Supplement to Computer Base Training Module
This supplement identifies the differences between the configuration used by the New York State Department of Transportation’s Computer Based Training (CBT) module for Estimator and the New York State Thruway Authority Estimator configuration. The supplement also updates the instructions in the Exercise Worksheet included with the CBT to be consistent with changes in version 2.9a of Estimator. Any questions concerning this supplement should be directed to the Bureau of Design Support Services at (518) 471-4244.
Differences between CBT configuration and New York State Thruway Authority configuration:
- The CBT increments Line Numbers by 5, whereas the Thruway Authority configuration increments them by 2.
- The CBT catalog, NYTNG, has historical prices for most items, (which are automatically applied when the item is selected), whereas the Thruway Authority catalog does not have historical price data yet.
- The CBT has the Unit Price Rounding Level and Extended Amount Rounding Level set to “Thousandths of cent 0.00001$”, whereas the Thruway Authority configuration sets these to “Cents 0.00$”. This affects how the item prices and estimate totals are displayed.
Recommendations and Notes:
- In order to prevent an estimate window from being partially obscured, maximize both the Estimator program window and the actual Estimate window.
- When running through the CBT exercises, make sure the active catalog in Estimator is set to NYTNG. If it is not, use the Switch Catalog command from the Tools Menu and select NYTNG.
- When dragging items into an active estimate from an open Estimator catalog or another open estimate, a user needs to drop the items onto a Group header in the active estimate.
- Estimator Groups are equivalent to New York State Thruway Authority Fiscal Shares.
Updates to New York State Department of Transportation CBT Exercise Worksheet when used with Estimator 2.9a
Creating A Complete Estimate Chapter
Creating An Estimate
Enter Estimate Header Exercise
- Step 1 – change to “Select New from the file Menu and select a Blank Estimate” on subsequent dialog box.
- Step 3 – name of Letting Date field has been changed to Base Date.
- Step 4a – Enter 0734700in the Longitude of Midpoint field.
- Step 4b – Enter 423800in the Latitude of Midpoint field.
- Step 4c – Enter 22 in the District field.
- Step 4d – Enter TAA 03-11 in the Federal/State Project Number field.
Estimate Groups
Adding A Reference Price Exercise
- Note that Line Numbers are only displayed in Grid portion of window. The Tree portion shows just Item Numbers.
- Step 1 – Change “Using the Tree portion of the window, select the item in Group 001 with Item Number 568.5601 04 (Line Item Number 20)” to “Using the Tree portion of the window, select Group 001.”
- Step 2 – Change “ Click the Go button next to the item in the Grid window” to “Click the Go button next to Item Number 568.5601 04 in the Grid window (Line Item Number 20)”
- Step 3 – Change “Click in the Active field of the first Reference Price grid of the window” to “Click in the Active field of the first blank grid of the window”.
Advance Features Chapter
Update Price Information
Updating Price Information Exercise
- Step 3 – Change “Select Update Price Information from File Menu” to “Select Update Price Information from Edit Menu”.
Renumbering Estimate Items
Renumbering Estimate Items Exercise
- Step 3 – Change “…click on Item Number…” to “…click on Line Number…”
- Step 4 – Change to “Right click and select the Insert Item command to create a new item row”.
Alternate Bid Items
Adding Alternate Bid Items Exercise
- Step 5 – Add Item Number 565.2001 instead of Item Number 565.20
- Step 6 – Add Item Number 567.2033 instead of Item Number 567.20
- Step 9 – Change “…select item 565.20…” to “…select item 565.2001…”
- Step 10 - Change “...select item 567.20...” to “…select item 567.2033 …”
System Manager Functions
Logging Out/Logging In
- The Maintain Users and Logout Current User commands are only available when there are no estimate or catalog windows open.
Importing and Exporting Data
Exporting Exercise
- Step 7 – “Click Save on the Export As dialog window” on the worksheet actually needs to occur before the step currently shown as Step 5 – “Check the Include Only Selected Elements box.”