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Configure Quantity Calculations
Configure Quantity Calculations

This guide explains how quantity calculations work and how to use them in ProLine.

AJ Briley avatar
Written by AJ Briley
Updated over a week ago

Quantity calculations are how you tell ProLine how to calculate the quantity for each type of material or labor when creating a quote.

Where to Find/Edit Calculations

Calculations are primarily edited/set on each Price List Item:

  1. Open the Hamburger Menu

  2. Go to Company Settings

  3. Open the Quotes Tab

  4. Open the Price List Accordion.

  5. Click on the calculator icon on any Price List Item.

Calculations can also be set for sub-calculations. Sub Calculations help with processing/cleaning up your raw measurement field data before it is used for price list items and displaying the cleaned/processed numbers in the measurement report.

  1. Open the Hamburger Menu

  2. Go to Company Settings

  3. Open the Projects Tab

  4. Open the Sub Calculations Accordion.

  5. Click on the calculator icon on any Sub Calculation..


Standard Calculations

ProLine's standard calculations can be configured by selecting measurements and entering desired numbers into the fields.

For Price List Items, the standard calculations look like this:
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  1. Select Measurement(s): Select the measurements or sub-calculations you want to use for this price list item. If you select multiple, they will be added together for the calculation.

  2. Set Coverage: This is the number of the unit of measure (LF, SQ, etc. Usually shown on the selected measurement(s) that is covered by one of the price item. The summed measurement(s) will be divided by this number.

  3. Select Waste Factor: Select static to set a static value, which can be "0" for no waste factor. Otherwise, use the dropdown to select a measurement or sub-calculation to use as a dynamic waste factor.

  4. Set Minumum: If the calculated quantity is less than this number, the minimum number will be used instead.

For Sub Calculations, the calculation editor looks like this:
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  1. Select Measurement(s): Select the measurements you want to use for this sub-calculation. If you select multiple, they will be added together for the calculation.

  2. Select Operation: Select "none" or a mathematical operation from the dropdown.

  3. Set Value: Set the value to be used in the operation.

Custom Calculation Formulas (Advanced)

NOTE: Custom formulas can be difficult to figure out. We recommend using the standard calculations unless absolutely necessary to build the calculation you need.

If you want more control over your calculations and don't want to be confined to ProLine's standard calculations, you can toggle on "Use Custom Formula." This will allow you to build your formula from scratch to calculate how you want it to.
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If you’ve done quoting using an Excel document or Google sheet before, then the concept of calculation formulas should be familiar. ProLine calculation formulas follow a pattern similar to spreadsheet formulas.

ProLine Calculation Formula Guidelines

ProLine calculation formulas are made up of a very specific list of possible characters and operations. These include:

  1. Numbers: You can add any number, including decimals, into formulas.

  2. Project Measurement Tokens: You will see a list of these values on the right-hand side in the Measurement Token Reference area. By adding one of these tokens, you are telling ProLine to take the value of that measurement field for the project you are quoting and pull that number into the formula. For example, by putting in {{M1}} you can pull in the value for the waste factor and use that in your formula.

  3. Sub-Calculation Tokens: At the bottom of the Measurement Token Reference, you will also find your Sub-Calculations. Unlike measurements, referencing a sub-calculation actually pulls the formula from that sub-calculation into the calculation for whatever you are editing. This is a big time saver and a way to keep calculations more organized by putting commonly used ones (like the calculations for total roof squares) into a single token for the sub-calculation.

  4. Math Operations: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division. These should be fairly self-explanatory. Just use the correct symbol as listed.

  5. Parentheses: To control the order of operations.

Calculation Formulas Order of Operations

Quantity calculation formula order of operations (PEMDAS):

1. Parentheses: 1 + 2 * 3 + 4 = 1+ 6 + 4 = 11 vs (1+2) * (3+4) = (3) * (7) = 21

2. Division and Multiplication (from left to right) 1 / 2 * 4 = 2

3. Addition and Subtractions. (from left to right) 3 + 6 - 5 + 1 = 5

Default Calculations (Roof Replacements)

If you're having trouble coming up with calculation formulas for your items. Here are some suggested calculations that have worked for other contractors for roof replacements.

​NOTE: These are based on our default measurement tokens. If you have deleted or changed your measurement tokens, these calculations may no longer work as expected. The default measurement tokens are listed below.

