Autodesk Quantity Takeoff

[#1]

Boy it sure looks quiet in here. Maybe one of our QTO friends at Autodesk can answer some of these questions so this forum can get moving.

Here's my question: If I create a dwf with Revit and then import into QTO and setup all my takeoff info, what happens to my takeoffs when I change the design?

If I re-export the dwf, QTO doesn't recognize the file has changed. If I re-import the dwf into QTO, it just makes a new document.

It seems like I either have to takeoff the model and re-apply my custom takeoffs or I have to go through the Single click Auto Takeoff, selecting each design element again. How does QTO expect us to handle this? What have I missed? Is there something I can do in Revit to make the Takeoff Model automatically populate my custom takeoff items?

Another issue: I can't get Takeoff Selection to takeoff multiple items, even if I have multiple items selected. I always takes off one.

Thanks in advance if anyone can answer these questions.

Oh and a question directed at users out there: Are you using this product? Do you find it easier and faster than methods you used previously? What were those methods?

[#2]

I found a solution to my question about doing takeoff on multple items. Select the items in the model and then Takeoff to Item. Slick.

[#3]

did you ever get a response to your design change question? I'm interestes in your solution.

[#4]

Hello Bob,

Yes, I did get a solution. Dave Dombrowski, I think it was, from Autodesk, answered me by email.

What you need to do is make a catalog of the various items during the first import of the model into QTO. Save the catalog.

On subsequent imports, start a new QTO project each time, but load the previously saved catalog and QTO will do an auto-takeoff on the updated model. Any new items will need to be added to the catalog and saved.

Best regards,

Tim

[#5]

Does QTO 2013 address this limitation? During design development we need to be able to update a model regularly, without the unwieldy process of creating a new file and re-importing catalogs.

Ideally, this process could be done in near-real time during a design-build meeting. For instance, the team considers changing a stone veneer wall to EIFS: The wall type is changed in the model, a new DWF is exported, the QTO file is updated, quantities are exported, and the cost estimating application responds with updated pricing. As it stands with QTO '12, for each modification the team considers a new QTO file must be created, catalogs imported, and takeoff performed. In other words, QTO isn't something we can use in a meeting and stay productive.