Help & Guides

What TrueTakeoff does

Contractors compile a materials takeoff from all of a project's documents — Xactimate estimates and architect drawings — organized by trade, and price each material category with the one supplier they assigned to it. The headline is the variance of that real material cost against the Xactimate allowance. Suppliers are never priced against each other, and they're notified whenever a contractor connects, disconnects or changes their categories. No payments are processed on the platform.

What's new

Recently added to TrueTakeoff:

• New

  Exterior takeoff from measurements

  On a project, import HOVER exterior measurements — or enter them by hand — and TrueTakeoff drafts a spec-matched, waste-aware exterior takeoff (roofing, siding, gutters, and trim) that flows straight into your report and pricing.

• New

  Live pricing with ABC Supply

  Connect your ABC Supply account, then on a takeoff's Pricing page click “Price with ABC” for real contractor branch pricing on the matched line items — your account, your branch, not a national list price.

• New

  TrueTakeoff Field for iPhone

  Capture job-site photos, scope notes, and drying reports on site with our companion iPhone app — it syncs to your projects so the office can compile and price. Free field tools and calculators are built in. Look for “TrueTakeoff Field” on the App Store.

For contractors

1. 1

   Create a project

   From Jobs, click New project: name it, add the property address and claim number, and pick the type — Restoration, Renovation or New Construction. A project holds every document for one job.

2. 2

   Upload

   Drawings, the Xactimate estimate, photos, scope sheets, specs — add as many as you need. The step bar across the top (Upload → Scope → Takeoff → Buyout → Export) walks you through the rest.

3. 3

   Scope

   No Xactimate estimate? Generate the Scope of Work, edit it and approve it — the takeoff then covers only those lines. With an estimate uploaded, the estimate is the scope and you go straight to Takeoff. See “Scope of Work” below.

4. 4

   Takeoff

   Compile: the AI reviews all documents together and builds one trade-organized material takeoff — each item with specs, quantity, waste factor, and a link back to its source. HOVER measurements and CAD drawings can feed the quantities.

5. 5

   Buyout

   Price the takeoff with your suppliers — each material category is priced only by the one supplier you assigned it to — with the variance vs the Xactimate allowance. See “Suppliers & material buyout” below.

6. 6

   Export

   Download the takeoff as PDF, XLSX or CSV, the Scope of Work report, and — after Scope QC passes — the Xactimate ESX file.

7. 7

   Tip — add the Components/CAR report

   Upload the Xactimate Components (CAR) export alongside the estimate. It calibrates the real material-vs-labor split so the variance is more accurate.

Scope of Work

The Scope step (step 2 of a project) turns your documents into Xactimate-style line items. When you approve the scope, the takeoff is built ONLY from those lines — the repair or remodel, not the whole building. If you uploaded an Xactimate estimate, the estimate already is the scope and the app goes straight to Takeoff; you can still open Scope from the step bar to generate one (New Construction uses it to build a full ground-up scope for an ESX).

1. 1

   Pick the project type

   On the Upload step choose Restoration, Renovation or New Construction. It decides how the AI reads the drawings — affected areas only, only what's changing, or the whole plan set.

2. 2

   Describe the scope (optional)

   Under “Describe the scope” type what's being repaired and attach a sketch of the affected area. The text feeds scope generation, the compile and Bid Review.

3. 3

   Generate Scope of Work

   The AI reads every document and drafts coded line items by area. It may first ask you to confirm gaps it found (“First-pass review — confirm the gaps”) — answer them and click “Generate scope from answers”.

4. 4

   Edit the lines

   Change any description, quantity or code, remove lines, or “+ Add line”. Lines marked as assumed show a note — verify those. “Regenerate scope” rebuilds from scratch (it does not merge).

5. 5

   Approve for takeoff

   Approval unlocks the Takeoff step. Change your mind? Edit and approve again; the next compile uses the latest approved lines.

Scope QC → Xactimate ESX

Before a scope goes into Xactimate, Scope QC checks every line's Xactimate code and has an AI estimator review the scope. The Xactimate-ready PDF and the ESX file unlock only when QC has passed on the lines you saved.

1. 1

   Run QC

   In the Scope step, under “Scope QC — before Xactimate”, click Run QC (about a minute). Codes are checked against your company's Xactimate code list; until an owner loads it (“Load Xactimate code list (.xlsx)”), QC suggests fixes from TrueTakeoff's built-in codes — verify those in Xactimate.

2. 2

   Work the findings

   Red findings are must-fix; amber ones are worth a review. Each card shows what Xactimate says the code is and offers replacement codes (the first is Recommended) or a box to type your own. “Apply all recommended fixes” does the lot.

3. 3

   Run QC again

   Any edit makes the result stale (“Scope changed since QC — run it again”). When there are no open must-fix items the status reads “QC passed”.