Default Measurement Fields (w/ Tokens)

{{M1}} - Waste Factor (%)

{{M2}} - Ridges (LF)

{{M3}} - Hips (LF)

{{M4}} - Valleys (LF)

{{M5}} - Rakes (LF)

{{M6}} - Eaves (LF)

{{M7}} - Parapet Walls (LF)

{{M8}} - Flashing (LF)

{{M9}} - Step Flashing (LF)

{{M10}} - Total Area (SF)
{{M11}} - Wall Area (SF)

{{M12}} - Electrical Masts (#)

{{M13}} - Vents (#)

{{M14}} - Chimneys (#)

Default Sub Calculations (w/ Tokens)

{{C1}} - Sub Calculation 1 (Total Square)

({{M11}}/100)*(1+({{M1}}/100))

Divide the total roof area by 100 to get the raw square value, then turn the waste factor into a decimal percentage and multiply the square by that decimal percentage (added to one) to get the total square with the waste factor.
​

{{C2}} - Sub Calculation 2 (Hip & Ridge SQ)

(({{M2}}+{{M3}})/25)/3

Add hip and ridge values together, then divide by 25 to get the number of bundles of Hip & Ridge shingle required, then divide by 3 (the typical number of squares a single bundle will cover) to get the square for labor calculations.
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{{C3}} - Sub Calculation 3 (Starter SQ)

(({{M5}}+{{M6}})/60)/3

Add rakes and eaves together and divide by 60 to get the number of bundles of starter shingles required, then divide by 3 to get the square for labor calculations.
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{{C4}} - Sub Calculation 4 (Drip Edge)

{{M5}}+{{M6}}

Add rakes and eaves together to get the drip edge in linear feet.

Main Roof Components

Main Shingle

{{C1}}

Pulls in the total square of the roof. If you order by the bundle, you need to also multiply the total square by 3.

Starter Shingle

{{C3}}*3

Pulls in starter square from sub-calculations and multiplies by 3 to get the number of bundles.
​

Ice & Water

{{M4}}/50

Divides valleys by fifty (the typical number of linear feet of valley one bundle of I & W will cover).
​

Hip & Ridge

{{C4}}*3

Pulls in hip & ridge square, then multiplies it by 3 to get the number of bundles.
​

Underlayment

{{C1}}/10

One roll covers 10 square, so divide total square by 10 to get the number of rolls.
​

Ridge Vent

{{M2}}/4

Take the ridge and divide by 4, which is typically how many linear feet one piece of ridge vent covers.

Other Roof Components

Drip Edge

{{C4}}/10

Pulls in the drip edge value and divides by 10 (the length of one piece of drip edge), to get the number of pieces required.

Coil Nails

Min: 1

({{C1}}+{{C2}}+{{C3}})/18

Need one box per 18 square of installed shingles. This includes the starter and hip & ridge square, so those square values are pulled in and added to the main shingle square.
​
​

Caulks & Sealants

Min: 2

{{C1}}/10

Defaults to adding at least 2 to every quote. Adds more for roofs more than 20 square by dividing the total square by 10 and rounding up the result.
​

OSB Board
Min: 2

{{C1}}/10

Defaults to adding at least 2 to every quote. Adds more for roofs more than 20 square by dividing the total square by 10 and rounding up the result.
​

Pipe Boots - 4n1

Min: 3

{{C1}}/10

Defaults to 3, but a roof with more than 30 square will automatically get more per additional 10 square.
​

Plastic Cap Nails

{{C1}}/30

One box for every 30 square of the roof. So a 25 square roof gets one box, and a 40 square roof gets two boxes.

Touch-up Paint

1

Always includes one, to match color of home.
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​SBS Base Sheet

Entered manually on quote.

Enter the square required for any flat roof sections. Usually comes in rolls of one square.

SBS Cap Sheet

Entered manually on quote.

Enter the square required for any flat roof sections. Usually comes in rolls of one square.

Electric Mast Flashing

{{M12}}

The number of electrical masts entered in the measurement report.

Aluminum Step Flashing

({{M9}}*3)/100

The Step Flashing measurement (in linear feet) is multiplied by 3 (the number of step flashings required to cover one linear foot of shingle coverage) and then divided by 100 (step flashings usually come in bundles of 100 pieces). It will almost always round up to 1 bundle.

Box Roof Vent

{{M13}}

The number of vents entered in the measurement report.
​

Aluminum Trim Coil

{{M14}}/5

One roll can be used for up to five chimneys, so we divide the number of chimneys by five, and then the quantity is rounded up to the nearest whole number.
​

Installation Labor

{{C1}}+{{C2}}+{{C3}}

Most subcontractors charge per installed square. This calculation adds up the sub-calculations for Total Square, Starter Square, and Hip & Ridge Square.

Chimney Flashing Installation

{{M14}}

The number of chimneys entered in the measurement report.

Steep Pitch Fees

Entered manually on quote.

Additional labor fees to cover the risks involved with steeper roofs. These are typically divided into the following: 9/12, 10/12, 11/12, 12/12, and 18/12. Steeper pitches get higher fees per square. These fees aren't calculated and are added to each quote on a discretionary basis.
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Upgrade Components

Lifetime Pipe Boots

Min: 3

{{C1}}/10

This calculation assumes that at least three pipeboots will be needed, or more if the roof is more than 30 square, {{C1}} is the sub-calculation for the total square of the roof.

Gutters

{{M6}}/25

The linear feet of Eaves divided by 25 (the average length of a section of gutter).

Support

If you encounter difficulties or have further questions, contact our support via email at support@proline.app or through the chat in the lower right corner of your screen. We're here to help you with any issues or concerns.

Related Articles
Guide: How To Build ProLine Quote Templates
Configure Measurement Fields & Sub-Calculations
How Structure Pages Work in ProLine
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