Changelog

The changelog below includes new features and bug fixes for Electrical Bid Manager v24.0.

Added Features

• Upgraded to Microsoft SQL Server 2019
  • A new installation of EBM now includes the Microsoft SQL Server 2019 database engine. Due to complexity and to ensure data integrity, existing EBM installs that upgrade to EBM 24.0 will not upgrade to SQL Server 2019 and will remain on their existing SQL Server Version. We are looking into the best way to upgrade existing SQL installations.
• Improved Item cost report description column for residential type jobs
  • We improved how the Tally Sheet and Item Cost reports display descriptions
• Added extra tooltips to Branch Circuits and Cable takeoff modules
  • This is part of a larger project to make greater use of on-hover tooltips that popup to guide a user. This is especially useful for newer users learning EBM.
• Audit Trail export function updated to export XLSX with proper data formatting
  • Old export used Excel XLS and had some formatting issues
• Exporting to Excel wasn't working correctly from the Job Extension report
  • We updated the component used to export Job Totals and Job Extension to an enhanced version that uses XLSX format
• Added "User" column to Job List view
  • When viewing job list windows, the user has the option of showing or hiding additional columns of data. We added the value for "User". Each job can have an Estimator and a User assigned. Now you can view both these values in the job lists.
• Manual database backups offer a compressed option
  • A user now has the option to manually create a database backup in either uncompressed BAK or an improved compressed DBS format. The BAK format is 10x-20x faster but takes up more space and must be restored from the EBM installation folder. The DBS format is 10x-20x smaller and can be restored from practically any folder on a user's PC. We temporarily disabled DBS backups in 2022/2023 due to a bug in the function. Users wanted to see the DBS option return, so we reimplemented it and improved how it functions.
• Improved look of Program Settings window
  • We widened the program settings window, updated the name of the "Desc" tab to "Descriptions", and ensured all tabs are viewable and no tab scrolling is required.
• Cable Tray now automatically counts as Linear in PlanSwift
  • Before, the user had to manually change Cable Tray takeoff to count as linear. We updated the EBM database to default to linear measurement when using the PlanSwift integration.
• Improved Audit Trail Takeoff Entry column for large jobs
  • The Takeoff Entry column now clearly displays 4-digit numbers.
• Item database updates, corrections, additions
  • We made minor corrections in the 24.0 release of EBM.

Fixed

• Editing your default labor rate management caused duplicate rate sets
  • If you edit your default labor rate set, then review (or edit) another set of rates before closing the screen, the default rates are duplicated.
• After using search in the Job List window, when deleting the search input box, the list of jobs would render slowly.
  • Users with large job databases would experience a 10 to 20-second delay when rendering the full job list after a search. We fixed this delay to match the speed of the initial job list rendering when first opening the window.
• Fixed error "List index out of bounds (0)" some users get when doing a Job restore
  • We refactored and improved the code that handles job restores which eliminated the error.
• Improved "Insert Item" function in the Audit Trail
  • Inserting an item in the Audit Trail sometimes inserted the item in an unexpected location. We refactored and improved this function and it is now consistent with expectations.
• Quick Branch takeoff window not resizeable
  • Added the ability for a user to resize this window
• Quick Branch takeoff window F2 key function added
  • The button "F2 Takeoff" now allows the user to hit the F2 keyboard key to activate the button. This matches the functionality in the other takeoff module windows.
• Fixed Job backup and restore broken for some users
  • Some users backing jobs up to removeable USB drives or temporary network locations experienced this issue. We had some users experience it with no identified reason as well. We updated the component that was breaking with an alternative and newer component which has fixed the issue.
• Fixed issue displaying full Quotes window.
  • There was an issue with displaying the Quotes window at full size. This prevented viewing all the fields a user expected to see on the Quotes window.
• Residential type jobs Quick Totals rounding improved
  • Using the "Quick Totals" function in the Audit Trail in residential type jobs, we improved the rounding function to increase accuracy. Vision InfoSoft recommends mostd residential jobs be done as a commercial type job to utilize more bidding features and capabilities.
• Entering Quote dollar amounts don't always save correctly when using the same designation
  • We enhanced the Quote tool to manage issues with same designations.
• Improved Excel export in Audit Trail
  • The right-click menu on the Audit Trail report allows you to export to XLSX. We have improved this functionality for users that have enabled the "manual refresh" function. (Manual refresh helps speed the process of editing the Audit Trail for jobs with 800+ takeoff entries)

We released version 23.0 earlier in 2023 and added a slew of new features and bug fixes with 23.1.  We have combined the changelogs here.

Added Features

• Updated EBM's database
  • Added items, fixed typos, and improved several assemblies.
• Added "Recall Last" button in Fixture Accessories submodules
  • "Recall Last" buttons are used in many places within EBM and will continue to be added to further useful locations within EBM. This addition was added to the "Accessories per fixture" tab and "Additional accessories total" tab on the Fixtures takeoff module.
• Users created with "No master database access" enabled/checked can now create temporary items.
  • Users without full edit/create/delete database access can now create temporary assemblies with temporary items at the job level.
• Speed increase to manual database backups
  • Customers with larger databases would experience long (5-10minute) backups due to the slower .DBS backup process. We replaced this with the .BAK backup process that is used for all auto-backups in EBM.
• EBM Users created with no "master database access" had limited temp item access
  • Added the ability to create temporary assemblies made of temporary items for users without "master database access".
• Improved Bill of Materials report
  • We removed the Unit of Measure column of data. It was inaccurate. The value previously used was not relevant to this report.
• Improved report exports to latest Excel file format
  • We updated the Excel export component and improved the data and column formating on many of EBM's report exports.

