Estimating and Project Control Complete Overview
Estimating and Project Control Complete Overview
Estimating and Project Control Complete Overview
and
Project Control
Product Overview
November 2014
Construction Computer Software has specialised in the development of software for the
construction industry for the past 35 years. Our expertise is in estimating and financial
control of site operations, planning, measurement and project management systems, and
site systems such as materials and document control.
South Africa: Centurion +27 (0)12 684 6000 Cape Town +27 (0)21 465 2637
UK: Glasgow +44 (0)1505 506 118 Bournemouth +44 (0)1202 892795
Portugal: +351 (21) 486 6441 Australia: +61 8 61444 819 New Zealand +64 (212) 833 822
Dubai: +971 4 388 4663 India: +91 (484) 411 4111
Canada: 0800 890096 Germany: 0800 1825 873 Hong Kong: 800 963 426
Singapore: 800 2700 007 Thailand: 1800 271 1804
Contents
Introduction to Construction Computer Software ................................................... 5
Estimating ........................................................................................................... 15
Underlying Concepts ............................................................................................... 15
Interface with the Estimator ................................................................................... 15
Libraries ................................................................................................................... 15
Rounding ................................................................................................................. 16
Candy Environment ................................................................................................. 16
Limits ....................................................................................................................... 16
The Estimating Environment ................................................................................... 17
Worksheet drilldown sequence .............................................................................. 18
Macro Bill Items ...................................................................................................... 19
Split Rates and Combinations ................................................................................. 20
Dual Currency Bills .................................................................................................. 21
Indirect Costs .......................................................................................................... 22
Manage Indirects Post contract .............................................................................. 22
Master Library ......................................................................................................... 24
Estimating Definitions and Settings ........................................................................ 25
Subcontract Adjudicator ......................................................................................... 26
Trade Totals Display ................................................................................................ 28
Plant, Labour and Steel Calculation Tables ............................................................. 29
Estimating Reports .................................................................................................. 30
Valuations ........................................................................................................... 35
Job modelling .......................................................................................................... 35
Monthly valuations ................................................................................................. 35
Analytical pricing of variations ................................................................................ 35
Allowable cost reconciliation .................................................................................. 35
Reporting................................................................................................................. 35
Subcontract Payment .............................................................................................. 35
Forecast to completion ........................................................................................... 35
Engineering information ......................................................................................... 35
Feedback to Estimating ........................................................................................... 35
Monthly Valuations ................................................................................................. 36
Multiple progress quantities ................................................................................... 36
Analytical pricing of variations ................................................................................ 36
Report Writer .......................................................................................................... 37
Budgeting & Cost Coding ........................................................................................ 37
Job Modelling .......................................................................................................... 37
Detailed coding structures and analysis ................................................................. 38
Final and remaining values forecast ....................................................................... 38
Allowance reconciliation and engineering information ......................................... 38
Resource Project Codes .......................................................................................... 39
Cost rates and worksheets...................................................................................... 40
Subcontract Payment.............................................................................................. 44
Valuations Reports .................................................................................................. 47
Planning ............................................................................................................. 49
Flexibility ................................................................................................................. 49
Accuracy .................................................................................................................. 49
Detail ....................................................................................................................... 49
Resourcing............................................................................................................... 49
Organising ............................................................................................................... 49
Progress................................................................................................................... 49
Information schedules ............................................................................................ 49
Integrating the Estimate and Program ................................................................... 49
Time/location .......................................................................................................... 49
The Standard Bar Chart ........................................................................................... 50
Program Manager ................................................................................................... 50
Calendars ................................................................................................................ 51
Facilities and features on the bar chart .................................................................. 52
Importing from the Bill of Quantities...................................................................... 54
Filtering the Program .............................................................................................. 54
The Contract Program ............................................................................................. 56
Recording the As-built Program.............................................................................. 56
Managing Information Requirements .................................................................... 57
Resource Allocation ................................................................................................ 59
Resource Cross-Reference ...................................................................................... 60
Resources and Production ...................................................................................... 60
Resource Histograms and Optimisation ................................................................. 61
Resources and Progress .......................................................................................... 62
Resource Cross-Reference Histogram .................................................................... 62
Time Location editor ............................................................................................... 63
Report Manager ...................................................................................................... 64
Planning Reports ..................................................................................................... 65
Forecasting ......................................................................................................... 67
Integrating the Estimate with the Program ............................................................ 67
Program view of the Bill of Quantities .................................................................... 68
Bill of Quantities with Forecast ............................................................................... 68
Forecasting using the Estimate Link........................................................................ 69
Cost loaded program .............................................................................................. 70
Estimating by Pricing the Program.......................................................................... 71
Project Cash flow .................................................................................................... 72
Forecasting Reports ................................................................................................ 73
The company is conservatively financed, has always been profitable and has no borrowings. All the company's
activities, including on-going research and development, are internally financed. Our current balance sheet
and other financial information is available for inspection if necessary.
Product
We produce a modern software suite called Candy, focused on project control in the construction industry, a
field in which we have gained enormous experience. We have specifically targeted the contractor's software
requirements, from taking-off, pricing and planning a project, controlling at site level, through to the final
certificate. We have a wide international client base which exposes us to a variety of local requirements and
new techniques. These are continually included into the software.
