New spec software

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Author Message J. Peter Jordan Senior Member Username: jpjordan Post Number: 960 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 05:10 pm:    Anyone using VisiSpec from Chalkline? J. Peter Jordan, FCSI, AIA, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP anon (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2017 - 01:01 pm:    cannot afford it! was interested, listened intently to the sales pitch, and then told cost would be $50,000 - $75,000 per year for a largish firm (like mine). Ouch. Contrast that with what we are currently using, eSpecs for Revit, at a fraction of that amount, and FREE eSpecs Desktop (program that allows all office employees access to eSpecs in real time, to comment, make suggested edits, etc. - FREE. Equivalent for this using visispecs is where the huge price tag comes in... every individual needs a license to use the software.) Susan W. Bliss, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP, LEED AP New member Username: susanbliss7 Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2017 Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2017 - 06:08 pm:    This is Susan Bliss, new to posting on 4-Specs but not new to spec writing. I'm a member of SCIP and live in Dallas. I am happy to express my experience with Chalkline's VisiSpecs. I started using VisiSpecs last May and am very pleased. I have four client masters loaded that I use regularly plus my own company masters. I have about 60 projects in VisiSpecs. Chalkline's technical team has been amazing with quick responses and help, and they have added many features we requested. The use of Word features makes a quick learning curve. My first project was uploaded and I was working in under 15 minutes. I have worked in e-SPECS also and I priced it against VisiSpecs and found the pricing comparable for the basic software, but with VisiSpecs I don't have the added cost of e-SPECS Designer to customize my masters, and I don't have added cost for a server and IT support to manage the e-SPECS database (which is beyond my abilities and time). For ease of use VisiSpecs was way out in front. Please ask any questions and I'll answer as I can. Texas (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, May 12, 2017 - 09:37 am:    Brilliant program. Intuitive and easy to use. I also used eSpec briefly, and it was cumbersome when compared to the simplicity of VisiSpecs. I love tools that are simple, easy to use and help me be more efficient with my time. Wayne Yancey Senior Member Username: wayne_yancey Post Number: 816 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Friday, May 12, 2017 - 10:36 am:    Thank you Texas. We have avoided migrating to e-specs and it's comparables because our mousetrap is not broken. VisiSpec may be worth a better look. Non-specifiers in upper management seem to regard e-specs as the go to platform/product. Richard Gonser AIA CSI CCCA SCIP Senior Member Username: rich_gonser Post Number: 139 Registered: 11-2008 Posted on Friday, May 12, 2017 - 11:34 am:    I'm perfectly fine with BSD SpecLink-e. My ability to customize reports has me doing things that no one else does that I know of. BSD has all the tools of eSpecs and then some in linking to Revit. It also allows me to work as a consultant for multiple firms without being linked. These Revit connected systems require vertical in-house applications. So it comes back to the question of, "who is picking the materials and applications?" The pretty picture graduate student that never built anything? The screen shots they have look remarkably similar to SpecLink-e. But that is the underlying MS Office structure. Where do they get their content? How often is it updated? SpecLink-e is daily plus. The money hook appears to be in their cloud storage of our information. 0.5 GB free? $500/yr for 1 GB, Seriously? My take is upper management is easily seduced by marketing hype on something others do that they don't understand. Ronald J. Ray, RA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, AIA Senior Member Username: rjray Post Number: 151 Registered: 04-2004 Posted on Friday, May 12, 2017 - 02:36 pm:    It is my understanding that VisiSpecs is a software editing tool, linked to Revit, and one has to provide their own content, such as an office master or one of the commercially available specification products Susan W. Bliss, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP, LEED AP Junior Member Username: susanbliss7 Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2017 Posted on Friday, May 12, 2017 - 03:14 pm:    VisiSpecs is a software editing tool. Content is your own. I use Arcom MasterSpec, and as I mentioned, masters from several clients. There software updates are as often as needed, quick, and completely painless. They do have the ability to link to Revit, but I have not had the need at this time. e-SPECS has been out there so much longer. I remember first trying it in 2007, but did not use it until 2014. VisiSpecs just officially launched last fall. I started with the beta test last May. So Visi is still not as well known as e-SPECS. For pricing VisiSpecs, I suggest you contact Seamus McGrady at 207.221.SPEC (7732) x113. anon (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, May 12, 2017 - 06:56 pm:    *Their Richard nailed it: "My take is upper management is easily seduced by marketing hype on something others do that they don't understand." Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 965 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2017 - 12:41 am:    Which is why IT people make such good money. