How to Estimate · Software
Switch Estimating Software Without Losing Job Records
Switch estimating software when the old tool slows your bids or makes you enter the same details twice. Save your records first. Test a real quote next. Move new work only when the test passes.
Add SimplyWise as a preferred source
Why do contractors switch estimating software?
Start with the problem you need to fix. Do you wait until you reach a desk to quote? Do you rebuild the same labor lines? Write down that pain before you compare apps.
Use desktop estimating software alternatives to build your shortlist. If your crew also needs dispatch or scheduling, review Jobber alternatives. Keep those needs on a separate checklist.
A lower bill alone does not prove the new tool fits. Make sure the person who writes bids can finish the task.
What should you keep from the old tool?
Before you switch estimating software, save the records that explain each job. Keep signed quotes, open bids, customer details, price lists, photos, and payment records. Preserve the original files before you edit any copy.
| Keep | Check before leaving |
|---|---|
| Customer list | Phone, email, billing address, and each job address |
| Price list | Item name, unit, cost, selling price, and date |
| Job files | Scope, signed version, photos, and open balance |
Open saved files without logging into the old app. A download that you cannot read is not a useful backup. Restrict customer files to the people who need them.
How do you move customers and price lists?
Check each tool’s current help page or ask its support team. Confirm what the old tool can export. Then confirm what the new tool accepts. These steps are general. Supported file types and fields vary by product.
If both tools support a compatible file, match each column to its new field. Try a small sample first. If they do not, enter needed records by hand and keep the archive separate.
Keep a customer’s billing address separate from the work site. Remove duplicates only after checking which record holds the current job.
For prices, check whether a line uses hours, pieces, or square feet. Check whether the value means your cost or the customer’s price. Review tax and markup settings separately.
Comparing replacements? See Joist alternatives and Buildertrend alternatives before you commit to a move.
How do you know the new tool is ready?
Rebuild a finished job as a test draft. Use the same scope, quantities, and rates. Compare each line, then the total. A matching total can still hide missing work and an extra charge elsewhere.
Check the quote on a phone. Read the scope, exclusions, and approval wording. Our guide to writing a construction proposal can help with that review.
Use construction estimating apps to compare your shortlist against this task.
For a fresh test quote, try SimplyWise Cost Estimator free.
Keep open jobs from splitting across tools
Assign someone to own the move. Make a list of open bids and jobs with pending payments. Mark which tool holds each current record. Tell the crew where to make edits and where to look for approved scope.
Leave active jobs in the old tool if moving them would blur the record. Start new quotes in the new tool on your chosen date. If the test fails, pause the move and keep quoting through the old process. Fix the failed step before you try again.
Switch estimating software in this order
-
Save and open your old records.
Export what the old tool allows. Open the files outside that tool. Keep signed quotes and job photos together.
-
Clean and check a small sample.
Match customer names, job addresses, item units, and prices. Fix the sample before copying the full list.
-
Test a quote from start to finish.
Build a draft, review each line, and check the customer view. Let the person who sends bids try it.
-
Set the date and assign open jobs.
Write down where each active job will stay. Start fresh quotes in the new tool after the switch date.
Try SimplyWise Cost Estimator on a fresh quote
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Review material, labor, and fee lines. Check quantities and prices against the job. Then send a professional, branded quote the client signs to approve.
Start a fresh estimate with SimplyWise to test that workflow.
SimplyWise costs $29.99 a month, $239.99 a year (about $20 a month on annual), with a 7-day free trial. Use the trial to judge the quoting process on work you know.
Keep reading
- Desktop estimating software alternatives
- Best construction estimating apps
- How to write a construction proposal
Sources
Product
- SimplyWise pricing, read November 12, 2026.
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator on the App Store, read November 12, 2026.
Photo
- Carpenter’s workshop, Wikimedia Commons, read November 12, 2026.
Questions before you switch estimating software
How long does it take to switch estimating software?
The time depends on your records, open jobs, and staff training. Set the date after a test quote passes. Keep the old tool available until you can read saved records and handle open work.
Can I move customers and price lists into any estimating app?
Check both vendors first. Ask which file types and fields each tool supports. If the new tool lacks a supported import, enter the records you need by hand. Test a small sample before moving the rest.
What can go wrong when I switch tools?
Watch for duplicate customers, missing job files, wrong units, and markup that changes the total. Compare line items against the old quote. Pause the move if the numbers or customer details do not match.
Should I cancel my old software before the new tool works?
No. Check your renewal date, cancellation terms, and access after cancellation first. Save records you can open without the old account. Cancel only after your trial workflow passes and each open job has a clear home.
Test your next quote before you switch.
Switch estimating software with a clear test. Review a fresh SimplyWise quote on a job you know. Free to try.