win tenders, a major milestone that we work towards is the Estimate Review. Our Principal Civil Engineer, Jared Candler recently wrote an excellent insight about Estimate Reviews*.
For estimate reviews I like to use both Excel and Expert Estimation (Expert) to prepare my presentations, with the goal to show where the main costs are in the DC’s, so that the focus of the review is on these items. Whilst one can easily produce a pie chart in Expert using the item grouping function, it might not be the case if other software is used – and this is where I believe Excel, excels (see what I did there?) due to the various charts that it can produce.
However, in our industry, one major flaw in using Excel spreadsheets is that, at times they can become corrupt for multiple reasons and are therefore lost or useless when handing over a successful project to the construction team.
So tell me your thoughts, how do you use Excel? Are you a Lover or a Hater? Let me know if the comments.
Written by Senior Civil Estimator, Michael Ha Yeung
*https://jccivilprojects.com.au/insights/there-are-fates-worse-than-death-and-there-are-estimate-reviews.