Help with Cabinet Orders

[BRDBRemodeling]

I am looking for advice on the best way to get the cabinet information out of Cheif Architect and to the Cabinet Manufacturer.

All help is appreciated.

[Renerabbitt]

4 minutes ago, BRDBRemodeling said:

I am looking for advice on the best way to get the cabinet information out of Cheif Architect and to the Cabinet Manufacturer.

All help is appreciated.

Can you be more specific. What cabinet information are you looking for?

[BRDBRemodeling]

I am trying to figure out the best way to get all the cabient information out of Cheif.  For example how do you find out what you have put inside the cabinets (sliding shelves, spice racks, trash/recycling bins, toekick, shoe, etc.)  I am only getting the cabinet size and door hinging.  I am new to Cheif and needing a little help with what other people are doing.  Also, how does your cabinet company connet with Cheif A (if at all)?

[MarkMc]

On 9/12/2024 at 1:46 PM, BRDBRemodeling said:

I am trying to figure out the best way to get all the cabient information out of Cheif.  For example how do you find out what you have put inside the cabinets (sliding shelves, spice racks, trash/recycling bins, toekick, shoe, etc.)

This answer may or may not make you happy. In short you can, but it's not simple in most cases. This may be totally inadequate for you current skill level but it's what I can do for now. At least to let you know it can be done. I'd been getting everything needed for Mfg out of Chief for since around X6 until I retired last year for a variety of cabinet brands from basic to full custom.

Getting the information-

Depends in part on how you have the information there and how you placed something. The short easy answer is that if you place something using the Door Back Inserts in the DBX of the item (door or drawer) OR if you place it from the library in the Shelf dialog; that can show up in a schedule. If you change a shelf or shelves to a rollout in the DBX there is no way to show it.

 

The longer answer is that the above rarely would meet my needs and also not always the most efficient method. So then...

 

Let's go to the second part of your question first- how to get that information to the cabinet company. There are no brands that connect to Chief. It may be that some small full custom makers use CA but I don't know of many, just larger ones. So for the mainstream there are two choices to send the information to them.

 

How to get info into Chief and then to the mfg- IOW create and order.

First let me say that I can't explain this fully in a post here- at least it's more than I'm willing to try but here's the gist of it.

1. You want to get all of the relevant information into a cabinet schedule.
2. You need to match the cabinet brands nomenclature and sizing options EXACTLY.
3. Ideally you have a PDF copy of their catalog and a PDF app that allows you to copy text.
4. You want to have the cabinet labels match the makers nomenclature. There are several ways to deal with that. In general I used some macros and some cabinets kept in the library.
5. For mods and accessories the easiest approach to that is to have codes in Object Information Fields, often some custom ones.
6. There is a way to use style palettes to add codes to a cabinet in plan. I approach that by having some that are used often and include any that might apply following the principal that it's faster to delete some text than to type.
7. When placing multiple codes in a field separate them with semi colons to help with "paste special".

Easiest is if they use an on line ordering system. Most brands that I worked with supported drag and drop of things into the system. There are a few that will import csv or other files formats.

IF you can't drag and drop then you are left with typing the info in.

If they don't have an online system then the option is to make a spreadsheet template that matches their order form.

 

I've done both.

1. In either case start with a schedule in Chief. First temporarily delete any columns that are not needed for the order.
2. Select the schedule.
3. Copy it and "paste special" it into a spreadsheet. That is so that codes end up in separate cells, something that "paste special" is designed to do.
4. Go Back into chief UNDO to put back the columns you removed.

 

For drag and drop lock all of the cells in the spreadsheet, which should still allow copy. If your sheet doesn't there is an option to allow that. By locking the cells you can't screw things up.

Place that on one side of the monitor, open the order form on the other and go to town. If a code is off you will know right away so keep the PDF handy.

 

For using a spreadsheet template order form you first have to make one.

