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How to Create and Use Crews in DESTINI Cloud Self Perform Estimates (Private Preview)

Crews are one of the most powerful features of Self Perform estimating in DESTINI Cloud Estimator. A Crew represents the combination of labor, equipment, and other resources required to perform a specific type of work.

Rather than manually entering labor and equipment costs for every estimate line item, you can build a Crew once and reuse it throughout the estimate. When a Crew is assigned to a line item, DESTINI Cloud automatically calculates costs using:

    • Crew composition
    • Resource rates
    • Rate Table pricing
    • Productivity values

This approach improves estimating consistency, reduces manual calculations, and makes it easier to evaluate production assumptions across a project.

Table of Contents

Understanding Crews

A Crew represents how work is actually performed in the field. Crews typically include:

    • Labor Resources
    • Equipment Resources
    • Other Resources

Each resource contributes to the Crew's overall cost and production capability.

Example: Sitework Crew

A sitework Crew might contain:

Resource

Quantity

Foreman

1

Laborer

2

Excavator

1

Dump Truck

2

When this Crew is assigned to an excavation line item, DESTINI Cloud uses the crew composition and productivity values to calculate labor and equipment costs automatically.

Why Use Crews?

Without Crews, estimators must manually calculate the following for every line item:

    • Labor costs
    • Equipment costs
    • Other direct costs
    • Productivity impacts

Crews simplify this process by encapsulating these calculations into a reusable production unit. Crews help organizations:

    • Standardize estimating practices.
    • Reuse proven production methods.
    • Reduce manual data entry.
    • Improve estimate consistency.
    • Evaluate productivity scenarios.
    • Compare pricing across Rate Tables.
    • Increase estimating speed.

Organizations often maintain standard Crews for recurring work such as:

    • Concrete placement
    • Excavation
    • Utilities
    • Framing
    • Drywall installation
    • Structural steel erection
    • Site cleanup

How Crews Work

The relationship between Self Perform components can be visualized as:

Rate Table > Resources > Crew > Productivity > Estimate Line Item > Final Cost Calculation

The Crew serves as the connection between individual Resources and project cost calculations.

Crew Components

A Crew typically contains three key elements:

Resources

Resources define who and what performs the work. Examples include:

Labor

    • Carpenter
    • Laborer
    • Electrician
    • Foreman

Equipment

    • Excavator
    • Skid Steer
    • Crane
    • Concrete Pump

Other

    • Small Tools
    • Safety Equipment
    • Survey Instruments

Quantities

Each resource has an assigned quantity.

Example

Resource

Quantity

Carpenter

3

Laborer

2

Forklift

1

These quantities determine how much of each resource contributes to Crew cost.

Productivity

Productivity defines how much work a Crew can complete within a given period.

Examples:

    • 150 square feet per hour
    • 25 linear feet per hour
    • 10 cubic yards per hour

Productivity is what converts resource costs into unit costs. Because labor productivity often has a greater impact on project cost than labor rate differences, maintaining realistic production assumptions is critical to accurate estimating.

Create a Crew

    1. Open an estimate in DESTINI Cloud Estimator.
    2. Click Self Perform > Crew Manager.
      Open Crew Manager
    3. In the Rate Table list, select a rate table.
      Select a rate table
    4. Click Add Crew.
    5. For Crew Code, enter a code. We recommend creating standard codes to help identify crews. For example, if you create codes that specify 'L' for Laborer, a painter code could then be L-PNT-01.
    6. For Crew Name, enter a name.
    7. In the left pane, hover over a resource in the Labor, Equipment, or Other tab and click the green + icon.

      Continue adding labor, equipment, and other resources to your crew until you've selected all required resources.
    8. Click Save.
    9. On the Crew Manager tab, enter quantities for each resource. 

The Crew becomes available for use throughout the estimate.

Example: Concrete Placement Crew

Resource

Quantity

Foreman

1

Carpenter

2

Laborer

2

Concrete Pump

1

Pickup Truck

1

After creating it, this Crew could be assigned to multiple concrete-related line items.

Edit a Crew

Estimators frequently adjust Crews to reflect project-specific conditions. Common modifications include:

    • Changing labor quantities.
    • Adding equipment.
    • Removing equipment.
    • Testing alternative production methods.
    • Evaluating different staffing levels.