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1072 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2017 - 03:17 pm:    So is this a database editor or a Word editor? Would I still be stuck using MasterWorks with VisiSpecs? ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1073 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2017 - 03:17 pm:    Or worse, SpecBuilder? Marie Malone (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Monday, May 15, 2017 - 12:28 pm:    I have been using VisiSpecs for a few months now. Prior to that I had used e-Specs for over 8 years. The firms for which I have worked have pushed for integration, but was it repeatedly abandoned due to the time and difficulty involved (mostly re-drawing details to be "smart" and Revit user re-training). The ease of integration is superior in Visispecs and we are finally beginning the implementation process (simply deciding naming conventions for the firm). As for day-to-day spec editing, I find it considerably easier and more efficient. Being able to stay in Word for editing and the convenience and ease of putting together entire spec books has been a big time-saver for me. Dave Lauver (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 - 03:40 pm:    I'm at a MEP firm, so my perspective is from the mechanical world. I've only been using visispecs for a few months, but compared to speclink it has been far easier to use. I'm able to just bring in my word files and edit them way quicker than just word. I'm able to bring in masterspec sections, sections from vendors, custom sections, etc. The linking to REVIT has been painless, it takes a few projects, but you don't have to recreate any content, just link the sections to the families you already have, then it works on the next project. Having the link and being able to edit in Word with their editing tools speeds things up considerably. On the second project I used it on I discovered I was missing a section because I didn't have anything to link the family to. The feature I probably like the best so far is the report that creates a submittal log based on what you are asking for in your spec sections. Steve Gantner, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: sgantner Post Number: 53 Registered: 08-2007 Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 - 04:21 pm:    So, back to Ken's question......Database or Word editor? Scott McIntosh-Mize Senior Member Username: scott_mize_ccs_csi Post Number: 107 Registered: 02-2009 Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 - 09:31 am:    For the record, a submittal log is one of the *many* reports a user can generate in SpecLink-E, because all of SLE's content resides in a database. Fernand M. Ricard New member Username: fmricard Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2017 Posted on Monday, May 22, 2017 - 11:04 am:    To answer the question of Database or Word editor, it's the latter, if I understand correctly. It's a Word add-on, so you still edit in Microsoft Word but now you have new tools and connectivity to Revit models, if you're into that sort of thing. Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 681 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - 10:14 pm:    so, what is the advantage of using visispecs versus just Word? smcgrady (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, June 01, 2017 - 09:54 am:    Great question on the advantage of VisiSpecs over simply using Word. Let me list some of those for you. VisiSpecs has these in addition to your favorite Word features or macros or VBA tools: - A Project Tree of all docs (section DOCs and PDFs) as well as related project files (cut-sheets, proj schedules, submissions, etc.). - A doc outliner for easier high level editing - Double Click editing for paragraphs (including their children and parents) and bracket options - A Bracket Processor - Specific Editing and Publish Views - Access to all the Project Settings (changing doc number format, title format, H/F, shared status and more) - Auto Apply of Headers/Footers and Style Formatting to all or specific docs. - Mapping of styles from other doc formats to your preferred styles. - Publishing to DOCX or PDF individual files, full manuals, or outline reports. - Table of Contents automatically created for project or docs published. - Reporting on all Docs/parameters/articles/and more - Searching through selected project docs - Colored Doc Status Flags to identify where you left off or what docs need attention or are completed. - Merge Fields that can be applied to all project docs. - Select UOM Format for application to all docs in project. To see an image, go to www.chalklineinc.com/products (isn't an image worth a thousand words?) I'd be happy to discuss with anyone as I don't want to make this a sales pitch and instead just answer the questions. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1756 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, June 01, 2017 - 10:04 am:    Does visispecs work with Wordperfect? smcgrady (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, June 01, 2017 - 12:31 pm:    Sorry, Jerome, no WP integration. We do have clients who have migrated from WP to Word and VisiSpecs though. smcgrady (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2017 - 05:32 pm:    Hi Ken, Missed responding to your question. You should not need to use Masterworks as VisiSpecs offers the editing, reporting, publishing, style changes, etc. that Masterworks has. Very easy to confirm after a quick install of VisiSpecs.