1. Then paste special into a blank sheet. Copy and manipulate the columns and rows into a blank section. (more than I can simply explain here)
2. Then line by line (though if you  have done the manipulation well you can usually select all of the lines for a cabinet to copy and
3. Paste into the template
4. In many cases there will be one or more columns on the order form where you will have to enter some information manually depending on how the brand you're working with prices things. (like number of doors is often easier to just enter)

NOTE- I have not needed to do this since Chief gave us the ability to swap columns for rows so that may be easier. I'd try it to see before going too far.

I realize that this may not make sense if you are new, again sorry. I don't know of any of the folks on here who do training that have spent much time ordering cabinets as none are KDs. A few may be sharp enough to be able to work out the gibberish above and help you. I'm pretty much retired now and never did training per se except for drafting clients or on specail request. Training and setup or how to setup would be pretty time consuming. OTOH once done the system is pretty quick, very reliable and good at avoiding mistakes when used with best practices for ordering. That said if you choose we could talk about it more. I would not be available until November.

Or just dive down the rabbit hole if your adventurous and be prepared to spend some time. (so don't try this with a deadline looming)

[Renerabbitt]

52 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

There is a way to use style palettes to add codes to a cabinet in plan. I approach that by having some that are used often and include any that might apply following the principal that it's faster to delete some text than to type.

Mark all great info as always. You can use a style palette for the Object Information Fields on an individual basis apart from Custom Fields which will overwrite/write all custom fields when using a style palette
 

 

54 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

When placing multiple codes in a field separate them with semi colons to help with "paste special".

Can you explain what you mean by this? Do you mean for pasting into a CSV and the semi colon puts data in a new cell?

NVMD, you explain this later in the post

 

 

56 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

In many cases there will be one or more columns on the order form where you will have to enter some information manually depending on how the brand you're working with prices things. (like number of doors is often easier to just enter)

Have you tried to get Ai to conform an order form? Curious if it would work

 

57 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

That said if you choose we could talk about it more. I would not be available until November.

Or just dive down the rabbit hole if your adventurous and be prepared to spend some time. (so don't try this with a deadline looming)

Anyone reading this, Mark means lots of time...and Mark, I imagine you underestimate your brilliance and grasp of software, approach, and systems...this is not for the faint of heart.

 

[MarkMc]

59 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

semi colon puts data in a new cell?

Just allows use of commas for other purposes which I've found important.

59 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

You can use a style palette for the Object Information Fields on an individual basis apart from Custom Fields which will overwrite/write all custom fields when using a style palette

I know that. I've found that is not an issue the way I set up the custom fields, in part because it is easier to delete information in a few clicks than to type it. The mods are the longest and as a rule all of the other custom fields I put in can be accomodated easily.

 

59 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

Have you tried to get Ai to conform an order form? Curious if it would work

No have not, not sure what the advantage is please explain what and how? Do you mean it can make a spreadsheet template faster than manually? Does not take long to make one and can be altered for a different brand. I'm not sure that it would be easier to feed in all the rules needed but then I have absolutely no idea having never talked with AI

59 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

Mark means lots of time

It wouldn't take me all that long since I've done it enough. A tip that can help- DO NOT go down the hole of trying to automate everything. Some things are just not worth the effort compared with an occasional use in a year- easier to just type. Such as when writing macros for labels don't try to write one that does everything in a brand. (had one for one brand that did most and was set to do wall, base and tall. Took forever and was eventually broken by an update) It's A- not worth the time, B- harder to adapt to another brands nomenclature. Rather write something simple that does basics of what changes per cabinets and suits just the most common base, another for wall, another for tall. Use those in the default. Oh and almost forgot- need a custom field for the label and set the default cabinet

 

1 hour ago, Renerabbitt said:

.this is not for the faint of heart.

labels to read from that field. Then as you go along add special cabinets to library as SPs with the custom fields in them. Only worth making maybe a dozen per brand (you can always copy and paste one from old plan if not in library). Those SPs can be used on a cabinet to adjust another brand.

1 hour ago, Renerabbitt said:

this is not for the faint of heart.