4. 4

   Get the Xactimate-ready PDF

   “Xactimate-ready PDF ↗” prints only the fully coded lines. The plain “Scope of Work report (PDF)” on the Export step is for reading and sharing.

5. 5

   Get the ESX file

   On the Export step, “Get Xactimate ESX” converts the QC-checked scope into an .esx you import into Xactimate. The per-file price is on the button; your card is authorized at checkout and charged only when the ESX is ready. Download the Contractor version, or the Carrier version for the adjuster.

6. 6

   Teach QC (optional)

   After a conversion, “Learn from a priced Xactimate PDF” lets QC learn which codes actually price, so future checks get sharper.

Drawings & CAD

Turn an Xactimate sketch, a hand sketch or a plan image into real CAD geometry — for quantities in your takeoff, or as DXF/DWG files your drafter can open.

1. 1

   Quick conversion (no project)

   Sketch → CAD in the sidebar: drop an Xactimate PDF, the tool finds the sketch page and rebuilds the floor plan. Download DXF or DWG, or the architect-sheet versions (Sheet DXF / Sheet DWG).

2. 2

   Inside a project

   On the Takeoff step, the “CAD / sketch” card lists the project's drawings. Pick an uploaded document and choose how to import it.

3. 3

   Choose the import

   “Clean up with AI” rebuilds each room to its real dimensions with square walls (best result, ~30 s). “Sketch on sheet” places your exact sketch linework on a scaled, printable sheet (no AI). “Exact trace” is an instant vector copy — exact but rougher. For hand-drawn sketches or plan images, use the AI reader.

4. 4

   Edit and export

   Open the drawing in the editor to fix walls and rooms, then download DXF/DWG/SVG or a PDF at your paper size (11×17 by default). The editor can also generate takeoff quantities from the geometry.

5. 5

   Elevations (concept)

   From a sketch, the AI can draw a front elevation or all four as black-and-white line drawings on a titled sheet. They're concept drawings, not construction documents.

AI-rebuilt plans can vary slightly run to run — check key dimensions before you order from them.

Plan Builder (field drawing sets)

For jobs that never get an architect: Plan Builder turns the estimate into a branded field drawing set your crew can build from — cover, floor plans with repair callouts, notes, schedules, details and photos — as one PDF from 11×17 up to 24×36. Included with every subscription plan — Starter, Pro, Business — starting at $69.99/mo (Starter).

1. 1

   Open it

   Plan Builder in the sidebar lists every job with where it stands (files in? set built?) and one next action. Or open “PM Plan Builder” from a project's Takeoff step.

2. 2

   Drop in the files

   Each file has its own slot so nothing is mis-filed: the Xactimate estimate PDF (its sketch becomes the floor plans), HOVER measurements, and photos.

3. 3

   AI Build

   Takes a minute or two: it reads the estimate, pulls floor plans from the sketch, reads HOVER, writes callouts and notes, builds schedules and lays out the sheets. “Ready to build” on the list means the build will work.

4. 4

   Mark up and print

   Edit sheets in the editor, add your logo and title block, then export the branded PDF at the paper size you need.

Suppliers & material buyout

The Buyout step prices a compiled takeoff with the suppliers you buy from. Each material category is assigned to exactly one supplier, so suppliers are never priced against each other.

1. 1

   Choose suppliers

   Suppliers in the sidebar (owners and admins only): pick the suppliers you buy from and assign each material category to one of them. You need at least one supplier with at least one category before the buyout opens.

2. 2

   What's live today

   ABC Supply is the live integration. It can be assigned Roofing, Siding & Exterior, Windows, Doors, Insulation and Trim & Millwork. Categories nobody is assigned to (interior trades today) stay unpriced in the buyout — the takeoff and its Xactimate allowance still cover them.

3. 3

   Connect your ABC account

   Sign in to your ABC Supply account from Suppliers → ABC Supply so prices are your contractor pricing at your branch, in ABC's selling units — not a list price.

4. 4

   Price the takeoff

   On the project's Buyout step, open the material buyout for a takeoff version. Only lines in a supplier's assigned categories are sent to that supplier.

5. 5

   Changing suppliers

   Disconnecting a supplier or releasing a category takes a 14-day notice period. The supplier keeps pricing those materials until it ends, and no other supplier can be added for them meanwhile. Suppliers are notified of every change.

Bid Review — is this bid complete?

Not sure whether a contractor's bid actually covers the job? Bid Review is the construction expert you don't have. Give it what the job requires (engineer letter, sketch, notes, photos) and the contractor's bid, and it tells you — in plain English — what's missing, what's unpriced, and whether you can trust it.

1. 1

   Add what the job requires

   Upload the engineer letter, the sketch or drawings, any scope notes or specs — and site photos. Photos matter: they're ground truth of the actual conditions, and TrueTakeoff reads them.

2. 2

   Add the contractor's bid

   Upload the bid as an Xactimate / line-item estimate. This is the document being reviewed — the priced proposal.

