Project BOQ Guide
Set up and manage your project's scope and cost structure using in-house BOQ, contractor import, or both
BOQ (Bill of Quantities) is how you define what a project includes and what it costs. TurfWise gives you two ways to build a BOQ: generate one from your own rates using the bunker builder, or import one from a contractor. The path you use depends on how the project is being delivered.
Project BOQ tools showing in-house bunker builder and contractor import options
This article refers to a live TurfWise screen. Media is omitted here so the written steps stay current across releases.
What this page does
The BOQ section lives inside Budget > BOQ on each project's detail page. From there, you can view and edit BOQ line items (sections, quantities, rates, amounts), generate BOQ from mapped bunker geometry (in-house path), or import a contractor's BOQ/tender file.
When you generate or import a BOQ, TurfWise creates line items and can generate tasks from them. These feed into the project's budget, forecast, and timeline.
When would you use this?
- You're setting up a new project and need to define the scope and costs
- A contractor has sent you a tender document and you need to import it
- Your team is pricing bunker renovation work internally
- The scope has changed and you need to update BOQ lines
- A new contractor revision has arrived and you need to replace the existing BOQ
Which path should I use?
Use this simple rule:
- In-house path -- your team is pricing and planning the work internally. You'll use the bunker builder.
- Contractor path -- you already have a contractor's BOQ, tender, or valuation file. You'll import it.
- Mixed path -- you need both internal planning and contractor pricing in the same project. Use both tools.
If you're not sure yet, start with whichever matches the next 2 to 4 weeks of work.
In-house path: the bunker builder
The in-house bunker builder lets you select bunkers from your course map, apply spec rates, and generate BOQ lines and tasks automatically.
Start from the right project
If you chose In-house bunker planning during project creation, TurfWise redirected you to /projects/[id]/boq/bunker. If not, you can navigate there from Budget > BOQ on the project detail page.
Select bunkers from mapped geometry
The bunker selector shows bunkers detected from your course map polygons. Select the bunkers you want to include in the project. TurfWise carries the area and bunker type into the BOQ table.
Check and adjust before generating
Before you generate the BOQ, confirm:
- Spec rates are realistic (labour, materials, installation)
- Bunker areas look plausible for the selected geometry
- Complexity labels match the real difficulty of each bunker
- Start date and scheduling mode are set correctly
Generate and review
Generate the BOQ. Review the resulting sections, line items, rates, and tasks before committing. Once committed, the data feeds into Budget and Plan.
No mapped bunkers showing?
If the bunker selector is empty, the most likely cause is that the project wasn't linked to the correct course area during creation. Check the project settings and update the course area.
Contractor path: importing a BOQ file
If you already have a contractor's BOQ, tender, or valuation file, you can import it directly.
Open the contractor import page
Navigate to /projects/[id]/boq/import-contractor from the project detail page, or follow the redirect if you chose Contractor planning during creation.
Upload the file
Upload a PDF, XLS/XLSX, or CSV file. You can optionally set a format hint to help TurfWise parse it correctly: Auto Detect, Contractor BOQ, Excel/CSV, or Other.
Choose the import mode
Select how the import should be applied:
- Create New -- use this import as the initial BOQ structure (for new projects)
- Append -- keep existing BOQ lines and add the imported ones
- Replace -- overwrite existing BOQ with the imported data
Replace removes existing data
If you choose Replace, the existing BOQ structure is overwritten. Make sure this is what you want. There's no undo.
Review the parsed results
After import, check the section and item counts, quantities, and rates. If columns were parsed incorrectly, use the preview editor to fix the mapping.
Fixing column mapping after import
If the imported data doesn't look right (for example, quantities ended up in the rate column), use the preview editor at /projects/[id]/boq/import.
You can:
- Re-assign column roles -- map columns to Line Code, Description, Unit, Quantity, Materials Rate, Materials Amount, Install Rate, Install Amount, or Other/Ignore
- Split a column -- if two values were merged into one column
- Merge columns -- if one value was split across two columns
- Edit individual values -- rename section headings, correct quantities, or adjust rates
After making changes, re-parse and check sample rows before committing.
Fix one thing at a time
Apply one mapping correction, re-parse, and check the result before making the next change. Fixing multiple things at once makes it harder to spot what went wrong.
What happens after BOQ is set up?
Once your BOQ is committed:
- Line items appear in Budget > BOQ on the project detail page
- Generated tasks appear in Plan > Tasks and on the timeline
- Budget totals update on the project health cards
- Forecast calculations use BOQ data for cost projections
This is why accuracy at the BOQ stage matters. Everything downstream uses this data.
What to do after any BOQ change
Whenever you update BOQ lines (add, edit, remove, or re-import), follow this sequence:
- Check Budget > Costs to verify committed and actual spend still align
- Check Budget > Resources to confirm labour and machinery allocations are realistic
- Check Budget > Forecast to see the updated budget gap
- Add an update note or issue in Overview if the BOQ change affects delivery risk
Common problems and fixes
- Import created wrong line items -- check the column mapping in the preview editor. Re-assign columns and re-parse.
- Accidentally replaced BOQ with wrong file -- if you haven't committed, you can re-import. If you have committed, you'll need to re-import with the correct file using Replace mode.
- Generated tasks don't match the delivery plan -- tasks are auto-generated from BOQ lines. You may need to edit or reorganise them in Plan > Tasks after generation.
- Budget totals jumped after import -- the imported rates and quantities determine the totals. Check whether the source file had the correct numbers.
- Can't parse a PDF -- some PDFs are image-based rather than text-based. If parsing produces gibberish, try converting the PDF to Excel first and importing the Excel file.
Good habits that prevent issues later
- Treat the BOQ as a living document. When scope changes, update BOQ first, then costs and forecast.
- Keep only the current contractor revision in the system. Outdated revisions cause confusion.
- Always review generated tasks after BOQ generation. They may need re-ordering or editing to match your real delivery sequence.
- After any BOQ change, check the forecast. This catches budget surprises before they become real problems.
- Use the correct import mode. Create New for first-time setup, Append for additions, Replace only when you're certain.
Where does this data go?
BOQ data defines the scope and cost structure for the entire project. It feeds into Budget (costs, resources, forecast), Plan (generated tasks), and the project health cards. Committee reports and board packs may reference BOQ totals. If the BOQ is wrong, all of these will be wrong.
Where to find it
Open a project from Projects > Projects Overview (direct link: /projects), then go to Budget > BOQ.
In-house bunker builder: /projects/[id]/boq/bunker
Contractor import: /projects/[id]/boq/import-contractor
Import preview/editor: /projects/[id]/boq/import