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    Measurements - Count
    • 28 Apr 2025
    • 4 Minutes to read
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    Contents

    Measurements - Count

    • Updated on 28 Apr 2025
    • 4 Minutes to read
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    Article summary

    The Count Tool allows Symbols to be placed on Plans and appear in the bill of materials on the Quantities Tab.

    Related Articles: Count Labelling | Count Assist | Measurement Parts and Labour

    Add a New Count Measurement

    1. Within a Stage click +Count

    count-adding-a-new-count.png

    1. Complete the required details
      Unit Cost, Markup Percentage and Unit Price are optional. If using costing, please ensure the Unit Price is populated
    2. Click Symbol and make a selection
    3. Click Create
      If additional Parts and Labour are required, click Create & Add More Parts

    count-adding-a-new-count-2.png

    Aligning Counts

    Smart Guides allow a User to space out and align Counts on Plans with vertical and horizontal guides.

    Place a Count on the Plan, then hold SHIFT will enable the Smart Guides or read further information about switching them on permanently here.

    count-smart-guides-example.png

    Using the Count Tool to begin counting

    1. On the Plan, click to place a Count
    Navigation hints:
    • Click, hold and drag to pan around the Plan
    • Hold SHIFT to show Smart Guides
    • To Rotate: Hold ALT / Option and press R or E
    • To Delete a Symbol, Hold CTRL / Command ⌘, then click Symbol to remove

    using-count-tool.gif

    Labelling Counts

    Groundplan allows a User to Label Counts with numbering, number sequences, prefixes and suffixes. To find out more about how to Label Counts, read here.

    count-labelling.png

    How to Edit existing Counts

    The Settings modal remains open during Editing and requires a click to close once editing is complete.

    1. Press ESC, Zoom in and click the Count
    2. Click Label Settings to add Labels
    3. Click Settings to:
      • Edit the Style changing all Symbols associated with this Measurement
      • Edit the Symbol type
      • Adjust the Symbol Rotation
      • Edit the Plan Symbol Scale % (increase all Symbols in all Stages with the same %)
      • Add or edit Parts & Settings or Labour

    count-edit-existing.png

    1. Click Actions to:

    count-actions.png

    1. Click Measurement Actions to:

      • Hide this Measurement from the Plan
      • Select All of the Measurement
      • Rename
      • Adjust the Measurement Value
      • Add or edit Parts & Settings and Labour
      • Erase All, removing all Counts from the Plan
      • Delete the Measurement from the whole Project Permanently
      Click here for Copy Measurement instructions


      Copy Measurements will Copy all Parts, Pricing, Formula and Labour to another Measurement in the same or another Stage.


      1. Click Measurement Actions
      2. Click Copy

      stages-copy-measurement.png

      1. Type the New Measurement Name
      2. Select option of where to Copy to:
        • Current Stage: (name)
        • Another Stage (choose another existing in the Project)
      3. Click Copy Measurement

      stages-editing-copy.png

      Click here when a Non-Grouped Part is required after Copying Measurements


      When copying a Measurement that has more than one Part, it will duplicate all Parts and Labour and Group/Link all identical Parts including the Part name matching the original Description.

      Original MeasurementCopied Measurement
      DL 1 Measurement with DL - 1 PartUnder the DL - 4 Measurement
      the DL - 1 Part is present because it was Copied
      from the original Measurement
      image.pngimage.png


      1. On the Copied Measurement, click Measurement Actions then Parts and Settings
      2. Click Part Actions on the Part to be changed
      3. Click Edit

      count-replacing-name.png

      1. Rename the Part from the old name, update Pricing or Formula
      2. Select:
        Replace to ensure it is not Grouped / Linked with the Measurement Part it was copied from
      3. Click Save

      count-replacing-name-2.png

      1. (Recommended) Update Style Options then click Save
        Style is identical to the Measurement it was copied from
      2. Click X to Close


    count-measurement-actions.png

    Adjusting Count Totals

    ⚠️ Adjusting Totals will lock the value

    Adding or removing Counts after Adjusting the Plan or Project Totals will not be reflected in the Totals

    1. To Adjust Measurement Totals, click the Plan Total ( * ) or Project Total (^)
    2. Enter a new value in Number form (e.g. 3) or Formula form (e.g. 2*10)
    3. Click Save
    📝 Please note
    • The asterisk (*) on the Count Value means that the Total is Adjusted
    • The hat (^) on the Measurement Total means that it contains a Count(s) that has been Adjusted



    4. To remove an Adjusted Total, click the Adjusted Total and clear the value
    Please note: Entering 0 will give an Adjusted Total of 0



    adjusting-count-total.gif

    Unit of Measure and Supported References

    There is only one Unit of Measure and Supported Reference for Counts, that is Count.

    Groundplan uses simple Excel-type Formula to calculate Parts and Labour. The Formula follows the PMDAS Rule: Parentheses (brackets) first followed by multiplication, division, addition, then subtraction. Calculations are prioritised within the brackets. More detailed information about Formulas with examples are provided in our article Using Formulas in Groundplan.

    Each Formula must contain a Supported Reference/s to be accepted and relate directly to elements on the Plan.

    The below image displays how Count correspond to a Plan:

    formula-count-supported-reference.png

    The below example is multiplying the Count by a set number count*8 which adds an additional eight items each time a Count is placed.
    In this case, an extra 8 metres for every symbol placed on the Plan.

    count-supported-references-example.png

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How can I use the same item across the Project instead of creating a new one each time?

    Selecting Link from Worksheet allows an existing Stage to be selected and used to create one Project Total for the Measurement.

    To combine marked-up Stages, please use the Transfer Tool. This moves Measurement Totals from one Stage or one Measurement to another.


    Can Groundplan automatically Count Symbols on Plans?

    Yes.

    Count Assist Tool is Groundplan's very own assistant to help search and locate Symbols on Plans.

    Head to Help > Send us a Message now and ask our friendly Support Team to switch on a free trial for you.

    count-countassist-faq.png


    Why you can’t double-click to place Counts in the same place?

    Counts cannot be added in the exact location to stop accidental double Counts.

    Some solutions are:

    1. Slightly move the mouse then click to add another Count
      Or
    2. Go to the Worksheet
    3. Click the Measurement
    4. Add Formula
      e.g. count*2 This Formula means that each click would add a quantity of 2 items to the Quantities tab
    5. Click Save



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