Candy is a ruggedised product, built for construction site conditions and unsympathetic treatment by
construction personnel. It is a 32-bit Windows application and runs on all modern Windows operating systems,
either stand-alone or networked, and on Windows Terminal Services.
Location
We are primarily based in South Africa. Most of the technical work and all software development of Candy is
conducted from our head office in Cape Town.
Our Centurion office is the sales and support centre for Africa, the Far East and Pacific region. This office also
supports our distributors in the U.K., Portugal, India and New Zealand. We also have an office in Dubai to
handle sales and support in that region, and have established a presence in India through a local distributor.
We have recently opened a sales and support office in Perth, Australia.
Personnel
We have a focused and motivated team with a well-proven background. Collectively, our technical staff have
over 200 years of experience in the construction industry of which more than 50% has been spent working for
major construction companies. CCS is well staffed with almost 40 people dealing with development and
support. Because of the complex nature of modern software we also have IT specialists as part of our
development team.
Support
Our distributors provide support and training in their host countries and also handle installation and
implementation of the system. They are backed-up by the support staff from South Africa who conduct
frequent visits to the distributors. When the installation or training load requires, South African support staff
will step in and assist the local distributor.
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Candy Overview Company Details
Support personnel are constantly available to provide help or resolve problems and our world-wide contact
numbers are published with the system to ensure that there is always help a telephone call away. Users have
direct access to the relevant programmers of the software to discuss changes or new requirements. This keeps
us constantly in touch with our clients and ensures that we supply the appropriate product. The latest version
of the software is always available from our web site.
Training
We undertake regular training courses in many countries, covering all aspects of Candy. Instructors are
experienced both in the construction industry and the operation of the software.
CCS offers a full training programme of one- and two-day courses to acclimatise new users and to introduce
existing users to new techniques and facilities. Students are encouraged to explore those features outside of
their usual domain, so that integration with colleagues becomes easier.
Certain core courses are available to students from any company and are given in a central training facility.
First-time users of Candy would typically require a two-day core course. In-house courses are arranged with
and given to employees of a single company, in which case, courses are usually given at the companys
premises.
Software rental has the advantage of avoiding high initial capital costs and allows for immediate tax recovery
on the monthly costs. Systems can be taken off rental at a months notice and additional systems can be
rented for short periods at peak times.
Licenses
The operation of Candy is protected by a software licence that can be installed on stand-alone machines or can
be located centrally on a network. In the latter case, fewer licenses may be installed, since it is unlikely that all
users are logged onto the system simultaneously.
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Candy Overview Major users
Major users
Candy is installed in the offices of thousands of users around the world, among them large multinationals,
small contractors and consultants, and across the entire range of the industry. Offices, distributors and call-
centres in Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand, Thailand, United
Arab Emirates (Dubai) and the UK and India service these installations.
This provisional client list changes regularly. The list is weighted by global distribution, rather than number of
installations.
Algeria Tecnovia Angola Azores
Lena Construes Teixeira Duarte Edior
Opway Terponte Eng. Lus Gomes
Zagope (Andrade Gutierrez) Zagope (Andrade Gutierrez) Marques, Lda.
Australia Bahrain
Angola Acciona
ALDO Aradous /3D International
AJ Lucas Contrack International Inc.
Angolaca Ammjohn
Anteros Angola Nass Contracting Co
Ampcontrol
ARC Angola Aurecon
Certave Bellerive Homes Brazil
CFRL BHP Billiton Alves Ribeiro
CLEAR Brookfield Multiplex EMPA
Coeng Bouygues Monteadriano
Concreta Built Environs Mota-Engil
Conduril Decmil Sadesul
Construes ARC Downer EDI Engineering Somague MPH (Sacyr)
Construes Gabriel Couto Electrix Tiner Brasil
DCE Fairfield Services VSL Systems
Edifer Angola GHD Ytoara
Elan Hatch
Empreiteiros Casais Abengoa Australia Bulgaria
Engpower John Holland Glavbolgarstroy
Entek Laing ORourke
Griner Lend Lease Engineering
Hagen Canada
Mainland Civil
Imovias Hatch
MACA Civil
MCAVias Mcore Services
MCSA Monford Group Cape Verde
Monteadriano NOVO Rail Armando Cunha
Mota-Engil Probuild Civil CVC
Norfrica Rail Corp Empreitel Figueiredo
Omatapalo RUC Mining MonteAdriano
Palama SEMPAC Mota-Engil
Ramalho Rosa Cobetar Thiess Sogei
Rial Angola Tiltcorp
S Machado & Filhos Turner & Townsend Caribbean
Siccal UGL Carillion
Sines Water Infrastructure Bouygues Jamaica
Soares da Costa WBHO Civil Johnston International
Somague / Habitar Xstrata
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Candy Overview References
Italy
Salini Costuttori
Saipem (ENI Group)
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Candy Overview References
11
Candy Overview Courses and training
Training Courses
One- and two-day courses on getting the best results from the software are offered. These courses bring
new users up to speed and encourage existing users to take advantage of the powerful features of Candy.
New and better ways of using Candy are encouraged and users will be shown how to be more productive in
their work. Users will be encouraged to explore those features outside of their usual domain, so that
integration with colleagues becomes easier.
