Estimating Link 4 (EL4) Release Updates

Estimating Link 4 (EL4) is the next generation of Estimating Link, built on a modern web-based platform.

Date: August 19, 2026

Spreadsheet Import Workflow Improvements

• Redesigned access to Import From Spreadsheet so importing data into an existing project is now available directly where you work. Use Tools > Import From Spreadsheet from either the Bid Tab or Rate Tab. This replaces the previous "Import spreadsheet into existing project" option under Create and provides a more intuitive, contextual workflow.

Build From Existing Improvements (EL Classic's Import & Copy Item Features)

• Improved Build From Existing for parent items with child-items. When a parent item is selected, its child-items are now automatically selected and included, restoring the expected workflow.
• Updated Build From Existing so changes to Takeoff Quantity update the Bid Quantity, consistent with Estimating Link Classic behavior.
• Redesigned Build From Existing to provide two clearer workflows based on where it is launched:
  • From the Item Tab: Select Tools > Build This Item From Existing to build the current item using a single existing source item. The workflow now limits selection to a compatible source item and automatically pre-fills the target with the current item's information, helping prevent unintended changes while making the process faster and easier to follow.
  • From the Bid tab: Select Add > From Existing when you want to build one or multiple items from existing items. You can select multiple source items at once, and Estimating Link walks you through the target options for each selected item before they are added to the bid.

Check Bid & Report Center Improvements

• Improved the Report Center configuration and Check Bid workflow by keeping Check Bid alerts and functionality readily available throughout report configuration, making it easier to identify and address bid issues before and after generating a report. The Check Bid window was also simplified by removing the unnecessary Cancel button.

Additional Improvements

• Improved EL3 project restores to correctly preserve vendor information, vendor types, and Write-In rates to help maintain the project's original calculations.

Date: August 14, 2026 

Workflow & Usability Improvements

• Enhanced the Add Bid Item workflow with improved keyboard navigation, automatic focus on the Item Name field, and a multi-line Description field for easier data entry. The multi-line Description field is also available when editing items from the Item Sheet. 
• Improved new project creation and Spreadsheet Import by checking for duplicate project names earlier in the process, helping prevent unnecessary re-entry of project information.
• Redesigned Report Center search to make reports easier to find. Search now supports partial-text matching, highlights matching text, and focuses the results on reports that match your search.
• Added breadcrumb navigation to Report Center and the Configure & Generate screen, making it easier to return to your project while working with reports.
• Standardized Proposal and Item Build report headers for more consistent typography, capitalization, and formatting.

Rate & Pay Profile Improvements

• Enhanced Rate Code auto-numbering to automatically suggest the next available Rate Code after entering a 3-character prefix. Users can accept or override the suggested code, and a new Rate Code Auto-Numbering option is available under Setup Options > Rate.
• Improved EL3 project restores to preserve project-specific Pay Profiles when a matching Rate Code already exists with different values, helping ensure the project's original factors and calculations remain intact.
• Added confirmation prompts when editing or deleting Pay Profiles, helping prevent unintended changes to Pay Profiles that may already be used by existing projects.

Date: 8/5/2026

• Moved Proposal Settings into the Report Center, including report formatting and logo management, for a more centralized reporting experience.

• Proposal formatting settings are now saved with report templates and automatically applied when the template is reused.

• Refined the Proposal header layout to eliminate unnecessary white space and improve overall presentation.
• Proposal warning messages are now managed through Check Bid, resulting in cleaner proposal output.
• Improved company name alignment on Proposal reports.
• Improved Project Properties customer selection and added helpful tooltips to Proposal formatting options. 
• Check Bid now runs automatically during key project and proposal workflows to help identify issues sooner.
• Added the ability to run Check Bid before exporting a state bid file.
• Refined the State Bid Import/Export workflow with clearer terminology, updated icons, and a more intuitive experience.
• State project exports now save to your Downloads folder instead of replacing the original file.
• State project bid changes now automatically update throughout the project for improved consistency.
• Duplicated projects now retain Crew information for a more complete project copy.
• Improved the Duplicate Project workflow with autocomplete search and a smoother project selection experience.
• Improved the source project selector when importing rates with a faster autocomplete search.
• Project Details can now be opened directly from the Project List with a right-click for quicker access.
• Enhanced grid performance and reliability with improved loading behavior, smoother data entry, and optimized request processing.
• Item Build Report can now be generated for selected bid items instead of requiring the entire project.
• Updated the Resource Cost Summary report title for improved consistency across reports and printed output.
• Added a company-wide option to confirm zero-priced items on SMC and RTC tabs.
• Enhanced System Material Cost (SMC) and Resource Template Cost (RTC) options with clearer quantity settings, radio-button selection, and helpful tooltips.

