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Importing Building Components

Building Components are related to the building systems modeled in CapitalForecastDirect. Each component represents a specific instance of one of those systems. For example in the building system of Roofing, you may have several different sections of roof, where each is listed as a separate Building Component. This importing tool allows you to update multiple existing Building Components and create new ones through duplication at one time.

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How to Update and Duplicate Building Components

When you run the model in CapitalForecastDirect, it will create your initial Building Components for you. To make updates to your Building Components or create multiple instances of a Building Component, you will run the Building Component Master List report to use as your template for importing. This will give you all the information for your existing Building Components.

 

When you look through the spreadsheet, you will want to confirm the Building Component information is correct. You may need to make updates to the description, quantity (square footage or number of units), and last replacement date to give CapitalForecastDirect more accurate information.

 

As you look at making these updates, you may need to split some of those Building Components into multiple sections. For example, the model created one Building Component for a Roof, but you may actually have 4 different sections of roof that need be listed separately because they have different renewal dates. You can duplicate the Building Component in the spreadsheet to create those multiple instances and import them back into the account.

Running the Building Component Master List Report

  • Click on Report in the Actions menu and then click on Building Components.
  • Use steps 1- 8 to filter for the Building Components that you want to update.
  • Select Master List in Step 9.
  • Select Excel in Step 10
  • In Step 11, click on Print.
  • Open the file. This is the Building Component Master List Report that will act as your template when importing updates.

Updating an existing Building Component

  • The information from your existing Building Components will populate in the spreadsheet.
  • Update the fields as needed. *Note: If updating Life Cycle or Cost/UOM, be sure to change the Controlled By selection in column R of the spreadsheet to Manual. If left as Model, the imported values in these columns will be over-written with the Model values.
  • If needed, duplicate your building systems using the steps in the following section.
  • Save the template file as .xls or .xlsx. Name the file and save it in a location that is easily found on your computer.

Duplicating a Building Component

  • After the spreadsheet opens, look at the Building Components listed. If you have multiple instances of any of the Building Components, such as different sections of roof, you can duplicate the model-created Building Component to create another Building Component.
  • Insert rows above or below the component you want to duplicate.

 

 

  • Copy the information from the original component that is the same for the new ones you are adding.
  • Leave the Code column blank on the new rows but do not change the existing code on the original component. This will update the original component and create new components with the information in the new rows.
  • Enter a Description to designate the different instances of each component (Roof Section 1, Roof Section 2, etc.).
  • Be sure to enter accurate information for the Quantity column (square footage, number of units) and the Last Replace Date column.

 

 

*Note: If updating Life Cycle or Cost/UOM, be sure to change the Controlled By selection in column R of the spreadsheet to Manual. If left as Model, the imported values in these columns will be over-written with the Model values.

  • Est. Replacement Cost and Est. Replacement Date can be left blank as these fields will be calculated for you after the import.
  • Save the template file as .xls or .xlsx. Name the file and save it in a location that is easily found on your computer.

Importing the Spreadsheet

Once the spreadsheet is updated with the correct information on all Building Components, import it back into the system to make multiple changes at one time.

  • Click on the Import Data link under the Information & Analysis section of your home page.
  • Hover your mouse over the Shortcuts menu and click on Import.
  • Select Building Components under Import Type.
  • Search for the file that you saved and select it to upload.
  • Type Building Component Master List as the Excel Sheet Name. This must match the name of the Excel worksheet in the saved file.
  • Click Upload.
  • On the Submit Import page, make sure the Field name and the Excel Column Names match.
  • Click the Validate button at the bottom of the screen.
  • When your file has been accepted on the Import Validation screen, click the Import Data button to import that data into CapitalForecastDirect.