SoftList FAQs

I set the Building Permit formula to Include = Yes and I get two Building Permits listing, one for each floor plan that I have stacked. How do I get just one Building Permit for the entire house?


Set the Include field to Single rather than Yes.

How do I change SoftList so that my precuts list out as 92 5/8′?

Within SoftPlan, select File > System Options > Define Walls > Edit > select each of the frame walls affected and change their height to 97 1/8” to reflect the new precut length. Select Build > Material List > Setup. Within SoftList Setup select Material Definition > Standard Detailed > Variables > and replace the value for precut_B from 91.5” to 92.625”. 

How do I copy a Material Definition file from one system to another?

From within SoftPlan, select Build > Material List > Setup. Within the Setup screen, select File > Backup > Material Definition. Select the material definition you wish, and click backup. Using the Windows Explorer menu, navigate to the destination drive to save to. To Restore, within the Setup screen select File > Restore > Material Definition and open the file through the Windows Explorer menu.

How do I generate a report so as to have my lumber list out to 2-foot increments?

Within SoftList Setup, select the Material Definitions > the Definition (i.e. Standard Detailed) > Options. Under the Lumber Display heading, select Modular as your preferred setting. Ensure that Increment length is set to 2’-0”.

How can I have SoftList list my garage walls as having a pressure-treated bottom plate?

Walls have already been created specifically for the garage areas to contain the Plate (Pressure Treated) Material. These walls can be drawn where required. The generated report will list a quantity of pressure treated lumber.

How do I know what sequence numbers are in use with SoftList?

Select Build > Material List > Setup. Select Report Styles > Listing Format to review what groupings of numbers have been reserved (i.e. materials dealing with Framing need to be assigned a number between 20 000 and 29 999). While in the Edit of the material, click on the Accounting button and click on the Review button to see the same list. Note: that the sequence numbers can only be modified in the Listing Format.

Can the waste factor be manually changed for individual items within SoftList?

Yes - within each specific item's definition select Accounting, and then input the desired percentage (%) value.

How do I replace the SoftPlan logo at the top of the SoftList material reports with my own?

You can replace the logo in the SoftList Setup. In SoftPlan go to Build > Material List > Setup. Select ‘Report Styles’ and choose a report style. In the ‘Configure Report Style’ menu click on the Appearance tab. In the Add Banner section press on ‘Select Image.’ Browse to the location of your image. Change the Files of type to the type you wish to select. You can use .jpg, .bmp, .tga, .tif, or .png. Select the file name and press Open and OK on the menu. The report should now generate with the logo you selected.