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Creating take-off templates with Xero

Save a group of items to use again on other jobs.

Updated over a week ago

Creating Take-Off Templates is a time-saving option to populate Projects with frequently used Measurements. When integrated with Xero, Measurements can be linked manually to Xero Items.

Creating Take-Off Templates

The two most common approaches to creating Take-off Templates linked to Xero Items are Copying from an existing Stage or Building a new Take-off Template.

1. Copying an existing Stage to a Take-Off Template

When Measurement Parts are already linked to Xero Items, Take-Off Templates are created by Copying an existing Stage in a Project.

  1. From the Worksheet tab or while on a plan, click Stage Actions

  2. Click Copy to new Template

  3. Rename and click Copy Stage

  4. Click +Measurement to add additional Count, Length and Area Measurements

2. Building a new Take-Off Template

  1. From the Groundplan home page, navigate to the Take-Off Templates tab

  2. Click +Take-Off Template

  3. Enter the Template Name

  4. Select the Xero Company if it is a Multi-company and click Create

  5. Click +Measurement and click to add Count, Length and Area

  6. Select Measurement Part Type and complete the remaining fields

  7. Click Create, if additional Parts and Labour are required, click Create & Add More Parts

Applying a Take-off Template to a New Stage

  1. From within a Plan, click +Add Stage

  2. Enter Stage Name and click Apply Take-off Template

  3. Click Take-off Template name, review and de-select Measurements not required

  4. Click Create

    Applying takeoff template - new UI

Applying a Take-off Template to an Existing Stage

  1. From within a Plan, click Stage Actions and click Apply Template

  2. Click Take-off Template name

  3. Review and/or de-select Measurements not required

  4. Click Apply Template

Linking Take-Off Measurements to Xero Items

  1. From the Groundplan home page, navigate to the Take-Off Templates Tab

  2. Click Take-off Template name to amend

  3. Click Measurement name

  4. Click Part Actions and click Delete

    Xero linked Template part01

  5. Click +Part

  6. Select Xero Item

  7. Begin your search by entering three letters

  8. Click to select the item

  9. Click Save and continue as required for all other Measurements in the Template

    Xero linked Template part02


Frequently Asked Questions

If I update my pricing in Xero, will my saved Templates automatically update?

No, unfortunately not.

Pricing is saved at the time of Take-Off Template creation. If your pricing has changed in Xero, update the Parts in your Template by relinking them.

If Xero Items are linked to multiple Measurements, they will need to be removed completely from the project (all Measurements) and then relinked again.

If I edit or rename the Measurement in Groundplan, will it automatically update my part in Xero?

No, unfortunately not.

Renaming measurements on Groundplan will not send the updated name to Fergus. These names will only appear in Groundplan on the Stage, Worksheet, Quantities, Take-off Templates and on the Legend.

If I add Additional Parts to a Measurement, will this go through to Xero as one line item?

No, unfortunately not.

When adding Additional Parts and Labour into Measurements, these items are sent to Xero as individual line items.

Why won't my additional Items and Additional Labour save in my Template when I use Copy to New Template?

Unfortunately, these are for the Stage only and will not be saved in a Take-off Template.

If you regularly need to add Additional Items and Additional Labour to a Stage, consider saving these separately into a Take-off Template, then apply to the Project from the Worksheet and adjusting the totals.

If I import all my Measurements using the CSV upload option with the same part numbers and descriptions, will they automatically link to my Xero Items?

No, unfortunately not.

Measurements will need to be manually linked to Xero Items. Follow the GIF above for the steps.


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