Fixed

• Extension Spreadsheet report locking up
  • In some cases, if the user had the Audit Trail open behind the Extension Report this error would occur.
• Job Cost Q-Link integration with Quickbooks Desktop update
  • The Job Cost Q-link integration was outdated. Intuit had added new functionality that we needed to match to stay compatible.
• Switchboards & Panels takeoff module error with 'Other quoted items"
  • For some users that experienced a data upgrade problem, when selecting 'Other quoted items', an error was produced: "arguments are of the wrong type, out of the acceptable range, or are in conflict with one another"
• Error with "Add all takeoff entries to existing Bid Summaries" in General Settings
  • When unchecking this setting in Job Settings || General, an error would be produced upon clicking the OK button. Error: "Invalid column name 'PhaseSelected33' "
• On the Extension Spreadsheet, the Quote Totals disappear from Detailed Summary Report
  • In some cases, the Quote category of the report would disappear and require the user to close and reopen the job for it to work properly.
• Audit Trail insert notes function improved
  • Some users of version 22.0 experienced a problem inserting notes between entries in the Audit Trail report.
• Global speed increases
  • With the help of our customers, we have identified the key areas of EBM that could use speed improvements.  Job List, some takeoff modules, Audit Trail editing, and a few more.  We continually optimize the code in these sections to ensure EBM is snappy and responsive no matter the size of your job or database.

Version 11.9 was a massive release, and we added more to it in July 2022. Because of all the improvements, we have versioned up Electrical Bid Manager to version 22.0 and jumped into a new versioning infrastructure.

New Release Plan

• Version 22.0 kickstarts a new versioning structure that is year-based.
• Our release goal is one major release and multiple minor releases each year.
• Each major release will match the calendar year.

Added Features

• Windows 11 Compatible
  • This is our first release that is officially Windows 11 compatible.
  • We have upgraded all major backend components of Electrical Bid Manager (EBM) for Windows 11 compatibility.
  • Previous releases of version 11 (11.8 and earlier) should function on Windows 11. However, we will no longer continue to maintain Windows 11 compatibility on EBM v11.x as Microsoft serves up new major updates.
• Updated EBM's database
  • Added items, fixed typos, and improved several assemblies.
• Report added to Motor Control Centers Takeoff
  • A new "Report" button was added. This report provides a Motor Hookup schedule report.
• Updated EBM's Appearance engine.
  • Appearance engine updated to latest version and added new "Blue Shadows", "Windows 11 light", and Fluent White" options.
• Expanded the Price Comparison Report from 3 columns to 5 per customer request.
  • User can now source up to 5 pricing sources to compare to Target. Up to 5 EPIC NetPricer suppliers and manually imported Custom Price Files (CPF) can be compared.
• The number of possible Bid Summaries increased to 100
  • EBM was limited to 39 Bid Summaries. A customer in Ohio asked to increase this and explained they were at the mercy of the construction managers and their bid forms. We increased the limit to 100.
• Quickly identify what Assemblies an Item is a member of.
  • The "Editing item" view offers a new "Assemblies" tab. This tab displays a list of Assemblies the item is a member of.
• New Excel XLSX report export format
  • We updated the Excel export format to include the latest features of the XLSX file format.
• Bid Log print option now allows more column options.
  • The Bid Log print function only had a subset of columns that were printable. We added the full list of columns.
• Item Editing window now states the Price Discount is a percentage.
  • Added "%" symbol to the "Discount" label to eliminate confusion.
• Edit button added to Temp Misc additional items takeoff.
  • On the Temp Misc takeoff module, there is an EDIT button that allows a user to edit previously created items. However, there was not an EDIT button on other takeoff modules that access the Temp Misc item takeoff through the "Additional Items" tab. We added this EDIT button to maintain consistency and added convenience.
• Updated EBM to work better with some Windows network policies and antivirus software.
  • Electrical Bid Manager actively creates, deletes, and edits several files located in the primary EBM3K installation folder. Some antivirus software and some Windows policies do not like this behavior. We have updated how Electrical Bid Manager manages this process to follow new Windows standards.
• Upgraded AlphaSkins engine (appearance settings engine)
  • Upgrading AlphaSkins to version 16.19 added Windows 11 compatibilities and general speed improvements.
• Upgraded DBISAM database system.
  • Upgrading the DBISAM database to version 4.5 provided stability and speed improvements to Electrical Bid Manager.