Well, at least for the adventurous

[GeneDavis]

@BRDBRemodelingplease describe why your con docs with kitchen plan views, annotated wall elevations, and cabinet schedules are insufficient for a cabinet dealer salesperson to quote and supply a package to the build site.

 

Aren't you doing this?  These are two pages from a set of plans for a kitchen remodel.

 

Chief is not 2020 and never will be.  There are over 40 training videos at the Chief site.  Have you watched any?

 

You've no signature line telling us what software you are using.  Please write up your details so we can help you better.  

 

[MarkMc]

  

4 hours ago, GeneDavis said:

why your con docs with kitchen plan views, annotated wall elevations, and cabinet schedules are insufficient for a cabinet dealer salesperson to quote and supply a package to the build site.

@GeneDavis that will work for how and where you get your cabinets, it should also be fine working with a small custom or local small builder and some of the Amish makers.

 

OTH if you are ordering cabinets from almost any brand manufacturer typically carried by Kitchen Dealerships, almost every cabinet catalog in Chief, that will not be acceptable.

They require an order that uses their nomenclature and format. A few higher end places are willing to have staff input an order based on that kind of info, one or two lesser brands will do it for an additional fee. You are still left to check their codes, which are unlikely to match the CA default, against what you have written to make sure you will get what you wanted. If you get the wrong thing it's your problem.

Note that while some brands require drawings; in ALL cases what is written on the order takes precedence and none will accept responsibility for what the drawings show. The written order takes precedence always!!

 

Yeah Chief will never be 2020, but doesn't mean a KD using those brands needs it (not all support it anyway)  I'm proof, I got rid of it when I got X3 and ordered plenty of kitchens doing what I described. That turns out to be faster and more reliable (matches what I have in Chief) than hand writing orders or manually inputting from scratch into and online system.

[GeneDavis]

Hi @MarkMc  How you doing?  Sounds as if you, and maybe Rene, are way too deep into the weeds of Chief cabinets and labels for the original poster to get where they need.

 

I am pretty sure the OP here, @BRDBRemodeling, is not a cabinet dealer.  Their website shows them as a remodeling contractor, and their gallery pages for kitchens shows cabinetry that looks pretty industry standard.  Nothing too custom.

 

In the tiny market I am in, there are at most a half dozen places one can go where dealers have something to show, and every single one of those dealers save one will quote you your cabinet order in whatever brand you choose, at no charge, and work with you to see that the order matches your needs, including field-measuring, so that the job is done correctly.  The one with the largest area for display has a designer that charges for your initial visit, and I know for a fact that she will quote based on drawings as I showed in the example above.

 

I've seen the plans by the local architects and drafters and designers, showing kitchens and baths, and none are showing anything close to the detail I showed in my example.  Somehow, all these jobs get bought and built, and somewhere in the chain between the builder and the cabinet factory, there is a person who interprets the info supplied and gets it into an order format the maker can build.  That's the dealer's job.

 

It would be nice if the OP would step in here and offer a little more info.  The way the questions were phrased, it sounds as if the business has downloaded a free trial of Chief and wants to know how to get cabinet plans to paper for going to a dealer for quote and supply.  The free trial version, if I recall correctly, does not include layout.

 

Two pics are attached here.  One is a render of the kitchen done from the plans and schedule info I showed above.  There are similar arrangements shown at the OP's website.

 

The other pic is from the website of the local dealer that charges you for the meeting (no matter what your plans show or how cabs are scheduled or called out), showing their brands.

[MarkMc]

@GeneDavis Pretty sure you already know that I was a dealer, what you have to say about all those jobs getting done is nothing new.

I just took the OP at what they said: "best way to get the cabinet information out of Cheif Architect and to the Cabinet Manufacturer." Similar questions have been asked on here by cabinet dealers in the past. 

I've run into plenty of design build outfits that get themselves set up with a cabinet manufacturer, was doing drawings for one for a while, so would not be surprised. OTOH if it were "too custom" it would likely be easier and not need an answer.