This article answers the most common questions about working with your Price List in LMN Estimating, including importing items, editing materials in bulk, setting labor and equipment rates, and building templates. It builds on the setup work covered in Price List Overview & Setup and Price List | Best Practices, so keep those handy as you go.
In this article
Before You Begin
Complete a few foundational steps first so your imports, edits, and pricing behave predictably:
Set your default budget so profit margins calculate correctly across items.
Set your default taxes before creating templates and estimates.
Build out your material, labor, and equipment catalogs in the Price List.
For details, see Price List Overview & Setup and Price List | Best Practices.
Importing FAQ
⚠️ Before you import: Import files must be in .CSV format (not .XLSX) and must contain fewer than 1000 rows (up to 999 items plus one header row).
How do I import materials into my Price List?
Go to the Price List tab and open Materials.
Choose the import option and download the template file.
Enter your item data into the .CSV file, following the required column headings.
Upload the completed file.
Review the results before confirming the import.
How do I update existing items when I import?
When you re-import a file, use the import screen toggles to control how matches are handled:
When a match is found, update the existing item — updates items that already exist.
Do not add new items — prevents new rows from being created.
Only update cost/price — limits the update to pricing fields.
Items are matched by SKU or item ID, so make sure those values are accurate in your file.
Can I undo an import?
Yes. Use the Rollback option to reverse a recent import if the results aren't what you expected.
Can I assign material categories in bulk during import?
Yes. Use the Assign Categories option to apply categories to multiple items at once.
Note: For SiteOne items, the Cost field is locked and cannot be overwritten through a file re-import.
Materials FAQ
How do I edit materials in bulk?
Go to Price List > Materials
Find the materials you want to update in your catalog.
Export the materials you want to update from the Materials list.
Open the export file in Excel and make your changes there. This is where you apply the update in bulk by copying and pasting values or using formulas across multiple rows at once.
Save the file as a CSV.
Return to LMN and import the updated CSV file back into your material catalog so the matching materials are updated all at once.
How do I delete materials in bulk?
Go to Price List > Materials.
Select the materials you want to remove.
Choose the delete option and confirm.
How do I change prices or costs in bulk?
Go to Price List > Materials.
Export the items you want to update.
Update the cost or price values in the exported file.
Re-import the file to apply your changes.
How do I search for materials?
Use the search field in Price List > Materials to filter by name, SKU, or category.
What's the difference between raw and total material cost?
Raw material cost reflects the base cost of the item, while total material cost includes any additional costs applied to it.
How is the Unit Price calculated?
Unit Price is derived from your item cost and your profit margin or markup settings. For a full breakdown of margin vs. markup, see Price List | Troubleshooting.
Labor FAQ
How do I set the labor burden?
Add your labor burden to each labor item in Price List > Labor so it's reflected in your estimated labor costs.
What's the difference between a per-man and a per-crew rate?
A per-man rate applies to a single crew member, while a per-crew rate applies to the crew as a whole. Choose the option that matches how you price labor.
Equipment FAQ
How do I combine a truck and trailer?
In Price List > Equipment, group the truck and trailer so they can be applied together on your estimates.
How do I forecast billable hours per year?
Enter your estimated billable hours per year for each equipment item so LMN can calculate its hourly cost.
Templates & Other FAQ
How do I create a Work Area Template from an estimate?
You can save an existing estimate's scope of work as a Work Area Template so you can reuse it on future estimates.
How do I apply discounts or rounding?
Use Other items to apply discounts or rounding to an estimate. When setting pricing options, you can:
Use Profit Margin from Budget — apply your default budget margin.
Set a Custom Profit Margin — apply a specific margin to the item.
Set a Custom Price — enter a fixed price directly.
Need more help? Contact our Support Team by email at lmn-support@granum.com, through Live Chat, or by phone at (888) 347-9864
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