To use level types

Top-down level types

In the User Profile (tppdm0101s000) session, you can define the settings for a consistency check. You can also define if the check of the Verify Top-Down Estimate Consistency (tpest2220m000) session is performed for each field or each record. Using the Level field types entered in the Estimate Lines (tpest2100m000) session, the check is performed in this order:

• Total: For the Total level type, the consistency check is done to determine, if the parent’s structural element amount exceeds the structural element amount. Example, Line 10 + Line 20 + Line 25 must be less than or equal to Line 5. In top-down estimating, you must always use the Total line amount.
• Cost type: For the Cost Type level type, the consistency check is done to determine, if the amount does not exceed the Total amount of the same structural element. Example, Line 60 + Line 65 must be less than or equal to Line 20.
• Detail: For the Detail option, the consistency check is performed to determine, if the line amounts of the same cost type do not exceed the Cost Type amount with the Total level type. For example, Line 50 + Line 55 must be less than or equal to Line 45.
• Other Structures: For the Other Structures level type, the consistency check is performed to determine, if the line amount does not exceed the amount of the structural element with the Total level type.

Bottom-up level types

A bottom-up line can only have two level types: Total and Detail. Enter and add the unit costs, in the Structural Element session you can determine which level type must be used in the bottom-up estimate. The values of the Cost Level and Sales Level fields determine the lines that are aggregated for cost or sales. The Launch field’s level type determines which estimate lines linked to the defined level type are launched to budgeting. If the level type is set to Total, all estimate lines of that level type are launched to the project budget.

Leading estimate type (LET) calculations

Click the Aggregate Totals in the Estimate Lines (tpest2100m000) session to calculate the structural elements’ total amount of the leading estimate type using the estimate lines. The amount is displayed in the various LET Total fields. If you use bottom-up estimating, the calculation also depends on the settings of the level type in the Structural Element session. For example, the LET of element 011 is top down and you have three top-down lines for 011 and two bottom-up lines. Consequently, only the top-down lines are used in the LET calculation.

Total level type calculation

In the Estimate Lines (tpest2100m000) session, the calculations of estimate lines totals are displayed. For example, the LET is EURO 60 million; the amount displayed is based on the setting of the view. When the setting of the view is TOP element, the value is displayed in the Top Down Total: EURO 60 million.

The calculation of the Bottom Up structure differs. The structural elements amounts are added (011 + 023 + 022 = 5 + 15 + 1 = EURO 21 million) and the Cost Level field type is used to determine the selected amounts.

For the bottom-up estimating, you can also calculate a total with the Detail level type. If Cost Level field type in the Structural Element session is set to Detail, the following result is displayed: 3 + 1 + 0 + 15 + 0,5 = EUR 19.5 million.

If you view the bottom-up lines of 011, there is a difference in amount; the Total line amount is an approximate amount, whereas the Detail lines are accurate labor hours. If the Cost Level field type is Detail, the total for 011 is 3 million; based on the combination of 2.7 and 0.3 million that is set for 011.

Detail level-type calculation for leading estimate type (LET):

• LET of 01 = top down => estimate is EURO 9 million.
• LET of 021 = bottom up => estimate is EURO 40 or EURO 30 million, depending on the Cost Level field.
• LET of 03 = top down => estimate is EURO 1 million.

You can use the LET total and the cost total to calculate and recalculate different estimates before you send a bid. The aim is to create a cost estimate. With the same estimate, you can present a sales estimate with the required level of detail.