Core Concepts

ForgeX is built around a hierarchical data model that mirrors the natural structure of construction bids. Understanding these core concepts will help you work faster and build more accurate estimates.

The ForgeX Hierarchy

🔍 Click diagram to expand

In plain English:

A Client can have many Bids
A Bid contains multiple Scopes (work areas)
Each Scope contains Items across 6 modules
Items roll up to Scope costs
Scopes roll up to the Bid total

1. Clients

Clients represent the companies or individuals you're bidding for.

Key Fields

Field	Description	Example
Company Name	Client organization	"ABC Construction"
Contact Name	Primary contact	"John Smith"
Email	Contact email	"john@abc.com"
Phone	Contact phone	"(281) 555-1234"
Address	Client address	"123 Main St, Houston, TX"

Usage

Create clients once, reuse across multiple bids
Track bid history per client
Filter bids by client in the dashboard

tip

Set up clients before creating bids. You can't create a bid without selecting a client.

2. Bids

Bids are the top-level container for an entire construction estimate. Each bid represents a unique project opportunity.

Key Fields

Field	Type	Description
`jobName`	String	Project name (e.g., "Memorial Park Expansion")
`location`	String	Job site location
`bidNumber`	String	Unique identifier (e.g., "B-2025-001")
`clientId`	Reference	Link to Client
`status`	Enum	Bid lifecycle stage
`taxExempt`	Boolean	Whether bid is tax-exempt
`perDiemEnabled`	Boolean	Include per diem for crew
`overheadPercent`	Number	Bid-level overhead %
`profitPercent`	Number	Bid-level profit %

Bid Status Lifecycle

Bids progress through these statuses:

🔍 Click diagram to expand

Status	Description	Editable?
DRAFT	Initial state, work in progress	✅ Full access
SUBMITTED	Sent to client for review	⚠️ ADMIN/ESTIMATOR only
NEGOTIATION	Under discussion with client	⚠️ ADMIN/ESTIMATOR only
AWARDED	Won! Converts to project (Phase 2)	❌ Read-only
LOST	Did not win	❌ Read-only
COMPLETED	Project fully completed	❌ Read-only

note

Only DRAFT bids can be deleted. Once submitted, bids are permanent for audit purposes.

Bid-Level Settings

Tax Exemption

When taxExempt = true:

Consumable materials (concrete, rebar, installed materials) are excluded from tax
Equipment is always taxed (never exempt), along with the Blades, PPE, Safety, Small Tools, and Sprayer material subcategories
Labor and subcontractor items are never taxed, so they're unaffected
The bid total drops by the consumable tax only

Per Diem

When perDiemEnabled = true:

Adds daily per diem costs for crew members
Configured via Global Variables
Scales with labor days

Overhead & Profit

Overhead: Applied after all module markups (default from Global Variables)
Profit: Applied after overhead (default from Global Variables)
Can be overridden per bid for custom margins

3. Scopes

Scopes represent distinct work areas or phases within a bid. Think of them as logical groupings of estimation items.

Examples of Scopes

"Foundation" - All foundation work
"Parking Lot" - Parking area construction
"Sidewalks" - Sidewalk and walkways
"Driveway" - Driveway slab
"Retaining Wall North" - Specific wall section

Key Fields

Field	Type	Description
`name`	String	Scope name (unique within bid)
`shape`	Enum	SLAB, FOOTING, WALL, CYLINDER
`multiplier`	Number	Repeat factor (default: 1)
`parentScopeId`	Reference	Link to parent scope (optional)

Scope Multiplier

The multiplier is a powerful feature for repeated identical areas:

Example
Calculation

Scenario: 5 identical garage slabs

Without multiplier:

Create 5 separate scopes
Duplicate all items 5 times
Hard to maintain consistency

With multiplier:

Create 1 scope: "Garage Slab"
Set multiplier: 5
All costs automatically scale ×5

// Individual item total
itemCost = calculateItemCost(item)

// Scope total (all items)
scopeSubtotal = sum(allItemCosts)

// Apply multiplier
scopeTotalCost = scopeSubtotal * multiplier

Result: Change multiplier from 5 to 6, and all costs update instantly.

warning

Multiplier applies to ALL items in the scope. If areas differ (e.g., different dimensions or rebar), use separate scopes.