Fixed

• Batch Modify function in Job Extension Report fixed.
  • EBM 11.8 introduced a bug where Batch Modify wouldn't commit updates to all selected items.
• Fixed Audit Trail editing causing crashes
  • For some users that do a lot of editing in the Audit Trail, there was a bug that would cause EBM to stop responding.
• Quick Branch takeoff module issue with certain Conduit/Wire.
  • If Branch Circuits default coupling is set to "Set Screw" and the user manually selects Compression Steel while doing a Quick Branch takeoff, the coupling taken off would be "Set Screw" when Compression Steel is expected.
• Safety switches typo in descriptions
  • 2P Safety Switches had "2P-3P" in the description. We cleaned up the descriptions.
• Open Items not presented to user under specific conditions.
  • We found that in some situations, when a user runs the Extension Report, an Open Item would not be presented to the user for input as expected.
• Save screen capability in 'Branch Circuits' takeoff module not saving the terminations properly.
  • Save Screen now saves the user selected terminations properly.
• Price Comparison report wasn't highlighting the correct cells in some situations.
  • The Price Comparison report allows users to compare their supplier pricing to the EPIC Target Price. The user can then select which pricing to use on the bid. The tool highlights the lowest price for each item in the bid. This highlighting now works properly.
• "Additional Items" issue in Quick Devices takeoff
  • When you make takeoff entries from Quick Devices, include "additional items", then follow up with another entry of the same device WITHOUT the "additional items", the "additional items are still included in the new entry.
• Deleting entries in the Audit Trail caused the "Edit to Source" function to stop responding.
  • EBM 11.8 had an issue with some types of deleted entries in the Audit Trail. It would improperly disable the "Edit to Source" function.
• Problem restoring databases larger than 4GB
  • When restoring a large database that also requires data updates, the restore would freeze. We located the issue and fixed this in 11.9.
• User created branch assembly has wrong connector.
  • A user created a "Steel Flex 4-12s solid" branch assembly and it had the wrong connector. The assembly was using the "default" connector. This has been fixed.
• Custom Assemblies entered using PlanSwift misbehaved when using "Edit to Source" on the entry.
  • When Custom Assemblies quantities are entered using PS, and that assembly includes conduit/wire or cable 'saved assemblies', you cannot remove the conduit/wire using edit to source. The program acts as though you're trying to remove the customer device also. This has been fixed.
• Power User attribute editing function restored.
  • EBM attribute editing now allows more than one checkbox to be SIMULTANEOUSLY checked and DISPLAYED in the right-most column.
• Database upgrade process improved
  • For users running 5+ year old Electrical Bid Manager versions that upgrade to the latest, we have improved the processes that upgrade database items.
• Fixed close button on Job Extension report file export.
  • If the user clicked the close button (X) while EBM saved out the Job Extension report, EBM would lock up. This was a very short window of time but could happen on slow networks or slow computers. This is fixed.
• Job Extension Spreadsheet window interface updates to fix partially obscured buttons.
  • On some computers using unverified display resolutions, the Job Extension Spreadsheet window would cut off part of the buttons along the bottom. We have made changes to help prevent this from occurring.
• Backhoe labor Unit of Measure (UoM) values inconsistent
  • Updated all UoM for Backhoe items to all be C UoM.

Added Features

• New items and assemblies added to the Database
  • Assemblies added in the following categories: Lighting Control (all versions), Occupancy Sensor Items and Assemblies (all versions), Fire Alarm Quoted Items, and Assemblies with Quote Devices (all versions). View a list of what was added
• EPIC NetPricer "unpriced items" log file now includes Item # and Distributor.
  • Customers requested that we include the EBM item # to make it easier to look up items in EBM that need attention from the user. We also added Distributor for users that have more than one EPIC NetPricer distributor/supplier providing pricing.
• New EBM installations now use Solid MC Cable instead of Stranded MC Cable.
  • A fresh install of EBM now includes Solid MC Cable by default. Existing installations of EBM can manually update the Assemblies as needed by their company.
• Improvements to Audit Trail
  • Many functions in the Audit Trail were recoded to improve the speed and stability of the Audit Trail.
• Improved the Job Name Search function on various EBM job name screens
  • Job name search function improved to accurately fine text 'within' the job name, and fix the bug where duplicate jobs were displayed though they didn't exist.

Fixed

• Edit to Source" function in Audit Trail incorrectly managed Entry #'s.
  • In some situations, Entry #'s were not managed properly by EBM when a user invoked the "Edit to Source" function in the Audit Trail.
• Takeoff modules - "Other Items" and "Additional accessories per fixture", and similar options, did not function properly
  • In some situations, users were unable to properly add items via these subsections on takeoff screens.
• Bookmark error message comes to the screen upon opening jobs
  • This error occurs when a 'bookmark' at the end of a data record is not located. EBM corrects this problem in real-time.
• Random labor/material % factors are added to takeoff entires
  • Phantom labor and/or material factors show in the audit trail, even though not entered by the user.
• Job restore would not allow duplicate jobs
  • Job restore did not allow more than one instance of the same job.
• Data upgrade did not match correct item components when creating new assemblies
  • Assemblies added incorrectly during the upgrade process
• After updating a system with EBM V11.7 10.20.20, the EBM version shown in the control panel for Programs and Features is still V11.5 02.24.20
  • The currently installed version is now listed in Windows Programs & Features
• Access Violation error running the Bill of Quantities report
  • The program would display "access violation" anytime Bill Of Quantities Material&Labor or Bill Of Quantities Summary was selected from the Reports menu.
• Audit Trail improvements for large jobs
  • A customer reported stability issues when working in the Audit Trail. We tested and updated the code to clean up a few functions. The result fixed the customer problem.
• Fixed ability to print a list of jobs from Job File windows.
  • There was a bug that prevented the function of printing a list of jobs. We will be looking into enabling a landscape print option in the future.
• Price Comparison report highlighted the wrong lowest price in some situations.
  • When using EPIC NetPricer to pull pricing from your local supplier, or importing an EPIC CPF file, the Price Comparison report helps an estimator compare pricing from multiple sources to that of EPIC's Target (average) price. The Price Comparison report highlights the lowest price and we found that the highlighting had a bug with some data sources.
• Items taken off from the Fixture Takeoff module would receive incorrect Entry Numbers in the Audit Trail after using Edit-to-Source.
  • Edit-to-Source was discovered to introduce an error in Entry number as seen in the Audit Trail. This was fixed.