Example

An excavation Crew may normally contain:

1 Excavator

2 Laborers

For a larger project, the estimator may test the following quantities to determine the impact on production and overall cost:

1 Excavator

4 Laborers

1 Additional Dump Truck

To edit a Crew:

    1. Open an estimate in DESTINI Cloud Estimator.
    2. Click Self Perform > Crew Manager.
    3. Use the search field to locate the Crew to edit and then click the pencil icon.
    4. Hover over a resource you want to delete and click the red Minus (-) icon. The resource is removed immediately from the Crew. 

      Or, add resources as you did using the previous procedure.
    5. Click Save.
    6. Enter new quantities, if necessary.

Removing resources can affect:

    • Labor costs
    • Equipment costs
    • Productivity assumptions
    • Unit pricing

Review Crew calculations after making changes.

Using Crews Created in Cost Library

Many organizations maintain standard Crews in Cost Library.

When a Rate Table is added to an estimate:

    • Standard Resources become available.
    • Standard Crews become available.
    • Resource and markup definitions are imported.

These imported Crews provide estimators with proven production assemblies that can be reused across projects.

Estimate-Specific Changes

Crews imported from Cost Library can be modified within an estimate.

Changes made in the estimate:

    • Affect only the current estimate.
    • Do not update Cost Library.
    • Do not impact other projects.

This allows estimators to adapt standard production methods for unique project conditions while preserving company standards.

Assign a Crew to a Line Item

After you create a Crew, you can assign it to line items in your estimate.

    1. Open an estimate in DESTINI Cloud Estimator.
    2. Click Estimate.
      Open the Estimate View
    3. Either select a line item in your estimate or locate one in the Cost Database view.
      Select a line item
    4. In the Cost Information view, enter a quantity in the Quantity field.
    5. In the Crew dropdown, select a Crew.
      Choose a Crew
    6. DESTINI Cloud Estimator populates the productivity fields and calculates costs based on the resources and rates entered for the selected crew.
      Productivity fields and costs adjust automatically

    What Happens When a Crew Is Assigned?

    When a Crew is attached to a line item, DESTINI Cloud evaluates:

    Resources + Resource Rates + Rate Table Pricing + Productivity Values = Line-Item Cost

    The system automatically calculates the following while allowing Material and Subcontractor pricing to remain independently managed when required:

      • Labor cost
      • Equipment cost
      • Other cost

    Productivity and Cost Calculations

    Productivity is often the most important variable in Crew-based estimating.

    Example

    Assume a Crew costs:

    $400 per hour

    Scenario A

    Productivity = 20 LF/hour

    Unit Cost: $400 ÷ 20 = $20 per LF

    Scenario B

    Productivity = 25 LF/hour

    Unit Cost: $400 ÷ 25 = $16 per LF

    A relatively small productivity improvement can produce significant savings across a project.

    Change the Crew Assigned to a Line Item

    Project conditions change frequently during estimating.

    To replace a Crew:

      1. Locate the line item in your estimate.
      2. Open the Crew dropdown.
      3. Select a different Crew.

    DESTINI Cloud immediately recalculates costs using:

      • The new Crew composition
      • Associated Resource Rates
      • Productivity values

    This makes it easy to compare alternative construction approaches.

    Remove a Crew from a Line Item

    If Crew-based costing is no longer needed:

      1. Locate the line item in your estimate.
      2. Open the Crew dropdown.
      3. Select No Crew.

    Result

    Crew calculations are removed. Labor, Equipment, and Other costs become manually editable again. Productivity-related calculations are no longer used for that line item.

    Use Different Rate Tables with a Crew

    A Crew can be used with different Rate Tables. This allows estimators to evaluate the following without rebuilding Resources or Crews:

      • Regional cost differences
      • Alternate labor markets
      • Budget vs. current pricing
      • Escalated pricing scenarios

    Change the Rate Table

      1. Locate the line item in your estimate.
      2.  In the Cost Information View, locate the Rate Table dropdown.
        Select a different rate table
      3. Select a different Rate Table.

    The line item's costs are recalculated using the pricing structure defined by the selected Rate Table.

    For example, a Crew may cost $1,250/day in the Dallas Rate Table. The same Crew may cost $1,680/day in Seattle because of differing labor and equipment rates.

    By adjusting the Rate Table, the Crew composition remains the same, but pricing changes based on the selected Rate Table.

    Best Practices

    To maximize accuracy and consistency:

      • Build Crews around actual field production practices.
      • Use descriptive Crew names and codes.
      • Reuse standard Crews whenever possible.
      • Review productivity assumptions regularly.
      • Test multiple productivity scenarios on major work items.
      • Use Rate Tables to compare regional pricing conditions.
      • Modify imported Crews only when project conditions require it.
      • Validate cost impacts after changing Crew composition.

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