Branch Estimate Categories and Sub Categories

Managing Estimate Categories in Rave

To add, edit, archive, or delete Estimate Categories or subcategories, open your profile dropdown and select Branch Settings, then choose Estimate Categories.

If you don’t see the Branch Settings option, you don’t have permission to access it and will need to contact your branch owner.

If you have permission to manage users, you can enable the Manage Estimate Categories permission for yourself or others under the Branch Settings section.

Access to Categories and Sub-Categories is permission-based:

• No Access – Cannot view or make changes

• View Only – Can view categories and sub-categories but not make changes

• Full Access (Add/Edit/Delete) – Can create, update, and delete categories and sub-categories

  
  

Adding an Estimate Category or Sub Category:

Click Add Category to enter the name of your new category, then select Proceed.
Your new category will appear at the bottom of the list. You can rearrange categories by dragging them up or down using the hamburger icon (the three horizontal lines) to the left of the category name.

To add a subcategory, click Add Subcategory and create as many subcategories as needed under the main category.

Editing an Estimate Category or Sub Category:

To edit a category or subcategory, click the Rename button. This will allow you to update the name of the category or subcategory. Once you’re finished, click Proceed to save your changes. 

Archiving an Estimate Category or Sub Category:

If you no longer want to use an estimate category, you can archive it using the Archive button. All historical data will remain assigned to that category or subcategory, but it will no longer be available for selection on new documents.

If you need to reassign a category or sub category to something else, you can do this at the document level.

The best report to view where categories and subcategories are used across the entire business is the Branch Transaction Report. See the article here.

Deleting an Estimate Category or Sub Category:

If you no longer want to use an estimate category, you can delete it by selecting the red Delete button. If the delete button is grey out it means you cannot delete the category as it has financial records against it. You can choose to archive (see above) or reassign a category or sub category to something else then delete it once its not in use. You need to reassign at the document level to free up to then be able to delete it. The best report to view where categories and subcategories are used across the entire business is the Branch Transaction Report. See the article here.

Downloading and Uploading via a CSV

Users have the ability to upload or download their Category and Sub-categories via CSV.

Uploading Your Estimate Categories

When uploading your Estimate Categories into Rave you must use the example file to get the correct format. The sample file is found by selecting the upload csv file button:

• Column A: Enter your Category name

• Column B: Enter your Sub-Category (if applicable)

Sub-Category Format

• If a Category has multiple Sub-Categories, enter them on the same row in Column B, separated by commas.
  Example:

  • Column A: Foundations

  • Column B: Excavation, Concrete Pour, Boxing, Steel Reinforcement

• You can also upload:

  • A single Sub-Category per Category

  • A Category with no Sub-Category (leave Column B blank)

This flexible format allows you to set up your cost structure based on the level of detail you need.

Downloading your Category or Subcategories via CSV:

You can also download Categories and Sub Categories via the download CSV option. This will export all your existing data in the same format the import is in. 

Customise Your Setup

Don’t need Sub-Categories? No problem.
You can continue to use Rave at a Category-only level by disabling Sub-Categories to the top left of the screen slide off the show sub categories tab.