Parent-Child Scope Linking

Scopes can be linked in a parent-child relationship to inherit properties:

🔍 Click diagram to expand

Inheritance:

Child scopes inherit dimensions/materials from parent
Changes to parent propagate to children
Reduces duplication for complex structures

Use case: Grade beams with multiple piers — define the grade beam once, create child scopes for each pier that inherit base properties.

4. Modules (Estimation Items)

ForgeX provides 6 specialized modules for estimating different cost categories. Each module has unique fields and calculations.

Module Overview

Module	Purpose	Auto-Calculations
Concrete	Slabs, footings, walls, cylinders	Square feet, cubic yards, rebar pounds
Labor	Crew hours and wages	FICA, FUTA, SUTA, dependent roles, auto costs
Equipment	Rentals and owned equipment	Fuel charges, delivery fees, insurance
Materials	Supplies and consumables	Waste factors, tax
Subcontractor	Third-party services	Buffer markup
Misc	Other costs	Direct cost entry

Concrete Module

Shapes: SLAB, FOOTING, WALL, CYLINDER

Key Fields:

Dimensions: length, width, depth (or diameter for cylinders)
Rebar: slabRebarSize, slabRebarOnCenter, slabRebarOrientation
Mix design (from Pricing catalog)
Waste percentage

Auto-Calculations:

// Square feet (for slabs/walls)
squareFeet = length * width

// Cubic yards
cubicYards = (length * width * (depth/12)) / 27

// Rebar pounds (based on size, spacing, area)
rebarPounds = calculateRebarPounds(size, spacing, area)
rebarWithWaste = rebarPounds * (1 + wastePercent/100)

// Costs
concreteCost = cubicYards * mixPricePerCY
rebarCost = rebarWithWaste * rebarPricePerPound

// Total
totalCost = concreteCost + rebarCost + tax

Auto-Materialization: When enabled, concrete items automatically create Material items for:

Concrete (based on cubic yards)
Rebar (based on pounds)

tip

This prevents double-counting — material items linked via sourceConcreteItemId are excluded from material cost rollup.

Labor Module

Key Fields:

role: Job role (Finisher, Laborer, Operator, etc.)
quantity: Number of workers
hoursPerDay: Hours per worker per day
days: Number of days
ratePerHour: Hourly wage

Auto-Calculations:

// Base cost
baseCost = quantity * hoursPerDay * days * ratePerHour

// Soft costs (payroll taxes)
ficaAmount = baseCost * ficaRate
futaAmount = baseCost * futaRate
sutaAmount = baseCost * sutaRate

// Auto costs (if vehicles specified)
autoDepreciation = baseCost * autoDepreciationRate
autoFuel = baseCost * autoFuelRate
autoInsurance = baseCost * autoInsuranceRate

// Total
totalCost = baseCost + fica + futa + suta + autoCosts

Dependent Roles: The system automatically calculates supervision needs:

Ops Coordinator: 5% of skilled labor hours (max 40 hrs)
Labor Foreman: 1 per 10 skilled laborers
Junior Foreman: 1 per 5 laborers

These are read-only and update automatically when labor items change.

Equipment Module

Key Fields:

name: Equipment name (from catalog or manual)
rentalType: DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY
quantity: Number of units
duration: Duration in days
rate: Rental rate per period

Auto-Calculations:

// Base rental cost
baseRentalCost = quantity * duration * ratePerUnit

// Fuel charge (not applicable to formwork)
fuelCharge = quantity * days * fuelChargePerDay

// Delivery fee (not charged if "on previous equipment")
deliveryFee = onPrevious ? 0 : deliveryFee

// Truck haul costs (formwork only)
trucksCost = truckCount * truckHaulCost

// Total
totalCost = baseRentalCost + fuelCharge + deliveryFee + trucksCost + tax

