Worksheet Templates are an enormously powerful and efficient tool in V8.

In essence they are a Worksheet Structure and set of Attributes. The Structure is defined by the Columns that exist, and the Attributes by the Formulas and data type for each column defining their relationships.

These Templates can if you wish also be created with initial data.

Shown here is a very simple example of a Template used to measure the volume of concrete , the length of ybars, and the area of trench mesh in strip footings:

The bottom window (grey) shows a 'Take Off Schedule' resulting from inserting an existing Template and then entering the measurements.
The top window (green) is where the Bill Item is - the QTY field results from referencing the appropriate 'Value Column' (column total) in the 'Take Off Schedule'. In this scenario we have three, one for each Bill Item.
So as you can see, you can create any type of Workup Sheet with as many 'Value Columns' as you like, then reference each accordingly in the Parent worksheet.

Creating a Worksheet Template:

A Worksheet Template does not have a type (Estimate Worksheet, Quantity Worksheet, Rate Worksheet,...), it simply has a Structure (number of columns and Window Frame size) and a set of Column Attributes. Therefore you can create a Worksheet Template from any Worksheet.
Typically the procedure is as follows - Open an existing worksheet or create a new worksheet that matches as close as possible the one you want to create;the standard one's available by default are Estimate Worksheet, Resource Library, Section Code List, Quantity Worksheet, and Rate/Cost Worksheet
- Click the
button in the Defaults Tab Panel to Edit the Column Parameters
- Add/Delete columns as necessary
- Define their relationships to one another (Formulae)
- Define their types (Text, Number, Rate,.....)
- Make sure that the columns you require to reference as Value Columns have the 'Show Column Total' option ticked
- Specify all the other options like Hidden, Printable, Precision, allignment, etc
- Enter any Startup data you want that is common to all worksheets which will result from this Template
Refer to the Topic 'Editing Worksheet Attributes" for full details.
Saving a Worksheet Template:
- Click the
button in the Worksheet Tab Panel.

The operating system 'Save File' navigator will appear, defaulting to the '.../Estdata8/WSTemplates' folder.
In the 'Save As' text field, type in the name that is appropriate for referring to the Template later on (only use the characters 'a-Z' and '0-9' to prevent file system errors resulting from illegal characters in the filename), and click 'Save'.

Using a Worksheet Template:

You use a Worksheet Template by inserting it into a Worksheet.
There are two methods of inserting a Worksheet Template: "Aas an Estimate Section"
At the Project Window, click or navigate to the row with the required Estimate Section title.
- Click the
button in the Worksheet Tab Panel.
Select the Template you want to use for the Estimate Section, and click 'Open'.
You will then be notified as to the success or failure of the Insert.
as a Workup Sheet:
In the parent Worksheet, activate the cell to receive the Workup Sheet
- Click the
button in the Worksheet Tab Panel.
Select the Template you want to use for the Workup Sheet, and click 'Open'.
You will then be notified as to the success or failure of the Insert.