How to export a takeoff to Excel
By the TRACEBUILD team · Updated
Once you have measured and counted, the last step is getting your quantities into your estimate. Here is how to export a takeoff to Excel or CSV, organized by type, so nothing has to be retyped.
Export, step by step
- Finish your takeoff. Measure and count what you need, keeping each type on its own group so the quantities are organized before you export.
- Open the takeoff quantities. Open the takeoff panel, where your areas, lengths, and counts roll up live by type.
- Export to Excel or CSV. Choose export to Excel for an .xlsx workbook, or export to CSV for a plain spreadsheet that opens anywhere.
- Open and price. Open the file in Excel or Google Sheets and apply your material and labor pricing to turn the quantities into a bid.
Tips for a clean handoff
- Organize before you export. Set your types and groups as you take off, so the spreadsheet lands the way you bid.
- Name things clearly so a label in Excel tells you exactly what it is.
- Keep the drawing and the numbers linked by exporting from the same takeoff, so quantities stay traceable back to the plan.
What the Excel file contains
An Excel export from TRACEBUILD has two sheets. Markups lists every markup on its own row: a Markup ID, the page, type, layer, space, subject, measurement, value and unit, plus trade, class, service and size for detected items. Takeoff holds the rollups: Takeoff by Item (Key, Item, Measurement, Count, Total, Unit), Takeoff by Space and Totals by Layer & Type. When a takeoff spans more than one trade, each trade also gets its own tab.
Price against the Key column, not the row. Keys stay the same when you re-export after a revision, so a lookup on the key picks up the new quantity and your prices stay where they are. To see one, download a real export from the flooring worked example; the free takeoff template shows how its columns line up with the export.
Which export fields should I use in my estimate?
Use the Key to identify a takeoff item, Total for its measured quantity and Unit to interpret the quantity. Keep pricing in your own columns. A room area, a pipe length and a fixture count have different units and should stay on separate rows.
| Export field | Use in your worksheet |
|---|---|
| Key | Match the same item after a revised export. Use a lookup on the key rather than the row number. |
| Item | Show a readable description of the work you are pricing. |
| Measurement | Check whether the item is an area, a length or another measurement type. |
| Total | Bring across the measured quantity before adding your own waste allowance or rates. |
| Unit | Match your rate to the exported unit, such as square feet, linear feet or each. |
Check the handoff before you price
Compare the exported totals with the reviewed takeoff panel, confirm the units and check the drawing revision. Keep an unchanged copy of the exported quantities so you can compare it with the next revision. The construction takeoff sheet template provides a starting structure.
Then price it
Excel export keeps your estimating workflow exactly as it is. When you want pricing and a professional basis of estimate built in, that is what the TRACEBUILD Pro Windows app adds, coming soon. First, get your quantities with free takeoff in your browser, free while TRACEBUILD Lite is in early access.
Each worked trade example has its exported workbook to download: plumbing, painting and concrete. For the pricing steps after the export, see how to bid a construction job.
Common questions
What formats can I export?
TRACEBUILD exports to both CSV and Excel (.xlsx), so your quantities open directly in Excel, Google Sheets, or your estimating spreadsheet.
What is included in the export?
Your takeoff quantities, areas, lengths, and counts, organized by the types and groups you set up, so they drop into your estimate without retyping.
Is exporting free?
Yes. CSV and Excel export are included in TRACEBUILD Lite, which is free in the browser during early access.
What should I check when replacing a takeoff export after a drawing revision?
Keep the previous export, identify the new drawing revision, and match items by Key rather than row position. Review added and missing keys as well as changed totals. Confirm that units still match your rates, then reconcile the spreadsheet quantities with the reviewed takeoff panel. Do not overwrite your separate pricing and allowance columns with the raw export.