Materials Module

Key Fields:

name: Material name (from catalog or manual)
quantity: Quantity needed
unit: Unit of measure (EA, LF, SF, CY, etc.)
unitCost: Cost per unit
wastePercentage: Waste factor (e.g., 10 = 10%)
isTaxable: Whether item is taxable

Auto-Calculations:

// Adjusted quantity (with waste)
adjustedQuantity = quantity * (1 + wastePercent/100)

// Base cost
baseCost = adjustedQuantity * unitCost

// Tax (if not exempt and isTaxable)
taxAmount = (bid.taxExempt || !isTaxable) ? 0 : baseCost * taxRate

// Total
totalCost = baseCost + taxAmount

warning

Waste applies to total quantity, not unit cost. This ensures accurate material tracking.

Subcontractor Module

Key Fields:

name: Service name
vendor: Vendor/company
quantity: Quantity
unit: Unit of measure
unitCost: Cost per unit
buffer: Markup percentage

Auto-Calculations:

// Subtotal
subtotal = quantity * unitCost

// Apply buffer (markup)
totalCost = subtotal * (1 + buffer/100)

Pump Catalog: ForgeX includes a pump catalog with 122 entries:

Vendor, pump type, reach
Volume rate ($/CY), hourly rate, travel fee, minimum hours

Select from catalog, and rates auto-populate.

Misc Module

Key Fields:

name: Description
quantity: Quantity
unitCost: Cost per unit

Calculation:

totalCost = quantity * unitCost

Simple direct cost entry for items that don't fit other modules (permits, testing, etc.).

5. Pricing Items

Pricing Items are the catalog of materials, equipment, and rates used throughout the system.

What They Include

Category	Examples
Concrete Mixes	3000 PSI, 4000 PSI, 5000 PSI, Flowable fill
Rebar	#3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 (price per pound)
Equipment	Skid steer, excavator, mixer, compactor
Materials	Wire mesh, vapor barrier, stakes, anchor bolts
Pump Services	Concrete pumps (122 vendors/types)
Joint Saw Rates	Green saw, demo saw

Two-Tier System

Global Pricing Items - Default catalog for all bids
Bid-Specific Overrides - Custom pricing for specific bids

Lookup priority:

// Check for bid-specific override first
bidPricingItem = BidPricingItem.findByBidAndKey(bidId, key)

// Fall back to global catalog
if (!bidPricingItem) {
  pricingItem = PricingItem.findByKey(key)
}

return bidPricingItem || pricingItem

tip

Use case for overrides: Client negotiated special pricing on concrete mix. Create a bid-specific override without changing the global catalog.

Pricing Fields

Field	Description
`key`	Unique identifier (e.g., "CONCRETE_3000PSI")
`value`	Numeric value (price, rate, etc.)
`unit`	Unit of measure (CY, LB, EACH, etc.)
`category`	CONCRETE, REBAR, EQUIPMENT, MATERIAL, PUMP, etc.
`isActive`	Whether item is available for use

6. Global Variables

Global Variables store system-wide configuration values used in calculations across all bids.

Variable Categories

Concrete_Tax_Rate: Sales tax on concrete (default: 8.25%)
Rebar_Tax_Rate: Sales tax on rebar (default: 8.25%)
Material_Tax_Rate: Sales tax on materials (default: 8.25%)
Equipment_Tax_Rate: Sales tax on equipment rentals (default: 8.25%)

Variable Structure

Field	Description
`key`	Unique identifier (e.g., "FICA_Rate")
`value`	Numeric value (stored as decimal, e.g., 7.65 for 7.65%)
`category`	TAX, LABOR, OVERHEAD, PROFIT, etc.
`description`	Human-readable description
`defaultValue`	System default (used if no bid override)

Bid-Specific Overrides

Just like Pricing Items, Global Variables support bid-specific overrides:

// Check for bid-specific variable override
bidVariable = BidGlobalVariable.findByBidAndKey(bidId, "FICA_Rate")

// Fall back to global default
if (!bidVariable) {
  globalVariable = GlobalVariable.findByKey("FICA_Rate")
}

return bidVariable?.value || globalVariable.value

Use case: Special project with different overhead/profit margins — override for that bid only.

