DSS Estimator 2002 Users Guide

A Microsoft Excel application designed for Excel 97 and all newer versions

Once you have downloaded this application to your Microsoft excel program, pass the cursor over any word in the application that displays a red check mark in the corner for more detailed explanations. Follow these basic instructions to familiarize yourself with the logic designed into this program. E-mail any questions to info@sampleservice.com.

Step 1: Open "client page" and fill in the client information. Once the client information is entered here it will automatically fill in the client information on all the other forms.

Step 2: Open the"calculate your hourly rate" page. Pass the cursor over the red check mark on each of the terms for an explanation of the payroll terms. The program comes pre-loaded with typical California payroll & insurance rates as an example of what is needed for this unique little calculator to work. Fill in your payroll, insurance, overhead and profit rates. Once these are filled in you will only have to input the different hourly base pay rate for individual employees to calculate your "Billable Hourly Labor Rate" This than automatically recalculates the "Price List" page. As the Billable hourly labor rate changes so does the labor prices on the price list.

Step 3: Open the "price list" page. Use the little arrows at the bottom of the page to be sure the price list is completely open. Pass the cursor over the red check marks for more detailed explanation of the terms. At the top left corner of the page you will see the hourly rate that the price list is being displayed at. At the top right of the page is the date. The list comes pre loaded with production rates per step and material cost. Use the "Time Study" form at the end of this page to determine your own production rate and change it on your price list.

Step 4: Open the "cost sheet by bid" page. Notice that the hourly rate is displayed at the top of the page. Type in the job description, bid amount (which is the total bid amount, labor & material) and then the material amount separately. All the other lines will fill in automatically. The proposal for your customer & the work order for your employee is also being filled in automatically.

Step 5: Open the "proposal by bid" page. You'll see that all the information has been filled in. You'll need to type in your company information at the top of the proposal if you want to submit this to your customer. There is also room to add more explanation to the job description and the terms at the bottom of the proposal. You can make your company information permanent and add a logo to the proposal pages only. Click tools, to protection, to unprotected sheet. Add you company information and click tools, protection, and protect sheet. It is not necessary to use a password. Your information will now stay in the program.

Step 6: Open the "work order by bid" page. This page is also automatically filled in but instead of displaying the the price of the job it displays the hours you have estimated for the job. This lets your employees know exactly how much time they have to complete the work so they can plan the job accordingly. This is also a good way to have incentive or bonus pay by offering an additional amount per hour when a job in completed early. A Bonus rate of x amount of dollars is paid to your employee for every hour under the estimated time. There is a built in bonus rate calculator on the profit summary page.

Bidding jobs by the hour

Step 7: Open the "cost sheet by hours" page. You will find all the customer information filled in. At the top of the page will be the hourly rate being used for this bid as indicated on the hourly rate calculator. Enter the job description, the amount of time you estimate the job will take and the total estimated amount of materials required. The rest of the form will fill in automatically including the proposal for your client and the work order for your employees.

Performing a profit summary at the end of the job

Step 8: Open the "profit summary" page. You will only need to fill in the green boxes. Enter original base pay amount, original bid and material amounts. Enter the actual hours for each person that worked on the job along with their pay rate in the "Average hourly rate calculator" to achieve an average pay rate for the job and total number of hours worked. Now fill in your actual material cost and an hourly bonus rate if any. This unique calculator will now display your estimated cost breakdown with your actual cost break down and the difference. It will also display your true profit picture, bonus rate and actual profit percentage. All numbers displayed in red are negative numbers

Sample Time Study to determine your production rate per step. Here is an example of a time study from a current job ( the Jones job) to determine if the production rate is accurate for painting French doors.

By doing regular time studies for all of your painting procedures you will develop an accurate price list for your company that will make all of your jobs profitable.

Click here to download program

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