3. 3

   Click “Review this bid”

   On the project page, open the Bid Review panel and run it. TrueTakeoff builds its own expert view of the required scope, then compares the bid against it.

4. 4

   Read the verdict — in plain English

   You get a plain-English take on “what's the deal with this bid,” a completeness rating, and metrics: bid total, line items, unpriced/open items, and missing tasks.

5. 5

   Work the findings

   Each finding is tagged — Missing from bid, Unpriced/open, Under-scoped, Too vague, Code/safety, or Possible excess — with why it matters and what to do about it.

6. 6

   Send the questions

   TrueTakeoff writes plain-English questions to send the contractor to close the gaps. Copy them all and paste into an email.

It's a guide for your questions, not a substitute for a licensed professional's judgment. The more you upload on the requirements side — especially photos — the sharper the review.

Your dashboard & account

When you sign in you land on your Dashboard — your bids, takeoffs, and reports in one place, with a sidebar to move around and a workspace on the right. Start a new project from the dashboard whenever you're ready.

• ✓Dashboard: recent bid reviews (with a completeness rating), recent projects, and quick actions.
• ✓Account & settings: add your company logo, set your company name, and choose your default project type (Restoration/Xactimate or New Construction/CSI).
• ✓Plan & usage (Account): your plan, renewal date, projects created this month against your plan's limit, and takeoffs compiled this billing period.
• ✓Team (Account): everyone with access to your company's workspace and their role. To add or remove a teammate, email support.
• ✓Devices: each login can be signed in on up to 3 devices. See and remove them under Account → Security → Manage devices — if you hit the limit, the sign-in screen takes you there.
• ✓Change your password any time from Account → Security. Forgot it? Use “Forgot password?” on the sign-in screen to get a reset link by email.

TrueTakeoff lets restoration and new-construction contractors compile a materials takeoff from their project documents and price it across the suppliers they've connected with. When you connect your catalog, your products appear in that pricing. This guide walks you through setup in a few minutes.

Setup — step by step

1. 1

   Create your supplier account

   Open the TrueTakeoff sign-in page, choose "Create account," and select the "Supplier" role. Use your business email and a strong password. (If a contractor already invited you by email, use that same email so their request finds you.)

2. 2

   Open your Supplier Portal

   After signing in you land on your Supplier Portal. From here you upload your catalog, generate an API key, and accept connection requests from contractors.

3. 3

   Add your catalog (CSV or XLSX)

   Upload a spreadsheet of your products and pricing. TrueTakeoff maps your columns automatically — you do not need a specific template. Include a product name (required), and where available: SKU, key specs (thickness, size, grade, coverage), pack size + unit, price, unit of measure, coverage rate, and brand. You can re-upload an updated file anytime.

4. 4

   Optional — connect a live pricing API

   If you have a live pricing endpoint, register its URL and generate a scoped API key. The key is shown ONCE — copy and store it securely. It is stored only as a secure hash and can be revoked at any time.

5. 5

   Accept a contractor's connection request

   When a contractor invites you, a request appears in your portal. Click "Accept" to connect. A contractor can only price against your catalog AFTER you accept — you decide who you work with, and you can decline any request.

6. 6

   Receive and validate bid requests

   When a connected contractor prices a job, the line items your catalog matches — with your prices — become a bid request for you to validate and fulfill. Ordering and payment happen directly with you, off-platform.

Q&A for suppliers

Who can see my catalog and prices?

Only a contractor you have explicitly accepted a connection with. Other suppliers and competitors can never see your catalog, SKUs, or pricing.

Do I have to upload my entire catalog?

No — upload whatever you want to be priced against. You can add to or replace it at any time by uploading a new file.

What file formats and columns are supported?

CSV or XLSX. Columns are mapped automatically; a product name is the only required field. SKU, specs (thickness/size/grade/coverage), pack size & unit, price, unit of measure, coverage rate, and brand all improve matching and pricing accuracy.

What is the API-key option for?

For suppliers with a live pricing system. Register your pricing endpoint URL and generate a key so pricing can query your system in real time instead of a static uploaded catalog. The key is shown once and stored hashed.

Does TrueTakeoff process orders or take payment?

No. TrueTakeoff produces a priced bid request. Validation, ordering, and payment happen directly between you and the contractor, off-platform. TrueTakeoff never takes title to goods.

How do I control who I work with?

You are always in control. A contractor can only price against your catalog after you accept their connection request, and you can decline any request.

How is my data protected?

Strict tenant isolation. Your catalog, pricing, and API keys are private to your business and shared only with contractors you accept. API keys are stored as secure hashes and are revocable.

How do I get connected to a specific contractor?

Ask them to invite your business email from their TrueTakeoff account, then accept the request in your portal. Or sign up first and they can invite you.

Contact support

Stuck, found something wrong, or need a teammate added? Email support@restoredtechnology.com — include your company name and, for a job, the project name and what you clicked.