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Datacom Estimating Software

structured cabling | fiber optic | voice & data

Trusted by top electrical contractors since 1989 US-based expert support Local PC/Network & CE Cloud installations
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What Is Datacom Estimating Software?

Datacom estimating software prices data communications work, including structured cabling, fiber optic, voice/data, and network infrastructure, by the drop, the pathway, and the rack instead of by the circuit. A good datacom estimate captures every jack, label, termination, test, and hanger behind each outlet on the drawings.

IntelliBid gives datacom contractors dedicated voice/data libraries, drop assemblies that build the whole work area in one step, and labor you control, in the same estimating platform electrical contractors have trusted since 1989.

See the IntelliBid Versions Comparison Charts.

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Low Voltage Takeoff - Data Drops

Price Every Drop as One Complete Assembly

A single data outlet on a floor plan hides a dozen or more line items. IntelliBid work-area assemblies take off the entire drop at once, so small parts never fall through the cracks on a job with hundreds of outlets.

Select a drop, enter the number of outlets and the average feet per run, and IntelliBid adds:

  • Horizontal cable, calculated from the run length and outlet count
  • Faceplates, modular jacks, and dust covers
  • Work-area, patch panel, and horizontal cable labels
  • Termination and cable dressing labor at the IDF
  • Cable testing, patch cords, pull line, and hook-and-loop ties

Drop assemblies are organized by voice, data, and combined voice/data outlets, with generic Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 6A versions for one to four ports.

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Low Voltage Takeoff - Intra-Building Backbone

Backbone, Pathways, and Outside Plant

Datacom scope doesn’t stop at the work area. IntelliBid’s voice/data libraries follow the cable all the way back to the telecom room and out across the campus.

Inside Plant (ISP)

  • Intra-building backbone in copper, fiber, coax, or innerduct, horizontal or vertical
  • J-hook pathways that calculate hangers, beam clamps, and ties from cable length, hanger spacing, and cables per pull
  • Voice/data stubs with boxes, conduit, and fittings selected through Assembly Groups
  • MDF, IDF, and telecom room terminations, consolidation points, and backboards
  • Racks, enclosures, cable management, grounding, sleeving, and firestop

Outside Plant (OSP)

  • Outside plant copper and fiber
  • Duct bank, digging, and trenching assemblies
  • Manholes, handholes, poles, and site work

In the current US database, 27 dedicated voice/data libraries also cover fiber splicing and terminating, patch panels and cords, coax, raceways, wireless, surge protection, and testing and labeling.

Low Voltage Takeoff - Intra-Building Backbone
Electrical Estimating Software 1

Bid Generic Now, Name the Manufacturer Later

On many datacom bids, the approved product line isn’t settled until after scope and labor are already priced. IntelliBid lets you build the estimate with generic datacom items first, then switch to manufacturer-specific parts once the specification is final.

  • Capture scope and labor accurately before a product line is chosen
  • Use substitutions to replace generic items across a phase or the whole job
  • Price against manufacturer catalogs for copper and fiber cable, connectivity, racks, and cable management
  • Respond to a late specification change without rebuilding the estimate

Read more about why datacom estimating requires a different approach.

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IntelliBid Electrical Estimating Software - Plus Desktop Example

Datacom Labor You Can Defend

On a structured cabling job, labor is where margins are won or lost. A few minutes misjudged per drop turns into days once it is multiplied across a building.

  • Labor units carried inside every assembly, including termination, cable dressing, testing, and labeling
  • Six labor levels, from aggressive to very difficult, so one database fits different job conditions
  • Automatic labor factoring for building height and length of run
  • Bid calculators for overtime, shift work, and accelerated schedules on fast-track projects

Keep Datacom Separate from Electrical

When one company bids both scopes, IntelliBid keeps them apart in the same job. Put cabling in its own phases, filter the Phase Tree to data and video work, and create an alternate bid that includes only the datacom phases. Unit-price breakouts can price a single drop for adds and deducts.

IntelliBid Electrical Estimating Software - Plus Desktop Example
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Count Outlets On Screen with SureCount

Tech plans can carry hundreds of outlet symbols per floor. SureCount counts them directly from the drawing files and sends the quantities to IntelliBid, where each count becomes a complete drop assembly.

  • Count voice, data, and wireless access point symbols in one pass
  • Measure backbone and pathway routes from scaled drawings
  • Color-code counts by system so reviewers can see what was taken off

Learn more about electrical takeoff software.