The Core courses are given to students from any company and so are usually run in our training facilities;
the In-house courses are arranged with and given to employees of a single company, in which case the
course may be run at the companys premises.
Students cover bar charts and the linking of activities, activity types and allocating resources. The information
and long lead schedules are covered as well as monitoring progress and update reports. By the courses end,
students should be able to produce complete programmes to control a project.
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Candy Overview Courses and training
Reconciling the materials received to the head office ledger, generating reports for cost and bulk material
reconciliation are covered in detail.
The course covers objectives, preparation, planning, analysing, finalising and submission of a tender.
Candidates will learn to do a tender summary, kick-off meeting agenda and draft P & Gs. Practically,
candidates will calculate basic rates, worksheet calculations and splitting rates into resource groups. They will
also develop a good understanding of the principles upon which Candy Estimating is based.
Aspects of checking the original tender, re-modelling, entering accounting codes for cost reconciliation, as well
as generating engineering and production information for site control are discussed.
This course concentrates on controlling the project, managing the information required by the program,
integration of the program with the estimate to provide forecasts and reporting on the state of the project.
Filtering, recording as-built programs, information schedules, resource histograms, resource optimisation and
pricing the program are covered in detail.
Topics covered include job re-modelling, valuations, implementation of resource-based, locational and
functional project control, integration of Estimating and Planning to create forecasts, budgets and a more
detailed cash flow analysis.
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Candy Overview Courses and training
Management seminars
C402 Analysis & interpretation
A half day seminar for executives and managers who require an understanding of the information that can be
generated by Candy, but do not necessarily require hands-on training.
14
Estimating
The Contractors Estimating System
Estimating is the major component of Candy and it exchanges data with all other components of the system.
It is a resource and production based analytical estimating system that divides naturally into pre-tender and
post-tender, and includes:
Underlying Concepts
Candy Estimating is based on a schedule of project using the Candy Valuation post-tender
quantities to be priced (the Bill of Quantities). This facilities.
schedule is either supplied by the client or created
by the contractor. Interface with the Estimator
One of the fundamental design considerations in
Each item is priced on a standard Candy make-up Candy is the user interface and making screen
sheet known as a worksheet. The worksheet is a objects easily recognisable to the user. Once the
free format document on which the estimator underlying concepts have been understood Candy is
expresses his ideas and calculations in a manner easy to use.
very similar to manual methods. This is done by
applying production calculations to resources. A The ability to set up pricing structures so that a
resource in its simplest form is a bought-out item of single change is reflected in many places speeds up
material, labour, equipment, etc., that has a unit the pricing process and helps to prevent errors of
rate. Resources themselves can be assembled on omission. It is particularly suited to the principle
worksheets to price compound resources, known as that 80% of the value is contributed by 20% of the
complex resources, e.g. concrete, which is made up items. For effective tendering these are the items
of simple resources such as cement, sand, stone, on which the estimator should concentrate his
etc. efforts.
Composite bill items, such as concrete including Candy is essentially a toolbox providing a variety of
formwork are priced using a compound bill item tools to get the job done. In many cases the user
known as a macro item. A macro represents a sub- has a choice of methods to achieve the same result
bill, which may contain other macros or standard and selects the one appropriate to his needs or
items. This approach of using basic building blocks preference.
enables virtually any data to be extracted, analysed
Libraries
and reported. Tender preparation is speeded up considerably by
All the relevant data produced by the estimator is the use of pricing libraries. Any estimate can refer
immediately available for use on site to control the to any other estimate as its source of Master data.
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Candy Overview Estimating
Data is automatically copied from the current not an exact science, rounding errors have been left
Master as required and not imported in bulk. This exposed. However, in certain cases, where data
ensures that the estimate is not cluttered with breakdowns may be submitted to clients (e.g.
unused data and minimises the size of the files. Grossed up breakdowns), the numbers are balanced
Data in the Master can be viewed from the estimate by adjusting one of the broken-down components.
and a different Master or previous job can be
selected at any stage. Candy Environment
The software has been designed so that the user
Libraries are simply estimates containing standard need never leave the Candy environment to
data and corporate information which complies perform everyday chores such as backing up, bill
with company procedures and methods. Libraries importation, deletion and copying of files,
can be established to suit different disciplines, types preparation of external files for data transfer etc.
of work and clients.
Limits
Libraries are usually created and enhanced by There is no practical limit to the numbers of the
copying selected data from current estimates. It is, major elements, (pages, bill items, resources) that
of course, extremely important that this data is can be defined. For example the maximum number
checked carefully and documented for use in future of Price codes, Resources, Cost codes etc. is in
tenders. excess of 65000. However, limits are imposed on
minor elements such as Trades (52), Resource Types
Rounding
(9), Currencies (16), Global Variables (200) etc.
The bill is extended and totalled accurately to the
Restrictions to numeric values are generally
decimalisation set by the user. Changing the
imposed by field size rather than the magnitude of
decimalisation of the rates and/or amounts can
the number. Quantities cannot exceed 2.1 billion
have an appreciable effect on the tender total, but
while rates and amounts are limited to 18 digits.
will still be arithmetically correct.
