Basic Sigma
Activating Your Sigma License
Last Updated: March 23, 2017This guide will teach you how to activate your Sigma license. Before starting the activation process, please make sure you have the email from Sigma with your license number, which was emailed to you after your purchase. If you did not receive an activation code, please contact Sigma Support. Also, for the activation process, you...
Adjusting the Sales Price
Last Updated: March 31, 2017By clicking on the Summary tab, the sales price can be adjusted for the entire project or for any category or subcategory individually. The view in the Summary tab shows the entire estimate grouped by the WBS. Some of the numbers in the Summary view are in green – these are calculated fields and can...
Creating a New Estimate in Sigma
Last Updated: March 31, 2017To start a new estimate in Sigma, follow these simple steps: Start Sigma by clicking on the desktop icon or choosing Sigma from the Start menu. Sigma opens to this page, where you can select a template for your new estimate. Sigma will open the new estimate to the Front Page tab. On the Project...
Recover an Earlier Version of a Sigma Estimate
Last Updated: March 31, 2017If you would like to recover an earlier version of a Sigma estimate (i.e. you forgot to save it or deleted the version by mistake) follow these steps. 1. Open the latest saved version of the estimate. 2. Click on File> Info. 3. Choose the version of the estimate you would like to edit. NOTICE: Both...
Setting Automatic Markup: Profit
Last Updated: March 31, 2017The Automatic Markup dialogue box has three tabs: Overhead, Profit and Discounts. The Profit percentages are adjusted per the steps below. 1. Click on the Summary tab. 2. In the Quick Access Toolbar click on Automatic Markup. 3. Click on Profit. IMPORTANT: The checkbox Use in estimation needs to be marked for the profit to...
Setting Automatic Markup: Overhead
Last Updated: March 31, 2017The Automatic Markup dialogue box has three tabs: Overhead, Profit and Discounts. The Overhead percentages are adjusted per the steps below. 1. Click on the Summary tab. 2. In the Quick Access Toolbar click on Automatic Markup. 3. Click on Overhead IMPORTANT: The checkbox Use in estimation needs to be marked for the overhead to...
Adding Resources
Last Updated: April 27, 2017Resources Defined Resources in Sigma are items that have been categorized as Labor, Materials, Equipment, etc. While most estimating software only allows you to use the standard, built in categories, in Sigma you can have as many custom categories as you need. This allows you, for instance, to have multiple Materials categories, which is important...
Creating your Work Breakdown Structure
Last Updated: April 27, 2017Sigma Estimates is based on a hierarchal structure, and this is shown in the Work Breakdown Structure. At the top of the structure is the title of the estimate (job name). The next level consists of the Headings, and defines the basic work breakdown structure of your estimate. The title of the job and the...
Start a New Estimate from a Template
Last Updated: April 27, 20171. Start Sigma. NOTE: Right after Sigma opens, a Sigma Guide dialogue box will open. 2. Click New document… > New estimation based on template. NOTE: In the Sigma Guide dialogue box (under Sigma) you will see all Sigma standard templates. 3. Choose the template you want to use and click Next. 4. Enter the name of your...
Printing Reports
Last Updated: April 27, 2017Basics: Open the estimate you want to run a report on, click on Reports in the ribbon, and you’ll see the standard reports divided into 6 folders in the tool bar: Click on the drop-down arrow and choose the report you want to run and follow the prompts. Various reports will ask you to fill...
Checking Cost Prices
Last Updated: April 27, 2017This guide will show you how to check costs in Sigma and make adjustments for fluctuating prices. This is easily done in the Resources tab in Sigma. With an estimate open, click on the Resources tab in the tool bar. Your estimate will be grouped by the categories (labor, materials, equipment, subcontractor, etc) you have...
Adjust the sales price with supplements/deductions
Last Updated: April 27, 2017You can add as many supplements and deductions (adds and cuts) as you wish. A deduction is entered as a negative value. Once created, Supplements and deductions are shown in the bottom of the page Summary, the summarized supplements and deductions are shown at the top on the page Content. 1. Open the estimate you...
Add your Company Logo to your reports
Last Updated: March 12, 2018Sigma provides a straightforward way to add your company logo to your reports. You can make this a default setting in your reports, and the logo will be shown in the upper right-hand corner of all reports. Click on the Reports tab in the tool bar, then click on Settings. In the Edit report settings...
Setting Automatic Markup
Last Updated: November 13, 2019Automatic Markup is accomplished in Sigma by applying a percentage to a category (labor, materials, etc). These percentages can be set by clicking on the Summary tab, and then in the toolbar clicking on the Automatic Markup button. With an estimate open, click on the Summary tab in the tool bar. Your estimate will be...
Import CSV or Paste from Excel
Last Updated: January 8, 2020Overview If you are like most estimators, you have a wealth of knowledge and data in excel. This historical data contains estimates, assemblies, sub numbers and unit costs that can be reused to develop your baseline plug numbers for a new bid, and can help to vet sub numbers when they come in. Historical data...
Categories Explained
Last Updated: July 3, 2020Categories are used in Sigma for various functions: for reporting on materials needed, or hours required; for adding overhead; for establishing profit; for automatic redistribution of costs; and for organizing Insight views. Categories (like unit names and production unit names) are stored as *.dat files the Data folder and can be edited by going to...
Add and remove a bookmark
Last Updated: July 9, 2020Bookmarks can be helpful as reminders, or as an indication that an item needs completion, or as an indicator of your choice. There are several ways to add or delete bookmarks. Bookmark by Toolbar First, you could use the tool bar. Select a component in the Estimate window or a heading in the WBS and...