Date: 7/7/2026, 12:32 PM

Report Center, New Reports, and Updated Reports:

• Reorganized the Report Center into user-focused categories, making it easier to find the reports you need.
• Added one-line descriptions to every report so you can quickly understand what each report does.
• Moved the Download button to the top of the report preview for quicker access.
• Updated the Bid Item Summary report to align column names with the EL4 interface and corrected a duplicate report title.
• Added the Field Worksheet report.
• Added the RTC Vendor Quote report.
• Added the Man Hours by Item report.
• Added the Cost Summary Breakdown report.

Additional Improvements:

• Improved performance when updating multiple rate factors within an item, resulting in faster response times while preserving the rate sort order.
• New rates now automatically inherit your project's Global Rate Setup defaults when created.
• Negative values on sub-item factors now calculate correctly, allowing credits and negative adjustments as supported in Estimating Link Classic.
• Write-In rates now automatically default the Code and Name to WRITEIN, matching the behavior in Estimating Link Classic.
• Combined item name changes now correctly update throughout the project, including the parent item.
• Deleting a component from a crew no longer closes the Crew window, allowing you to continue editing without interruption.
• Updated Rate Setup so the Benefits field is entered as a dollar amount instead of a percentage, matching Estimating Link Classic. Added a confirmation before applying Rate Setup changes.

Date: 6/17/2026, 10:53 AM

• Added Pay Profiles to the Library (previously referred to as Factors within Rate Tables in EL Classic) and a user-friendly default profile loaded with the initial launch.
• Added the Pricing Groups user interface. Calculations and advanced markup are not yet available. (Previously referred to as Cost Types in EL Classic.)
• Improved the Total Bid display on the project header.
• Added colorful KPI cards with statistics for year-to-date performance, comparisons to the previous year, and trend graphs. Includes cards for: Total Bids Submitted, Win Rate, Total Bid Volume, Awarded Revenue, and Average Bid Size.
• New Feature: The project header now displays all active users within a project, including profile pictures, usernames, and hover text showing where users are currently working within the project.
• Added State Project Import/Export for EBS bidding 
• Improved the default sort order of the Project List to sort by Modified Date. 
• Added the Scale Rates feature for Equipment and Rental rates within the Rate tab. (Previously referred to as Change Rates in EL Classic.)
• New Feature: For any Rate Type, users can now view and sort rates that are utilized within the active project using the new Used column. When a rate is utilized on the active project, a green checkmark appears in the column. Clicking the checkmark displays where the rate is used within the project.
• Added new functionality to scale child-items with Build Wizard
• Added functionality to add and modify Discount Types through the Global Rate Setup feature.
• New Module Added: Report Center, including instant report preview.
• Added the ability to select output formats, including PDF, Word, Excel, and CSV.
• Added the ability to save report templates. 
• Added the ability to favorite frequently used reports.
• Added a view of recently generated reports.
• The active project is now selected by default, with the ability to select a different project if desired.
• Added Proposal Settings to Setup Options, including customization options for Proposal Header Title, Signature Text, Signature Line, and more.
• Added the ability to upload a logo for proposals within Setup Options.
• Added Reports including: Proposal Standard, Job Totals, Bid Item Summary, Item Build (Previously referred to as Item Sheet Costs As Shown in EL Classic), Customer List, Company List

Date: 4/28/2026, 11:10 AM

• Added Haul Calculator feature with enhancements from EL3
• Added Production Thumbtack feature

Date: 4/23/2026, 1:45 PM

• Added Replace Resource to Item tab
• Enhanced Rate windows
• All Rate entries are 2 decimal places
• Resolved Markup Summary window not updating
• Fixed issue with Duplicate Project error

Date: 4/9/2026, 2:45 PM

• Enhanced search functionality with added filters and improved results across Project List, Bid tab, Item tab, and Rate tab.
• Introduced a new clickwrap End User License Agreement (EULA). Users will be required to accept the agreement before continuing. Once accepted, it will not appear again unless updates are made.
• Added the ability to reset Bid Units for selected items.
• Added functionality to assign multiple rates to multiple items simultaneously.
• Bid Quantity on the Bid tab is now synchronized with the Item tab for improved consistency.
• Fixed an error when editing Labor Rate Codes.

