Question 1

How do I download a free trial of BidScreen XL or SiteWorx/OS?

Accepted Answer

Both products install free for a 14 day evaluation from /download. The full, working software runs without restriction during the trial. Enter a serial number after purchase to keep using it.

Question 2

How long is the trial, and do I need a credit card?

Accepted Answer

14 days from installation. No credit card required — you'll create a free account to download the installer. Files created during the trial open in the licensed copy.

Question 3

What operating systems are supported?

Accepted Answer

BidScreen XL, SiteWorx/OS, Drawing Compare, and BidPoint XL run on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit). BidScreen XL requires Microsoft Excel 2010 or newer; the BidScreen XL installer must match Excel's bit version (32 bit or 64 bit).

Question 4

Which Vertigraph product should I start with?

Accepted Answer

BidScreen XL if your takeoffs end up in an Excel estimating workbook (areas, lengths, and counts from PDF, DWG, DXF, or TIF). SiteWorx/OS if you need cut and fill, sub-grade, or topsoil strip volumes from a grading plan. Drawing Compare runs alongside either to highlight revisions between two plan sets.

Question 5

How do I add BidScreen XL to Microsoft Excel?

Accepted Answer

BidScreen XL is an Excel add in. After installation, a BidScreen XL ribbon tab appears in Excel. If it doesn't show up automatically, enable it manually: 1) Verify Excel's bit version (File > Account > About Excel; the end of the first line shows 32 bit or 64 bit). 2) File > Options. 3) Add Ins > Go. 4) Browse. 5) For 32 bit Excel, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL and open BidScreenXL_7.xlam. For 64 bit Excel, use C:\Program Files\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL. 6) Confirm BidScreen XL is checked and click OK. 7) Enter your serial when the registration prompt appears.

Question 6

Why doesn't the BidScreen XL ribbon tab appear in Excel?

Accepted Answer

The most common cause is a 32-bit / 64-bit mismatch between Excel and BidScreen XL. The BidScreen XL installer must match Excel's bit version. Verify Excel: File > Account > About Excel; the bit count is at the end of the first line. Reinstall the matching BidScreen XL build, then add the .xlam file via File > Options > Add Ins > Go > Browse.

Question 7

What drawing file types can BidScreen XL measure from?

Accepted Answer

PDF (raster and vector), AutoCAD DWG, DXF, TIF, BMP, JPG, and PNG. BidScreen XL works with the original file; no conversion or modification is needed.

Question 8

What's the difference between a raster PDF and a vector PDF?

Accepted Answer

A raster PDF is a grid of pixels (a scanned or rendered image); takeoff happens by clicking on pixels. A vector PDF preserves the CAD layers, entities, and points it was created from; you can isolate layers, snap to entity points, or click an entire polyline at once. BidScreen XL labels the active drawing as Raster, PDF, PDF Vector, or CAD in the top right corner of the drawing window.

Question 9

Where are the Excel takeoff and estimating template files located?

Accepted Answer

A collection of takeoff and estimating templates for general contractors, concrete subcontractors, and many other trades is installed with BidScreen XL. They're available under Example Workbooks in the BidScreen XL program group, or at C:\Users\Public\Documents\Vertigraph\BidScreen XL\examples.

Question 10

How do I set the scale on a drawing?

Accepted Answer

Click Load Drawing, pick the file, click OK; a message recommends autoscaling. Choose English or Metric, choose Architectural or Engineering, then click AutoScale: single-click the start and end of a known dimension on the drawing (typically the scale bar), enter the distance in decimal feet, and click OK. The scale factor displays.

Question 11

What is the true scale factor for English drawings?

Accepted Answer

For English scales, the true factor is the reciprocal of the scale times 12. A true 1:20 scale has a factor of 240; a true 1/8" scale has a factor of 96. AutoScale gives the calibrated factor measured from the drawing — compare against the typical scales on the dropdown and snap to the nearest standard if it's within rounding error.

Question 12

What measurement types does BidScreen XL support?

Accepted Answer

Count, Section Length (two-point line), Continuous Length (multi-point with arcs), Area, plus negative-mask deducts. To draw curves, activate the takeoff, press Alt+A on the curved segment, click the apex, then click where the curve ends. Press Enter to close one length and start a new one in the same takeoff session.

Question 13

A drawing file was loaded — where did it go?

