National Estimator Quick Start | Estimating with National Estimator

Estimating with National Estimator

National Estimator begins when you click on the National Estimator icon or click on Start, Programs, the Construction Estimating group and then National Estimator.

On the title bar at the top of the screen you see the program name, National Estimator, and [Estimate 1]. Let’s take a closer look at the other information at the top of your screen.

The Menu Bar
Below the title bar you see the menu bar. Every option in National Estimator is available on the menu bar. Click with your left mouse button on any item on the menu bar to open a list of available commands.

Buttons on the Toolbar
Below the menu bar you see 24 buttons that make up the toolbar. The options you use most in National Estimator are only a mouse click away on the toolbar.

Column Headings
Below the toolbar you’ll see column headings for your costbook:

• Craft@Hrs for craft (the crew doing the work) and manhours (to complete the task)
• Unit for unit of measure, such as per linear foot or per square foot
• Material for material cost
• Labor for labor cost
• Total for the total of all cost columns

The Status Bar
The bottom line on your screen is the status bar. Here you’ll find helpful information about the choices available. Notice “Page 17/583” near the center of the status line. That’s a clue that you’re looking at page 17 of a 583-page book. When you see PICT at the right of the status bar, picture is available in the costbook. Click on PICT to show the picture. Click on PICT again to hide the picture. Check the status bar occasionally for helpful tips and explanations of what you see on screen.

Click on the status bar occasionally for helpful tips and explanations of what you see on the screen.

The Costbooks
All installed costbooks are available in the Costbook Window. When the National Estimator program is started, the default costbook opens automatically. Notice also the words Page 17 Adhesives at the left side of the screen just below the toolbar. That’s your clue that the Adhesives section of page 17 is on the screen.

This costbook window displays the cost estimates

To turn to the next page, either:

• Press (with Num Lock off), -or-
• Click on the lower half of the scroll bar at the right edge of the screen.

To move down one line at a time, either:

• Press the arrow key (with Num Lock off), -or-
• Click on the arrow on the down scroll bar at the lower right corner of the screen.

To make the costbook fill your screen, click the (Costbook Window) button.

To turn quickly to any page, either:

• Click on the (Turn to Costbook Page) button near the right end of the toolbar, -or-
• Click on View on the menu bar. Then click on Turn to Costbook Page.

Type the number of the page you want to see and press . National Estimator will turn to the top of the page you requested.

An Even Better Way
Find the small square in the slide bar at the right side of the Costbook Window. Click and hold on that square while rolling the mouse up or down. Keep dragging the square until you see the page you want in the Page: box. Release the mouse button to turn to the top of that page.