Date: 4/3/2026, 8:40 AM

• Added Spreadsheet Export Wizard for Items and Rates
• Improved Project List clarity and useability with added fields: Project Status, Bid Result, Submitted
• Improved Project List:
  • Added visual calculations of: total non-archived project count, $ total of all non-archived bids, $ total of all non-archived Won bids for this fiscal year, $ average of all non-archived bids, count of non-archived projects modified in the last 7 days, and, added  filter selector to view archived
  • Added fields: Bid Status, Bid Result, Submitted
• Improved Bid Tab to save expanded and collapsed mode when navigation on or off the Bid Tab 
• Overhead Table & Bond now functional in Markup Summary window
• Enhanced Build Item from Existing on Bid and Item Tabs
• Fields associated to Libraries can now be added and saved on the fly
• Added new visual enhancement to Rate Tab that shows rates used on active project
• Added SMC & RTC expandable/collapseable nodes with tables to tree
• SMC/RTC Tables improved with automatic item/rate dialogs
• Added Export as Shown to Project List under Tools
• Added Export as Shown to Bid Tab under Tools
• Added Export as Shown to Rate Tab under Tools

Date: 3/20/2026, 10:00 AM

• Improved Section funtionality - adding a new section is now faster, editing a section is more intuitive, and added ability to create a section without containing item(s)

• Markup Summary window improved visually

• Added Bid Sheet Analaysis accessible via Bid>Tools>Bid Analysis

• BID tab - Alternates that are disabled now show entire row muted

• Enahanced adding New Item to Bid tab

• Improved Quick Add Visibility

• Crew Edit Rate Screen - Improved grid text, padding, and header formatting, added unique rate count by category, made icons sharper, added brief highlight to rate added to crew, added auto-scroll on crew component grid
• Unit of measure now shows when adding a rate via rate tab or quick add
• Resolved issue with Item tab quick-add

• Improved Item Grid comment hover

• SMC and RTC tabs updated to open with last table open

• Posting of SMC & RTC tables now shows in vendor column on ITEM tab

• RTC Add Item resolved to Add Rate

• Added visibility on Rates associated with posted RTC table and resolved rate calculation issue

• Standardized BID tab dialogs, Setup Options, Project Properties, and User Profile

• Restore project dialog updated for ease of use

• Cost Code Library custome user-defined field populates library column header with customization

• Combined Copy/Import/build from Catalog funtion into one and enhanced with:
  • Select Source (source project/catalog window): tab for other projects with pinned active project to top and catalog tab
  • Collapsed and expandable child-items on select item(s) window
  • Commands on Select items window with long list
  • Child-item namging utitily for creating/merging items on configuration window
  • Addition of propreties on Import Item from another project
  • Added feature to Bid tab

Date: 2/20/2026, 2:26 PM

• Back and Forward functionality added throughout the system, making it easy to hop from screen to screen

• Added new feature to ITEM tab - Search bar that searches within the Item grid. Includes smart chips:   Write-Ins, Temporary Prince, Comments, and each rate category. Also includes recent search history

• Improved ITEM grid default column header labels and order

• On BID tab, added totals to headers: Total Cost and Spread

• Enable Crew Detail is set to yes by default on System Settings on the ITEM tab

• Improve write-in behavior to easilly swith between categories and toggle "Show on rate sheet"

• Added new feature, Fixed Price.  Accessible on BID tab by selected item(s) > clicking designate icon, Flag as Fixed Price

• Improved flow and visuals on Crew window with increment/decrement quantity buttons, ext cost column, icons, format, etc.

• Resolved issue with new items created on item tab not showing on Bid Tab

• Improved RATE tab screen with project module icons consistent with BID and ITEM tabs.  Also added resize behavior for rate categories

• Enhanced Export Wizard to export headings with customized labels from system settings.

• Added additional fields to Export Wizard, including: Production Unit of Measure, Hours/Day, Units/Man Hr, user-defined Cost Code field, user-defined Item field, Scheduled Start Date, Equipment Hrs, Rental Hrs, Created At, Created By, Modifed At, Modified By

• Improved user interface on ITEM tab when adding rates from library.  Quantity field now shows by default, add button turns to green check upon completion, select rate to add now supports clicking add button and/or double clicking the rate (per EL3), and rates from current instance now display on item grid in green until after the window is closed

• Enhanced ITEM tab Quick Add UI - window now stays open until closed so user can continually add quickly, and rates from current instance now display on item grid in green until after the window is closed

• Resolved error displayed on sub-items

Date: 2/13/2026, 5:46 PM

• Improved workflow of fields that are associated with a library
• All rates now show when adding to ITEM tab
• Auto logout after inactivity wth countdown warning
• Improved visuals on both SMC & RTC grid with new icon to open table
• Enhanced Spreadsheet Export Wizard to: export with unrounded numbers, non-formatted cells, save with organized file name, negative/positive markup % number, exported colors, improved default template, better handeling of selections
• Added options on Spreadsheet Export Wizard to export: using takeoff cost, sections, headings

