CostX to BOQ: Create Client-Ready Bills Without Manual Reformatting

CostX can keep quantities and estimates connected to project drawings. However, the document issued to a client often requires a different structure. Quantity surveyors must reorganize dimension groups, map items to measurement-standard work sections, carry rates across, and rebuild the final Bill of Quantities in Excel.

CostX to BOQ closes that final workflow gap. It connects with CostX workbook or dimension data, maps the information into NRM2, SMM7, POMI, or a bespoke client template, preserves the existing pricing logic, and produces a structured priced BOQ.

When the CostX estimate changes, the bill can be repriced without repeating the entire export-and-reformatting process.

Key takeaways

• CostX to BOQ connects directly with CostX workbook and dimension data.
• Quantity-surveying rules map items to NRM2 or another required structure.
• Rates already used in CostX carry through to the BOQ.
• The bill can be regenerated when quantities or rates change.
• Concolabs lists a 15-minute workflow compared with one to two days manually.

What is CostX to BOQ?

CostX to BOQ is an AI-powered document-production workflow for QS firms, cost consultancies, and contractors already using CostX. It converts measured and priced workbook information into the formal BOQ structure required for client issue.

The application doesn't repeat the original takeoff. It reads dimension groups, quantities, and rates from the existing CostX information. Quantity-surveying rules then assign those items to the correct work sections and descriptions.

Concolabs currently identifies the product as available in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, and Australia. It supports CostX exports such as Excel and CSV, then produces Excel or PDF deliverables for the next stage of the commercial workflow.

Why doesn't a CostX estimate automatically become a BOQ?

An estimate and a client-ready BOQ serve related but different purposes. The estimate may be organized around measurement groups, internal cost codes, elemental analysis, or the estimator's preferred workbook structure. The client deliverable may require a formal standard, house style, coding system, preliminaries structure, and prescribed descriptions.

That difference creates manual work. Teams export information to Excel, rebuild headings, move items between sections, rewrite descriptions, reapply rates, and check formulas. A design or rate revision can force them to repeat many of those steps.

Generic export tools usually move data without understanding the required BOQ structure. They can create a spreadsheet, but they don't necessarily map quantities into correct work sections or preserve the commercial logic needed for issue.

CostX to BOQ applies QS rules to the transformation. The result is intended to be a structured bill rather than a raw quantity dump.

How does CostX to BOQ work?

The CostX to BOQ workflow uses five connected stages.

1. Connect the CostX data

The user connects a CostX workbook or supplies an appropriate dimension export. Dimension groups, quantities, and rates move into the BOQ workflow without rebuilding the estimate manually.

Before connection, the QS should confirm the correct workbook version, measurement status, included scope, units, rate library, and approval status.

2. Map items to the required BOQ standard

The application assigns items to NRM2 work sections or a bespoke client template. Concolabs also identifies SMM7 and POMI among supported output structures.

The mapping uses quantity-surveying rules. Setup should include examples of approved bills, descriptions, coding conventions, units, hierarchy, and treatment of exceptional items.

3. Carry CostX rates through

Rates from the CostX rate library remain connected to the bill. This preserves the pricing logic already established in the estimate and reduces the risk of applying a different value during manual re-entry.

The QS should still review rate status, adjustments, rounding, currencies, taxes, and any client-specific presentation rules.

4. Generate the client-ready BOQ

The application creates a complete, structured, priced BOQ in the firm's or client's required format. Concolabs lists Excel and PDF as available output formats.

Before issue, the reviewer confirms scope, work sections, descriptions, quantities, rates, totals, page structure, and document controls.

5. Reprice when the estimate changes

When the CostX estimate is updated, the team can rerun the workflow. The BOQ reprices without requiring another manual rebuild or copy-and-paste exercise.

This is particularly useful during design development, tender clarification, and value-engineering cycles where quantities or rates may change several times.

Which BOQ standards and templates are supported?

