Bill of quantities software: how to choose (and alternatives to Excel)

Ultimo aggiornamento: 13 October 2026

What a bill of quantities is

A bill of quantities describes and quantifies the work items of a project. To read it you need to understand the items, the units of measurement, the quantities and the method used to determine them. This technical basis must be kept separate from the subsequent assignment of monetary values. When assessing software, ask how these steps are represented and who can check them.

A clear description of the work item lets the reader understand what is included. Quantities make sense when the measurement method can be reconstructed: seeing a final result is not enough. Before choosing the tool, look at how you currently record measurements, references and any clarifications. The software must be assessed against the real work of the technical office.

A bill of quantities, a cost estimate and a quote are not the same thing. The bill of quantities organises the quantities; the cost estimate develops the financial assessment; the quote presents the proposal to the customer. They can be linked in the same workflow, but each still needs its own checks. For how this relates to the description of the works, see the article on what contract specifications contain.

Excel, free tools and professional software

Excel is a spreadsheet that can be adapted to company templates. Free software may offer a path dedicated to quantity take-off. A professional solution may include features and services to be assessed in the offer. These categories do not in themselves guarantee quality, integrations or ease of use. Avoid attributing to every tool the characteristics of one particular example.

When to consider a spreadsheet

A spreadsheet can be considered when the team knows the template and can check its formulas. The assessment must include how corrections and versions are handled. Ask yourself who maintains the template, how editable cells are identified and which document is the reference after the proposal is revised.

It is not correct to say that a spreadsheet necessarily generates errors or is unsuitable for every company. It is useful, however, to check whether your current organisation lets you reconstruct quantities and valuations without ambiguity. If cost estimates and progress valuations are managed separately, clarify how consistency between the documents is checked and who is responsible for it.

How to read the other options

For a free tool, check the terms of use and the features you are interested in, rather than drawing conclusions from the absence of a fee. For a professional solution, ask what is included in the proposal and what requires configuration. In both cases the demo should show measurement, revision and the final document, not just a screen with the result.

A neutral comparison is about your needs, not a universal ranking. A dedicated path is only useful if the people who will use it understand it. Support must be discussed with the vendor and checked in the offer: do not assume arrangements or availability that have not been stated. Also consider who will prepare the initial templates and who will keep them up to date.

Criteria for choosing the software

Measurement method

Ask how work items are defined and how the quantity calculation is represented. Bring an example free of confidential data and check whether you can reconstruct the reasoning. The measurement method must be readable both to whoever prepares the bill of quantities and to whoever checks it. A graphical representation should be assessed for how well it matches your working method.

Also clarify how incomplete descriptions or changes to work items are handled. Do not confuse the availability of a feature with its correct use: shared criteria are needed. Define how to flag a quantity for review and how to distinguish a revision from a new item. This comparison makes the demo more concrete than a sales list.

Link to the cost estimate and the quote

Follow the step from quantity to financial assessment. Ask which information is kept and which must be added. Check how products, services and the terms of the proposal are represented. Before you reach the document to be sent to the customer, identify who checks descriptions and pricing. The quote must be interpretable in relation to the work items considered.

Bills of materials

Bills of materials describe the make-up used to build up a work item, through products and services. During the assessment, ask how they are prepared, edited and linked to the items. A generic example may include the materials and activities needed for a work item, without assigning standard quantities or values. The goal is to understand the model, not to assume a universal recipe valid for every project.

Importing external bills of quantities

If you receive bills of quantities prepared by others, show the vendor a representative example and ask how it is interpreted. Check which elements are recognised, which require clarification and where to check the result. Do not take compatibility with any document or format for granted. The procedure should be discussed against the materials your company actually uses.

Link to progress valuations

The link with progress valuations should be assessed by separating the initial measurements from the reading of what has been carried out. Ask which information is shared and who checks the progress to be represented. Do not assume that every change must automatically update every document. To find out more about this distinction, read the guide to progress valuations in construction.

Output in your company's formats

Bring the quote template you use and clarify which elements you want to keep. Ask which documents you can obtain, how to edit them and what check remains before delivery. Do not assume the availability of formats you have not been shown. Customisation should cover both the presentation and the clarity of the work items and terms set out in the commercial proposal.

How IntraThor does it

IntraThor uses a proprietary graphical take-off method. The quantities in the bill of quantities are initially unpriced. The step to the cost estimate happens through bills of materials, that is, recipes of products and services. The quote can be edited and uses Word templates. This workflow separates measurement, financial development and presentation to the customer, without turning the initial bill of quantities into a price list.

In the cost estimate, mark-ups, travel and formulas can be configured. These elements should be set up according to the company's process and checked together with the work items considered. ThorIA can interpret and import external bills of quantities, asking questions when clarification is needed. The interpretation is not a reason to skip checking the resulting information and links.

The bill of quantities, progress valuations and cost control share the same data, so you can assess the whole workflow in one place. To see the features described, visit the IntraThor bill of quantities software page. For the operational context of projects, you can also start from the site management features of IntraThor Construction.

Checklist for a practical assessment

Prepare the demo starting from one work item and following it through to the quote. The checklist below is an organisational example, not a professional obligation. Collect the answers, distinguishing what you have seen from what needs to be configured. If a step is unclear, ask for it to be repeated with a variation of the initial example.

• Check that description, measurement and quantity can be reconstructed.
• Follow the link between bill of quantities, cost estimate and proposal.
• Check how bills of materials are used and revised.
• Clarify how bills of quantities received from others are interpreted.
• Identify responsibilities and data shared with progress valuations and cost control.
• Test your company's template for the final document.
• Ask which configurations and support activities are included.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

To set the features declared by vendors alongside these selection criteria, see the feature comparison of construction site management and bill of quantities software.

General information only, not legal advice: check the current legislation.