Date: 2/6/2026, 12:41 PM

• Improved visuals and menu workflows on both BID tab and ITEM tab
• Improved new item workflow via ITEM tab
• Crew modifications now updates associated items
• Added visual on BID tab grid to show items that are not finalized
• Added Show Scheduled Start date on ITEM tab, enabled via settings
• Added key board tabbing to production pane on ITEM tab
• Improved choosing classification folder on project properties
• Added new check to check bid - now checks if bid is in dollars and cents

Date: 1/30/2026, 11:22 AM

• Improved system performance speed with: Add Bid Item, Editing Item's Quantity or Factor, Toggeling Alternates as enabled/disabled

• Enahnced BID tab grid on initial load with column auto-sizing and improved: format, colors, column spacing, 

• Added new feature to BID tab - Search bar that searches within the bid grid. Includes smart chips: Open Items, Alternates - All, Alternates-Active, Alternates - Inactive.  Also includes recent search history
• Added on BID tab grid a column that visually shows Open Items, Move Money, and Fixed Price.

• Reorganized project module tab order

• Enhanced Project Name and Project Description visuals

• Added Spreadsheet Export Wizard feature accessible via left side navigation bar > Reports > Export Wizard. Current limitations: "Use Takeoff Costs" and "Include Sections" not functional yet. Future release: "Heading" labels will export.

• Added "Warn on Factor Change" feature

• Improved Comment feature on ITEM tab: functionality now under Add icon, when row selected on grid - it now inserts above selected row, adding or editing comment now done in a window that allows for rich text, added functionality to add another comment, resolved row padding, added confirmation when text changed and cancel is clicked, removed row arrows.  Future release: improve padding on row with wrapped text

• Improved Delete selected rows confirmation window on ITEM tab - now shows preview of list to be deleted (including Comments).  Future release: window title change for clarity

• Added "Total Cost" of item on ITEM tab
• Improved grid alignment on rows with images on ITEM tab

• Added "Share My Screen" option to top navigation bar

• Resolved issue with not being able to add a rate with a quantity of zero

• Resolved issue with not being able to add a new customer without a type on Customer Library

• Resolved Build From Catalog showing while Catalogs are disabled

Date: 1/16/2026, 2:38 PM

• Resolved issue with creating a new project and displaying previous project

• Added new feature: profile picture and company name to top navigation bar
• Improved Markup Summary window
• Improved Item library list to show all items sorted alpha numeric
• Added show Rate Update List in settings and on rate change
• Improved field order on Setup > Company
• Improved order and icons on left navigation bar
• Added confirmation window when restoring a project overwrite via add icon in project list
• Added Default Subcontractor Cost Qty option
• Added Default Matl Cost Qty option
• Improved default Bid grid with optimized column headings and sizing and reduced bottom scoll bar to one bar
• Added Exceed Markup option to Setup>Bid Sheet.  Results in Red if it is > than Setup
• Added color to text in MU% column on Bid Sheet.  Results: Blue if user entered value (Blue trumps red) and Green if it is a calculated value based on Bid Unit (Red trumps Green)
• Updated project module tab order

Date: 1/9/2026, 9:51 AM

• Program Freezes when changing a Write-In

• Add Knowledge Link links

• Addition of company wide Recent Projects & Recent Catalogs

• Bid Unit column on Bid Sheet now formatted to blue text

• Modular tab resizing improvement

• Bid Sheet user-defined field

• Resolved issue with deleting Project Classification folders

• Improved alert when attempting to delete Project Classification folder that's in use

• Improved tree view under Bid Items

• Updated Production Unit Change Behavior

• Add Description columns on both the SMC and RTC Grids

• Item Comment improvements

Date: 12/23/2025, 4:37 PM EST

• Tree View Color on Indirect
• Factor change on crew & delete component in crew
• Post your Changes confirmation when rate in use changes
• Alert added when attempting to delete Project Classification folder that's in use
• Profile email defaults to blank
• Catalogs
• Updated left side bar
• Updated and enhanced New Project window with new icons, labels, and descriptions
• Aligned fields in Project Properties window
• Enahnced Project Properties icon 
• Added Description column to RTC grid
• Round Bid Unit added to Setup
• Estimator on Project Properties
• Added option to create Bid Item without quantity
• Added option to keep New Bid Item window open
• Aligned Header Checkbox column on all grids