The steps
- Sort the files. The software marks each file as a spec, a plan sheet, an addendum or another type.
- Read the text. It takes text from the PDF, or runs character recognition on a scan.
- Read the drawings. It looks for symbols, tags, schedules and notes.
- Match. It ties each item on a sheet to a requirement or a type.
- Count or measure. It totals each item.
- Report. It lists each quantity, and good software shows the source.
Two kinds of reading
A language model reads words. It handles spec sections, schedules, keynotes and general notes. A vision model reads the sheet as a picture. It handles symbols, shapes and layout. Most products use both kinds, because a plan sheet has both words and pictures.
Where products differ
- Drawings-first products find symbols or rooms on the sheets and count them.
- Spec-first products read the spec section and then look for those items on the sheets.
- Some products are built for one trade. Others try to cover every trade.
- Some give one total. Others show a source and a confidence level for each line.
Why review is part of the design
A model can be wrong and still sound sure. It can also read a poor scan badly and not say so. Good software marks the weak lines and shows where each number came from. Then the estimator spends time on the lines that need a decision.
How Takeoff Tool does it
Takeoff Tool finds your spec section inside the full Project Manual. It lists what the section requires, finds those items on the plan sheets and counts them. Every line has a grade: Certain, Maybe or Not sure. Every line links to the sheet or the spec text it came from.
AI and takeoff software · Updated 11 Nov 2026