Announcing the Next Generation of LiteningFast Estimating... Version 7!

Keep Me Posted about the release of Version 7.

I've got a question about Version 7 - Send an email

You can reach Nick at 800-211-4931

I want to get the new 2006 Browse n' Build Catalog.

You're going to find a lot to like in the new version of LiteningFast Estimating

1. If you do several jobs for the same customer you're going to find a customer list that will allow you to enter the customer once and then each estimate becomes a job for that customer. This will simplify your life and you job cost in QuickBooks.
    

2. If you're like a lot of our clients and have a lap top you take out to the field as well as a desktop computer you use in the office you're going to find that keeping the databases in sync just got a whole lot easier and less prone to losing data.  All you have to do is plug your laptop into your office network, open LiteningFast and click the Synchronize Databases and in a few moments you're done. Everything is updated. That means the everything you've done on the laptop is updated to the desktop and everything you've done on the desktop is update to the laptop.
   
    

3. If you've been a client for any length  of time, you know that we regularly have updates to the program that you can download for free.  You're going to find that this process just got a whole lot simpler. When you start LiteningFast it automatically goes out to the Internet to see if there's an update available. If there is you will asked if you want do download the update. If you answer Yes the update will be downloaded and installed on your computer.  It doesn't get much simpler than that.
   
   NOTE: We're going to a new update model with Version 7. Any updates for program  bugs will always be free. After the first year we're going to an annual subscription model for updates. What this means is that Version 7 will probably be the last "Major Version". We will continue to add features, just as we have for Version 6, on a continuing basis. For example, we added the interface to Microsoft Word in Version 6. We will have at least 5, and probably more, program enhancements each year. So, you'll see little changes over time rather that one big set of changes every few years.
   
   We've had a lot of good suggestions for additions already some of which will be added over the next year.
    

4. The update to QuickBooks has been changed so that you can create sub jobs when you're using phases. This means that your jobs in QuickBooks will  be a lot cleaner and making your job costing a lot easier to understand.
    

5. Another thing you're going to love is the ability to create backups of your database easily and if you need to restore the database you can select which of the backups you want to restore. Very simple and very easy.
    

6. Long Item Descriptions - you have the option of using long descriptions. Before the descriptions were limited to 120 characters. Sometimes that just wasn't enough. Now you can make your options as long as you need. You'll get tired of typing before you run out of room.
    

7. Notes are part of the Add Estimate Line and Edit Estimate Line so that you can add notes as you're doing the takeoff rather than as a separate step. This will speed up your job, saving you time.
    

8. Browse n' Build just got a whole lot simpler as well. Now you can search the index for specific terms and it will search anywhere in the index for whatever you typed in. For example, if you type in "conc" the first item that appears is "Concrete Snap Ties". If you touch F3 (search again) the next thing that comes up is "Continuous concrete footing...". Touch F3 again and it goes to "Add for channel steel support concrete slump block". And so on. This means it's easy for you to find the items you need in the Browse n' Build catalog.
    

9. The Estimate List just got simpler. It normally displays only "Active" estimates which means you have a smaller list of estimates to look through. You can flag an estimate as inactive and still keep it in the system for future reference without it being in your list all the time.
    

10. You can identify some of your estimates as "Templates", like a kitchen remodel or bath remodel. They won't show in your normal Estimate List, but only when you're starting a new estimate. Also, when you start a new estimate and you want to use a template the list can be set to only display templates, simplifying what you have to look at and speeding up the process. This saves you time and makes your job easier.
     

11. Another option you'll find is that you can select more than one template, or estimate, when you start a new estimate.  You can have, for example, different parts of, say a kitchen remodel, and select the pieces that are appropriate for the job you're currently estimating. This gives your more flexibility in the estimating process, making your job easier and faster.
     

12. Our Canadian friends will find that we've added PST calculations to the update. This means that you can correctly break out the PST from the GST.

New Master Version!

1. There's a new "Master" version of the program that allows you to create complex Extended Assemblies. Each line of the assembly can have an equation that works just like any spreadsheet cell. So, for example, you can create a roof assembly that will calculate actual square footage based on the rise and run of the roof.
    

2. You can now Import databases from other sources. As long as the database is in Tab separated or Comma Separated Values you can import the data into LiteningFast.  So, if you have a material supplier that sends you regular price updates you can import them in seconds so you have the most up-to-date information available.
    

3. If you use purchase orders you can now create them right out of LiteningFast. Just select the subcontractor or material supplier and the purchase orders will be created in QuickBooks for you. This can save you hours of work when you are successful with an estimate.
    

4. The schedule has been updated and now interfaces with Microsoft Project. That means that if you use the scheduling function you can automatically create your projects in Project saving you lots of time and effort.
    

What's going to happen to all the data I've already entered in the system?

When you install LiteningFast Version 7 you will be notified that you can import your old data or use the new sample data to get used to the system. After you've gone through the tutorials you can then import your data into the system.

Everything you've entered before will be there. You haven't lost a thing.

How do I know what version I already have?

Look at the top bar of your LiteningFast Estimator.

The one shown here is the Expert Version of the program. If it says Pro instead of Expert, then you have the Pro version of the program.

What's the difference between Pro and Expert?

The Expert version has everything the Pro version does PLUS:

Pricing for the update :

One clarification here. If you have the Level 2 estimating program it means you've had it for a very long time. What we used to call Level 2 is now the Expert Version of the program.