What is the difference between a catalog, category and item in the Cost Catalog for Estimating?
Background
There are three different levels of organisation in the Cost Catalog, starting with the highest to lowest level: catalog, category and item. Categories and items can also be copied or moved from one area to another as needed.
Answer
These three levels are defined below:
- Catalog: A catalog is the main folder to organise categories and items for materials.
- Category: A category is a group within a catalog that contains items.
- Item: An item exists within a category or catalog. Items can be labelled as the following types: Part, Assembly, Other, Equipment, Subcontractor, Travel or Labour.
Example
You might need to create a new catalog to best organise materials for a project. Within that catalog, you can add a category that serves as a group or subfolder to organise even further. From a catalog or category, you can then add items such as parts or assemblies.