On Center is proud to offer Quick Bid databases tailored to a variety of trades including Interior finishing, Fireproofing, Flooring, Landscaping, and many other trades. Contact your Account Manager at On Center Software to discuss your needs. The information below will assist you in downloading the database(s) you've purchased and incorporating the information into your working Quick Bid database.
Before proceeding, backup your existing Quick Bid and On-Screen
Takeoff databases. See Related articles for instructions.
Downloading and Installing Trade Databases
Downloading Databases
When you purchase a Trade Database, you will receive an e-mail that includes a link to download the database installer. Click that link and save the *.exe to a convenient location.
Once you've downloaded the files, follow the next set of instructions to unpack the database or assemblies.
Please read through the information below carefully to avoid overwriting your existing data.
Installing Databases
Databases are downloaded as *.exe files. The databases get 'installed' similar to installing an application (such as Quick Bid). Double-click the downloaded file and follow the instructions.
The database is installed to C:\OCS Documents\Quick Bid.
If you need to download this database again at a future date, you must 'uninstall' the original copy first. Just open Control Panel "Add/Remove Programs" or "Programs and Features", locate the database in the installed programs list, and click "Uninstall" (this will not remove the database from your computer, just the installation app). You can then download and re-install as needed.
Next, follow the steps in the Related article to open your new database.
If you have more than a "C" drive on your computer (such as additional partitions on your hard drive or external drives), your
database may get installed to one of those drives. After installing, if the
database isn't in "C:\OCS Documents\Quick Bid\", look for it on one of your other lettered hard drives and move it to your "C" drive.
Synchronizing the a trade Database with your Existing Database
Before synchronizing
- Backup All Databases (this step is the most important so you have a backup copy), see Related articles
- Update Divisions/Sections Table in the Trade Database to match the format/numbering you use in your working database
- Review Payroll Settings
- Open the Trade database, verify that Wage Types match the Wage Types and Burdens setup in your working database
- Review, Material Cost Codes Assigned to Items, Material Pricing, Chained Items and adjust as needed
- Any records that already exist in your working database (the source database) will update matching records in the trade database during synchronization
- Any records that exist in your working database will be added to the trade database during synchronization
To Synchronize the database,
Click Tools > Synchronize Databases.
Choose your existing database as the Source.
Choose the trade's database as the Destination.
Be sure to Select your existing
database as the Source Destination to avoid overwriting your existing master tables with those from the trade
Database. By making the trade
database the
Destination - your existing information overwrites what is in the trade
database so any custom pricing or Items you have already setup is retained.
Click Start to begin synchronizing the databases.
Once the synchronization process is complete, a confirmation message displays - click OK.
After synchronizing, the trade database will contain all your Master information (in addition to the trade Masters). Remember, synchronizing only copies over Master information, you can copy over any Projects/Bids needed after you synchronize your databases (see the Quick Bid User Guide for information on copying Projects/Bids between databases).
You are now ready to begin working in the trade database - it includes all of your existing Master Tables information as well as the all of the trade information. If you'd prefer, you can now synchronize the trade database back to your working database and then close the trade database (this will add all the updated trade database Master information to your working database).
If any Items already exist in the Active
database, they are updated with the new information. This means that when On Center receives updates from the Manufacturers, you can safely import the files into your
database - they will update your existing Master Assemblies and Items with the latest information from the Manufacturer. Changing the Master Items doesn't affect any existing Bids, of course.
Off Maintenance?
You must be under a current Maintenance subscription to download Manufacturer Assemblies and databases. If you have allowed your Maintenance Subscription to lapse, you will not be able to download Manufacturer databases/assemblies from On Center Software and will receive the following error.
Contact our Client Services group at 866-426-2447 to discuss renewing today!