On-Screen Takeoff® centers the estimator. Autodesk Forma® Takeoff centers the model.
On-Screen Takeoff is built for teams that bid from plan sets and drawings. You measure what you receive, organize quantities by condition, area, or trade, and connect takeoff to a detailed bid through Quick Bid® or your existing estimating system. Takeoff BOOST™ adds AI-powered measurement for a faster first pass on repetitive work.
Forma Takeoff is built for teams that work from coordinated BIM models inside the Autodesk cloud. When a project has a sufficiently detailed Revit model, Forma Takeoff can pull quantities directly from 3D geometry instead of requiring manual measurement from drawings. It handles 2D takeoff as well, and it lives in the same shared environment as the rest of the Autodesk team’s project data.
This table reflects each platform’s capabilities as documented and observed in current product versions. Product plans, integrations, browser support, and release scope can change, so confirm the exact workflow you need before making a purchase decision.
| Feature | On-Screen Takeoff | Forma Takeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Primary workflow | Estimator-led takeoff from digital plans and drawings | Cloud-based 2D takeoff plus 3D model quantification |
| 2D takeoff | Measure lengths, areas, counts, and other plan-based quantities | Measure lengths, areas, counts, and other 2D quantities |
| 3D/BIM takeoff | Not the core workflow; OST is designed for plan-based takeoff | Generate quantities from 3D models when model data is available and usable |
| AI and automation | Built-in AI suite, Takeoff BOOST™, includes Auto Takeoff (automated area and linear measurement), Auto Count, Auto Name, and Auto Link, giving estimators a faster first pass on repetitive measurement work | Autodesk AI automated symbol detection: trace one symbol and it detects and counts all matching symbols. Quantities are generated automatically from 3D models |
| Estimator connection | Optional Quick Bid integration for detailed estimating; Excel and other exports are also available | Unit costs can be added to takeoff types for rough/conceptual budgets, but detailed estimating happens in a separate product or in Excel |
| Deployment | Windows® desktop application | Browser-based cloud environment |
| Where On-Screen Takeoff Stands Out | Where Forma Takeoff Stands Out |
|---|---|
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Keep the estimator in control of the takeoff Construction plans rarely arrive as perfect data sets. Estimators often need to interpret notes, account for scope gaps, work through revisions, and decide how quantities should be grouped for the bid. On-Screen Takeoff is designed for that work: you build a takeoff around the plan set you receive, organize quantities by trade or area, and review the details that affect the final number. What this means for you: Your takeoff reflects what the drawings actually show, so your quantities hold up on bid day. |
Generate quantities from 3D model data When a project has a coordinated, sufficiently detailed BIM model (building information model), Forma Takeoff can generate quantities from model geometry instead of requiring the estimator to measure every item manually from a drawing. That can be a meaningful advantage for teams working in Revit-centered workflows, especially when model data is reliable and the project's scope is represented clearly in the model. What this means for you: if your projects are BIM-delivered, you can pull quantities from the model rather than re-measuring from plan sheets. |
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Turn repetitive measurement into a faster first pass Takeoff Boost is a suite of AI tools built into On-Screen Takeoff. Auto Takeoff, part of the Takeoff Boost suite, helps automate early measurement and setup work so estimators can spend more time reviewing scope, checking exceptions, and building the bid. What this means for you: You get a measurable head start on repetitive measurement without losing the control that matters when the bid is due. |
Combine 2D and 3D quantities Forma Takeoff is designed to bring 2D takeoff and 3D model quantities together. That can help teams compare sources, organize quantities, and roll up scope across classifications, types, and locations. What this means for you: When the model and plan sheets exist side by side, you can cross-check quantities and work with a more complete picture of scope. |
