Automated cost estimation from project specs

Purpose

1.1. Automate project cost estimation process for electrical engineering project specs.
1.2. Integrates project spec intake, data parsing, component lookup, pricing retrieval, and report generation.
1.3. Eliminates manual calculations, reduces errors, speeds up proposal cycles, and responds automatically to bid requests.
1.4. Enables team members and clients to trigger automated quotes from uploaded specs, emails, or digital forms.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. New project spec file uploaded to a designated cloud folder.
2.2. Spec received via email to a monitored inbox.
2.3. Form submission via web portal or CRM.
2.4. API call from ERP or project management tool.
2.5. Manual trigger from workflow dashboard.

Platform Variants

3.1. Microsoft Power Automate
• Feature/Setting: Automate file trigger and Excel Online connector; parse specs, lookup costs, and push estimate.
3.2. Zapier
• Feature/Setting: New file in Google Drive triggers Formatter, Google Sheets, and automated Gmail estimate.
3.3. Integromat (Make.com)
• Feature/Setting: Auto-process files from OneDrive; HTTP module for vendor API price pulls.
3.4. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Flow builder triggers on lead/spec creation; uses Price Book API for cost automation.
3.5. ServiceNow
• Feature/Setting: Automated business rule reacts to record creation with GlideRecord automation.
3.6. AWS Lambda
• Feature/Setting: Automatedly process S3 ‘ObjectCreated’ event, parse file with Lambda, fetch costs from DynamoDB.
3.7. Google Cloud Functions
• Feature/Setting: Triggered by Cloud Storage upload; automating parsing, pulling prices from Firestore, send result.
3.8. Smartsheet
• Feature/Setting: Automated workflow for new spec rows, formula-driven cost fields, automated email output.
3.9. Monday.com
• Feature/Setting: Automate item creation triggers; use integrations with pricing APIs and auto-status updates.
3.10. Asana
• Feature/Setting: Automator for task creation on new specs, custom fields for automated cost calculations.
3.11. QuickBase
• Feature/Setting: Automation builder parses project spec fields, auto-calculates and updates estimate table.
3.12. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: Automations for new record in ‘Specs’ base, run script extension for cost lookup and update.
3.13. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Workflow automation on new deal, property-based automated estimate calculation.
3.14. NetSuite
• Feature/Setting: SuiteFlow automates spec record parsing, native pricing list pulls, and estimate document creation.
3.15. Odoo
• Feature/Setting: Automated server actions on project specs, automates price rule computation.
3.16. SAP Business One
• Feature/Setting: Automation on new project data entry, B1iF orchestrates pricing fetch and estimate population.
3.17. Freshdesk
• Feature/Setting: Automator triggers on new ticket; invoke pricing API, return automated quoted estimate.
3.18. Pipedrive
• Feature/Setting: Workflow automates on new deal, deals API triggers cost lookup and estimate update.
3.19. Trello
• Feature/Setting: Butler automation for card creation from email/spec, call custom webhook for quote generation.
3.20. Jira
• Feature/Setting: Automation rule on issue creation, triggers scriptRunner or REST API for cost automation.
3.21. DocuSign
• Feature/Setting: Envelope completion triggers webhook, automates estimate report sending to client.
3.22. Xero
• Feature/Setting: Workflow automation for new project, automated cost line items via Projects API.

Benefits

4.1. Automates time-consuming manual cost estimations for electrical projects.
4.2. Delivers instant, automated, and accurate quotes based on latest component prices and labor rates.
4.3. Reduces risk of manual error by automating calculation workflow.
4.4. Increases capacity for rapid response to more RFPs through reliable automators.
4.5. Enhances client experience with faster, automatedly generated, data-driven proposals.
4.6. Scales estimation process across multiple projects and team members by automating intake and output.