Cost Rollup Flow

Understanding how costs flow through the system is crucial:

🔍 Click diagram to expand

Step-by-Step

Item-Level Calculation

Each module calculates its own item cost based on inputs:

Concrete: CY + rebar pounds
Labor: Hours * rate + soft costs
Equipment: Rental + fuel + delivery
Materials: Quantity + waste
Subcontractor: Quantity * rate + buffer
Misc: Quantity * unit cost

Scope-Level Rollup

Sum all items within the scope by module type:

scope.concreteCost = Σ ConcreteItem.totalCost
scope.laborCost = Σ LaborItem.totalCost
...
scope.totalCost = sum of all modules * multiplier

Bid-Level Rollup

Sum all scopes by module type:

bid.concreteCost = Σ Scope.concreteCost
bid.laborCost = Σ Scope.laborCost
...

Module Markups

Apply WC, overhead, profit, and GL pollution to each module:

hardCost = bid.laborCost
wcAmount = hardCost * Labor_WC
overheadAmount = hardCost * Labor_Overhead
profitAmount = (hardCost + wc + overhead) * Labor_Profit
glAmount = (hardCost + wc + overhead + profit) * Labor_GL_Pollution

laborCostWithMarkups = hardCost + wc + overhead + profit + gl

Repeat for all modules.

Bid-Level Overhead & Profit

Apply final bid-level overhead and profit:

subtotal = sum of all modules with markups
overheadAmount = subtotal * bid.overheadPercent
profitAmount = (subtotal + overhead) * bid.profitPercent

totalCost = subtotal + overheadAmount + profitAmount

note

All calculations are automatic. You never manually calculate costs — ForgeX updates them in real-time as you edit items.

Key Takeaways

Hierarchy Matters

Client → Bid → Scope → Items is the structure. Organize your bids logically with clear scope names.

Use Multipliers

Don't duplicate scopes for identical areas. Use the multiplier field to scale costs automatically.

Leverage Catalogs

Use Pricing Items and Pump Catalog instead of manual entry. They're pre-configured and accurate.

Understand Rollup

Items → Scopes → Bid. Each level applies markups. Know where overhead/profit come from.

Tax Exemption

Set taxExempt at the bid level. It zeroes tax on consumable materials only (concrete, rebar, installed materials); equipment is always taxed, as are the Blades / PPE / Safety / Small Tools / Sprayer subcategories.

Auto-Materialization

Enable auto-add to Materials for concrete items. Prevents double-counting via sourceConcreteItemId.

Next Steps

📄

The ForgeX Hierarchy​

1. Clients​

Key Fields​

Usage​

2. Bids​

Key Fields​

Bid Status Lifecycle​

Bid-Level Settings​

Tax Exemption​

Per Diem​

Overhead & Profit​

3. Scopes​

Examples of Scopes​

Key Fields​

Scope Multiplier​

Parent-Child Scope Linking​

4. Modules (Estimation Items)​

Module Overview​

Concrete Module​

Labor Module​

Equipment Module​

Materials Module​

Subcontractor Module​

Misc Module​

5. Pricing Items​

What They Include​

Two-Tier System​

Pricing Fields​

6. Global Variables​

Variable Categories​

Variable Structure​

Bid-Specific Overrides​

Cost Rollup Flow​

Step-by-Step​

Key Takeaways​

Next Steps​

Creating a Bid

Estimation Modules

Architecture

API Reference

The ForgeX Hierarchy

1. Clients

Key Fields

Usage

2. Bids

Key Fields

Bid Status Lifecycle

Bid-Level Settings

Tax Exemption

Per Diem

Overhead & Profit

3. Scopes

Examples of Scopes

Key Fields

Scope Multiplier

Parent-Child Scope Linking

4. Modules (Estimation Items)

Module Overview

Concrete Module

Labor Module

Equipment Module

Materials Module

Subcontractor Module

Misc Module

5. Pricing Items

What They Include

Two-Tier System

Pricing Fields

6. Global Variables

Variable Categories

Variable Structure

Bid-Specific Overrides

Cost Rollup Flow

Step-by-Step

Key Takeaways

Next Steps