Preconstruction teams are under more pressure than ever to deliver faster, more accurate estimates while navigating increasingly complex projects.
This is already a tall order as it is, and when you layer in scattered project data and manual workflows, everything becomes even more of an uphill battle.
The challenge isn’t the lack of data, but a lack of connected data. Information lives across spreadsheets, models, drawings, and tools, making it hard to trust what is accurate and slowing down decision-making.
The good news is that connected workflows are changing that. Forward-thinking teams are leveraging tools like Autodesk Forma to create a connected preconstruction workflow where data flows seamlessly from takeoff to estimate and beyond.
So, what does that look like in practice?
In our recent webinar on connected preconstruction, experts from Autodesk and Jacobsen Construction explore how bringing takeoff, estimating, and data management into a single workflow is helping teams reduce manual work, improve consistency, and make more confident decisions earlier in the project lifecycle.
The more disconnected the data, the harder it becomes to make confident decisions.
Nick Zeeben, Group Product Manager at Autodesk, explains it best:
"One of the core challenges that we see as projects have gotten more complex is there are more folks involved in the process, but all of our tools around preconstruction are disconnected. So those decisions remain fragmented."
The result is that estimators spend less time evaluating opportunities and more time tracking down information, validating quantities, and confirming they're working from the right version of a document.
As Nick puts it, "A lot of folks spend their day not so much focused on the decision, but focused on ensuring they have the right information to make the decision."
Disconnected tools also create version control issues and manual handoffs that introduce risk. Teams waste valuable time determining which estimate is current, which takeoffs are accurate, and whether critical context has been lost along the way.
Autodesk Forma is designed to address these challenges by bringing takeoff, estimating, and data management together in a connected environment, giving teams a single source of truth for preconstruction workflows.
Connected workflows start with connected data. Without a centralized place for project information, teams find themselves searching for documents, comparing versions, and trying to determine which information is current. That confusion slows down collaboration and increases the risk of mistakes.
That’s why having a common data environment (CDE) is important.
As Autodesk Sales Specialist Jake Carey explains, "All of our products rely on Forma Data Management, which provides a centralized common data environment for preconstruction and construction teams alike. More importantly, "Forma Data Management keeps everyone working from the same single source of truth" with version control built in.
For many teams, takeoff data is spread across multiple tools, creating extra work and increasing the likelihood of missed quantities, duplicate work, or inconsistencies between projects.
Bringing 2D and 3D takeoff into a single solution helps eliminate those gaps while giving estimators more flexibility in how they work.
3D takeoff is where "the power of BIM really shines," says Jake. Teams can "pull quantities directly from the model itself and visualize the project in 3D," making it easier to understand design intent and project complexity.
At the same time, 2D takeoff remains available when models are incomplete or traditional workflows make more sense. Combined with standardized takeoff types that can be reused across projects, teams can work faster, reduce errors, and create more consistent estimates.
One of the biggest obstacles to efficient estimating is inconsistency. When estimators use different workflows, templates, or calculations, projects take longer to set up, and new team members face a steeper learning curve.
Takeoff types help solve that problem by standardizing how quantities are measured and calculated. Teams can build reusable types, formulas, and cost-linked line items once, then apply them across future projects.
"Once you create a takeoff type, you never have to create that again," says Jake.
Moving quantities from takeoff into an estimate has traditionally been one of the most time-consuming and error-prone parts of preconstruction.
Connected workflows eliminate that step. With Forma, quantities flow directly from takeoff into estimate, where material, labor, equipment, subcontractor costs, and markups can already be linked to estimate line items.
Even the most detailed takeoff can fall short if teams are working from different pricing assumptions. A centralized cost library helps ensure everyone is building estimates from the same foundation.
With Forma Estimate, labor rates, material pricing, equipment costs, subcontractor costs, and other estimate data live in one shared location.
According to Jake, "This customizable account-level library brings all of your pricing together in one place," making it easier to standardize estimating across teams.
The benefits of connected preconstruction workflows aren’t just theoretical. Companies are already using them to reduce manual work, improve consistency, and create better visibility across teams.
One example is Jacobsen Construction, a 100% employee-owned contractor headquartered in Salt Lake City that delivers projects across healthcare, higher education, private development, hospitality, and other sectors.
Before modernizing its workflows, Jacobsen's preconstruction processes relied heavily on spreadsheets, templates, and manual data transfers.
Over time, those files had been modified by different teams for different purposes. Brian Alama, Senior Estimator at Jacobsen Construction, describes it as having "countless versions of the same sheet housed in countless locations."
