Video: https://youtu.be/1YkauFOqb30
Instructions from Video:
When you insert a member into a drawing you will want to know the overall length of that member and what purchase length you require to order.
For some members like a 2×4, we need the length to cut and what length of the board is needed to order like a 10’ board or a 16’ board. Whereas for an engineered board, like an LVL, we need to know the total linear footage to order and length to cut each piece.
Select Insert Members> Members or select the Members icon on the Building tab.
First, we will review the 2×4. Select it in the catalog and right-click and select Edit Element. The Members dialog box appears with the 2×4’s information. Select the Purchased Items tab first. Under the Purchased items tab, it will list all the lengths that you can order for a 2×4. You can add more lengths or delete out any lengths not common to you using the Add and Delete buttons. When we run a material report for a 2×4 it will report the purchase length we need to order given the length of the member that we drew. As an example, if a 9’ piece of board was drawn it would automatically order a 10’ board since it is the closest available length without being too short for the member required. If we also want it to report the actual length in the material list, we need to tell it to include the cut length as a tally. To do that, click on the Quantity tab.
Under the Quantity tab put a check beside “Include Cut Lengths”. This triggers in the report that you not only want to know the board to order but also want to include the length of the board in a “Tally” line item. Click OK to accept the changes.
Now let us look at an engineered board. Double click on the 1 ¾ x 9 ½” LVL member. By double-clicking on a catalog item you can edit its properties. Click on the Purchased Items tab of the LVL. It is blank. LVL boards don’t come in set lengths. You order an overall length from the manufacturer. Click on the Quantity tab. Here if you select the “Include Cut Lengths” it will note in the material list not only the overall length of the board but also include the cut lengths in the model. I will select it and then click OK.
Now let’s draw with the two boards we altered and another random board that doesn’t have the “Include in Cut Lengths” checked.
Selecting the 2×4, move the cursor on the drawing screen and left click to start drawing. Moving the cursor to the right, the length of the member is listed in the Commander Area of the screen. Here you can type in exact dimensions. Since Distance has a dark blue box, it is active so you can type without moving the cursor in that area. Type 10’ and hit Enter on the keyboard and it draws a 10’ piece of 2×4. Right-click and select Repeat. It repeats the command so again left click to insert another board and this time type 15’ and hit enter. Right-click and select Finish.
Now select the 1 ¾ x 9 ½” LVL member. Move the cursor on the drawing screen and left click to start drawing. Moving the cursor to the right type 10’ and hit Enter on the keyboard and it draws a 10’ piece of the LVL. Right-click and select Repeat. It repeats the command so again left click to insert another board and this time type 15’ and hit enter. Right-click and select Finish.
Now select a 1 ¾ x 11 7/8” LVL from the catalog. This board doesn’t have the “Include Cut Lengths” option selected. I move the cursor on the drawing screen, and I left click to start drawing. Moving the cursor to the right I type 10’ and hit Enter on the keyboard and it draws a 10’ piece of the LVL. Right-click and select “Repeat”. It repeats the command so again left click to insert another board and this time, type 15’ and hit enter. Right-click and select Finish.
Now let’s look at how all these boards report in a material list. Select Tools>Analyze>Generate Project Estimate.
Using the Quote Generator report style to organize the material list, the first column of information is where sku numbers are listed. We can see the two cut lengths for the 2×4 have sku numbers that include the word “TALLY”. This is their tallied length. Beneath the tallied sku numbers are the actual board length sku numbers that you would order for the length of 2×4 you require.
Beneath those are the tallied length of 9 ½ LVL required and the actual LVL sku and overall length of board that is needed for the project.
The last line is the 11 7/8 LVL boards. Since it didn’t have the “Include Cut Lengths” option checked it will just report the overall length required for the entire project, combining our 10’ and 15’ lengths.
If you are sending this report over to a POS, the “Tally” skus are just text lines and not actual skus so you must determine how your POS will handle them. You either need to delete them before sending to your POS or your POS may take a line item and you can keep them as just a string of text.
I hope that makes you work one step easier.