As I mentioned last month, most estimating software programs can be broken down into five parts: (1) the price book or database; (2) the takeoff or bidding section; (3) the report section; (4) the utilities section; and (5) the user/computer interface. Everyone that sells estimating software has a different name for the database. Price book, work code list, items listing, repair list, parts list, and so on. Whatever the programmers decide to call it, this is the part of the program where you record the list of things that you do in your business. Most of the folks who author estimating software include their own database as a part of their program. Their list should be used only