This v11.7 build of Electrical Bid Manager (EBM) put a lot of focus on stability and speed improvements. As Windows 10 continues to change, we have found it necessary to update EBM to keep eliminate issues created. Since the previous release, our development and software testing team have spent 100's of hours making EBM faster, more stable, and added a few features.

Version v11.6 was not a full public release. We prepared v11.6 for launch in summer 2020 but we found bugs just before distributing it to all our customers. At this point, we had already moved onto v11.7 with enough additional improvements that we scrapped v11.6 to put all focus on v11.7.

Added Features

• Faster Job List
  • We have dramatically increased the speed that EBM displays and opens jobs. This will especially affect network customers and those with 100+ jobs in EBM.
  • Feature Showcase Video
• Audit Trail report speed increases
  • We have rewritten a good portion of the Audit Trail report to improve speed and stability.
  • This will be most noticeable for larger jobs, users with 100's of jobs in their database, and anyone that has a PC environment/network where they have experienced any speed issues in the past.
• Takeoff entry edits in Audit Trail updates all like entries.
  • Ability to change ALL assemblies in the takeoff when an edit is made to one in the Audit Trail. EBM asks if you'd like to apply changes.
  • Feature Showcase Video
• Quote Management data grid navigation update
  • Users can now use TAB and ENTER keys to navigate the grid with Excel-like behavior.
  • Feature Showcase Video
• PlanSwift takeoff data verification opt-out option added
  • Users can now opt-out of launching PlanSwift to verify takeoff data prior to running a report.
  • Feature Showcase Video
• New tooltips added to multiple screens in EBM
  • To help new and experienced EBM users, we have started adding more tooltips throughout EBM. This can be helpful for new users and also help explain lesser-known settings/buttons/features to experienced users. We will continue adding more to each upcoming release.

Fixed

• Major Project - Overall Speed and stability improvements.
  • Since the last release of EBM, we have taken customer feedback, added new testing protocols, and we have re-coded large portions of EBM. This project's goal is to identify and fix the more pesky bugs that affect some of our customers. Unfortunately, we have found the bugs to be inconsistent and only affect a subset of our customers. This is a high priority project that we have weekly meetings to discuss our progress. We want you to know that we are taking this very seriously and we will continue to work with our customers to improve EBM.
• Material and Labor factor bug
  • Some EBM Pro users experienced material and labor factor issues where the factors were not computing.
• Takeoff modules - "Other Items" and "Additional accessories per fixture", and similar options, did not function properly
  • In some situations, users were unable to properly add items via these subsections on takeoff screens.
• Job list not allowing proper "filter by user" views
  • When using EBM Network, users were unable to use the "filter by user" feature in the Job List.
• "Edit to Source" function in Audit Trail incorrectly managed Entry #'s
  • In some situations, Entry #'s were not managed properly by EBM when a user invoked the "Edit to Source" function in the Audit Trail.
• Multi-select in Job Extension report not working
  • User unable to select multiple items from the Job Extension report using the CTRL key and mouse clicking.
• Added delete option to PlanSwift Import window
  • This feature disappeared in version 11.5. We fixed the bug that would hide this feature.
• Quote Management window column header issue
  • The column headers in the "Prices by items" section were not displaying correctly.
• Change Order phases did not match the default job phases
  • We updated the phases for new Change Orders to match the phases used for new jobs.
• Database edit window too small
  • By default, the database edit window was too small and hid some buttons. A user would need to resize the windows to access the buttons. The window now has a larger default size.

Added Features

• Added more Job data columns to Job File management windows.
  • We added Prime Cost, Overhead, Profit, and Square Footage columns of data to make it easier to review and find jobs.
  • Feature showcase video
• Job Notes and Summary Notes are now viewable on the Bid Summary report.
  • Users now have the option of printing the Summary Notes and/or the Job Notes on the Bid Summary report.
  • Feature showcase video
• Allow users to takeoff panels with up to 999 sections. Previously the limit was 9 sections.
  • It is common for panel sections to exceed the limit of 9. As such, we increased this limit in EBM to 999.
  • Feature showcase video

