EST | Estimating

In practice, the preliminary costing must be swift and simple as a priority, but still accurate and traceable. In the area of calculation, tacks offers virtually unlimited flexibility and multiple automation options. Thanks to the individually configurable set of logic rules and self-definable templates, you can create a high-performance expert system, which means even complex calculations can be performed efficiently and transparently. Depending on your internal costing approach, you can use full, partial and/or direct costing invoices to maximize cost transparency and determine actual prime costs or bottom prices. All internal calculations are documented allowing you to trace each costing calculation step by step, while a wide range of adjustable parameters let you create diverse calculations for different product types.

Your key advantages at a glance

  • The product configurator lets you ensure that only coherent products are offered
  • You can use your own rules and freely configurable logic for each product class to create your company-specific expert system and ensure that regardless of the processor, the same price will be issued for the same enquiry in each case
  • tacks not only selects the best machine but also calculates the complete production sequence and thus determines the optimal production version for each print run
Estimating

Simultaneous estimate of different productions variants including all details
With support of the shop floor control system [SFC] estimated costs and actual cost can be easily compared automatically for all production orders. Due to this automated comparison, differences between estimated and actual costs are already discovered during the production process.

Graphical representation of the unit cost
The built-in production-versions calculation allows multiple production versions, e.g. for different criteria, to be calculated and compared at the same time. Here, tacks simulates complete production e.g. in a digital roll and conventional sheet production to determine the optimal production method for each required quantity.

Product configurator

Every estimate becomes even simpler and faster with the fully integrated product configurator. Moreover, costs can no longer be overlooked. All data which is dependent for an estimate of a certain product is verified by tacks. In the background tacks turns this into the complete working plan and calculates the estimate according to your company specific rules. Moreover, all required data for a later actual cost comparison is already calculated. You can set rules and restriction conditions for certain characteristics of the product class for every product. Your own rules are customized, but not hard-coded, so they don’t need to be changed for a software update.

Drop down list for fast and correct data entry.

Decision tables

Complex rules and plausibility examinations during estimating are simplified by decision tables. Resulting values could be the make ready time and the press speed for each combination of criteria. Decision tables you create ensure that every employee works with the same criteria and receive the same estimated prices for every product.

Additional features

  • Unlimited print runs and production versions (e.g. conventional to digital)
    can be calculated simultaneously
  • Preliminary and final costing as well as current costing
  • Partial costs, full costs or activity-based costing
  • One-click generation of offer and items from the costing
  • Support for all production methods
  • Fully flexible and configurable
  • Surcharge rates and commission can be individually specified per print run
  • Sliding scale prices for materials and items
  • Simple design of versions
  • Graphical sheet and cutting optimization
  • Optimization of the production variant depending on quantity