This video introduces Metre2 Takeoff Studio, designed to simplify and streamline the construction takeoff process. The studio allows users to efficiently capture, group, and manage vital area and length information directly from multiple PDF files.

Key Features of Metre2 Takeoff Studio: The software focuses on providing an interactive and efficient way to handle measurement data:

PDF Data Capture and Grouping: The application captures area and length information from a variety of PDF documents, organizing it into a single, comprehensive interactive grid.

User-Defined Templates: Users can leverage user-defined templates to ensure that annotations accurately reflect specific materials and items being measured, such as timber skirtings, carpets, and other floor finishes (vinyl, floors).

Seamless Interactive Markups: The markups and data grid are fully synchronised.

Data to Markup: Double-clicking a data row in the interactive grid (e.g., "carpet") will automatically zoom and bring the corresponding annotation into focus on the PDF drawing.

Markup to Data: Conversely, selecting a measurement line on the PDF will highlight its associated data row in the grid.

Export Capability: The application allows for the measurement data to be easily exported to Excel for reporting and further analysis. Comprehensive Tools: It includes all standard measurement functions and simple, straightforward annotation for all captured measurements.

This video provides a concise guide to setting up a new project within Metre2 Takeoff Studio, the essential first step before beginning any measurements.

Starting a New Project

The short tutorial outlines three simple steps to prepare your project for the measurement process:

Create a Project: The first action in Metre2 Takeoff Studio is to create a new project.

Name the Project: Assign a suitable name to your project.

Add Drawings: Next, you must add the drawing or drawings that you plan to use for your takeoff measurements. You have the flexibility to add more drawings at a later stage. Once these steps are complete, your new project is ready, and you can begin the measurement process.

This video explains the essential first step in the measurement process within the takeoff suite: calibrating the drawing. Calibration ensures that all subsequent digital measurements are accurate by matching a known distance on the drawing to a real-world scale.

Step-by-Step Calibration Process

The video outlines the simple steps required to calibrate any drawing: Select the Calibrate Option: Before starting any measurement, the first step is to select the "calibrate" option. The system will prompt you to calibrate if you attempt to measure beforehand.

Pick Two Points: Highlight the calibrate function and then pick two points on the drawing that represent a known distance. The video suggests zooming in to accurately select these points.

Enter the Distance and Unit: Once the two points are selected, enter the real-world distance they represent (e.g., 3.25 m) [00:36]. You then pick the correct unit from the defaulted list (e.g., meters). Once calibrated, the drawing displays a small tick mark to indicate it is ready for the measurement process.

This video demonstrates how to accurately capture and manage length measurements within the takeoff studio, using the example of timber skirting.

Key Steps for Capturing Lengths

The video outlines the simple and flexible process for measuring linear components:

Select Length Measurement: To begin, select the specific length measurement option within the takeoff studio.

Identify Points: Start clicking to identify the start and turning points that define the length you are measuring.

Complete the Measure: Use the right mouse button to finalize and complete the length measurement.

Editing and Correction: While still in length mode, if you need to correct a mistake, you can use the delete key to step back to the appropriate previous point. To finish correcting and continue the measurement, use the right mouse button to return to the process .

Adjusting Captured Lengths (Selection Mode): The system allows for post-measurement adjustments: By switching to point mode and selecting any row, you gain the ability to move or extend the endpoints of the captured length to the appropriate location on the drawing.

Viewing Markups: All captured lines, such as the timber skirting, are visible in the markups section, where they are ready for any necessary amendments, deductions, or visibility changes.

This video provides a clear demonstration of how to capture and adjust area measurements within the takeoff studio, ensuring accuracy for materials like flooring or roofing.

Step-by-Step Area Measurement

The process for measuring an area is simple and allows for immediate corrections:

Identify Area Function: First, select the specific area measurement function in the takeoff studio.

Define the Perimeter: Begin clicking on the points that define the perimeter of the area you intend to measure.

Correct Mistakes: If you misplace a point during the process, simply use the delete key to step back through the measurements and correct the perimeter.

Close the Area: When you have defined the final point and are ready to complete the area, press the right mouse button to automatically close the shape.

Adjust the Perimeter: Once the area is captured, you can click on it to see that the perimeter lines are "live". This allows you to adjust the points as needed to ensure the measurement precisely fits the intended boundaries. Press the right mouse button again to confirm the move. The corresponding area information automatically appears as the top row on the markup grid.

This video provides a quick demonstration of how to use the count function within the takeoff studio to quantify specific items on a drawing, using the example of ceiling lights.

The counting process is extremely straightforward:

Select the Count Function: Begin by selecting the count function in the application.

Mark the Points: Use the left mouse button to click and mark each specific point or item you wish to include in your count.

Complete the Measure: Once all items are marked, use the right mouse button to finalize and complete the measure.

After completion, the total count for the specified item (e.g., ceiling lights) is automatically identified and added to the markup grid.

This video explains the dual functionality of the Delete key on the keyboard within the takeoff studio, demonstrating its use for both correction during measurement and for removing completed measurements.

The Two Functions of the Delete Key

The Delete key serves two distinct and useful purposes during the takeoff process:

Stepping Back During Active Measurement:

If you are actively identifying measurement points (for a length or area) and you make a mistake, using the Delete key allows you to step back through the points.

