What a CSV file is
A CSV file is a plain text table. Each line is a row. Commas separate the columns. Any spreadsheet can open it. It holds values only, with no formulas and no formatting.
The steps
- Save one copy of the export and do not change it.
- Open a second copy in your spreadsheet.
- Check the columns: item, quantity, unit, source and status.
- Remove the lines that are excluded. Do not price lines that are still open.
- Map each line to an item or a cost code in your estimate.
- Bring the quantities in with a lookup, or paste them as values.
- Compare the line count and the totals with the export.
What breaks on import
- Leading zeros. A section number such as 08 71 00 can lose its first zero. Set that column to text.
- Sizes. A size such as 6 ft 2 in is text. Some spreadsheets try to turn sizes into dates.
- Commas inside a description. They can shift the columns if the file is read wrong.
- Units. The export may say each where your estimate says pair.
- Pasting over formulas. Paste into input cells only.
Keep the link to the source
Do not delete the source and status columns. Hide them if they are in the way. When the general contractor questions a quantity, you can trace it. Go from the price to the line, and from the line to the sheet.
When the takeoff changes
An addendum can change the takeoff after you import it. Do not paste a new export over the old one. Compare the two files by item and update only the rows that changed. Keep both exports with their dates.
Takeoff Tool makes a CSV export of the takeoff, with the grade on each line. It does not price the job, so the prices stay in your estimate.
AI and takeoff software · Updated 11 Nov 2026