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Candy Overview Estimating
On the left of the screen are the estimators working documents and on the right his reference documents:
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Candy Overview Estimating
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Candy Overview Estimating
A macro has a pricing quantity which is the quantity priced on its build up. The macros rate, as used in the Bill
or higher-level macros, is its priced value divided by its pricing quantity. The pricing quantity is entered in the
header area of the mini-bill.
Item F on page 5 of the bill is priced using Macro With its use of quantities calculated by Formulae
mini-bill 9L8372. using Variables, Macro 9L8372 could serve as a
template for pricing similar manholes where the
The quantity entered against each Price code in a
dimensions differ simply by adjusting the Variables.
mini-bill is the quantity required to determine the
Macros pricing quantity. It may be entered in one of In contrast to item Fs Macro, item E on page 5 is
the following ways: priced with a single very involved Price code
worksheet which includes all the complex and simple
As a formula, entered in the header area of
resources normally used to build up rates for Price
the mini-bill, as shown for item B. The
codes in several trades.
formula for each item may use the Variables
displayed on the line above the formula or it
may be a stand-alone expression.
On a multi-line Quantity Calc sheet
document, as shown for item D.
Directly in the Quantity column as shown for
item J which is independent of the
controlling variables.
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Candy Overview Estimating
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Candy Overview Estimating
A dual currency bill splits each rate and amount into Local and Foreign components. Assuming that this tender
is for a client in Hong Kong, the Local component comprises all resources priced in Hong Kong dollars and the
Foreign component comprises those resources priced in all other currencies, including the Pricing currency (e.g.
NZ dollars).
Upper Gross Dual Currency Bill conversion factor and any taxes or duties. Only the
The upper Gross Dual Currency Bill document shows Final Rate is shown on worksheets so that the
the Local and Foreign split expressed in Hong Kong estimator works in a familiar currency even if the
dollars as it would be submitted to the client. tenders local currency is different.
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Candy Overview Estimating
Indirect Costs
The Indirect Costs Bill is a second bill in the estimate. It is completely separate from the Clients bill and can be
controlled by its own simplified version of the construction program. It can be priced using any Price codes or
Macro in the estimate. Many reports have the choice of either including or excluding Indirect Costs.
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Candy Overview Estimating
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Candy Overview Estimating
Master Library
The estimator can refer to a library, or any previous job as a source of information for pricing the current
estimate. The current source is called the Master.
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Candy Overview Estimating
Essential definitions
Secondary codes are optional except for
Trades and Resource types, which are
copied from the Master when the estimate
is set up. The order of Trades is followed by
all trade related reports while the order of
Resource types dictates the headings of
Split Rate columns.
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Candy Overview Estimating
Subcontract Adjudicator
Subcontract packages are defined on Subcontract Adjudicator documents. An estimate can have any number of
subcontracts.
A Subcontract Adjudicator document collects items of work, which comprise a subcontract, and compares rates
submitted by subcontractors to undertake the work. The estimator can either import blocks of items from the
bill or enter individual items directly on the adjudicator document. The rates from the preferred subcontractor
can be sent back to the estimate to update resource rates.
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Candy Overview Estimating
Subcontract Adjudication (of Earthworks) on a preferred column can also be shown. A dubious
Where a subcontractor has not priced an item, the rate submitted by John Hole, which is shown tagged
highest and lowest rates of the others are used to with a P is the cause of the Total Provisional
make up the range. If required, a third total based amount.
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Candy Overview Estimating
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Candy Overview Estimating
The spreadsheets are particularly useful when rates are to be built up in more detail than is appropriate on a
standard worksheet, or where the utilisation calculation on a worksheet line depends upon the value of
previous lines, for example the insurance on a machine may be 2% of its value.
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Candy Overview Estimating
Estimating Reports
Dedicated reports
Bill reports Wastage reports Miscellaneous listings
Bill of Quantities Wastage Analysis Trade Listing in Bill Order
Trade Spreadsheets Price Code Wastage Allocation Resource Listings
Complex Wastage Allocation Buying Schedule
Worksheet reports Section Index
Print Worksheets Project Code reports List Mark-up
Individual Worksheets Project Codes Report List Selling Rates
Worksheets in Bill Order Project Codes Resource Analysis Resource Employed by Trade
Indirect Costs Worksheets Project Codes Quantity Analysis Engineering Work Code Summary
Price code Worksheets by Value Project Codes Production Rates Dual Currency Bill Listing
Worksheets used only in Macros Project Codes Quantity Summary Bill Percentage Listing
Macro Worksheets Worksheets by Project Code Print Quantity Calculation Sheets
Macro Bills Unallocated Project Codes List
Print Worksheet Chains Undefined Code Allocations Check and Review reports
Allocations for Specified Code Page/item Checksum Report
Resource Analysis reports Pricing Check Report
Bill Resource Analysis Analysis reports Provisional Listings
Indirect Costs Resource Analysis Value Analysis Gross/Selling Balance
Bill+Indirect Resource Analysis Currency Analysis Cross Reference List
Analysis by Group/Class Tax Analysis Page Total Report
Resources by Bill Item Macro Spreadsheet Analysis Price Code Quantity Analysis
Bill Items by Resource Trade Currency Analysis Rate Discrepancy Report
Bill Production Rates Resource Type Currency Analysis Bill Tracers
Resource Percentage Report Resource Percentage Analysis Worksheet Calculation Line Check
Resource Group/Class Summary Cost Factor Analysis
Group/Class Analysis
Complex Resource Analysis
Presentation reports
Bill of Quantities Specialised Bills Price code Lists
Nett BOQ - Carried fwd / Brought Currency Analysis Bill Nett Price code list
fwd
Nett Bill of Quantities - Collection Indirect Costs Resource Lists
pages Indirect Costs Report Resource List
Nett Bill of Quantities - Page totals Indirect Costs Bar chart
Compact Nett Bill Listing Indirect Costs Bar chart with Trade totals
Nett Bill Listing with Worksheets Histogram Trade Total Graph
Simple Indirect Costs
Indirect Costs Monthly Forecast
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Candy Overview Quantity Take-off
Candy QTO is unique, as multiple bill items can be measured and have a live link to the Candy bill with all the
functionality of the Candy Project software.
