Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Masterbill Software For Quantity Surveyor In The Construction Industry


1.0 Introduction


The environment surrounding construction industries has changed drastically during the past decade. They are looking for new ways to compete effectively. One of the key factors of corporate success is the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions in the environment, innovate continuously and achieve goals.


Organizational knowledge provides this capability. More specifically, organizational knowledge provides the capability to understand the market, asses the client's needs, and translate them into products and services by integrating various organizational resources. As we move from the industrial age into the intelligence age, knowledge has become a central force behind the competitive success of firms (Kim, 2001).


Information Technology (IT) is considered as one of the critical factors for effective KM (Junnarkar and Brown, 1997; Trussler, 1997; Ruggles, 1998; Syed, 1998; Skyrme, 1999; Sarvary, 1999; Zack, 1999; Choi, 2000). As the importance of organizational knowledge and the role of IT in KM increase, choosing the right of IT for different KM strategies is crucial. During the project management process, IT is extensively utilized.


However, the construction industry has been slow to recognize the benefits of IT as a major tool beyond communication (Egbu et al., 2001). Transferring knowledge and information across projects is a major challenge for construction industries. Much of construction work is project based, characterized as short-term and task-oriented, promoting a culture where continuous learning is inhibited. Subsequently, specialist and technical knowledge may be lost from one project to another. Gann (2000) argues that IT can assist the transfer of knowledge and information between project teams, enabling the development of new knowledge for innovation.


2.0 Masterbill³ Software

Established in 1981, having emerged from a Quantity Surveying practice, Masterbill have always set the standards by which Construction Industry Software should be judged. Since our first BQ system on a Micro Computer, through to the launch of the World's first true Windows 32-bit BQ system in 1997 and the development of a complete e-Tendering solution in 2001, Masterbill have always sought to think beyond products and encompass the entire solution.

In recent years Masterbill have become established in the estimating market, making us unique in serving both Quantity Surveying and Construction Company customers and this in turn has led to developments including CAD measurement, plus Site works measurement and modeling.

In 2005 Masterbill once again took the opportunity to think beyond products with the launch of Masterbill Elite which provides the complete solution from Feasibility through Cost Planning and BQ Production to Final Account in a single product with a single database.

One and the most popular product is Masterbill³. Masterbill³ is the complete BQ Production System, fully featured and including Pricing, Cost Analysis and Tender Comparison routines. Masterbill3 uses a Project Structure; i) Parts, ii) Elements, iii) References & iv) Cost Code ; which together with full sortation results in the ability to produce bills in almost any sequence.

The Project Structure is normally set up at the start of a project using the lists shown, although it can be amended later. As they are created dimensions are allocated to a Reference, Part, Element and Cost Code combination (a dimstore) from the Measurement Window using drop lists


Masterbill3 allows the user to create a Bill of Quantities at any point in the measurement process. In creating a BQ the user can set:
  • The BQ sequence - the user may choose from the 10 available sequences allowing the BQ to be sequenced to suit their particular requirements.
  • Measurement selection - the user may choose which Parts, Elements, Workgroups and Cost Codes they would like included within their BQ.
  • Layout - with user-defined headers, footers, page numbering, fonts and column widths


Masterbill3 allows the user to store up to 15 sets of tender rates which may be entered as unit rates, lump sums, PC Sums, ‘Included’, 'Excluded', star rates or 'Rate Only'. The ‘Matching Prices’ feature also provides the opportunity to select an alternative tender on a previous project to use as a basis for pricing the current estimate. Once the BQ is priced user-defined and standard BCIS Cost Analyses can be obtained instantly and when more than one tender is present tender comparison routines come into play.

Masterbill3 is not just CITE compliant but it also includes all the tools to enable the user to take full advantage of Masterbill's own XML e-Tendering standard including the ability to track and distribute tender amendments.


In general, the system provide so much benefits to the user, in term of time, cost and quality of outcome products;


  • Time saving - enables cost plans to be produced in minutes.
  • Easy to use - simply complete the data entry screens to and the system does the rest.
  • Enables the user to model quantities by building shape or width when limited information is available.
  • Construction costs may be applied by direct entry, from a cost analysis and using a single or combination of user defined performance grades.
  • The modeled scheme may be visualized as either a floor plan or an isometric sketch.
  • Data entry looping enables the user to assess the effect of any variables.
  • Simple clear reports generated that summarize the information entered and the results.


3.0 Benefits of Using Masterbill³ Software

The initiative of using this software is intentionally to improve our traditional way of doing measurement and preparation of tender documents, we already analyze the following reasons before proceed to implement this software at our office


Time Factor Consideration
Client always want the process to be done the faster time possible, in our normal practice quantity surveyor have been given 2 – 3 weeks period of time to prepare the ender documents; which should include taking of the quantity from the drawing and abstract it into the bill of quantity. There are some situation client ask for period of a weeks. With convoluted architecture and structure drawing it seem possible to quantity surveyor to prepare the bill in the short time. Except providing extra employees or and works extra time.

Masterbill³ absolutely can reduce time of preparing tender compare with the traditional methods. Time taken to abstract taking off to bill drastically reduces from hours only to few minute by using the software. Masterbill³ also available to create the template where by the user may use the same template for future similar (i.e. schools with schools or apartment with apartment) projects.

Beside masterbill³, the network itself will provided better information transfer, our staff will not any more travelling and spend their time in the car purposely to sending document, sending document can only be done via internet, facsimile and etcetera.


Cost & Investment Consideration
The overall cost to implement this system not really expensive compare to the benefit that will be obtained. The software itself may require Ringgit Malaysia; Twenty Five Thousand, extra networks to each computer may require three thousand each (proposed 4 computers to be direct linked); Installation of Local Area Network, for 2 storey office may spend Sixteen Thousand. The system can then connected to existing Internet Service Provider, which bill around Two hundred per month. In total it might required to have ringgit Malaysia Fifty Five Thousand and Four Hundred (RM 55,400.00).

In long term prospect investing to this system will guarantee a superior return to us. They will provide and give us better quality of products to our clients and customer, which indirectly make it our company more admired among the local construction industry.

In other aspect expenditure such as; travelling, phone calls, papers can be drastically reduced. The extra income may goes for purpose of awarding the employees or upgrading the information technology in the office from time to time.


Quality Consideration
The traditional ways doing taking off/measurement might be involved with several human errors, overlook on the drawing or arithmetical error while calculating, squaring, and timesings may occur, and this may result under measure or over measure for certain item in the bill of quantity. These problems indirectly affect the cost of project via variation works, which normally claimed by contractor









1 comment:

  1. I would not touch this software with a Barge Pole, let alone my JCB!

    CITE, what is that. It certainly causes errors if you try to import into properly accredited CITE estimating software.

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