Linking to Database Items

What a component link does

The Components view of the Database Items window is the main component database: each row is one product with a code, description, category, manufacturer, heading, group, unit of measure and discount band. Linking a group to a component records that code and description on the group, shows them on the sidebar row, and writes them into the Code and Description columns of the Excel export.

The link is per group. Every marker in the group, on this drawing, is treated as that one product. If a group mixes two products, split it first (see Managing groups) so each half can be linked correctly.

Where the link button is

On a Detection, Count, Linear or Area group row the link button sits between the type icon and the group name:

The group's menu offers the same thing: Link Item at the top when unlinked, or the linked item's details when linked. Annotation groups have no row button and use the menu only.

Linking a group to a component

1. 1

   In the sidebar, find the group and click its grey link button.

2. 2

   In the Database Items window, check the view selector reads Components. Switch it if not.

3. 3

   Type part of the code or description into Search components....

4. 4

   Narrow further with the Category, Manufacturer, Heading, Group or UOM filters if the search returns too many rows.

5. 5

   Double-click the row you want. The window closes and the link is applied.

What the group row shows afterwards

• The link button turns blue .
• Open the menu and the first block shows the code in blue monospace with the description in grey beneath it. Hover the description to read it in full if it is cut short. An button with the tooltip Unlink DB item sits beside the code.
• In Review mode the code and description are laid out to the right of the row, with a small Remove button whose tooltip reads Remove linked DB item.

The group's count or measurement does not change. Linking adds information to the group; it never alters the quantity.

Unlinking a group

Any of these removes the link:

• Click the blue button on the row.
• Open the menu and click Unlink DB item beside the code.
• In Review mode, click Remove to the right of the row.

There is no confirmation. The markers stay exactly as they were; only the code and description are dropped.

Changing the link

A linked group's row button removes the link rather than reopening the window, so replacing one component with another is two clicks:

1. 1

   Click the blue button to unlink the group.

2. 2

   Click the now-grey button and double-click the new component.

Linking from other drawings

In Review mode the file tabs show every drawing in the project. Group rows on a drawing that is not open still have a working link button and menu, so you can price a whole project from one place without opening each drawing. The Total tab goes further: when rows are grouped by Label or Code, its Link button links one item to every group in that row at once (tooltip Link item to all N groups). See The cross-drawing summary.

Common issues

The window is empty or says Not loaded

Click the button in the window header to load the database. The first load of a session takes a few seconds.

I linked the wrong group

Unlink it with the blue button, then link the right group. Links are independent per group, so nothing else is affected.

The code is right but the description is blank

The description comes from the database record. If it is empty there, the row and the export both show a blank description against the code.

Next steps

• The Database Items window — every view, filter and the pre-filter rules.
• Linking to Contractors Choice — use your company's own catalogue instead.
• Linked Takeoff — choose the component before you count.
• Group costs and totals — what the link does and does not do to totals and the export.