NEWSLETTER

Product Q&A

All Products

Q. Is there a user manual or an online tutorial for the software that I have purchased?
A. All the manuals can be downloaded from our website at www.bsdsoftlink.com. Click on the product at the top of the page. Then click on the User Resources tab. You will see the User Manual option on the right side of the page. You can print or download one chapter or the whole manual. There is also a tutorial for each of the products on the left hand side of the same page. For SpecLink it is listed under the subheading Software Training.

BSD SpecLink & PerSpective

Q. How can I tell what has changed in a spec between when it was issued for pricing and when it was issued for construction?
A. The Compare Projects feature was created for this purpose, and also for tracking changes in addenda. To use Compare, be sure to keep a separate copy of your project each time it is issued. For example, when issued for pricing, keep a copy of the file called [projectname] pricing issue, and later for construction keep a separate copy called [projectname] construction issue. Also keep a copy for each issuance of addenda.
When you are ready to see what is different between two files, open the more recent project file, and from the Tools menu choose Compare. Select the older version of the project file, and then select whether you would like to generate a comparison of the whole project, a branch, or a single section. Then you will be able to print, preview, or export a comparison to word processing format.
In the comparison file, text that was added to the more recent project will be underlined and text that was deleted will be struck out. There will also be a vertical line to the right of paragraphs that have changes to help you and the reader more easily locate changes.

Q. Since updating SpecLink I have noticed references to a meter account in the Registration and Settings and the Print dialog box. What is a meter account and how does it affect my subscription?
A. A Meter Account is a method of purchasing access to SpecLink. Previously, your only option was to buy an annual subscription to some or all of the catalogs. Now you can purchase a Meter Account that will be debited when you print a Document (specification section) using the Document report. A Meter Account can be combined with a Subscription Account. When you have a balance in your Meter Account, you can view and edit all sections whether you have a subscription to them or not, and you will be charged only when you print the section using the Document report. You can print the Master Text Copy and the Draft Copy reports at no charge. If you have a Meter Account these reports now include a diagonal “watermark” on each page. If you have a Subscription combined with a Meter Account, you can print unlimited copies of the sections included in your Subscription. Your meter will be debited only for the sections that are not covered by your subscription. Meter Accounts may be shared on a network server in the same way that Subscription Accounts can be shared on a server, although if you have both a Subscription and a Meter Account, the user count for your subscription will determine the number of users who have simultaneous access to the software.

Q. What is the cover sheet that is printing with the Requirement Reports? Is there a way to prevent it from printing?
A. There are new fields in the Project Summary Info Dialog Box (in the SpecLink tab only) that are printed on a new Report Cover Sheet. The fields include the name of the Owner, Design-Builder, Design Professional and Contractor. Other fields include Project Location, Facility Type, Project Type, Approx. Square Footage, Approx. Construction Cost, Date Specification Last Modified, Specification Due Date, Bid Date, Date Specification Last Updated to Master, Contract Documents Due Date and Approx. Completion Date. The Report Cover Sheet will print automatically when you print any Requirement Report, but can be suppressed by un-clicking the Reports Cover Sheet option in the Reports dialog box.

Q. I want to add a new choice to a list of choices in a paragraph so that whenever a new project is made based on this project, the new choice will be available. How do I do it?
A. You can add choices to user-added or copied paragraphs. To edit an existing choice list in a master paragraph, copy the paragraph by clicking in it and using the Copy and Paste commands. In the copied paragraph, place your cursor in the choice field and then from the Document menu, choose Choices, Edit Choice. To avoid confusion about which paragraph to use, you can mark the master paragraph as excluded and add a project note to it explaining which paragraph to use instead. Alternatively, you can create links that will automatically exclude the master paragraph and include your modified version of the paragraph.

Q. Why are my projects so large when I start them from my office master?
A. When you use your office master as your project template for new projects, you are essentially copying the office master file. Therefore, each new project will start out as large as the office master and will get larger as you make edits for this particular project. A better way to start a new project that uses the data you have accumulated in your office master is to start a new project using the BSD template, and then import the sections that you need into the new project. Not only will this reduce the file size considerably but it will also improve the speed when editing because of the reduced size. You can copy multiple sections from the office master into your new project all at the same time using the Import from Project Feature on the Tools menu. For instructions on importing, refer to chapter 5 of the updated copy of the user manual on the CD or on our User Resource web page at http://www.bsdsoftlink.com/speclink/sl_subscribers.htm.

Q. I never installed my update last quarter. What do I do?
A. Install the most recent update over your current installation using the updated installation instructions on the CD or website. You do not need to install last quarter’s update, nor should you need a new Access Key (unless you have not yet entered your renewal key).

BSD Costlink AE and CostLink CM

Q. How do I add icons to the toolbar? I use Insert Task a lot and would like to have it as a button.
A. To add icons to your toolbar, right click on the toolbar and choose Customize. The Customize dialog box will open. Click on the Tools tab. On the left side, click on the name of the category that contains the command you are looking for (for example, for Insert Task you would click on the Insert category). On the right side, scroll to find the command, and then drag it where you want it on the toolbar. It’s easier to place if you put it somewhere in the middle instead of at the end. While the Customize dialog box is open, you can also move any other icons to more convenient locations, or remove unused icons by dragging them to the middle of your screen.

Q. Do the costs in the R.S. Means database include the installing contractor’s overhead and profit?
A. In CostLink/AE, they do. In CostLink/CM, they don’t. In CostLink/AE the bare costs equal the arithmetic sum of Material (which is the bare material cost plus 10% for profit), Labor (the base labor cost plus total overhead and profit), and Equipment (the bare equipment cost plus 10% for profit). Details for the calculation of Overhead and Profit on labor are shown on the back cover of the appropriate R.S. Means cost book. In CostLink/ CM, you have the flexibility to define the subcontractor markups for each contractor individually.

BSD CostLink AE

Q. I don’t see the Models tab in my CostLink/AE project. How can I make use of the modeling feature?
A. In order to use any of the RS Means building Cost Models, you need to start a project using the template called Uniformat II Project Template with Models.MPJ. Once you have a project started with this template, you will have both the Cost Models and the Model Additives tabs in the Summary Info dialog box.

More questions? Contact BSD Technical Support:

• Toll Free: 800-266-7732
• In Atlanta: 404-365-9226
• Email: support@bsdsoftlink.com