Notes for owners · Industry-Specific Software Guides
Registers or Software for a Fit-Out Contractor: BOQ, Variations and Bills
Spreadsheets work for a fit-out contractor with one or two sites and a few subcontractors. Software becomes worth it when several sites run together, variations are frequent and subcontractors are paid on measurement. It keeps the BOQ, work orders, running bills and material in one record per site.
Ganesh HS, Strategy and Technology, GullySystem · · 3 min read
What a spreadsheet does well
For one or two sites, a BOQ sheet with a column for actual quantity is clear and cheap. The estimator and the site engineer both understand it. Nothing needs to be learned.
Spreadsheets also suit the early stage, when the BOQ is still being priced. The trouble begins later, when copies multiply and nobody is sure which is current.
Where it starts to strain
Strain shows when several sites share one store and one set of vendors. Each site has its own BOQ, its own subcontractors and its own client changes. The sheets stop agreeing with each other.
Watch for these signs. If two of them appear, a shared record is likely worth the effort.
- Two versions of the BOQ in circulation
- Subcontractor measurements disputed at payment
- Running bills built by hand over several days
- Materials ordered twice or left over at site
- Variations agreed by message and never billed
What software should hold for each site
One record per site should carry the priced BOQ, the packages given to subcontractors, measured quantities, material requests and the client’s running bills. Variations sit beside the BOQ lines they change.
Retention, advance recovery and deductions appear as separate lines on the bill. The client’s approval is tied to the version it refers to, so extra work is billed on a record.
- BOQ lines with estimate and actual spend
- Work orders with scope, rate and advance
- Measurements and running bills
- Variations with the client’s approval
- Material requests, orders and site stock
What it will not do
It will not draw or check drawings, and it does not replace a planning tool for a critical path schedule. Those stay where they are. Drawings made elsewhere are attached to the site.
Snagging and handover lists are specific to fit-out work. Existing products cover BOQ, bills and material, and the snag list is added as custom work.
Move in stages, not all at once
Start with one live site. Load its BOQ, work orders and bills so far, and run it in parallel with the sheet for a cycle. Compare the running bill from both before trusting the system.
Then move the other sites one by one. GullySystem’s interior design and construction products form the base for this, with your BOQ and bill formats matched during implementation.
Site record comparison sheet
A sheet listing what you track for a site today: BOQ, subcontractor measurements, variations, running bills, material and snags. Mark each as sheet, message or memory. Items marked memory are the first to move into software.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Can one system replace a planning tool like MS Project?
No. It records the site and the money, not a critical path network. Keep planning in your scheduling tool and record progress here.
Is it worth it for a single site?
Usually not. A BOQ sheet and a message group will do. The value grows with sites, subcontractors and variations.
Can our own BOQ and bill format be used?
Yes. The format is matched during implementation, so the running bill follows the layout your clients already accept.
Does it connect to Tally?
No live link is built in. Client bills, vendor bills and payments can be listed for your accountant, and an export file is quoted separately.