Automated generation of cost estimates and BOQs

Purpose

1.1. Automate generation of detailed cost estimates and Bills of Quantities (BOQs) for engineering and construction projects.
1.2. Automates data intake from project drawings, specifications, and client inputs for rapid cost computation.
1.3. Accelerates cost planning, budget validation, tender submissions, and ongoing financial management.
1.4. Ensures compliance with industry standards and client-specific requirements, automating accuracy and compliance checks.
1.5. Automates collation, sorting, and classification of quantities, materials, labor rates, and overhead costs for precise reporting.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Project initiation or update trigger via new RFQ or project documentation upload.
2.2. Automated trigger from email attachments, document storage creation events, or form submissions.
2.3. Scheduled automation for periodic estimation reviews or milestone-based requirements.
2.4. API/webhook events from project management or design platforms.
2.5. Manual trigger via dashboard button to instantly automate BOQ and estimate generation.

Platform Variants

3.1. Procore
• Feature: Construction Financials API—Automate extraction of project budgets and cost codes for estimate creation.
3.2. Autodesk Construction Cloud
• Feature: Takeoff API—Automates pulling measurement data to populate BOQ line items.
3.3. Bluebeam Revu
• Setting: Batch Link—Automator creates hyperlinks between drawings and takeoff data for automated cost linking.
3.4. PlanSwift
• Feature: Export API—Automatedly extracts calculated quantities for direct BOQ population.
3.5. Buildertrend
• Feature: Estimate Tool—Automates leveraging template-driven cost breakdowns using workflow triggers.
3.6. Oracle Primavera Unifier
• Feature: Cost Sheet API—Automates pulling and pushing cost data as new estimates are generated.
3.7. Microsoft Excel Online
• Feature: Office Scripts Automation—Automates formula-based cost calculations from source data.
3.8. Smartsheet
• Setting: Automation Rules—Automates actions on new row data to execute cost estimation.
3.9. SAP S/4HANA
• Feature: Cost Estimation API—Automates accessing cost structures for BOQ integration.
3.10. QuickBooks Online
• Feature: Estimates API—Automates creation of estimate records based on parsed input data.
3.11. Zoho Books
• Feature: Estimates Module API—Automatedly generates and updates BOQs and cost estimates.
3.12. Xero
• Feature: Invoices API—Automate mapping and pushing cost breakdowns to estimate invoices.
3.13. Google Sheets
• Feature: Apps Script Automation—Automates compiling, formatting, and distributing BOQs.
3.14. Power BI
• Setting: Dataflows—Automating data transformation for real-time cost analysis dashboards.
3.15. Airtable
• Feature: Automations—Creates records for new BOQs and calculates values automatically.
3.16. Zapier
• Feature: Multi-step Zaps—Automates cross-platform estimate generation and notifications.
3.17. Monday.com
• Feature: Automation Recipes—Automates assignment and generation of cost estimate tasks.
3.18. Docparser
• Setting: PDF to Data—Automated extraction of line items from technical documents.
3.19. PandaDoc
• Feature: Document Automation API—Automates generation and handling of BOQ documents.
3.20. DocuSign
• Feature: Agreement Cloud API—Automated signature routing on generated cost estimates.

Benefits

4.1. Automates repetitive manual tasks, eliminating errors and delays.
4.2. Accelerates turnaround on cost estimate and BOQ production.
4.3. Automates data synchronization across design, cost, and approval platforms.
4.4. Ensures accurate, standardized, and traceable financial documentation.
4.5. Improves team productivity and client satisfaction through reliable cost automation.
4.6. Provides a scalable foundation for automating related financial and project management workflows.