Concolabs lists NRM2, SMM7, POMI, and bespoke house or client templates. This coverage allows firms to produce deliverables aligned with different regional and contractual requirements.

Standard support shouldn't be interpreted as identical setup for every client. Each organization may use its own descriptions, coding, preliminaries arrangement, pricing columns, provisional-sum treatment, page layout, and summary structure.

Implementation should therefore include a controlled template library. Each template needs an owner, version, effective date, mapping rules, and approved sample output. Changes to a client template should follow a documented update and test process.

How are CostX rates preserved?

CostX to BOQ carries rates from the CostX rate library into the bill. This keeps the issued pricing aligned with the estimate rather than relying on a second rate-entry process.

Rate carry-through reduces transcription risk, but the commercial context still matters. The QS should confirm whether each value is a resource rate, composite rate, subcontract quotation, benchmark, tendered rate, or adjusted allowance.

The review should also check:

• Currency and exchange assumptions
• Rate date and escalation basis
• Location and logistics adjustments
• Specification and quality level
• Quantity-related pricing effects
• Waste and accessory allowances
• Tax treatment
• Rounding rules
• Included and excluded scope

The automated connection preserves data. The quantity surveyor remains responsible for deciding whether that data is suitable for issue.

What happens when the CostX estimate changes?

The application can regenerate and reprice the BOQ after an estimate update. This avoids manually repeating the mapping and formatting process for every revision.

A controlled workflow should still explain what changed. Each issue should record the CostX source version, update date, affected quantities or rates, BOQ revision, reviewer, and approval status.

Teams should distinguish between a working reprice and a formally issued bill. Automatic regeneration can make revisions faster, but only an approved output should become part of the contractual or client record.

What are the benefits of CostX to BOQ automation?

The primary benefit is eliminating repeated reformatting after takeoff and estimating are complete. Concolabs describes a 15-minute CostX-to-BOQ workflow compared with one to two days for the traditional manual route.

Potential benefits include:

• No manual reconstruction of CostX workbook information
• Automatic mapping into standard or bespoke work sections
• Consistent reuse of CostX pricing
• Faster response to design and rate revisions
• Reduced copy-and-paste and formula errors
• Standardized output across projects and offices
• Better traceability from estimate to issued bill
• More QS time for checking and commercial advice

These outcomes depend on the quality of the source workbook and mapping configuration. A pilot should test representative projects and difficult exceptions before rollout.

How is CostX to BOQ different from Quanto for CostX?

The two products solve different parts of the workflow.

CostX to BOQ focuses on transforming existing CostX workbook and dimension information into a formal client deliverable. It maps items to NRM2, SMM7, POMI, or a bespoke template and carries existing CostX rates into the bill.

Quanto for CostX adds AI rate prediction to measured CostX items. It is designed for firms that want historical pricing suggestions before the priced BOQ is finalized.

A firm may need template automation, rate prediction, or both. The correct choice depends on whether the main bottleneck is pricing the measured items or restructuring them into the document the client requires.

Does CostX to BOQ replace quantity surveyors?

No. The product automates data transfer, mapping, repricing, and formatting. The quantity surveyor remains accountable for the measurement and commercial content.

Professional review should cover:

• Source workbook and revision status
• Scope completeness and exclusions
• Measurement-standard compliance
• Work-section mapping
• Descriptions and units
• Quantity and rate carry-through
• Provisional sums and undefined work
• Formula and summary accuracy
• Client-specific formatting
• Final document approval and issue

The application removes repetitive assembly. It doesn't replace the judgment required to determine whether the BOQ accurately represents the project.

Is CostX to BOQ secure?

Project workbooks contain commercially sensitive quantities, rates, and client information. Security should be reviewed as part of implementation, particularly where files move between CostX exports, the application, document storage, and downstream systems.

Buyers should ask Concolabs about hosting, encryption, access controls, audit logs, data retention, deletion, backup, regional requirements, and administrative permissions. Firms should also define which users can connect data, edit mappings, generate bills, approve results, and issue documents.