Conest Software for Datacom Contractors

Estimating, takeoff, and cloud delivery for voice, data, and fiber work. Also pricing security, AV, or nurse-call systems? See low voltage estimating software.

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IntelliBid Estimating Software

Electrical estimating with the largest industry-smart database, labor factoring, and bid management.

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SureCount Takeoff Software

Count & measure from electronic drawing files; direct takeoff to IntelliBid.

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CE Cloud Estimating Platform

Use Conest software on the cloud, from anywhere, on any device.

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Datacom Estimating Software: Common Questions

Datacom estimating software is a tool contractors use to price structured cabling, fiber optic, voice/data, and network infrastructure projects. Instead of estimating by circuit, it prices each drop, pathway, backbone run, and telecom room as a set of materials and labor, so the jacks, labels, terminations, testing, and supports behind every outlet are included in the bid.

Datacom is one part of low voltage work. Datacom estimating focuses on the cabling infrastructure that carries voice and data: work-area drops, horizontal and backbone cable, fiber, racks, and outside plant. Low voltage estimating is the broader category that also includes systems such as security and access control, surveillance, sound and paging, A/V, and nurse-call. IntelliBid covers both, and contractors who bid those systems can start with low voltage estimating software.

The estimator selects a work-area drop assembly, such as a data, voice, or combined voice/data outlet in Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 6A, and enters the number of drops and the average feet per run. IntelliBid then adds the cable, faceplates, jacks, labels, termination and cable dressing at the IDF, testing, patch cords, and other components, with labor for each.

Yes. The inside plant library includes copper, fiber, coax, and innerduct backbone, J-hook pathways, voice/data stubs, and telecom room terminations. The outside plant library includes copper and fiber cable, duct banks, trenching, manholes and handholes, and poles.

Yes. Build the estimate with generic datacom items to capture scope and labor, then use substitutions to replace them with manufacturer-specific items when the specification is final. The estimate doesn't need to be rebuilt when the product line changes.

Take off cabling in its own phases. In Bid Recap, create a separate bid that includes only those phases, so datacom can be priced as a base bid, an alternate, or excluded entirely. Unit-price breakouts can also give an owner or general contractor a price per drop.

Yes. SureCount counts outlet symbols and measures routes on screen, then sends the quantities to IntelliBid, where each count is priced as a complete drop assembly.

See IntelliBid Price Your Next Cabling Job

Bring a set of tech plans to your demo, and a Conest estimating specialist will walk through drops, backbone, and labor using the kind of datacom work your team actually bids.

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Complete Estimate Using IntelliBid & SureCount

From Drawings to Bid – Follow a project from on-screen takeoff in SureCount to a finished estimate in IntelliBid, and see how counts, assemblies, and labor come together in one workflow.

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Why Choose Conest Datacom Estimating Software?

Conest Local and Cloud Solutions

Local and Cloud Solutions

Conest Software provides both on-premises and cloud-based software solutions. This versatility allows electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar contractors to choose the deployment method that best suits their requirements, ensuring seamless integration with their existing infrastructure.

Conest Electrical Industry Leaders

Electrical Industry Leaders

Working with the electrical industry for over 30 years, Conest has established itself as the leading provider of datacom estimating software. A commitment to innovation and staying ahead of industry trends makes Conest the most trusted choice for electrical estimating and takeoff solutions.

Conest Robust Database

Largest Industry Database

Conest provides the largest industry-smart database, designed specifically for electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar projects. Our customers have access to the most accurate items and customizable assemblies, enabling users to create accurate estimates for any job.

Conest Exceptional Support

High Quality Support

We prioritize customer satisfaction by providing exceptional technical support services. Our dedicated US-based team of experts ensures prompt and reliable assistance, resolving issues efficiently and effectively, resulting in a seamless user experience.

Conest Integrative Software Ecosystem

Integrative Software Ecosystem

Conest offers a comprehensive suite of electrical estimating, takeoff, and reporting software solutions that seamlessly integrate, creating an ecosystem that streamlines workflows and enhances productivity.

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Trusted by Top Companies

Conest Software has earned the trust of the electrical industry’s leading contractors. Our proven track record of delivering reliable and effective estimating and takeoff solutions helps contractors grow their business with confidence.

We Work With Top Electrical Contractors

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