---
title: "Working with the Bill of Materials"
slug: "working-with-the-bill-of-materials"
updated: 2026-04-01T10:38:30Z
published: 2026-04-01T10:38:40Z
canonical: "docs.avontus.com/working-with-the-bill-of-materials"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.avontus.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Working with the Bill of Materials

Avontus Designer enables you to generate a Bill of Materials for each drawing you create. The Bill of Materials calculates and displays a list of materials required to build a scaffold as drawn. This includes the quantity of parts, total weight/volume and netting area, which will appear in the drawing's selected unit of measure.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-W5S4THGU.png)

You can edit the Bill of Materials for a drawing to add parts, modify quantities, change the description of a part, etc. Once complete, you can print and copy the Bill of Materials, or export it to Quantify to create an estimate. Refer to [*Integrating with Quantify*](/v1/docs/integrating-with-quantify) for more information about exporting the Bill of Materials.

> **Note**: Changes made to the Bill of Materials (such as modifying quantities) will not change the parts Avontus Designer uses in the associated drawing.

You can also copy and paste the contents of the Bill of Materials into a Drawing Page.

> [!CAUTION]
> **WARNING**: Once you paste the Bill of Materials image into the drawing, Avontus Designer will not change the materials in the image as you make changes to the drawing itself. To include these changes, delete the Bill of Materials image and generate a new Bill of Materials image, then paste it onto the drawing.

Finally, Avontus Designer can provide accurate measurements or count of various scaffold metrics. You can use these to calculate length, height, surface area or volume of various scaffold components, such as decks, bays, netting or leg length.

## Creating a Bill of Materials

When you are ready, Avontus Designer makes it simple and easy to generate a Bill of Materials for any drawing.

To create a Bill of Materials:

1. Click the **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-PCL1OKK9.png) Avontus Designer builds the Bill of Materials. Then the *Bill of Materials* dialog appears. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-XHHSY64C.png)

> **Note: Changes made to the Bill of Materials (such as modifying quantities) will not change the parts Avontus Designer uses in the associated drawing.**

## Copying the Bill of Materials to a Drawing

You can add a copy of the Bill of Materials to any page of a drawing.

To add the Bill of Materials to a drawing:

1. Click the **Home** or **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-PCL1OKK9.png)

The *Bill of Materials* dialog appears. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-1SVCKAXW.png)
2. Click **Copy to Clipboard** when you are done making changes. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-QJ4862ZA.png)
3. Click **Close BOM**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-FPXGDCUE.png) The Drawing Page returns.
4. Right-click the Drawing Page and select **Paste** from the menu that appears. Avontus Designer pastes an image of the Bill of Materials onto the page. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-IAITCFMZ.png) You can resize the image and move it anywhere on the page.

> [!CAUTION]
> **WARNING**: Once you paste the Bill of Materials image into the drawing, Avontus Designer will not change the materials in the image as you make changes to the drawing itself. To include these changes, delete the Bill of Materials image and use the procedures above to copy the updated Bill of Materials to the drawing.

## Exporting the Bill of Materials

Avontus Designer enables you to export the Bill of Materials in the following formats:

- Excel
- PDF
- Text File
- Image File
- Doc
- RTF

To export the Bill of Materials:

1. Click the **Home** or **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-77XXU6E4.png)

The *Bill of Materials* dialog appears.
2. Click **Print Preview**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-4FPRFN50.png) The *Print Preview* dialog appears.
3. Click the **Export To** menu and select the desired format. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/bfa9ed09-f5e6-4402-9939-df0076850bc1.png)

## Opening the Bill of Materials in Quantify.

Note that you will need access to Quantify to do this

1. Click the **Home** or **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-5R4XN184.png)

The *Bill of Materials* dialog appears.
2. Click Quantify and select **Open in Qunatify** ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-W3V4SZF8.png)
3. Login to Quantify ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/723f1213-a523-4233-b256-57ba61df8162.png)

## Exporting the Bill of Materials to a Quantify File

Avontus Designer enables you to export your Bill of Materials in a format that Quantify users can share.

To export a Bill of Materials to a Quantify file:

1. Click the **Home** or **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-R7YLMGHC.png)

The *Bill of Materials* dialog appears.
2. Click the **Quantify** menu and select **Save As Quantify File**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-FUXVDEWG.png) The *Quantify Import File* dialog appears. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/0daa4ffd-3f78-4c1a-8333-8e59670438a5.png)
3. Navigate to the folder into which you want to save the file, then click **Save**.

Avontus Designer saves the file into the selected folder.

You would then have to import the file into Quantify. Please see [Integrating with Quantify](/v1/docs/integrating-with-quantify) for more information.

## Exporting the Bill of Materials as an Exchange file in Quantify.

1. Click the **Home** or **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/bbc44206-64d6-4eda-aa82-aed2efccde79.png) The *Bill of Materials* dialog appears.
2. Click the **Quantify** menu and select **Export to Quantify (Exchange)**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/a4c6ef71-f71b-4db4-9f2e-fb93711621c5.png)
3. Select to save and attach the drawing file and click OK ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/54a65a3b-fba8-4365-9e4c-5a93531e941d.png)
4. Log into Quantify ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/723f1213-a523-4233-b256-57ba61df8162.png)

## **Save as Exchange File**

1. Click the **Home** or **Scaffold** tab and then click **Bill of Materials**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/bbc44206-64d6-4eda-aa82-aed2efccde79.png) The *Bill of Materials* dialog appears.
2. Click the **Quantify** menu and select **Save As Exchange File**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/7b7a3d17-85aa-48ad-9cfc-3e78d3a9838d.png)
3. Save the File ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/836d5893-464a-4ec0-a240-7f642721db88.png)
4. Select to save and attach the drawing file and click OK ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/54a65a3b-fba8-4365-9e4c-5a93531e941d.png)