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Support a path from takeoff to detailed estimating For many estimators, the quantity is not the deliverable. The deliverable is a bid that accounts for material, labor, waste, production assumptions, alternates, and margin. On-Screen Takeoff can connect to Quick Bid as an optional add-on for teams that want a more connected takeoff-to-estimate workflow. Teams that already use Excel or another estimating system can export quantities and keep their existing process. What this means for you: Takeoff and estimating can live in the same integrated workflow, or stay separate depending on how your team works. |
Collaborate in the cloud Forma Takeoff is a natural fit for teams that want estimators and project stakeholders to access shared drawings, models, and takeoff information in a browser-based Autodesk environment. If your organization already uses Autodesk Forma, Revit, Autodesk Docs, or related Autodesk workflows, the shared environment may reduce the number of places your team needs to manage project information. What this means for you: Estimators and project managers can access the same takeoff data without a desktop install or file handoff. |
| If you choose On-Screen Takeoff | If you choose Forma Takeoff |
|---|---|
| You gain a focused workflow for measuring plans and drawings, but you should plan for a desktop-first operating model rather than a browser-first experience. | You get cloud-based access to project documents and takeoff work, but it requires an internet-dependent workflow and cloud administration. |
| You get AI-assisted preliminary area, linear, and count measurements, plus Auto Count, Auto Name, and Auto Link. But estimators still need to review, correct, and refine the output. | You get powerful 3D quantities, but only if you have BIM models. If you mostly bid from 2D PDFs and drawings, much of the model-based value doesn't apply, and you're paying for a platform built for a BIM ecosystem. |
| You get strong control over Conditions, layers, areas, and takeoff organization. But a separate model-based workflow would be needed if your team needs native 3D/BIM quantities. | You get best-in-class model-based quantities and tight Autodesk integration, but detailed estimating isn't built in. Cost and pricing logic live in Excel or a separate estimating product, so a priced trade estimate is a downstream step. |
Consider the type of work your team does now, and the workflow you expect to manage as project complexity, revision volume, and estimating demands increase.
| Situation | Consider |
|---|---|
| Your team bids primarily from PDFs, drawings, and addenda | On-Screen Takeoff |
| Your estimators need to compare revisions before bid day | On-Screen Takeoff |
| Your trade requires detailed Conditions, areas, layers, or zones | On-Screen Takeoff |
| You want to reduce repetitive 2D measurement with AI-powered features | On-Screen Takeoff |
| You want an optional connected path from takeoff into detailed estimating | On-Screen Takeoff |
| Your projects are designed and delivered in Revit | Forma Takeoff |
| Your team needs quantities directly from 3D model geometry | Forma Takeoff |
| Your organization already works in Autodesk Forma or Autodesk Construction Cloud | Forma Takeoff |
| Your team needs browser-based access to shared documents and takeoff work | Forma Takeoff |
Both products support 2D digital takeoff. On-Screen Takeoff is centered on estimator-controlled takeoff from plans and drawings, with AI automation through Takeoff BOOST and an optional connection to Quick Bid for detailed estimating. Forma Takeoff adds model-based 3D quantity generation and cloud collaboration within the Autodesk Forma environment.
3D/BIM quantity generation is not the core On-Screen Takeoff workflow. On-Screen Takeoff is built primarily for measuring and organizing quantities from digital plans and drawings. If your team requires quantities generated directly from 3D model geometry, Forma Takeoff is the more natural fit.
For trade contractors who primarily bid from 2D plans and need detailed, repeatable takeoff by condition, area, floor, or scope category, On-Screen Takeoff is usually the closer fit. Forma Takeoff becomes more compelling for trade contractors who consistently receive reliable BIM models and already work within Autodesk Forma. The right choice depends less on the trade name than on the files and estimating process behind the work.
Yes. Quick Bid is an optional add-on for teams that want a connected path from takeoff into detailed estimating. Teams that prefer to export quantities to Excel or another estimating system can do so without Quick Bid.
On-Screen Takeoff includes Takeoff BOOST™, a suite of AI tools designed to give estimators a faster start on repetitive measurement work. Takeoff BOOST includes Auto Takeoff (automated area and linear measurement from drawings), Auto Count, Auto Name, and Auto Link. AI automation handles the first pass; the estimator reviews and validates the output.
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