Accepted Answer

The drawing file path is written to the Excel workbook. To view it, click a blank cell and select one of the four Takeoff commands (Count, Section Length, Continuous Length, or Area). The drawing then appears. Scale must be set before the Takeoff commands activate.

Question 14

How are color-coded measurements stored in the workbook?

Accepted Answer

On the cell itself. A red comment is placed in the top right of every measurement cell; clicking the cell shows the takeoff type (TO Type) and scale on the BidScreen XL toolbar. Click the matching takeoff command (Count, Section Length, Continuous Length, or Area) to view the colored overlay.

Question 15

How do I print color-coded takeoffs?

Accepted Answer

Click the first cell with a red comment. Hold Ctrl and click each additional cell from the same drawing. Then click Print on the BidScreen XL toolbar.

Question 16

Does BidScreen XL support multi-page PDFs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Either load pages one by one (change the Page number at the bottom-right of the Open Drawing File dialog) or use Manage Project/Drawings > Drawings tab > Load > Pages to add all pages at once. Set the scale per page; pages can be hidden, renamed, and noted from the Drawings tab.

Question 17

How do I work with vector PDFs and AutoCAD DWG files?

Accepted Answer

Show the Layer List, hide non-relevant layers (or use Select Layers to isolate one from the drawing), then turn Select Layers OFF before measuring. Turn Snap to Entity Point ON to snap to actual line endpoints; with Select Entity ON, a single click captures an entire polyline. Note: AutoCAD DWG files use drawing units, not scale.

Question 18

Pressing Esc deactivated the BidScreen XL add-in. Why?

Accepted Answer

Some earlier versions of Excel deactivate the BidScreen XL add-in when the Esc key is pressed while a drawing is displayed. Use the red X in the top right corner of the drawing window to close without changes instead.

Question 19

How do I remove drawings I added by mistake?

Accepted Answer

Click Menu > Create Template at the BidScreen XL tab. This removes drawings and takeoff measurements from the workbook so it can be reused as a template.

Question 20

What's the minimum hardware to run BidScreen XL?

Accepted Answer

Per the BidScreen XL manual: a Windows PC with Microsoft Excel installed, 1 GB of RAM (2 GB if the OS is Windows Vista), and a display at 800 × 600 or higher. Vertigraph recommends 2 GB of RAM and a 1440 × 900 display. Modern Windows 10 / 11 machines exceed all of these comfortably.

Question 21

How do I check whether my Excel install is 32-bit or 64-bit?

Accepted Answer

In Excel, go to File > Account > About Excel. The end of the first line says either 32 bit or 64 bit. The BidScreen XL installer must match — if Excel is 32-bit, install the 32-bit BidScreen XL build; if Excel is 64-bit, install the 64-bit build.

Question 22

What is the BidScreen Viewer that gets installed?

Accepted Answer

BidScreen Viewer is a separate small app installed alongside BidScreen XL. It opens the same drawing file types but cannot measure. It's intended for keeping a detail or schedule open on a second monitor while you measure from a different drawing in BidScreen XL.

Question 23

What is the BidScreen XL File Conversion utility?

Accepted Answer

A small helper installed alongside BidScreen XL that converts drawing files into TIFF format. Useful when you have an unusual format and want a single normalized raster file to measure from.

Question 24

Beyond PDF and DWG, what other drawing formats does BidScreen XL accept?

Accepted Answer

The full list per the manual: AutoCAD DWF, DWG, DXF; CALS (.cal); Intergraph Vector (.dgn); DjVu (.djv, .djvu); Hewlett-Packard HPGL (.plt); LEAD CMP (.cmp); JPEG; PDF; PostScript (.eps, .ps); TIFF; Windows Bitmap (.bmp); Windows Metafile (.wmf); plus PNG and an All Files fallback. If you have a vector version, use it — measurement is faster and more accurate than clicking on raster pixels.

Question 25

How can I run BidScreen XL commands — toolbar, menu, or right-click?

Accepted Answer

All three. There are three ways to issue commands while in Excel: the BidScreen XL Toolbar (icons), the BidScreen XL Menu (top-level menu items), and the BidScreen XL Popup Menu (right-click on a cell). They contain mostly the same commands, with the Menu and Popup Menu including a few extras like Change Scale and Setup.

