Creating take-off templates is a time-saving option to populate projects with frequently used measurements.

When integrated with Simpro, measurements can be manually linked to Simpro catalogue items or pre-builds or by using the Simpro import to import take-off templates built inside Simpro, linking them automatically.

Creating take-off templates

The two most common approaches to creating take-off templates linked to Simpro are copying from an existing stage or building a new take-off template.

1. Copying an existing stage

If measurement parts are already linked to Simpro catalogue or pre-builds, take-off templates are created by copying an existing stage in a project.

From the worksheet tab or while on a plan, click stage actions
Click copy to new template
Rename and click copy stage
Click +measurement to add additional count, length and area measurements

📝 Note: Parts that have assigned cost centres will retain their cost centre and cost centre name when creating a take-off template.

If the parts are set with the project's default cost centre, the parts will be saved with no designated cost centre, which will appear as "none."

Select a cost centre to see the cost centre name appear.

2. Building a new take-off template

From the Groundplan home page, navigate to the take-off templates tab
Click +take-off template
Enter the template name and select the correct Simpro company (required in multi-company set-up) and click create
If in a multi-company set-up - recommend adding a take-off template label or signifying in the name which company
Click +measurement and click to add count, length and area
Select the measurement part type and complete the remaining fields
Click create, if additional parts and labour are required, click create & add more parts
Assign cost centres
If required, rename cost centres

Applying a take-off template to a new stage

From within a plan, click +add stage
Enter stage name and click apply take-off template
Click the take-off template name
Click create, add additional count, length and area measurements if required

💡Info: Preset cost centers and cost center names will populate on the Simpro tab.

Applying a take-off template to an existing stage

From within a plan, click stage actions and click apply template
Click take-off template name
Review and/or deselect measurements not required
Click apply template

Linking take-off measurements to Simpro inventory

From the home page, click take-off templates and click take-off template name to amend
Click measurement name
Click part actions and click delete
Click +part
Select Simpro catalogue or Simpro pre-build
Select group and subgroup if desired
Select the search type and enter three letters / numbers
Click to select the item
Click save and continue as required for all other measurements in the template

Assigning cost centres to parts and labour

Parts and labour can be pushed to multiple cost centres with the option to pre-set the cost centre in a take-off template.

Click the take-off template name
Click the Simpro tab
If you are using a multi-company set-up, click to select the correct multi-company build
Click to select the items or select all
Click set cost centre to and select the cost centre
If the cost centre is set to "none", the part or labour line will be assigned to the default project cost centre once the template is applied to a project
Repeat if required

Renaming cost centres for template items

Parts and labour can be pushed to multiple cost centres, with the option to re-name the cost centre from Groundplan.

Ensure the cost centre has been set
Click the parts requiring a renamed cost centre or select all
Click set cost centre name
Type the cost centre name
Click save

The two parts chosen have a cost centre of landscaping which have been renamed to lighting.

Applying multiple take-off templates to a stage

When applying take-off templates to projects, the project will pick up the cost centre from the first take-off template applied to the stage. For an item to be linked to multiple cost centres in the same stage/section, it requires a unique ID.

For Simpro items, copying the pre-build/catalogue Item in Simpro will create an identical item with a new (unique) ID.
The new pre-build/catalogue item must be linked to the measurement where a different cost centre is required.
The pre-build/catalogue Item can have identical details
- It is recommended to use a separate subgroup, part number or description. This is designed to help quickly identify the correct item when adding to measurements.
- If you require multiple cost centres for the same part or labour in the same stage, creating new catalogue items / pre-builds within Simpro is the most common workflow solution.

Frequently asked questions

If I edit or rename the measurement in Groundplan, will it automatically update my part in Simpro?

No, unfortunately not.

Renaming measurements will not send the updated name to Simpro. These names will only appear in Groundplan on the stage, worksheet, quantities, take-off template and on the legend.

When I update Simpro catalogue items or pre-builds, will these changes be reflected in my take-off template?

Yes, but only if you have updated the current catalogue / pre-build, not when you create a new catalogue / pre-build.

The catalogue / pre-build item used in Groundplan connects to Simpro with a "catalogue / pre-build ID". If you have created a new catalogue Item / pre-build in Simpro, e.g. made a new pre-build of the exact details and archived/deleted the first one, then you will have to replace the pre-build you used in your take-off template.

Can I update the cost centres assigned in my parts before sending them to Simpro?

Yes.

Cost centres assigned to parts inside the take-off template can be changed on the Simpro tab in a project before you push a quote into Simpro.

Will the "additional parts" added to a measurement be listed as a pre-build in Simpro?

No.

If you created additional parts and labour into measurements, these additional items are sent through to Simpro as individual line items, and not as a pre-build (the same as adding a take-off template to a cost centre within Simpro)

If I import all my measurements using the CSV upload option with the same part numbers and descriptions, will they automatically link to my Simpro items?

No, this is not possible.

The quickest and easiest way is to use the Simpro import to bulk import pre-builds and catalogue items. Read more here.

Can I use Simpro take-off templates in Groundplan?