AI can help prepare an electrical quantity list, but the useful endpoint is a checked scope, not a short processing timer. This guide explains how to review that first pass before quantities enter an estimate.
Updated October 1, 2026: This is a workflow guide, not a timed product benchmark. Processing time depends on drawing complexity and page count. There is no verified basis here for a universal 30-second takeoff or a fixed accuracy percentage.
Prepare the drawing set before counting
Confirm the project, sheet numbers, revision, and your trade's scope. Identify the legend, schedules, general notes, and referenced details. Keep power, lighting, low-voltage, demolition, and new-work scope distinct where the drawings distinguish them. A symbol's appearance alone does not tell you whether it belongs in your bid.
Upload a clear PDF and keep a copy of the input revision. CyanBuild accepts PDF drawings up to 50 MB. If your input contains several pages, account for every page in the monthly allowance. Read the current file and usage guidance before starting a large set.
Review counts by type and location
- Match symbols to the legend. Check that similar-looking objects have not been grouped under the same type. Confirm labels against the plan and schedule.
- Look for missed scope. Scan dense rooms, overlapping annotations, small symbols, and detail callouts. A blank detection area is not proof that no work exists there.
- Find duplicates. Repeated plans, enlarged views, and details can depict the same object more than once. Count physical scope once and retain a reference to supporting detail.
- Check exclusions. Record existing-to-remain items, demolition, owner-supplied equipment, and work by others when the contract documents identify them.
- Reconcile with schedules. Investigate differences between plan counts and schedules rather than silently choosing whichever number is larger.
Keep counts separate from measured lengths
A device count does not establish conductor or conduit length. Review scale before measuring, then identify routing assumptions, vertical changes, and terminations from the applicable drawings and details. Where routing or installation requirements are not defined, record the assumption or request clarification. Do not infer a complete circuit or installation assembly solely from a detected symbol.
| Quantity type | What to verify | What to carry into the estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Devices and fixtures | Symbol type, count, location, schedule, and scope status | Verified count with the correct material or assembly |
| Panels and equipment | Identifier, schedule reference, supplied-by responsibility, and associated scope | Equipment pricing and the separately checked installation scope |
| Measured runs | Scale, route, units, changes in level, and assumptions | Checked length and clearly stated allowances |
| Details and notes | Whether the same physical item appears elsewhere | Supporting requirements without duplicate quantities |
A reconciliation example
Suppose a first pass lists 24 receptacle symbols on one sheet. Your review finds that two detections represent the same item in an enlarged view and three required symbols were missed. The corrected count is 24 minus 2 plus 3, or 25. This is an illustrative calculation, not a result from a tested project. You must still verify that all 25 items have the correct type and belong in the bid scope.
Record the original count, corrections, final quantity, sheet reference, and reviewer's initials. Keep unresolved items in an exceptions list. This lets another estimator understand the adjustment without rerunning the entire takeoff.
Move verified quantities into pricing
Apply your supplier quotes, labor assumptions, installation conditions, waste, and project requirements after quantity review. A detected panel or fixture is not a supplier quote, and a quantity list does not establish compliance with the specifications. Check high-value and ambiguous items before issuing the bid.
CyanBuild's monthly plans currently include Free with 3 PDF pages, Starter at $29 for 30 pages, Pro at $99 for 120 pages, and Enterprise at $299 for 400 pages. These are monthly page allowances, not prepaid credits. Each page in a PDF counts toward usage; a 10-page file uses 10 pages. Check the pricing page for current features and terms before buying.
Final review before submission
- The quantity list uses the same drawing revision as the bid.
- Counts and measured lengths have the correct units and scope references.
- Misses, duplicates, and unresolved assumptions are documented.
- Rates and assemblies match the specified work.
- A responsible estimator has checked the quantities that determine the price.
Use the electrical estimating guide to connect quantities with pricing, and the material takeoff guide for a broader review process. CyanBuild's output is a starting point for this review, not a replacement for it.