Question 26

I measured items with the wrong scale — can I fix them without re-measuring?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Select the affected cells (Ctrl-click for non-adjacent cells), then choose Change Scale from the BidScreen XL menu or popup menu. Pick the correct scale in the Scale Dialog and BidScreen XL recalculates the existing measurements with the new scale.

Question 27

Why does BidScreen XL keep prompting me to autoscale a drawing?

Accepted Answer

Some drawing formats don't carry enough information for BidScreen XL to establish the scale on its own. When that happens, it prompts you to autoscale. If you don't need to be reminded every time, enable Suppress Autoscale Messages in Setup Options. Default and recommended setting is disabled (so you keep getting the safety prompt).

Question 28

What's the difference between Load Drawing and Load Reference?

Accepted Answer

Load Drawing opens a measurable drawing; you can take off counts, lengths, and areas from it. Load Reference opens a drawing for viewing only — multiple references can be open at once but no measurements can be made in the reference viewer. Use Load Reference for keeping a detail open while you measure from the main plan.

Question 29

How do I draw an arc segment while measuring continuous length or area?

Accepted Answer

After entering at least one point in a continuous-length or area takeoff, press the Arc button on the toolbar (or select Arc from the Edit Menu, the Popup Menu, or the default keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+A). Then click a point near the middle of the arc, and click the second end point. The arc replaces the straight segment.

Question 30

How do I measure the circumference or area of a circle?

Accepted Answer

Press the Circle button on the toolbar (or Edit/Popup Menu → Circle, default shortcut Ctrl+Alt+C). Click three points along the circumference of the circle. The circle is generated when the third point is clicked.

Question 31

How do I measure the perimeter or area of a rectangle?

Accepted Answer

Press the Rectangle button (or Edit/Popup Menu → Rectangle, default shortcut Ctrl+Alt+R). Click three adjacent corners in clockwise or counter-clockwise order. The rectangle is generated when the third corner is clicked; the fourth corner is inferred.

Question 32

How do I make a takeoff subtract from the running total?

Accepted Answer

Press the +/− button on the toolbar (or Edit Menu / Popup Menu → Negative) before measuring. Subsequent measurements will subtract from the total instead of add to it. The Negative command can also be assigned a shortcut key.

Question 33

What does Snap to Object do?

Accepted Answer

Snap to Object works only with CAD vector files. As you move the cursor, a small box appears at the nearest line intersection or point in the drawing. When you click, the snapped point is captured rather than the raw cursor position.

Question 34

What does Snap to Grid do, and what spacings are available?

Accepted Answer

Snap to Grid forces points to fall on a grid relative to the first point you clicked. Available spacings are 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″, and 1″ (drawing units, not scaled). Note: when working with CAD drawings, Snap Angle is disabled while Snap to Grid is on.

Question 35

What is the Magnifier Window?

Accepted Answer

A small floating window that shows a zoomed-in view of the drawing under the cursor — like a magnifying lens. The cross-hair indicates cursor position. A zoom track bar at the bottom of the window controls the strength. Note: not available for CAD drawings.

Question 36

What is the Pan Window for?

Accepted Answer

Pan Window shows the entire drawing in miniature with a blue rectangle indicating what's currently visible in the main drawing view. Drag the blue rectangle around to pan the main view. The zoom track bar at the bottom of the Pan Window controls zoom in the main view.

Question 37

What information does the BidScreen XL Information Bar show?

Accepted Answer

The Information Bar sits at the top of the takeoff window and shows: the loaded file name and page; the current style (if Use Styles is enabled); the type of drawing being displayed (Raster, CAD, or Acrobat); and the current scale and factor.

Question 38

What does the Drawing Information dialog show?

Accepted Answer

The Drawing Information command displays the location (path), type (raster / CAD / Acrobat), and size of the currently loaded drawing file.

Question 39

What is the Highlight tool used for?

Accepted Answer

Highlight surrounds an item or comment on the drawing with a colored polygon — useful for drawing attention to a question or callout. Press the Highlight button (default shortcut Ctrl+Alt+H), draw a polygon as you would for an area takeoff, and press Highlight again to turn it off. The polygon color matches the current takeoff color. Highlights can be deleted with Select Object.

Question 40

How do I add a text comment directly on the drawing?

Accepted Answer

Use the Annotate command. Press the Annotate button (or Edit Menu / Popup Menu → Annotate, default shortcut Ctrl+Alt+N), then click the location for the upper-left corner of the comment. Type your comment in the dialog (line breaks supported), then press OK to place it on the drawing.