Avoid treating security as a generic checkbox. The deployment should match the firm's contractual obligations and information-management policies.

What does CostX to BOQ cost?

As of August 2026, the CostX to BOQ product page lists an indicative seat subscription of USD $1,200 per month for each user seat.

The published package includes CostX workbook integration, Excel and PDF output, and an indicated implementation period of one to two weeks. These terms are described as indicative, so buyers should confirm current pricing, taxes, onboarding scope, template configuration, support, and licensing directly with Concolabs.

The commercial evaluation should compare the subscription with the time currently spent rebuilding bills, correcting errors, and responding to revisions.

How should a firm pilot CostX to BOQ?

Choose a completed project with a controlled CostX workbook and an approved client-issued BOQ. Include both standard items and difficult mappings so the pilot reflects real delivery work.

Connect the source data, apply the target template, and compare the generated bill with the approved benchmark. Record structural differences, missing items, duplicate items, description changes, rate discrepancies, formula issues, and formatting exceptions.

A useful pilot should measure:

1. Workbook and dimension-data import accuracy
2. Work-section mapping accuracy
3. Quantity and rate carry-through
4. Compliance with the target standard
5. Client-template fidelity
6. Time required for expert review
7. Excel and PDF output quality
8. Handling of a controlled estimate revision
9. Traceability from BOQ item to source data
10. Percentage of items requiring manual correction

The team should approve acceptance criteria before implementation begins. This creates a clear basis for deciding whether the workflow is ready for live projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which CostX versions does CostX to BOQ support?

The product page confirms integration with CostX workbook and export information but doesn't publish a detailed version list. Firms should provide their current CostX version, workbook structure, and sample exports to Concolabs for compatibility confirmation.

How does the application get data out of CostX?

It connects with the CostX workbook or reads suitable dimension data. Concolabs lists Excel, CSV, and dimension information among supported source formats. Dimension groups, quantities, and rates are carried into the BOQ workflow.

Can it output NRM2, SMM7, POMI, or our own template?

Yes. Concolabs lists NRM2, SMM7, POMI, and bespoke house or client templates. Each custom format should be configured and tested using previously approved BOQs before live issue.

Does it keep our CostX rates and rate library?

Yes. Rates from the CostX rate library are carried through so the BOQ remains consistent with the estimate. Quantity surveyors should still verify pricing context, adjustments, taxes, rounding, and included scope.

What happens when the CostX estimate changes?

The user updates the CostX estimate and reruns the workflow. CostX to BOQ then regenerates and reprices the bill without requiring a manual rebuild. The revised document should still pass the firm's review and approval process.

Is our project data secure?

Security depends on the configured deployment and organizational controls. Buyers should confirm hosting, encryption, permissions, audit logs, retention, deletion, and connected-system access directly with Concolabs before uploading sensitive project information.

Can the final BOQ be exported to Excel and PDF?

Yes. Excel and PDF are listed output formats. Concolabs also describes synchronization into downstream QS and ERP workflows, which should be confirmed against the firm's specific systems during implementation.

How long does it take to create a BOQ?

Concolabs states that the automated workflow can produce a BOQ in approximately 15 minutes, compared with one to two days for manual reformatting. Actual review time depends on source quality, template complexity, and exceptions.

How much does CostX to BOQ cost?

The product page lists an indicative subscription of USD $1,200 per month for each user seat. Buyers should request current pricing, implementation scope, template setup, support, and licensing terms through the CostX to BOQ page.

Finish the BOQ without rebuilding the estimate

CostX to BOQ transforms measured and priced CostX information into the structured document a client expects. It maps items to recognized standards or bespoke templates, retains CostX rates, produces Excel or PDF outputs, and reprices the bill after estimate changes.

The result can remove a repetitive final step from an otherwise connected measurement workflow. Quantity surveyors still review and approve the commercial content, but they no longer need to reconstruct the same bill after every revision.

Explore CostX to BOQ or review the complete Concolabs product suite to compare related quantity takeoff and BOQ workflows.