Fixed

• Quick Temp Takeoff "edit" button fixed.
  • This gives the user to edit newly created temp items in greater detail (change to quote, change phase, etc), on the fly, during the takeoff entry itself--rather than editing the item after takeoff.
  • This was initially added to 11.3 but a bug was introduced in 11.4 that is now fixed.
• Removed the option to install PlanSwift (PS) plugins when the PS link is not being used.
  • There is no need for this option when PlanSwift is not installed, or not set to be linked to EBM. So the button has been disabled.
• Default Phase set to "18 Misc" for newly added items
  • Due to the changes made to the database phase structure in the previous version upgrade, the Default Phase was incorrectly set to "7 Switchgear". This caused newly added items to default to that phase.
• PlanSwift (PS) Import screen fixed to allow multiple item selection for takeoff.
  • Allow users to select inconsecutive items on the import spreadsheet.
  • In v11.3 a user can import multiple items that are listed in-consecutively. A bug for this was introduced in 11.4 and we fixed it in this 11.5 release.

In this update, we focused on updating the database, adding customer-requested features, and bug fixes.

Added Features:

• New items and assemblies added to the EBM database in the following categories:
  • Stainless Steel Items and Assemblies (Plus/Pro-only)
  • Lighting Control (all versions)
  • Occupancy Sensor Items and Assemblies (all versions)
  • Fire Alarm Quoted Items and Assemblies with Quote Devices (all versions).
  • View a list of added items: http://bit.ly/2019q4database
• Search feature added to more reports.
  • New search button added to the following reports: Job Extension spreadsheet, Price Comparison spreadsheet, Material List spreadsheet, Open Items spreadsheet. This search helps you quickly track down what you are looking for in your bid.
• Added Notes and Reminders functionality to Device Assemblies.
  • You can now edit notes when using edit-to-source on Device Assembly items.
• New "Copy Labor" button added to speed need item creation.
  • In the past, we allowed the user to "Copy Attributes" but sometimes a user only wants to copy an item's labor section of the Add/Edit dialog window when creating new items. The new "Copy Labor" button provides this functionality.
• Improved Job search tool.
  • We greatly improved the algorithm for the search tool on the following screens:
    a) Job Open screen
    b) Job Copy screen
    c) Job Delete screen
    d) Create Change Order screen
    e) Merge Job screen
• On Switchboards & Panels takeoff module, # of sections increased from a max of 9 to 999.
  • An EBM customer called and explained that it is pretty common to put in more than 9 sections for multiple meter boards when doing apartment work, or multi-dwelling work. We agreed and enabled up to 999.
• Notes added directly to the Audit Trail are now denoted as a "Note".
  • When adding a "note" directly to the Audit trail, the note would have a 0.00 value and did not sort properly. We fixed the sorting, removed the 0.00, and added the label "Note" to the Item # column.
• Added usability features to Open Job and Bid Log screens.
  • Added column resizing and tooltips on truncated text to make a friendly, more useful Open Job screen.
• Change how EBM launches PlanSwift when viewing Job Extension/Job Totals
  • EBM would automatically try and open PlanSwift (if not open) every time a customer would view reports in EBM. This was to ensure any changes in PlanSwift were incorporated into EBM before generating reports. However, this is rare and we now ask the user if they'd like to check for changes.
• New help videos added to EBM's Help menu.
  • We added "Creating a New User" and "Importing Multiple Items from EPIC into EBM". We updated some existing help videos.

Fixed:

• Duplicate entries created when using Edit to Source for Quick Devices and Custom Assemblies.
  • Fixed an issue some users experienced that would create a duplicate entry when they edited an item in the Audit Trail using "Edit to Source".
• Improved "Insert Note" function in the Audit Trail report.
  • Notes were not always appearing in their correct location when a user sorted the Audit Trail by Breakout, Section, etc. Notes now sort correctly in the Audit Trail.
• Residential Bid Price Final report was not summarizing correctly.
  • On this residential report, the total quantity was accurate but the report broke out items incorrectly into multiple lines instead of summarizing into one. We fixed this report glitch.
• Improved handling of default labor rates when restoring a backup of master database.
  • When you restore a backup of your master database, and leave "Overwrite Job List" unchecked, the default labor rates would be deleted or set to $0.00.
• Job Totals Report not preserving unchecked (unselected) status of overhead/profit.
  • We found this to occur when saving multiple Bid Summary names in the Job Totals Report. This now works as expected.
• Phases were not ordered properly when using the Print Details function of the Job Totals Report.
  • We enforced proper sorting in the Print Details function of the Job Totals Report.
• EBM Standard installer and unlock key was not auto-activating the Residential takeoff and database.
  • We fixed this issue for new EBM Standard installations and unlocks. Previously, our support department would manually unlock the residential takeoff and database features for EBM Standard users. Now it is automatic.
• EBM Pro with "Windows 10" appearance theme would not allow database editing via the spreadsheet editor.
  • Some of EBM's appearance themes, or skins, were not compatible with the database spreadsheet editor tool. We updated the tool to add compatibility.
• The Getting Started screen had a broken link to the Sample Commercial job.
  • We fixed the link.

In this update, we focused on updating the database, adding customer requested features, and bug fixes.