Question 41

What are styles in BidScreen XL?

Accepted Answer

A style controls how a takeoff is displayed. Five attributes: Line Color, Line Style (solid/dash/dot-dash/etc.), Line Width, Point Style (X, square, cross, circle — only used for counts), and Fill Pattern (only used for areas). Use Styles is disabled by default but recommended on for consistent takeoff appearance across a workbook.

Question 42

What is the Style Palette and where does it appear?

Accepted Answer

When Use Styles is enabled, the Style Palette appears as a thin bar on the left of the drawing view. Hovering the cursor over the bar expands it; click a style to select it. If Auto Hide Style Palette is on, the palette retracts a few seconds after the cursor leaves it.

Question 43

Why is Line Style stuck on solid for some takeoffs?

Accepted Answer

Line Style can only be set when Line Width is 1. If the line width is greater than 1, only solid lines can be drawn. To use dashed or dot-dash styles, drop the line width back to 1.

Question 44

What are the default BidScreen XL keyboard shortcuts?

Accepted Answer

Per the manual: Arc Ctrl+Alt+A, Annotate Ctrl+Alt+N, Cancel Alt+F4, Circle Ctrl+Alt+C, Close Area / End Line Enter, Highlight Ctrl+Alt+H, Rectangle Ctrl+Alt+R, Delete Last Point Backspace, Delete All Points Home, Negative Numpad −, Positive Numpad +, Restore to Full Size Ctrl+Alt+F, Stop Takeoff End, Zoom and Pan Off Ctrl+Alt+Z, Zoom to Selection Ctrl+Alt+S. Customize from Edit Keyboard Shortcuts.

Question 45

How does BidScreen XL check for updates?

Accepted Answer

The Update Check command on the BidScreen XL menu pings the Vertigraph website to see whether a newer release is available. You can also enable Automatic Update Check under Setup Options to have BidScreen XL check on its own.

Question 46

Can I print color-coded takeoffs from two different drawings in one Print run?

Accepted Answer

No. Print can output one or more takeoffs at a time, but they must all come from the same drawing. To print takeoffs from a second drawing, run Print again with that drawing's cells selected.

Question 47

Where does BidScreen XL store the takeoff data inside Excel?

Accepted Answer

In Excel cell comments. Each measurement cell gets a comment with the takeoff data. Each workbook also has one default cell comment listing every drawing used and the default takeoff settings — created the first time you open a drawing for takeoff.

Question 48

What's the SiteWorx/OS workflow, tab by tab?

Accepted Answer

The tabs run left to right and that's the order you work through them: 1) Project — name the project and configure boring log / trench defaults. 2) Drawings — open files, set scale, align multi-page or multi-file plans, define optional GPS control points. 3) Takeoff — digitize project boundary, topsoil strip and respread, contour lines, point and area elevations, sloping design lines, trenches, boring logs. 4) Calculations — compute volumes. 5) 3D View — review existing and proposed surfaces with cut/fill colored. 6) Cross Sections, Grid Data, Soil Analysis — derived views and reports.

Question 49

Which file formats does SiteWorx/OS open?

Accepted Answer

Raster and vector formats: PDF (raster and vector), AutoCAD DWG, DXF, TIF, BMP, JPG, and PNG. The status bar at the bottom-right of the window labels the active drawing as Raster, PDF, PDF (Vector), or CAD. When a vector file is available, use it — takeoff is faster and more accurate than clicking on raster pixels.

Question 50

I downloaded and installed SiteWorx/OS. What's next?

Accepted Answer

Open the Tutorial PDF from your apps or programs list and work through it step by step using the included Top of Curb Multipage.pdf sample drawing at C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Vertigraph\SiteWorxOS\Drawing Files. Video walkthroughs are on the @Vertigraph YouTube channel. Press F1 inside the software for context-sensitive help, or call 800-989-4243 (US/Canada) or 214-340-9436.

Question 51

How do I align two drawings (existing on page 1, proposed on page 2)?

Accepted Answer

Aligning is required only when a project contains more than one file or page. On the first drawing (the Base Drawing), click Align Dwg. and click two common alignment points — opposite corners of an identifiable object, like a slab, parking area, or property limit. Switch to page 2 via Active Drawing, click Align Dwg., and click the same two points on the proposed drawing. The red mark is the first point, the blue mark is the second.

