To Work With Formulas for Pay Items

Define formulas to modify pay items for use in different situations. For example, you can use pay item formulas to apply specific masses to volumes, to convert one unit of measurement to another, to apply a pay item to a set volume, or a number of other mathematical operations.

Use the functions, constants and logical operators in the Pay Item Formula dialog box to create or edit a formula. You open the Pay Item Formula dialog box, from either the QTO Manager vista or the Pay Item List dialog box, by clicking in the Formula cell for any pay item for which you want to apply or edit a formula.

Note: Corridor objects only recognize formulas entered through the QTO Manager.

To create a formula for a pay item

1. Open a drawing in which pay items are attached to objects.
2. Select an object with one or more pay items attached.
3. Click Analyze tabQTO panelQTO Manager Find.
4. In the QTO Manager vista, click in the Formula cell of a pay item attached to the object you selected.
5. If a warning dialog box opens (meaning there is no formula file for the drawing), click Specify Pay Item Formula File.
6. In the Select A Quantity Takeoff Formula File dialog box:
   • Navigate to the folder in which the current drawing is saved.
     BestPractice: Save the pay item formula file in the same location as the drawing with which it is used. If you send the drawing to another user, you must also send the formula file.
   • For File Name, enter a unique name for the takeoff formula file. Pay item formulas, unlike other mathematical expressions in Autodesk Civil 3D (label expressions and design checks), are saved to a separate FOR file, rather than in the drawing.
   • Click Save.
7. In the Pay Item Formula dialog box:
   • To define additional parameters, click Edit Parameters to display the Pay Item Formula Parameters dialog box.
   • Click , and select either Item Area, Item Count, Item Length, Part Depth, or other user-defined parameter (as appropriate to the pay item). Your selection is inserted into the Expression field.
   • Use the keyboard or the numeric and logical operator keys, and functions from the list in the dialog box, to complete the formula.
   • Click OK to apply the formula.

     is displayed in the Formula cell of the selected pay item in the QTO Manager.

To edit or remove a pay item formula

1. Open a drawing in which formulas have been created for pay items.
2. Click Analyze tabQTO panelQTO Manager Find.
3. In the QTO Manager vista, click Turn Off Categorization.
4. Use the filter or scroll down through the pay item list to find the pay item whose formula you want to edit.
5. In the Formula cell of the pay item, click .
6. In the Pay Item Formula dialog box:
   • Modify the formula in the Expression field.
   • Alternately, delete the formula from the Expression field.
   • Click OK.