The lack of connected data led to manual handoffs between preconstruction and operations and created gaps in communication.
For Jacobsen Construction, moving to connected workflows wasn't just about software implementation. It was a process transformation designed to create a stronger flow of information across the project lifecycle.
Jacobsen had already partnered with Autodesk on construction workflows, so expanding that relationship into preconstruction felt like a natural next step. According to Brian, the team knew the platform was still evolving, but they also saw the opportunity to help shape its development.
"We saw the dedication they had to building something powerful, and we wanted to help," he recalls. "So far, the partnership has been meaningful and productive."
Jacobsen started with a handful of pilot projects. Two smaller jobs helped the team test concepts and refine processes before applying the same approach to larger projects.
"The product has been proven to work, and it's heading in the right direction,” he adds.
One of the biggest changes was consolidating takeoff into a single environment.
Previously, Jacobsen relied on a combination of OST, Bluebeam, Assemble, and SketchUp. While each tool served a purpose, they also created separate information silos that made collaboration and knowledge sharing more difficult.
"Takeoff has been a game changer for us since it combines both 2D and 3D takeoff into one place," Brian says.
The team also began using custom takeoff types and assemblies that could be shared across projects. These included standard estimate line items, formulas, and calculations.
"The biggest benefit has been copying takeoff types," Alama explained. "This has reduced the amount of time teams have spent creating conditions, performing takeoff, transferring quantities to a spreadsheet, and then writing the necessary formulas."
The impact became even more apparent once quantities started flowing directly into estimates.
"Once the takeoffs are complete, there are no more manually transferring quantities from OST or Bluebeam into the estimate," shares Brian. "This has been a big savings in time. It's a big game changer for us."
Importantly, automation didn't come at the expense of control. Estimators still review and approve quantities before they're applied, preserving the validation process many teams rely on.
"Through this process, you don't actually have to type in the number, but you still have the opportunity to review and make sure that number is what you want."
Connected workflows don't happen overnight. Jacobsen Construction's experience highlights an important reality: success depends as much on implementation strategy and team adoption as it does on technology.
Implementing new workflows across an entire organization can feel risky, especially when established processes have been in place for years. Rather than attempting a full-scale rollout, Jacobsen started with a handful of smaller projects to test concepts, validate workflows, and identify areas for improvement.
"The smaller projects helped us prove the processes and concepts," says Brian.
That measured approach paid off. After refining workflows on projects ranging from $5 million to $10 million, the team successfully applied the same processes to a project valued at more than $100 million.
According to him, "The workflows scaled from five to ten million dollar projects to over a hundred million with little to no changes."
His advice for teams considering a similar transition is straightforward: start small and focus on solving one problem at a time. "Handle small silos one at a time. Don't try to do the entire thing all at once. It will make it very painful for all of your teams."
While connected workflows delivered clear operational benefits, Jacobsen found that the biggest implementation challenge wasn't technical.
It was people.
"The most difficult part of integrating Forma into our estimating process was people of different personalities," Brian explains.
Like many organizations, Jacobsen had team members who had spent years refining their own workflows and processes. Asking them to adopt a new way of working required patience, communication, and time.
"We've had lots of different ways of doing things over the years," he says. "Trying to help other people let go of the processes that they know and trust and move to something that is new and that they don't trust has been one of the most difficult pieces that we've overcome."
The lesson is that successful transformation requires more than software deployment. Teams need time to build trust in new systems, validate results, and understand how new workflows improve their day-to-day work.
That’s why a phased rollout, along with clear expectations and early wins, can go a long way toward building that confidence and driving adoption across the organization.
For Jacobsen, connecting takeoff and estimating is only the beginning. The company's broader goal is to create a continuous flow of information from preconstruction through operations and back again.
"Our goal was to break down these silos and create connected information, not just through preconstruction, but throughout our entire process with operations and through construction," says Brian.
Ultimately, Jacobsen envisions a connected workflow where information moves seamlessly between takeoff, estimating, bidding, contract creation, and project execution, while preserving the historical data needed to improve future estimates.
As Brian says, the goal is "a loop of information housed in one central location that can be used through all phases of construction."
Connected preconstruction is about more than integrating tools. It’s about eliminating silos, standardizing workflows, and enabling teams to move faster and more confidently.
As demonstrated by Jacobsen Construction, even incremental changes like connecting takeoff and estimating can unlock significant efficiency gains and set the foundation for a fully connected construction lifecycle.
Watch the full webinar to explore these workflows in more detail.
