On-Screen Takeoff (OST) Reviews

Scaled takeoff imagery - OST scales the takeoff according to input parameters; e.g., a linear take-off set to 6" appears as a 6" line on the sheet. A count take-off set to 3' x 3' appears as 3' x 3' on the sheet. Output organization - OST allows you to group & filter according to various user parameters (division, section, assembly, etc.).

The text & imagery auto search & recognition can use more development. The cloud version (ConstructConnect) has a visual scale versus the actual scale option. It would be great if OST had the same capability. For example, in the could version, a user can perform a rectangular count take-off that is 10'x30', but visually represent it as 1'x1' on the sheet.

This is the most cost-effective take-off software available.

Take-off is exceptionally efficient. An average user can easily digest 150 sheets per week. OST allows my department to increase the number of bids per year with less staff.

I like the simplicity and the multiple views you can get from it to both perform take offs and show my team and client what we have picked up in our bids

I dont like how it links to the file location rather then files, especially when someone moves it i love the image and have to re-link it

Nothing to add except maybe a better way to link drawings

I find it really easy to do takeoffs and accurate. It makes my job easier and a lot faster

What I like about OST is that it is so effective and simple that we can start any employee using it. Uploading and converting plans is simple, PDF viewing is nice, and I highly recommend turning on full screen crosshair to align things across an entire plan.

Managing servers for multiple people to use is not the greatest. Also required to buy a license manager.

Benefits is that being simplistic and robust is better than being detailed and time-consuming.

I like the conditions you can set. I think being able to turn off and on the the different layers so you don’t have to look at multiple takeoffs at once. It keeps it organized.

I wish that OST would get more specific with lumber takeoffs. I would like the program to breakout the number of studs, etc.

Our takeoffs are much faster. Since it is all kept in a database I don’t have to worry about losing takeoffs.

Easy to use and least complicated!!!!!!!

Needs easy export file option!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s the best

Quantity take off for Estimating , very convenient!!!!!!!!!!

-Its easy to use simple interface,

-easy to export to excel and other programs.

-ability to overlay and manipulate existing counts

- the ability to import files in colors

how its hard to use the worksheet feature in the program.

sometimes its hard to import PDF files from some designers because the way the PDF is made into layers.

- how only one person can work on a file at a time but others can view it

if you need a simple program to count items on plans without needing a super computer this program will help you alot and it works in and lives in your office network so it makes it easier to have multiple people work on a file

try to count items on landscape plans for bidding a project . and it makes counting so much faster compared to just manually counting everything.

and it helps us keep track of purchasing items since we reference the counts on OST to what is on plan and what is fulfilled

I like the large range of tools that help with takeoff

I haven't found any major issues. Im usually able to do everything I need. When I sort my takeoff by area and type, it breaks up my quantities by type first, but I wish I had the option to break them up by area first, then type.

So far it the best estimate software I have used. I can compare to Measure Square, ConEst, and Timberline

I can do 100,000 + sf of takeoff in a day with On-Screen

The tech support is exceptional, always able to fix things I mess up. Easy to set up and use

It does a great job, haven't had any problems other than Windows 10 operating system.

Ability to create just about any report you can think about.

On-Screen Takeoff has enabled me to free up time to evaluate my bids and quantify accurate takeoff. Great experience with the results and accuracy.

No bad things to talk about here, very useful program

Yes

It has enabled me to be 100% accurate with quantities and efficiency

OST takes about 50% of the time that it used to take to take off a job by hand

I really haven't found anything that I dislike with OST.

I use OST for taking off construction jobs on the carpentry side of things. My time that it saves