Measurement
The length, number, arc, and area measurement These measurements, along with formulae,
tools allow the user to create quantities from variables, and mathematical functions enable the
working drawings. user to create, re-measure and progress Bills of
Quantities.
The drawing area has simple navigation with pan,
zoom, rotate, and the measurement tools snap to
lines, intersections and points on PDF or DWG files.
Templates
User customised templates can be created for fast, items to shared measurement which include
accurate and efficient measurements for repetitive variables, bill items and formulae.
type measures. Save time by linking multiple bill
Drawings
QTO supports 2D mark-up and 3D model take-off are managed within QTO and text annotation tools
and can manage multiple files types i.e. tiff, pdf, are provided.
dwg, dxf or dwfx in one package. Drawing layers
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Candy Overview Quantity Take-off
BIM
QTO extracts quantities directly using the model collaboration on BIM projects. Any 3D object can
tree, manages live Revit files and integrates be isolated to identify the 3D object in the model
directly with AutoDesk Navisworks for real time tree.
Bill of Quantities
There is a live link between the take-off items and auditable link between the take-off and bill
the items in the Estimate and Valuations with the document. QTO supports measures for bill
full functionality of the Candy project software. creation, progress or final quantities.
The QTO reference columns provide a fully
32
Candy Overview Quantity Take-off
Reports
Customised reports of the detailed take-off together with the marked up and annotated drawings are
available.
Export
QTO data can be exported to Excel.
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Candy Overview Valuations
Valuations
The Contractors Post-tender Control
Candy Valuations provides continuity between Estimating and the post-tender commercial control. All the
information used to price the tender is immediately available at post-award. All post-tender commercial
functions can be carried out by site staff using the facilities within the Candy Valuations module.
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Candy Overview Valuations
Monthly Valuations
Candy Valuations provides continuity between the On projects where the design evolves during the
pre-tender and post-tender functions. All the contract it is essential that site staff are able to
information used to price a tender is immediately evaluate the works as the scope and content change.
available after award. The Valuation System is an In partnership arrangements the estimating
extension of the Estimating System and capabilities provide clients with clear and precise
consequently all the latter's facilities are available budgetary information on the value of work to be
for contract control. executed. Without full estimating capabilities it
would not be possible to produce detailed
The re-measurement of the project can be carried
engineering information for the benefit of both
out using straightforward quantity take off sheets
client and project staff
for each bill item. Full details of the measurement
sheets can be printed to substantiate the final
measurement.
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Candy Overview Valuations
Report Writer
The Valuation Report Manager produces wide range of standard reports provide detailed
presentation-quality reports for external use, and a analyses for internal use.
Job Modelling
Tender information can be re-modelled rapidly to incorporated into the project to prepare new
reflect situations arising since the tender submission. budgets and accurate forecasts.
Buying savings and subcontract revisions are quickly
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Candy Overview Valuations
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Candy Overview Valuations
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Candy Overview Valuations
At post-tender stage, cost rates can be entered against resources where rates have changed, and Price code
Cost worksheets, can be created to derive the cost to completion for items using the resource cost rates and/or
where the method of construction or production has changed.
Bill items can therefore have Allowable rates (the net rates) as well as Cost rates. The Allowable rates together
with the anticipated Final quantity calculate the Baseline budget while the Cost rates together with the
Remaining quantity calculate the Cost to Completion.
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Candy Overview Valuations
Cost worksheets
If the method or production of a Pricing code If the method or production has changed, then a
Allowable worksheet has not changed then there is Price code Cost worksheet should be used to
no need to make a Cost worksheet. To determine estimate the costs to completion. In the example
the cost of the Price code the Allowable worksheet below, the production on the Cost worksheet has
will simply be used and resource Cost rates will be been increased resulting in a lower overall rate.
substituted during the calculation.
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Candy Overview Valuations
When the next valuation is set up, To-Date costs in method and/or production multiplied by the
become Previous costs. Costs-To-Complete are remaining quantity. The cost at completion is
calculated from the Cost rates entered against calculated by adding the cost to date and the cost
resources and Cost worksheets recording changes to complete based on Final quantities.
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Candy Overview Valuations
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Candy Overview Valuations
Subcontract Payment
Progress measurements, payments and liabilities to domestic and labour-only subcontractors constitute a
major part of the commercial control of a construction project.