Added Features:

• Labor and Material Factor fields for Quick Devices Takeoff (Pro
  Version only).
• New residential database items and assemblies, UPC changes
  and item description corrections. View the Q4 2018 updates here:
  » bit.ly/2018q4database
• Item weight field accessible on the database editing spreadsheet
  (Pro Version only).
• Improvements to the Planswift link process to prevent data
  corruption in specific use cases.
• Date/Time stamp on the Planswift Import Spreadsheet.

Fixed Features:

• Fixed: We audited and cleaned up the installation and removed
  unneeded files.
• Fixed: Updated support tools that help improve our Support teams
  capability to keep you running smoothly.

This update was delayed due to the volume of additions and bug fixes we squeezed into this update. We will be returning to a more regular release schedule as we move forward.

Added Features:

• Database items cleaned up.
  • Brian Hoffelder, Vision's training and software development expert, edited the Electrical Bid Manager database to clean up inconsistencies and added items. NECA labor units added and updated on many items.
  • View the Q1 2018 updates here:  http://bit.ly/2018q1database
• OST/PlanSwift Import table columns resize and sort. Tooltips display.
  • When importing takeoff items from PlanSwift or On-Screen Takeoff, Electrical Bid Manager displays a table (or spreadsheet) of the items to approve for importing into your bid. The columns now properly resize and sort. Tooltips also popup info.
• PlanSwift Symbol sizing defaults set to optimized sizes
  • We added more auto-sized defaults to ensure you can jump right in with counting in PlanSwift.
• Added notes tool to more takeoff modules.
  • Added tool to add notes to the "Quick Temp Misc", and "Quick Entry" takeoff modules.
• Added more features to the Job Notes tool.
  • You can now Add, Edit, and Delete Job Notes. You can also multi-select delete Job Notes.
• Network installations can now auto logout users.
  • For Electrical Bid Manager updates and restarts, all users need to be logged out. From the server, you can now prompt all users with a message that they will be logged out in 10 seconds.
• EBM Network upgrade installs now auto-connects to an existing EBM SQL database.
  • When installing on a network server, the existing SQL instance used is not recognized. The install program prompts the user to reselect, and enter the SA login, as if this is a new installation rather than an upgrade.
• Planswift conduit entries made with trench, when deleted, will also remove the conduit & trench in EBM.
  • Electrical Bid Manager now identifies the existence of trenching for a conduit takeoff done in PlanSwift. This allows the user to delete both the conduit and trenching at the same time.
• Import Spreadsheet allows longer descriptions with no truncating
  • Import spreadsheet is more usable with better descriptions.
• Electrical Bid Manager installer and all EXE/DLL files are "Code Signed."
  • Some customers had issues with either Windows 10 or their antivirus software. Our new Code Signed files rectified this issue.

Fixed Features:

• Item Cost report includes all items
  • A customer reported that they had an item missing from their Item Cost report. Upon further inspection, we found this happens in some edge cases and fixed the issue.
• Audit Trail, copied assembly keeps "drawing ref" value
  • In Audit Trail, "drawing ref" was changing when copying assemblies to another breakout
• Update Labor options in Database top-menu
  • The Update Labor option should disable once completed.
• Database Reorganization tool improved
  • Optimizations to Database Reorganization tool makes it more useful.
• Trenching now has linear attribute instead of count.
  • Measuring trenching in PlanSwift now correctly represented as linear in Electrical Bid Manager
• In rare cases, Editing Labor was reseting to $0.00
  • This only affected one customer to date that had specific customization done to their database. We fixed their issue and added safeguards to keep it from happening.
• Motor Controls "wire makeup percentage" changes save properly
  • The default settings are now saved properly.
• Feeder Report updated to work better with PlanSwift
  • Previously, Electrical Bid Manager's Feeder Report wouldn't properly handle Feeders that were taken off in PlanSwift.
• Quick Branch takeoff keeps defaults from "takeoff defaults" module.
  • Previously, the default was getting updated based on the whatever you select as the Saved Assembly.
• Quick Device now keeps "Additional Items" when you Edit to Source
  • If you used Edit to Source on a Quick Device, in some situations, the Additional Items would be removed.
• Wire terminations were not counted when using PlanSwift to count Motor Hookup.
  • In some situations, the Motor Hookup wire terminations were not being imported properly Electrical Bid Manager when using PlanSwift.
• Database upgraded to handle over 50,000 jobs with no issue
  • Previously, the Electrical Bid Manager database would sometimes have issues if there were more than 50,000 jobs in the database.
• Option to set default symbol size for PlanSwift count symbols.
  • For most users, the default size was fine. However, some users found the default inadequate so we made it selectable.
• Updated PlanSwift's electrical symbols
  • We added more symbols and improved how they are used in PlanSwift.
• Improved PlanSwift count import data validation
  • We added more safeguards to ensure counts from PlanSwift import properly to Electrical Bid Manager. In some rare situations, a negative count would get imported and have to be recounted.
• In a Residential job, changing a priced item to quote caused issues with Quote Report
  • Quote Report has been updated to properly handle items that have been switched from priced to quote.
• Improved data stability when multiple estimators are using OST and EBM simultaneously.
  • One customer reported they had experienced some odd data issues when multiple estimators were all lin the same job and taking off in On-Screen Takeoff. We identified the issue and added more safeguards to keep it from happening.
• Logged In Users screen was not displaying "full name"
  • We identified the problem and ensured the full name was displayed.
• Job Totals report wasn't displaying hours for Non-Productive Labor.
  • We identified the problem and fixed it.
• Improved rounding for Labor Rates calculations.
  • Previously, Electrical Bid Manager rounded calculations and a precision level that caused totals to not match. We have corrected this issue.
• EBM Network with multi-users had copper wire resetting to $0 after EPIC update.
  • This only seemed to affect oen customer but we wanted to make sure we solved their problem to ensure others never experience it. In multi-user network environment, copper wire is now properly updated.
• EBM Network now installs correctly on Windows Home Server 2011
  • A customer reported difficulty installing Electrical Bid Manager Network on their Windows Home Server 2011 PC. We researched and found a work-around and implemented this into our installation.
• Price Comparison wasn't handling price overrides correctly.
  • The Price Comparison tool lets you compare multiple columns of pricing. For example, EPIC's Target Price to a custom price file from your supplier or NetPricer imported pricing. You can now manually override a price and input a new price for an item.
• The From/To wasn't going into the Audit Trail; even with a Designation. (OST)
  • When taking off in On-Screen Takeoff (OST) and importing to Electrical Bid Manager, the From/To wasn't going tot the Audit Trail; even with a Designation. This is fixed.
• Switchboards & Panels module now starts a new note for each Designation.
  • All of Electrical Bid Manager's takeoff modules have a "notes" function that allows the user to enter notes specific to each takeoff. This module allowed you to make notes but would try and carry over notes from a previous takeoff.
• Edit to Source in Audit Trail keeps all takeoff notes.
  • All notes are tracked with takeoff items properly.
• Planswift now properly sizes all symbols on drawings by default.
  • All symbols, including the PlanSwift the Drop/Riser, Elbows, and Run Count tools inside PlanSwift, the count symbols now scale when the user changes the zoom factor of the plan.

