Exterio How-To: How To Search Items In Your Estimate
Estimates with dozens of material and labor line items get hard to scan. The search bar inside the estimate lets you find a specific item fast, or check that everything you need is actually on the estimate before you send it.
When would I use this?
- Finding one line item on an estimate with fifty of them
- Checking whether every item from a specific manufacturer is included
- Confirming your labor lines are all on there before sending
- Looking at just one product type without scrolling the whole estimate
Where is the search bar in an estimate?
Inside the estimate you're building, look below the cost breakdown and price calculator box.
What can I search for?
The search bar matches across:
- Item names
- Product types
- Subcategories
- Manufacturers
Search "CertainTeed" and you'll see every matching material — the results show how many matched out of the total, so you can tell at a glance what's on the estimate. Search "hip and ridge" and you'll get the matching item.
How do I filter items instead of searching?
Two filters sit alongside the search:
| Filter | Based on |
|---|---|
| Product type | The product types configured in your account settings |
| Subcategory | The product or cost subcategories in your product catalog |
Filtering by a labor product type, for example, shows the labor items matching that designation and no materials — because the match comes from how each item is designated in your product catalog.
Tips and gotchas
-
Use it as a pre-send checklist. The real value isn't finding one line — it's confirming nothing's missing. Search your manufacturer to see all their products are on there. Filter to your labor type to confirm every labor line is included. A forgotten line item is money you don't get back after the customer signs.
-
Empty results usually mean a catalog designation, not a missing item. If a filter returns nothing, the item may be on the estimate but designated differently in your product catalog. Search by name to confirm before you add a duplicate.
-
Search is only as good as your catalog. Manufacturer and subcategory matching depends on how your products were set up. If searching a manufacturer misses items you know are theirs, the fix is in the product catalog, not the estimate.
-
This is a view, not an edit. Searching filters what you're looking at. It doesn't change what's on the estimate.