Labour-only subcontractors often have a many to one relationship with bill items whereas domestic and
nominated subcontractors usually have a one to one relationship. In other words, many labour-only
subcontractors may work on the same bill items whereas domestic subcontractors tend to be specialists who
handle their bill items exclusively.
Labour-only subcontractors are often paid on a weekly or bi-weekly basis with measurement assistance from
the main contractor, whereas domestic subcontractors are paid monthly after submitting detailed progress
claims.
The Candy Subcontract Payment system provides individual subcontract bills for each subcontractor. These
items form a sub-set of the main bill and are intrinsically tied back to the main bill items. Each subcontractor
has their own individual rates and awarded quantities against these bill items making up the subcontractors
awarded or contract value.
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Candy Overview Valuations
The main contractors actual valuation calculated from the measurement of work done to
date (due quantity) multiplied by the
quantity
subcontractors rates for the items of work done.
The Due Quantity on the subcontractor bills
Due Quantities accrue to the Actual Quantity in the
determines the Actual Quantity in the main bill
main bill and reflect any liability created by under-
valuation document. Once a subcontractor has
payment to the subcontractor. Additional work
been assigned to a bill item, the Actual Quantity
such as day works, variations and repairs carried
should no longer be entered manually but come
out by a sub-contractor are recorded under Extras,
from the Due Quantities of the subcontract bills.
while contra charges are recorded as Charges.
Generation of the Subcontractor Payment Materials on site, escalation and advance
Certificate payments for each subcontractor are recorded for
Weekly, bi-weekly and/or monthly payment the current period. These together with the
certificates can be generated from the Subcontract subcontractors certificate from the bill for the
Manager. The subcontractors paid amount is current period are assembled as a payment
certificate or advice.
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Candy Overview Valuations
Subcontract Liability
The Due Quantity is an assessment of the real Quantity and the difference is regarded as the
quantity that has been completed by the liability.
subcontractor and contributes to the Actual
From the Subcontractor selector, a button
Quantity in the main bill. However, the quantity
produces the current state of the subcontract
Paid to the subcontractor may differ from the Due
liability as shown below:
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Candy Overview Valuations
Valuations Reports
Dedicated reports
Bill Reports Project Codes Reports Housekeeping Reports
Interim Payment Claim Project Codes Report Page Checksums
Valuation Listings Project Codes Resource Analysis Tracers
Trade Spreadsheets Worksheets by Project Code Location Code Check
Dual Currency Listing Project Codes Production Rates
Value Analysis Project Codes Quantity Analysis Worksheet Reports
Turn-about Document Project Codes Quantity Summary Print Worksheets
Individual Worksheets
Resource Analysis Reports Wastage Reports Worksheets in Bill Order
Valuation Resource Analysis Wastage Analysis Indirect Costs Worksheets
Resources by Bill Item Price Code Worksheets by Value
Analysis by Group/Class Worksheets used only in Macros
Valuation Production Rates Macro Worksheets
Resource Percentage Report Macro Bills
Resource Group/Class Summary
Group/Class Analysis
Complex Resource Analysis
Presentation reports
Bill of Quantities Indirect Costs
Nett BOQ - Carried fwd / Brought Indirect Costs Report
fwd Indirect Costs Bar chart
Nett Bill of Quantities - Collection Indirect Costs Bar chart with
pages Histogram
Nett Bill of Quantities - Page totals Simple Indirect Costs
Compact Nett Bill Listing Indirect Costs Monthly Forecast
Nett Bill Listing with Worksheets Price code Lists
Nett Price code list
Specialised Bills
Currency Analysis Bill Resource Lists
Resource List
Trade totals
Trade Total Graph
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Candy Overview Planning
Planning
The Contractors Planning System
Candy Planning provides a powerful critical path network system designed specifically for the construction
industry. It can be used effectively by a non-planner, but has the features and functionality required by the
professional. Above all, it is straightforward to use and helps to plan a better project.
Planning and controlling the project and recording the as-built program
Managing the information from the design teams as required by the program
Effective reporting on the project status across all levels of management
Integration with the estimate to provide cost/value forecasts and cash flow analysis
Flexibility Progress
Drawing a bar chart, maintaining a detailed Progress can be recorded to provide an as-built
precedence network or a combination of these two record of a project, while the original network is
methods are possible. The network can be entered kept as a base program to be used for comparison
in a precedence fashion or as a linked bar chart that against actual progress.
automatically creates the precedence network.
Information schedules
Accuracy Auxiliary Long Lead and Information Schedules are
Network loops and activity duplication is checked as provided for tracking and recording off-network
activities are entered, reducing input errors and operations such as client decisions, design work and
timeous manual checking. lengthy delivery items. The predicted consequences
of late information delivery can be imported into the
Detail program to show the effect on the overall program.
Activities may have notes and comments for
annotating program reports or recording site Integrating the Estimate and Program
conditions. Networks can be split into any number of Items from the bill of quantities can be allocated to
sub-networks, which can in turn be sub-networked the program activities. This allows resource or
across nine levels. Information can then be financial information from the estimate to be
summarised into logical sections and hidden or reflected against the time frame calculated in the
displayed as required. program.
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Candy Overview Planning
Program Manager
New programs are created in the Program Manager, Programs can be created, copied, and backed up in
and it is the entry point for starting up existing the Program Manager.
programs.
