A "Product" is the material or object that is used by an item in a job estimate. For example, the product for the estimate item called "Window 1" might be "30x30 Vinyl slider window", and the product for estimate item "Window 2" might be "30x40 Vinyl slider window".
The Product specifically identifies the material or object that will be purchased for use in fulfilling the estimated job item.
Rather than having to re-enter products each time you create a job estimate, Smart Contractor allows you to import, or define a list of products that can be used again and again in job estimates.
You can import Product information using the Import Data form.
Since you can create estimates by copying items (and costs) from other estimates, you might wonder what is the point of creating a product list. There are a few reasons:
- If you define a list of products, and assign products to estimate items, then you can automatically update the costs of all items (in all jobs) that use that product.
- The product list allows you to store a separate price for each vendor who sells the product. So, when you specify a product and a vendor in your job estimate, the program will automatically plug in the vendor's price.
- The product list allows you to track inventory for any number of locations, for each product.
If you do not use a product list, then you will have to manually change estimate item costs for a product when the cost of the product changes, you will not be able to store and retrieve separate prices for each vendor, and you will not be able to track product inventory.
How Are Product Cost Changes Handled In Smart Contractor?
When you add a new estimate item (not copy), and select an existing product from the product list, the product cost, unit, vendor, and order lead time from the product list will be copied into the estimate item.
If you change any of the product information (cost, unit, vendor, or order lead time) in the estimate item, this information will be updated in the product list.
So, the product list is used to store the latest information for each product. This information provides default product information for new estimate items, and it gets updated when you change the product information in an estimate item.
You can also update Product information using the Import Data form.
Important Note: Changing the product information in an estimate will update the information in the product list, but it will not change any other estimate items in the current job, or any other jobs.
Can I Update Product Costs In Multiple Jobs?
Aside from providing a repository for the latest information for each product, the more important advantage of using a product list is that it allows you to easily update the estimated (or actual) costs of multiple instances of estimate items that use the same product - in one or multiple jobs.
To do this, you use the Product Entry form. The Product Entry form topic has information on how to update the estimated (or actual) cost, unit, vendor, and order lead time of multiple instances of estimate items that use the same product.
If I Update Product Prices By Importing Them, Will This Update My Job Estimates?
When you import product/price information, that will update product information in the Product List, but it will not update any job estimates that use that product.
If you want to update product prices in a job estimate after you import updated prices, pull up the item(s) that use the product(s) in the Edit Job Estimate form and click on the $ button to the right of the Product: prompt. This will retrieve the updated price information for the vendor currently selected in the Vendor: prompt.
For information about importing product/price information, please see the How Do I... Import Data? topic.