How to Build Your First Bid in Estimating Link 4 (EL4)

Learn how to build your first heavy civil bid in Estimating Link 4 (EL4), from a blank project to a lump sum proposal, in under six minutes. This quick how-to is for estimators at heavy civil, highway, utility, and site work contractors who are new to EL4. You'll follow a demo company, Low Bidder Excavating, as it bids the Elm Street Water Main: create a project, add bid items, cost an item with labor, equipment, and material write-ins, enter Days Required, mark up by cost type, check the bid for errors, and download a lump sum proposal. EL4 is easy to learn, and by the end you'll have a complete bid. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:15 Create a new bid project 0:36 Add bid items and quantities 1:16 Enter labor, equipment & material rates (Rate as Write-In) 2:23 Set production with Days Required 3:03 Mark up by cost type (Markup Summary) 3:50 Check the bid for errors (Check Bid) 4:02 Round unit prices (Auto Bid Unit) 4:35 Print a lump sum proposal 5:19 Wrap-up LINKS Step-by-step article with the full transcript: https://www.tcli.com/knowledge/how-to... Learn more about EL4: https://www.tcli.com/el4-heavy-civil-... Book a demo: https://www.tcli.com/demo?utm_source=... Knowledge Link help center: https://www.tcli.com/knowledge?utm_so... More EL4 how-to videos:    • Estimating Link 4 (EL4) Tutorials   Questions? Call (800) 448-0741 or email Support@TCLI.com FAQ How do I create a new bid in Estimating Link 4 (EL4)? In Estimating Link 4 (EL4), click Create on the left main navigation bar, choose Blank, fill in the project properties, and click Create. Every project begins on the Bid tab, where you click the Add icon and choose New Item to add bid items with an item number, description, unit, and bid quantity. How do I enter labor, equipment, and material rates for a bid item in EL4? In EL4, open the item, click the Add icon, choose Rate as Write-In, and pick Labor, Equipment, or Material. Leave Add to Rate Tab checked so you can use the write-in again, then enter Days Required in the production pane and EL4 figures the man hours, units per day, unit cost, and total cost. How do I mark up a bid by cost type in EL4? In EL4, open the Bid tab, click the Tools icon, then Markup Summary, and enter a separate markup percent for labor, equipment, material, and subcontractor. Each item's markup percent appears on the Bid tab grid, where you can also type over it. How do I check a bid for errors and round unit prices in EL4? In EL4, click the Tools icon on the Bid tab, then Check Bid. If it finds bid units that aren't in dollars and cents, click the Tools icon, then Auto Bid Unit, and EL4 rounds every bid unit for you. Run Check Bid again; an empty list means the bid is ready. Is EL4 easy to learn? EL4 is built to be easy to learn: this video goes from a blank project to a downloaded lump sum proposal in under six minutes. The Construction Link, Inc. (TCLI) makes EL4, Field Link, and Billing Link, software that helps heavy civil contractors bid it, track it, and get paid for it. #EL4 #HeavyCivilEstimating #ConstructionEstimating