There are also facilities for exporting and importing
Programs can be organised into groups under Candy Planning programs to and from other
meaningful headings. Each program can have planning software.
additional information stored against it as shown on
the bottom right hand panel.
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Candy Overview Planning
Calendars
The calendar is used to specify non-working days in calendar have been set up in addition to the Project
the project. The Project Calendar (PC) is provided Calendar in the screen below.
automatically when a new program is created. The
Comprehensive notes can be kept about each day in
number of working days in a typical week can be set
the calendar, both as a remark in the Daily Diary
and holidays can be marked to represent the
column or on the notepad provided for each day.
contract calendar.
The calendar can also be viewed in year planner
Additional calendars can be set up to handle holiday
format as shown in the background.
patterns required for unusual activities or trades
for example a six day week and weekend only
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Candy Overview Planning
Where necessary the duration for an activity can be be used to jump to anywhere in the program with a
calculated and documented as shown below in the single click. The right click menu offers several other
Duration Calc sheet for A060. The Birds Eye view facilities for managing and documenting the
provides an overall picture of the network, and can program, such as the activity note pad shown below.
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Candy Overview Planning
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Candy Overview Planning
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Candy Overview Planning
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Candy Overview Planning
The document above describes a series of Long The start and finish dates shown for each item in the
Leads. The cursor is on a program activity that is sequence must be adhered to or the activity, Fan
dependent on a chain of offsite operations. These base, will be delayed past its start on 22/04/02. In
are listed below the activity, with the duration that this example, the owner is away and will not
each requires and the responsible partys code. approve the design until 28/04/02, delaying the Fan
base by 20 days.
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Candy Overview Planning
The effect of the delay is transferred to the program The End Slip column shows how the affected
and the results are shown in the next example activities are slipping relative to the original base
where for simplicity only one long lead delay is program and the float columns show how the
shown. The leftmost column shows the delay while activities have become critical compared to the
the second column shows the knock-on effect on the original program. The worst float is 20, i.e. the
rest of the program. project is currently forecast as 20 days behind the
required completion date.
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Candy Overview Planning
Resource Allocation
Candy Planning has access to two kinds of resources: those from a priced Candy Estimate and the planners
resources. The latter are discussed here while the analysis using Estimate resources is mentioned in the section
under the link between Planning and Estimate
An unlimited number of resources may be defined in In the screen below, activities are shown on the left
the program or copied over from a library program. with the resources allocated to them. An activitys
There are two types of resource, simple and gang. bar is drawn as many times as there are resources
The simple resources can be grouped together to allocated to it. The black bars show how the
form gang resources. For example, a bricklaying gang resources are spread over portions of the bars,
can be made up of a bricklayer and half a labourer. accurately positioning the resource duration on the
Both gang and simple resources can be allocated to activity duration.
activities. In an analysis of resources, the bricklayer
and labourer would be extracted from the gang
resources for their respective histograms.
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Candy Overview Planning
Resource Cross-Reference
This screen shows the resources and identifies the and allows the planner to consider the flow of a
activities that use each resource as well as the resource through the activities. In this view it is very
quantity and position of the resource usage on the easy to optimise and level the use of a resource.
bar. This is the inverse view of the previous screen
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Candy Overview Planning
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Candy Overview Planning
Report Manager
All reports in Candy Planning are managed through activities may be coloured by resource, area,
the Report Manager. Numerous standard template responsibility etc. The reports can be easily tailored
reports are provided covering all aspects of to match corporate fonts, logos and colours where
construction planning. These can be copied and presentation quality is required.
altered as required. Company standard reports can
Reports can be printed individually or grouped into a
be set up and stored as My Reports.
binder that can be printed as a book. Printing
Reports can be annotated with textual comments, Resource Histograms, below, would print all reports
scanned digital photographs and outline drawings in that set with a contents page and continuous page
such as site layouts. Speech bubbles can be used to numbering.
refer to specific points on the bar chart, and
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Candy Overview Planning
Planning Reports
Presentation reports
Activity Lists Resources Information/Long Leads
Standard Activity List Bar chart with Resource Information Required Bar Chart
Activity Logic Allocations Detailed Long Leads Bar Chart
Resource List with Bar chart Bar chart with Long Lead symbols
Bar charts
Standard Bar chart Management Reports Networks
Current and Base Program Bar Contract and Target Dates Precedence Network Report
Chart Contract Dates
Target Dates Calendars
Resource Histograms Progress Diagnosis Calendar Listing
Resource Histogram Year Planner
Histogram - Monetary Values
Histogram - Current vs. Base Time/Location
Program Time/Location Report
Numeric Resource Histogram
Activity Density Histogram
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Candy Overview
Forecasting
Forecasting value, quantity and resource
Monthly forecasts of bill amounts, resources and quantities generated from a dynamic link between the
estimate and program provides invaluable information for feasibility and progress monitoring of a
construction project.
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Candy Overview
For clarity the activity bars are drawn as many times When an activity is progressed, the quantity of the
as there are bill items allocated to them. The dark bill items allocated to the bar that should have been
bar within each activity is the position where the bill completed is calculated. This is the measurement of
item is to be spread. The allocation can be done on the internal quantity completed to date and can be
either this view or the one above, depending on the used as the basis for the monthly valuation.
users preference.
