Counts Overview
What it does
The Counts page is a manual takeoff tool for lighting and electrical drawings. Upload a PDF, tag each fixture on the plan with a marker, measure linear runs, and group everything into rooms and levels so you get an accurate estimate across a whole building — including high-rises with repeated apartment types and floors.
When to use it
You have a PDF drawing (a lighting plan, reflected ceiling plan, RCP, or electrical layout) and you need a fast, accurate count of fixtures and linear measurements.
You want counts tied to specific products from your catalog so they flow into submittals and procurement cleanly.
You're estimating a multi-unit building where the same apartment repeats, and you don't want to redraw the same counts for every floor.
Quick workflow
Go to Counts in the sidebar.
Click Upload PDF (or Documents to reuse a previously uploaded drawing on the project).
On the Count tab, click Add Fixture and pick a product from your catalog — that creates a counter type.
With the Place tool selected, click on the drawing to drop a marker for each instance of that fixture.
Switch to the Measure tab to add measurement types the same way and draw linear measurements on the plan.
Use the Room tool to trace boundaries around repeatable spaces (apartments, corridors) and set multipliers for copies or floors.
Review the Summary tab for raw counts, measurements, room rollups, and the estimated grand total with multipliers applied.
Export to PDF, Excel, or the clipboard when you're ready.
How data is saved
Markers, measurements, counter types, rooms, and levels are saved per-project in your browser automatically as you work, so you can pick up where you left off. The PDF is stored on the project when uploaded and reloads on your next visit.
Keyboard and mouse tips
Right-click a marker to delete it.
Backspace while tracing a room undoes the last vertex.
Shift while tracing a room snaps the current edge to 45°.
Enter or clicking the first vertex closes a room polygon.
Esc cancels an in-progress measurement or room trace.