Added Features:

• Design/Build tools - PlanSwift users now have access to over 75 electrical symbols that provides basic Design/Build functionality and counting with Electrical Bid Manager.
• New default setting for takeoff symbol size (PlanSwift link users only)
• Export to eSub.com from Extension Report >> Extension Spreadsheet.
• Export to EstimateGuard.com from Extension Report >> Extension Spreadsheet

Fixed Features:

• Quick Branch Takeoff - When you use the Quick Branch option in the OST spreadsheet to import from OST, checking the Quick Branch box at the bottom allows you to select from the QB Cable and Conduit/Wire Saved Assemblies.  However, it only works if you used F2 takeoff.  If you double click on the imported assembly, nothing is entered for the Saved Assemblies.
• Unit of Measure (U/M) and price factor corrections.
• Labor outlier correction option.
• Fixed OST export bug - Feeders saved assemblies 'Round Quantity' was being checked.

Added Features:

• Speed Improvements - With this upgrade we’ve optimized the database for faster processing on most systems.

Fixed Features:

• No fixes this update.

Added Features:

• QuickBranch Takeoff - Allows quick selection and takeoff of device assemblies combined with conduit/wire, or cable runs of any length from your Saved Assemblies in Branch Circuits and Cable modules. View a video of this new feature.
• New MC Luminary Cable - Lighting and low voltage circuits in one cable. Pricing updated with EPIC Pricing.
• New program "Themes" gives EBM a new look! Find this setting in Program Settings screen on the Appearance tab.
• Ability to take off empty conduit with pull line in one step with conduit take-off in Site and Feeders.
• New database items and updated item UPCs and descriptions.
• Various modifications to PlanSwift integration for improved functionality.
• Clear button to remove unwanted items from the Import Spreadsheet. (PlanSwift link only)

Fixed Features:

• Advanced Substitution bugs; Converting to Cable would use the incorrect Saved Assembly. After converting to Cable, the resultant entries in the audit trail could not be edited.
• Digitizing item on a different page would return to the spreadsheet instead of item takeoff (PlanSwift link only).
• Feeders and Site From/To taken off from OST not showing in audit trail.
• “Edit to Source” Custom Assemblies not recalling “Additional Items”.

Added Features:

• List Jobs by Customer.  Located on the Job menu, this new feature allows the user access to the jobs list, sorted by the customer reference for each job.  This provides a quick view of the number of jobs bid for each customer.
• (PlanSwift link users only) Enhanced speed and stability of PlanSwift integration.

Fixed Features:

• Labor column was not included when exporting the job extension report to a spreadsheet.
• User Defined Equipment takeoff screen no longer requires item selection.
• “Invalid JA_Flags” error message during data conversion after installing the upgrade.

Added Features:

• Link to PlanSwift™. PlanSwift™ is an on-screen digital plan takeoff solution for those who wish to move away from having to acquire hard-copy drawings for the takeoff process. It allows the user to measure and count material quantities from a digital image of the drawing using the EBM takeoff modules for material and labor. This link is available as a feature in EBM Pro, and an optional feature in EBM Plus and EBM Standard.

  Download a free 14-day demo: www.visioninfosoft.com/planswift
  View 1 minute preview video

Fixed Features:

• Error while moving OST “Layers” on the OST export screen.
• Quote items not showing on the Quote Management screen (Residential version only).

