> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.contractor-co-pilot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Measure blueprints with digital takeoffs

> Upload PDFs and blueprints, measure linear, area, count, and volume quantities on-screen, then push quantities directly into a new estimate.

Digital takeoffs let you measure quantities directly from uploaded blueprints and construction documents — no printed plans, no manual calculations. Once you've measured everything, push the quantities into a new estimate with a single click.

## The takeoff workflow

Every takeoff follows the same four-step process:

1. **Upload** a blueprint, PDF, or image file
2. **Measure** quantities using the on-screen measurement tools
3. **Match costs** — AI suggests items from your cost database for each measurement
4. **Convert to estimate** — Turn the completed takeoff into a full estimate

## Uploading a document

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a new takeoff">
    Go to **Estimating > Takeoffs** in the sidebar and click **New Takeoff**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your file">
    Drag your file into the upload area or click to browse. The file processes and opens in the takeoff viewer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the scale">
    Before measuring, calibrate the drawing scale. Find a known dimension on the blueprint (such as a labeled wall length), draw a line along it, and enter the real-world measurement. All subsequent measurements use this scale.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Supported file types: **PDF**, **PNG**, **JPG**, and **TIFF**. Maximum file size is **50 MB**. Multi-page PDFs are fully supported — each page becomes a separate sheet you can navigate between and measure independently.
</Note>

## Measuring quantities

The takeoff viewer toolbar contains four measurement types. Select the right tool for each item you need to quantify.

| Tool       | Use for                              | Unit             |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------ | ---------------- |
| **Linear** | Walls, pipes, wiring runs, trim      | Linear Feet (LF) |
| **Area**   | Flooring, roofing, painting, drywall | Square Feet (SF) |
| **Count**  | Fixtures, outlets, windows, doors    | Each (EA)        |
| **Volume** | Concrete, fill, excavation           | Cubic Yards (CY) |

### Tips for accurate measurements

* **Zoom in** for detail-heavy areas — precision improves significantly at higher zoom levels
* **Use layers** to color-code different trades or measurement categories, keeping your takeoff organized
* **Label every measurement** with a descriptive name so you know what each item represents when you review costs later
* **Use descriptive names** (e.g., "1/2 inch drywall — garage ceiling") rather than generic labels — this helps the AI cost-matching step find better matches

## AI cost matching

After measuring, open the **Match** tab. The AI reviews each of your measurements and suggests matching materials and labor items from your cost database.

For each suggestion, you can:

* **Accept** — Use the suggested cost item as-is
* **Modify** — Accept the item but adjust the unit cost or description
* **Reject** — Skip the suggestion and assign a cost manually

Items where the AI has high confidence are auto-matched by default. You can adjust the auto-match confidence threshold in **Settings**.

### How the AI builds suggestions

The AI compares your measurement descriptions against three sources:

* Your **materials catalog** — your own pricing and supplier data
* Your **historical estimates** — patterns from past jobs with similar items
* Industry-standard cost databases — a baseline when your own data is sparse

<Tip>
  The more estimates you complete in Contractor Co-Pilot, the more the AI learns your specific pricing patterns. Accuracy improves over time as your history grows.
</Tip>

## Pushing quantities to an estimate

Once all measurements have matched costs:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Convert to Estimate">
    From the takeoff, click **Convert to Estimate** in the top toolbar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select client and project details">
    Choose an existing client or create a new one, then enter the project name and any description.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the generated estimate">
    Every measured item becomes a line item in the new estimate, pre-populated with the matched costs. Review each line and adjust quantities or unit costs as needed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Importing from a spreadsheet

If you completed your takeoff in Excel or another tool, you can import it instead of re-measuring:

1. Click **Import** on the Takeoffs page
2. Upload your Excel file — it needs columns for **Description**, **Quantity**, and **Unit**
3. Map your spreadsheet columns to the expected fields
4. Confirm the import, then proceed to the cost matching step

<Warning>
  Imported takeoffs skip the on-screen measurement step. Make sure your quantities are already accurate before importing — there is no way to retroactively attach measurements to imported rows.
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Estimates" icon="calculator" href="/estimating/estimates">
    Work with the estimate generated from your takeoff — add categories, apply a cost profile, and export to PDF.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Materials catalog" icon="package" href="/costs/materials">
    Keep your materials catalog current to improve AI cost-matching accuracy.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>