Question 52

English or Metric — when does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Set on the Scale dialog. Metric reports volumes as cubic meters, areas as square meters, and lengths as meters. English reports cubic yards, square feet, and feet. AutoScale lengths are entered in decimal feet for English (e.g., 25 feet 6 inches = 25.5).

Question 53

What gets digitized at the Takeoff tab?

Accepted Answer

Project boundary, topsoil strip and respread regions, contour lines, point elevations, area elevations, sloping design lines, trenches, boring logs, cross-section lines, and length measurements. Each takeoff type is selected from the toolbar dropdown; the Display section toggles between existing, proposed, or both.

Question 54

What's the fastest way to digitize contour lines?

Accepted Answer

Vector files: turn on Select Entity, click any contour line — the entire polyline is captured in one click. Raster files: try Easy Trace (drag the mouse along the line with the left button held) or Auto Trace (click three points: start of line, ~1" along the line to set direction, then end). Define the background color first via Raster/PDF > Background Color. Auto Trace can struggle when many lines intersect; if it does, fall back to manual digitizing.

Question 55

Does SiteWorx/OS calculate cut, fill, sub-grade, and over-excavation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cut and fill come from the volumetric difference between the existing and proposed surface models. Sub-grade material layers can be assigned to each area, and over-excavate and backfill volumes calculate from those layers. Topsoil strip and respread regions report separately.

Question 56

What are control points used for?

Accepted Answer

Control points link the drawing to real-world coordinates. With at least one (preferably two) control points defined, you can export the takeoff as a DWG, export GPS surface model points to a CSV file for machine control, or import GPS points back in. Two points define both scaling and rotation; one point requires the North/South direction to be defined explicitly.

Question 57

What can I export from SiteWorx/OS?

Accepted Answer

Reports go to Microsoft Excel, Word, and PDF. Surface model points export to CSV or DWG when control points are set. Cross-section, grid, and soil analysis tabs each have their own report outputs.

Question 58

What's the SiteWorx/OS project file extension?

Accepted Answer

Project files end with .ves. A backup is written as .~ves next to the project file every time you save. To use the backup, enable file extensions in Windows File Explorer (View > File name extensions), right-click the .~ves file, choose Rename, and remove the ~ from the extension. Save frequently — like Excel, in-memory data is not written until you save.

Question 59

Can I import elevations directly from an AutoCAD DWG file?

Accepted Answer

Yes. With a DWG file open, the CAD section of the Takeoff toolbar adds an import-from-drawing-into-takeoff command that maps selected layers (contours, points) directly into the takeoff. This is the fastest way to start when the civil engineer's DWG is available.

Question 60

What does Drawing Compare actually do?

Accepted Answer

It aligns two drawings to each other and color-codes the differences. Additions display in one color, deletions in another, on either the original or revised drawing. You set the colors. Saved comparison files open in BidScreen XL and SiteWorx/OS so you can isolate and measure only the revisions.

Question 61

Which file formats does Drawing Compare support?

Accepted Answer

Raster drawing formats including PDF, TIFF, and PNG. The two drawings being compared must be the same plan at two revisions — same scale, same orientation, ideally same paper size.

Question 62

License purchase vs. annual subscription — which should I pick?

Accepted Answer

Buying the license is a one-time upfront payment with year 1 of Full Serve included. From year 2 onward you pay Full Serve each year ($150/yr) to keep the software running. A subscription bundles the license and Full Serve into one yearly fee. Subscribe if you want predictable yearly costs; buy the license up front if you want to lock in today's price on the upfront fee. New purchases on or after June 1, 2026 pay $199/yr Full Serve; existing customers keep $150/yr at renewal.

Question 63

What does Full Serve cover?

Accepted Answer

Full Serve is Vertigraph's required annual maintenance fee. It covers unlimited phone and email support, scheduled web-based training, and every software update we ship. $150 per license per year. Year 1 is included with every license purchase and bundled into every subscription; from year 2 onward an active Full Serve is required to keep the software running. The rate rises to $199/yr for new purchases on or after June 1, 2026; existing customers keep $150/yr at renewal.

Question 64

Is Full Serve really required to keep the software running?

Accepted Answer

Yes. From year 2 onward, an active Full Serve subscription is required for the software to operate. If Full Serve lapses, the software stops working until it is renewed.

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