Added Features:

• Updated NECA labor units.
• Update, manage item database with spreadsheet import/export.  

Fixed Features:

• Not all quote items showing in the Quote Management screen.
• EPIC Custom Price import failed to import prices.
• Price Comparison report failed to display prices, when only using EPIC Custom prices.

Added Features:

• Added diagnostic option to warn if job total changes by a specified amount and logs to log file.
• Job extension data export format for Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

Fixed Features:

• Though audit trail quantities were correct, they were showing as negative numbers in the On-Screen Takeoff (OST) import screen.
• “User2.dat not found” when EBM user is set to read-only mode.
• ‘Job Copy’ function not copying job notes.
• Importing OST Condition Attachments (i.e. conduit/wire runs) incorrectly.
• Bid Price field showing incorrectly in the Residential Proposal template.

Added Features:

• Improved exporting capabilities to On-Screen Takeoff (OST) for exporting to and from OST SQL database.
• Added option to sort commercial jobs by residential phase records.

Fixed Features:

• Unable to import custom prices from EPIC.
• Item numbers not generated automatically when adding a new item to the database.
• Database item search not working properly.
• Improved item (conditions) export to OST.
• “Layers” created in EBM were not getting exported to OST.

Added Features:

• New “apply price factor” option, for importing item price changes based on user specified unit of measure. (EPIC users only)
• Option to show factored extended price and labor in the audit trail.
• Option to export audit trail to MS Excel or text files.
• Export Fixture and Switchgear designations (OST users only)
• New icon on the Reports toolbar, for easy access to the Item Cost Report.
• New On-Screen Takeoff related help videos.

Fixed Features:

• Automatic Item number assignments not working properly for Temporary items.
• Newly created jobs do not show Job Notes from Default Job Settings. (Residential version only)
• Bid Price Final report did not show the same figures as the Job Totals screen. (Residential version only)

Added Features:

• NECA Showstopper Award winning feature BestPrice™
• Price Comparison feature.
• Allows the user to compare EPIC’s target price with up to 3 suppliers, using any combination of Custom Price Files (imported
• from EPIC™) and NetPricer™ data.
• The lowest individual price on each item is identified for quick selection of preferred suppliers.
• Comparison feature. (Requires Plus/Pro)

Fixed Features:

• Temporary items takeoff was creating inordinate item numbers for newly created items.
• Notes inserted in Audit Trail would disappear.
• Deleting a layer when exporting to OST would cause the program to crash.
• When editing items in extension spreadsheet the program ran very slow in a large job.
• “Save” button is not visible when editing items in the extension spreadsheet.
• Residential Version - editing assembly in audit trail would cause descriptions to disappear.

Important Database Updates:

• Master Database Updates: Addition of LED lamps and materials for those who work in the Solar Energy market.
• Specialty Database: Removed items that are no longer available on manufacturers’ published price sheets. Prices for these items are only available through manufacturer representative outlets and/or product distributors. For this reason, we have flagged these items as those which should require a quoted price when used in a bid.

Added Features:

• Collapsible Audit Trail. This new feature provides the ability to collapse any takeoff entry in the audit trail to a single line, which makes browsing much easier.
• Improved Audit Trail editing and browsing speed.
• Improved speed when importing On-Screen Takeoff (OST) jobs taken off with multiple pages.
• Database browse capabilities now include support for the “back” button found on a peripheral device (mouse).
• The ability to use temp items in temp assemblies.
• Option to delete “Accessories” or “Other Items” by doing a right-hand mouse click.
• Option to show date/time of each transaction in the audit trail.
• OST users may now export additional data conditions to an existing OST job.

Fixed Features:

• “Additional Items” taken off with switchgear were getting included in the quote.
• Connection to the SQL server instance was being lost after long periods of inactivity.
• Audit Trial item delete option was disabled.
• Edit To Source’ now works on temporary assemblies.
• Realigned columns to accommodate increased description field on Fixture Quote report.
• Data corruption when using ‘save permanent’ option on jobs priced with NetPricer.

Plus Version - Added Features (valued over $1897)

• Real time totals (in Audit Trail)
• Voice Data Video (VDV) Database
• Demolition Database
• Undo Button to Audit Trail (previously a Pro-only feature)
• Full Residential estimating user interface & database option

Pro Version - Added Features (value over $3,093)

• Real time totals (in Audit Trail)
• Voice Data Video (VDV) Database
• Demolition Database
• Residential Database
• High Voltage Database
• Explosion Proof Database
• Fire Alarm Database
• Pole Line Database
• Full Residential estimating user interface & database option

Additional Added Features:

• Plus and Pro versions now include several premium add-ons.
• Custom price and last date updated to database spreadsheet. The custom column displayed is the one from the currently opened job.
• New option to export cost/square foot to a text file from the Job Totals.
• Increased the length of the phase code to 6 digits.
• EBM’s integration with On-Screen Takeoff

Fixed Features:

• Company info settings
• EBM was ignoring the setting to not include overhead in the profit calculation if overhead was added as a fixed amount per labor hour. If overhead was added any other way, the toggle for including or not including in profit worked fine. The toggle now works in all cases.
• Feeder Takeoff designations were being overwritten when using Edit to Source.
• Access Violation errors when the job extension sort method is unknown.