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Candy Overview Forecasting
This process depends only on the link that is built Any changes to either the program or the estimate
between the Planning and Estimating and requires will be immediately reflected in the forecast or
no further effort from the user. histograms.
2007
January February March April May June July August September October November Dec
Resource monetary values 19 26 2 9 16 23 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 7 14
Labourer
2211
Early Start
Max 16,588 Total 1,128,122
Euros
18,000
All resources
Early Start
Max 16,588 Total 1,128,122
16,000
14,000
12,000
Daily Values
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
122
122
2008
2008
2312
2478
592
673
506
7386
7568
8217
8848
2205
2594
5042
4257
10162
12898
13871
15727
10403
8822
8198
8533
3319
6597
9370
9406
7040
7040
7040
670
633
6544
6544
6544
6544
Weekly Averages
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Candy Overview Forecasting
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Candy Overview Forecasting
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Candy Overview Forecasting
While exporting the priced activities to the bill of Once the bill is in the Estimating module, alterations
quantities, the bill items are automatically linked to and additions can be made to the bill and the pricing
the originating activities. This gives the bill of can be fine-tuned. Sub-contract adjudication, mark-
quantities the ability to display a bar chart of the up etc., can be applied as for any standard estimate.
activities to which the bill items have been allocated. At any stage, the bill/program data can be
transferred to the Project Cash flow module for
Immediately this is done, all the program/bill-linked
detailed cash flow analysis. This will ensure that any
facilities, such as the budget forecasts and
changes made to the bill of quantities or to the
histograms of the estimate resources are available to
program are included in the cash flow.
the project.
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Candy Overview Forecasting
Forecasting Reports
Estimate-linked Histograms Forecasting with BOQ Links
Estimate-linked Histogram BOQ with Resource Usage Forecast
Numeric Estimate-linked Histogram Bill Code Budget by Class Code
Class Code Budget
Linking to Bill of Quantities Currency Analysis
BOQ with Activity Progress Valuation/SitePlan Discrepancies
Bar chart with BOQ
Program Pricing
Priced Activity List
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Candy Overview Cash Flow
Cash Flow
Project Cash Flow Analysis
Interest and inflation determine the future value of money and should be accounted for at an early stage as
they can have an adverse impact on the viability of a project. The aim of the Cash Flow module is to build a
financial model of the construction project so that these factors can be understood and handled in the most
effective manner.
An enormous amount of raw data is required to do an effective cash flow analysis. To make this task simpler
and to reduce input errors, Candy Cash Flow can draw information from both the estimate and the project
program. This allows variations to be tested easily and the latest bid figures to be included as they are made
available.
How it operates
The Cash flow module needs the start and duration These parameters are vital to the modelling of the
of the activities to be analysed, as well as their anticipated project conditions, although only a few
selling value and the costs broken down into labour, have major impact on the results. Parameters can
material, plant etc. This is the activity information. then be varied to understand their influence on the
bank balance during the project and the resulting
The activity information can be entered manually,
profit at the end.
but for anything but a trivial estimate this is a huge
task. Trade or section summaries can be imported The following parameters can be entered by the user
directly from the estimate in which case the start to control the cash flow calculation:
and duration for each section must be entered
Interest rates on saving and borrowing
manually from the program. This usually produces a
surprisingly accurate cash flow, but on larger more Retention on main contract and on
complex projects it is often necessary to go into subcontractors
greater detail. Pre-payments and loans
Valuation payment plans and restrictions
The manner in which the cash flow calculation Payment lags on suppliers & subcontractors
handles lags on payments, retention, NPV, interest Inflation and escalation conditions
rates, and all the other factors that must be NPV factors for contractor and client
accounted for must also be entered by the user.
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Candy Overview Cash Flow
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Candy Overview Cash Flow
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Candy Overview
Earned Value
The Contractors Performance system
Earned Value Management refers to an entire family of curves and their derivatives used for the control and
measurement of a contracts performance. The principle of Earned Value is to forecast and track Allowable
and Cost against a Baseline budget.
Forecast generated from bill linked to Monthly cost and schedule performance
program trends
Forecast stored as baseline Graphical analysis
External application cost import Re-basing due to scope changes and
Cost performance variance and index variations
Schedule performance variance and index Variation and change management
Cost to and at completion forecasting
700000
TimeNow
650000
600000
550000
Baseline adjusted by scope change
500000
Contract extension
450000
400000
350000
Forecast allowable
300000
Baseline Forecast cost
250000
200000
SPI = Allowable/Baseline
150000
CPI = Allowable/Cost
100000
Terminology
Candy identifies a few more terms and uses different terms from the original Earned Value (DoD) definitions.
These have better meaning from a contractors perspective.
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Candy Overview Earned Value
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Candy Overview Earned Value
the index will be less than one and if it is making The Cost Variance (CV) is the difference between the
money, the index will be greater that one. This index amount earned (Earned Value) or allowable and the
is a good indicator of the cost situation and by Actual Cost amount incurred to date.
recording the indexes to-date and calculating the
Like the SPI, the CPI also takes no account of the
forecast indexes, trends can be assessed well in time
critical path. However, the float status of the
to take corrective action.
activities has no effect on this index and can be
ignored.
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