Quotec Terminology and Glossary for Steel-Building Workflow and Product Terms

A practical reference for Quotec product, workflow and steel-building terms.

Quotec connects design, pricing, quoting, engineering, purchasing, suppliers and job information. This glossary explains the terms used across the Quotec platform and the wider steel-building workflow.

How to use this glossary

Use your browser or Help Centre search to find a term. Where a term is also the name of a Quotec screen, tab, button, field or status, the capitalisation shown here should be retained in related Help Files.


Quotec Product and Workflow Terms

These terms describe the records, screens, documents and workflow concepts used in Quotec.

A

Account Transactions

The area used to view financial transactions recorded against the Quotec account.

Action

A task recorded against a job or customer. An action can be assigned to a user, given a due date and marked complete with an optional result note.

Assigned User

The person currently responsible for progressing a job. The Assigned User may change as the job moves from sales through payment, production or other internal stages.

B

Bill of Materials (BOM)

A comprehensive list of the components required for a building design. In Quotec, the BOM is generated when a job is quoted. A BOM is not a purchase order.

BOM User / BOM Buyer

A Quotec customer that purchases engineering and purchase order documents, then processes and manages supplier orders through its own supplier arrangements. Quotec's default supplier network may still be available, but Quotec does not manage those orders in the same way as it does for a Kit Reseller.

Brand

A Quotec item grouping used within an order category to distinguish a particular product range or manufacturer option.

Building Category

A configured category used to organise the types of buildings available when a new job is created. Categories may also contain templates.

Building Summary

The short description shown on a job, summarising the building type and key dimensions.

Buy

The action used to progress a job into the relevant purchasing stage. Quotec recalculates the job using current supplier costs before presenting the available purchase options.

C

Construction Prices

Business-specific costs for work such as slab installation or construction. When configured, these costs can be calculated during quoting.

Cost Import

A pricing file imported for a custom supplier arrangement. It is used where a business maintains supplier pricing outside Quotec's default cost-update process.

Cost Update

A supplier pricing file made available through Quotec's default supplier network. A business deploys the update to apply the new pricing in its system.

Customer

The end customer for whom a job is being designed and quoted. Customer details can be linked to multiple jobs, so shared details should be edited carefully.

Custom Design

A building or engineering request that sits outside the standard design options or supported parameters. Custom requests are submitted for assessment before the work proceeds.

Custom Engineering

The Job Management tab used to submit, document and follow the status of a custom engineering request.

D

Declined

A job status used when a customer does not proceed with a quoted job. Declined jobs can still be found by changing the job search status filter.

Designer

The Quotec workspace used to configure the building, customer and site details, review costs, create a quote and progress the job through the available purchase options.

Document

A file generated or stored against a job or purchase order, such as a proposal, engineering document, Bill of Materials, purchase order or Goods Receipt.

E

Email Type

A configurable email template or rule used to control the content and recipients of emails sent through or by Quotec.

Engineering & Certification

The engineering documents and signed compliance certificate available for eligible site-specific designs after the required purchase stage has been completed. Eligibility depends on the job and site information.

Estimate

A pricing presentation option used during quoting. Confirm the selected pricing option before sending customer-facing documents.

F

Freight

The cost and coordination of transporting ordered materials to the required destination. Freight may depend on supplier, product, delivery address and delivery method.

Freight Region

A configured delivery area used to support freight calculations or supplier delivery restrictions.

G

General Order

A purchase order created manually rather than from a Quotec job. General Orders can be used for stock or additional items.

Goods Receipt

A document generated for a purchase order that lists items, measurements and quantities so delivered materials can be checked.

H

History

The record of activity and notes attached to a job or customer. Quotec adds system events as the job progresses, and users can add their own notes and files.

J

Job

A customer project in Quotec. Each job combines the building design with customer, site, pricing and workflow information.

Job Number (Job#)

The unique number used to identify and search for a job.

Job Management

The main management screen for a job. It displays the job's status and details and provides access to actions, costs, milestones, orders, documents and other job information.

Job Search

The screen used to find existing jobs, filter jobs by criteria or status, and start a new job.

Job Status

The current stage of a job, such as New, Quoted, Purchased, Plans Purchased or Declined. The available status changes as the job progresses.

K

Kit Reseller / Kit User

A Quotec customer that purchases a building kit through Quotec. Quotec manages ordering through the default supplier network and coordinates delivery of the kit materials to the end customer.

M

Margin

The value applied to costs to calculate a selling price. A default margin can be applied to new jobs and changed in the Designer where permitted.

Margin Category

A saved margin configuration that can be selected and applied to a job.

Milestone

A scheduled activity used to track the progress of a job, such as council approval, slab preparation, ordering or construction.

N

New

The status of a job that has been created but not yet quoted.

Note

A user-entered record added to a job or customer history. Files can be attached where required.

O

Order Bill of Materials

A current Bill of Materials generated from Job Management. It reflects changes made to purchase orders after the job was purchased.

Order Category

A product grouping used to organise supplier orders. Examples include fasteners, plates, steel and cladding, insulation, windows and roller doors.

Order Category Supplier (OCS)

A supplier configured for a particular order category. Multiple suppliers can be available for a category, with one selected as the default.

Order Confirmation / Order Acknowledgement

A supplier document confirming how the supplier has interpreted a purchase order before manufacturing begins.

Order Review

The area used to review upcoming purchase orders that are not yet confirmed or delivered.

P

Plans Purchased

A job status indicating that the applicable engineering or plan documents have been purchased before the full material-order stage is completed.

