Since the release of WinQS version 5.6 we have been kept busy developing 3 new modules for WinQS and adding many enhancements to the existing modules.

The ultimate QS software system should provide you with a tool within which you should be able to complete all aspects of your project within ONE software package or system, at a reasonable cost. Transferring data from a manual system or between software programs should be avoided at all costs.

The lack of any standards for documentation within the industry has lead to the frequent, unchecked or unaudited use of spreadsheets. The ONLY benefit this offers is the flexibility of report layouts.

BUT all the inherent problems of spreadsheet use (too numerous to mention here) continue to be ignored by the industry and create enormous problems. (If you need a list I will email one.)

Many WinQS users are spending HOURS setting up spread sheets to do their monthly valuations as well as Cost Reports. BUT all of the data for these is already contained within the Bill and if the Bill is continually updated then it is an ongoing Final Account and Cost Reports can be produced from within the same WinQS project.

As a result of your requests we have added, a Tender Analysis Module, a Financial Review Module and a Valuation Review Module so that less use can be made of spreadsheets. As more requests for new modules are made, and these are viable, we are sure that ultimately WinQS will be able to satisfy the needs of our industry without resorting to transferring of data from one system to another. (and often back again)

These 2 modules allow the use of the original Contract or Tender document to be used to generate a monthly Financial Review/Cost Report and when linked to our existing Valuations Module can generate a monthly Valuations Report.

Once the CCR module is applied to a WinQS project ALL the original contract quantities are LOCKED as the Contract Quantities together with the Contract Rates.

Using all the normal WinQS functions new items can be added & measured and adjustments made to contract dimensions thereby recording changes to the original Contract. Adding a new item to the WinQS project will then increase the Estimated Final Cost (EFC) and altering the original Contract quantities will increase/decrease the EFC.

All of these changes made in the WinQS project each month will result in a Final Account once completed and this monthly Final Account will generate the Cost Report.

These changes are then reported against the Contract values within a Financial Review or Cost Report.

Each period a new report is created and the previous values are retained so that each Cost Report displays the change BOTH from the original values and the previous reports values.

Examples of the Cost Reports can be downloaded here. CostReport.PDF

As an addition to the current Valuations Module a new evaluation report can now be generatedan additional Valuation Report can be generated showing the Current Progress, Previous Progress, Nett Progress and Contract Values.

Each month or period is therefore saved so that current & previous valuation data is always available.

Examples of the Valuations Reports can be downloaded here. CCRVal.PDF

A problem that WinQS users had using WinQS to produce procurement documents for the Civil Engineering/Mining projects was the Analysis of Tenders. This new module in WinQS allows 4 different Tender Analysis Reports to be printed.

The 1st report is a detailed report showing 6 different rates & amounts with the Highest or Lowest rate highlighted for every item in the document.

The second report is a Summary report containing an Analysis of the Sections/Schedules of the document showing the % difference per contractor.

The 3rd is a Variance Report that displays all of the rates higher/lower than a selected % of a chosen rate.

Finally, a Most Expensive Items report generates a printout showing all the items that make up say 25% of a project's value.

Examples of the T/A Reports can be downloaded here. TenderA.PDF

A further development closely related to the Tender Analysis module has been the WinQS Tender System for use by Contractors, Tenderers or Suppliers who need to receive, complete or price a WinQS procurement document electronically.

WinQS allows the QS/Cost Consultant to produce a single file WinQS electronic document and transmit this to a Tenderer/Supplier.

The WinQS Tender System then can be used to capture/input the rates/prices of the items in the document, printout a full extended priced WinQS Tender Document and then export all the rates/prices to send back to the QS/Consultant.

The WinQS Tender System has been developed in conjunction with the leading Tendering System used by most Contractors and allows the Contractors to export from WinQS and import rates back into WinQS.

New Features & Enhancements

• A Bill Print Check facility which reports ALL items that are Unmeasured, UnPriced or that contain a "?" Very useful to prevent common errors before the Final Bill print.
• More Bill Page Layouts have been added to allow different Bill column layouts. BillLayout.PDF
• The current Bill Print Price name is displayed on the BROWSE view.
• A Location CHECK/Reminder now pops up to before you enter any dimensions.
• The speed of copying a BoE or MG item with Links has been dramatically IMPROVED.
• The Quantity Input button has been enabled when in MG's.
• ANY BoE or MG item that has been LINKED displays a GREEN background in the unit column on the Browse View.
• The Location report showing Values per Location has been improved.
• All Linked items in MG or BoE views and printouts are NOW SHOWN in order of the Bill and not as previously in ISC order.
• The reference of all Generated dimensions now displays the ISC number of the MG or BoE item.
• More colours have been added generally to enhance the visual effect of WinQS.
• A CLEAR button has been added allow the deletion of a Sort Code from an item and generally the input of Sort Codes has been improved.
• The Section Name can now be printed on the Bill Pages as a footer and all page number prefix/suffix are printed on the Collection and/or Summary pages.
• A running total for the whole project and each Bill is displayed and updated when inputting prices.
• A Price Import facility has been added to allow the importing of Tenderers Rates/Prices into a WinQS project.
• User's Preferences can now be set for the following:
  1. A default path to save all your backup files. This could be on your PC or on another PC on a network.
  2. A default WinQS project can be selected to use when Copying from etc.
  3. The Back-Up inserts counter (the counter that forces a backup every now & then)
  4. Display a running total when Pricing items.
  5. Turn on/off the Location Confirmation message.
• More checks and verification have been added to the Parent Child project creation and merge function to improve and speed up this process.
• A new Back-Up function has been added to allow the creation of an unpriced Contractors backup for use with the WinQS Tender System.
• The Cost Analysis module allows analysis of a single Bill at a time.
• A function to Hide all the "FF" (page feed) items in a document.