The idea
The software does the reading and the first count. A person makes the decisions. Nothing is final until a person signs it. The phrase comes from the AI field, but estimators know the idea. It is a second check, with the software as the first pass.
What the person does
- Approve. The suggestion matches the source.
- Correct. The count or the type is wrong, so the person fixes it.
- Exclude. The item belongs to another trade or to the owner.
- Ask. The documents do not settle it, so the person sends a question to the architect.
What good review looks like
Good software shows the suggestion next to its source. It puts the weak lines first. It records who made each decision and when. The estimator spends time on the lines that need judgment, not on the lines that are clean.
What weak review looks like
- One button that approves every line.
- A number with no source to check it against.
- Weak lines hidden inside a total.
- No record of who approved what.
If a person cannot see the source, the person is not reviewing. The person is trusting.
Why it matters
The estimator is responsible for the bid. The software is not. Documents also leave questions open. Two sheets can show two counts. A spec can require an item that no sheet shows. Only a person can decide what to carry, exclude or ask.
In Takeoff Tool a person approves, corrects or excludes every line that is not Certain. A correction can become a house rule that runs only on that company's jobs.
AI and takeoff software · Updated 11 Nov 2026