This function is active while the measurement is in progress, enabling you to correct the erroneous point and continue the measurement from the appropriate spot.

Removing a Completed Measure:

Once a measurement is completed, you can use the pointer to select the measured item on the drawing.

Then, pressing the Delete key will instantly remove that measurement from the drawing and the markup grid.

In summary, the Delete key provides a quick way to either step back during a live measure or remove a finished measure.

This video details the two primary methods for adjusting and correcting measurements within Metre2 Takeoff Studio, both during and after the measurement process.

Two Ways to Correct Measurements

The software provides flexible options to ensure measurement accuracy:

Correction During Active Measurement (Using the Delete Key)

While you are actively defining the points for an area or length measurement, if you misplace a point, you can use the Delete key on your keyboard.

The Delete key allows you to step back through the previously marked points until you reach the correct starting point.

Once the mistake is corrected, you simply continue the measurement process.

Correction After Measurement is Complete (Using the Pointer)

If a measurement is already completed, you can use the pointer tool to select the item and make it active.

Once active, you can adjust the individual points of the perimeter or length on the screen to refine the shape.

The video shows that you can drag points to their correct location, ensuring the shape precisely matches the drawing.

After making the necessary corrections and you are happy with the shape, use the right mouse button to save the updated information.

These two methods ensure you can correct errors instantly during the process or fine-tune completed shapes afterward.

This video highlights an important feature in the markup grid: the ability to control the visibility of specific measurements on the takeoff canvas. This is particularly useful for decluttering the view when working on adjacent or overlapping items.

How to Control Visibility

The process for toggling the display of a measurement is straightforward:

Identify the Measurement: Select the measurement (e.g., an area) on the canvas. This will also highlight it in the markup grid.

Change Visibility: In the markup grid, use the visibility option to change the status of that specific measurement.

Clear the Area: Once visibility is toggled off, the measurement disappears from the drawing canvas, creating a clear area to work on or to place extra, unobstructed measurements.

Restore Visibility: When you need the markup to return, simply address the visibility option again to make the measurement visible on the canvas.

This feature is noted as an important part of the markups grid for managing the takeoff canvas view.

This video explains how to turn a standard (positive) measurement into a deduct or negative number using the "change of sign" function in Takeoff Studio. This is crucial for accurately calculating net quantities, such as subtracting a sink cutout from a worktop area.

The Deduction Process

All measurements, when first captured, are treated as positive numbers in the markups grid. To create a deduction:

Measure the Deduction Area: Use the area measurement function to capture the area to be deducted (e.g., the hole for a sink).

You can use all the traditional measurement and correction functions to ensure the deduction shape is accurate.

Highlight in Markup Grid: Once the deduction area is measured, find its corresponding row in the markup grid.

Apply the Deduct Function: Highlight the row for the deduction measurement and use the deduct function (change of sign) to turn the measurement into a negative number.

Net Calculation: Applying the deduct function does not affect the raw measurement itself, but it ensures that when the measurements are grouped together, the deduction is automatically subtracted from the positive area (e.g., 1.13 minus 0.36) to give the correct final total (0.77).

This change of sign function is the key tool for accurately calculating net figures in the takeoff process.

This video explains the importance and functionality of the markup grid (results grid), which is a key component of Takeoff Studio for reviewing, editing, grouping, and navigating measurement data.

Key Functions of the Markup Grid

The markup grid organizes all captured takeoff data and serves multiple purposes:

Data Organization: The grid is structured with separate tables for each measurement type (e.g., area, length, count).

Detailed Information: For each measurement, the grid displays key information, including:
The drawing or file used for the measure.
The subject of the measurement (e.g., "brushed concrete," "carpet").
Any comments made.
The individual recorded values.
Attributes like width, color, and visibility.
Whether the value is positive or negative (deduct).

Editing and Control: All attributes and data points shown in the grid can be controlled and edited directly from here.

Data Grouping: Users have the opportunity to group the data by subject. This allows them to see all different types of subjects and their total lengths or total areas. This is useful for quickly summing up quantities for components like car park hatching or tarmac.

Navigation Aid (Interactive Link): The grid acts as a navigation tool with two-way interactivity:

Grid to Canvas: Selecting a row (e.g., a piece of vinyl flooring) in the grid highlights that item on the drawing canvas.

Canvas to Grid: Conversely, double-clicking an item on the drawing (e.g., timber flooring) will navigate and highlight that specific measurement in the markup table. The markup grid is essential for recording information, identifying attributes, and acting as a navigation aid within the studio.

This video demonstrates the function for exporting the content of the markup grids to Excel, allowing users to transfer their takeoff data for external use and reporting.

Step-by-Step Export Process

The process for exporting the data is simple:

Press the Export Button: Within the markup grids, simply press the designated export button.

Name and Save the File: Give the markup export a name and then save the Excel file to your desired location.

Review the Exported Data: The resulting Excel file contains a complete export of all the information from each individual grid.

The export includes all the data for every measurement type with recorded information:
Data for lengths (including areas, points, lengths, etc.).
Data for areas.
Data for counts.

Any grid containing information will be exported to Excel for users to utilise as needed.