Once you have created an Invitation List that you would like to use on future Projects, select Manage Templates from the Bid Invitation List Screen

Manage Templates

• Click the radio button next to Save As, name your Template and click Save.
• Once a Template it saved, it can also be updated here.

Additional Information on Templates

• Templates will be visible and can be used by all company Estimators in the Bidding module.
• The Template can only be deleted by the creator or by an Administrator. They can also be deleted from Administration>Default Templates>Bid Invitation List Templates
• If a default list is used on a project, any Subcontractors that do not have cost codes in the project will just be excluded from the Bid Invitation List
• Lists can be updated by clicking Manage Templates, selecting the radio button next to the list and clicking Save. This will update the list to include and add or removed contacts in the current project.
• Deleting a Template is permanent and cannot be undone.

Templates can be deleted by Site Administrators at Administration>Default Templates>Bid Invitation List Templates

After you have completed your Bidding Worksheet, go to Bidding>Invitation List to prepare Bid Invitations.

• Take the Tour to learn about the Bid Invitation process.
• Set or Update your Bid Invitation Due Date and Time.
• Customize your list with the information below or click Send to Email the Bid Invitations to all Invitees on the list.
• Subs and Vendors will be able to click on the link in the Email and submit bids that will pull back into your Bidding Worksheet.
• These values can also be reviewed from the Invitation Responses Tab below

To change the Filters that are used to compile the suggested Bid list, go to Set Filters button to adjust the parameters.

Add and Remove Bidders

Expand Divisions and Cost Items to see the suggested Invitee list for each:

• Click Add Invitees to locate and add additional bidders from your database
• Use Remove All to Clear our all invitees from a Cost Item
• Click Send All to send to just the Contractors in that cost item

Click on Company Name to drill down to view all cost items a Company will be invited to bid on. These can include cost items from the Base Bid, Alternates, Units or Phases if you have these items included in your Estimate.

• Click Company Bid to view Bid Pricing
• Remove to take that Bidder off the Invitation list

Send A Single Invitation

To send an invitation to just one Company or one Contact, begin typing the name in the search window until all other options disappear. Then click the blue Send button to send invitations to only those selected.

The Bid Invitation Email Letter can be edited at the Project level by going to Bidding>Invitation Email in your project.

The Company default version of this letter is available in Administration, but text content can be edited at the Project Level.

• Take the Tour to learn how to work with the letter content.
• Header will automatically populate with your Company Logo, Bid Invitation link and Subcontractor Information for each invitation.
• Email subject will default to include estimator, Company and Project name but can be edited.
• The blue links will populate Project specific information into the the Invitation letters.
• If you accidentally delete a link, click the Restore Default button to pull the letter from Administration default again.
• Click SAVE any time you have made changes or if the SAVE button illuminates.
• Return to the Bidding>Invitation List tab when you are ready to Send Invitations.

A Default template is now available to be set in Administration.  This template can be set so that a company standard  can be used on all projects without the user having to edit the in-project letter each time.  You must be an Administrator to access the Administration

To Edit go to Profile>Administration>Default Settings>Bid Invitation E-mail Letter

• Take the Tour to learn how to work with the letter!
• The items that appear in the header portion will populate automatically.
• Drag and drop the Icons into the letter body where the project specific information should appear. Text can be edited and deleted within the body.
• Beware of issues that could be created when cutting and pasting language in from another location as hidden or invisible formatting code will often come into the body as a result.  Pasting plain text and using the text editor capabilities can avoid this issue.