Price on Application (POA)

A price condition requiring additional pricing or freight information before a final value can be confirmed.

Procurement

The process of converting the engineered design and Bill of Materials into supplier-ready purchase orders, then coordinating confirmations, manufacturing and delivery.

Proposal

The customer-facing quote document. It can include pricing, the building plan, site details, acceptance information, terms and conditions, and approved additional pages.

Purchase Order (PO)

A formal instruction listing the products required from a specific supplier, together with the relevant commercial and delivery information.

Purchase Order Page

The management page for an individual purchase order. It is used to review order details, generate supplier documents and record the order's progression.

Purchase Order Search

The screen used to find and filter purchase orders or create a General Order for additional items.

Purchased

A job status indicating that the job has progressed through the relevant purchase stage.

Q

Quote

The priced offer created from a job design for the customer. Quoting also generates the job's Bill of Materials.

Quote Expiry Date

The date after which a quote is no longer available for acceptance.

Quoted

The status applied after a quote has been created for a job.

Quotec Alert

A message from Quotec displayed at the top of a Quotec page. Alerts may include operational notices or upcoming pricing information.

Quotec Help

The Quotec Help Centre containing product instructions, industry learning material, release notes and related guidance.

Quotec LIVE

Quotec's business platform for designing, pricing, quoting, purchasing and managing steel-building jobs and related information.

Quotec NOW

An extension of a business's Quotec platform that allows prospective customers to create a design through the business's website and submit it for a quote. The submitted customer information and design are saved in the Quotec system.

S

Salesperson

The user recorded as the salesperson for a job. This is separate from the Assigned User, who may change as the job moves through the business.

Service Fee

A Quotec fee associated with the services and documents purchased for a job. Refer to the current Quotec Fee Schedule for applicable charges.

Site Address

The location recorded for the building. Site-specific address information is required for eligible engineering certification; a windspeed and postcode-only job does not provide the same certification pathway.

Supplier

A business that manufactures, supplies or delivers one or more product categories required for a job.

Supplier Confirmation Audit

A comparison of a supplier's confirmation or acknowledgement against the original purchase order to identify differences before manufacturing proceeds.

Supplier Network

The group of suppliers available to support purchasing in Quotec. A business may use Quotec's default supplier network or configured custom supplier arrangements, depending on its account and purchasing structure.

T

Template

A saved job design made available within a Building Category so users can start from a commonly used building rather than a basic default design.

To Do

The Job Management or customer area used to record and assign actions that need to be completed.

W

Windspeed Job

A job created using a design windspeed and postcode instead of a site-specific address. Quotec identifies these as restricted jobs because an engineering certificate is not available through the standard site-specific process.

Steel-Building and Industry Terms

These terms describe common components and processes encountered when designing, engineering, procuring and delivering steel buildings.

A

Apex

The highest point of a gable roof, where the two rafters meet.

Apex Connection

The engineered connection joining the two rafters at the roof apex.

Awning

A roofed projection attached to the side of a building. The available awning options depend on the Building Category and design parameters.

B

Barge Flashing

A flashing used to weatherproof and finish the edge of a roof at a gable end.

Base Plate

A steel plate at the bottom of a column that transfers structural loads into the slab or foundations through the selected connection system.

Bay

The space between adjacent portal frames along the length of a building.

Brace / Bracing

Components used to stabilise the structure and transfer wind or other lateral forces through the building.

C

C Section

A cold-formed steel member with a C-shaped cross-section. C Sections may be used for columns, purlins, girts or other framing applications as determined by the design and engineering.

Carport

An open or partly open building intended to provide vehicle shelter. Available structural and wall options depend on the selected Building Category.

Cladding

Profiled steel sheeting fixed to the roof or walls to provide weather protection and the external finish of the building.

Clear Span

An internal span without intermediate columns, created by the portal-frame structural system.

Column

A primary vertical member in a portal frame. Columns support the rafters and transfer structural loads into the foundations.

Consolidated Delivery

A delivery arrangement in which products from multiple suppliers are brought together before being transported to the final destination.

D

Downpipe

A vertical rainwater component that carries water from a gutter to the drainage or discharge point.

E

Eave

The lower edge of a roof where it extends beyond the wall line.

Eave Purlin

The purlin located at the eave, supporting the roof edge and the related roof or wall connections.

F

Fastener

A fixing used to connect building components, such as screws, bolts, rivets or anchors.

Flashing

A formed metal component that weatherproofs and finishes the junction between building surfaces. Common examples include ridge, barge, apron, corner, head and jamb flashings.

Footing Bracket

A bracket used to connect the building frame to its footing or slab system.

Frame

The structural assembly supporting the building. In a typical portal-frame building, the primary frame includes columns, rafters and their connections.

G

Gable Roof

A roof with two sloping faces that meet at an apex or ridge.

Garage

An enclosed or partly enclosed building commonly designed for vehicle storage or general use.

Girt

A horizontal steel member fixed between columns to support wall cladding and transfer wind loads into the portal frame.

Gutter

A rainwater channel installed at the roof edge to collect water and direct it to downpipes.

K

Knee

The junction between a column and rafter in a portal frame.

Knee Connection

The rigid engineered connection between a column and rafter. It transfers bending forces and helps the frame resist structural loads.

Knee Brace

A diagonal brace near the knee of a frame. In usable-dimension views, its position can affect the clear internal height.

L

Lead Time

The time a supplier requires to confirm, manufacture and make an order available for dispatch or delivery.

Logistics

The planning and coordination of transport, delivery timing, access, unloading and the movement of materials between suppliers, depots and site.

M

Mezzanine

An intermediate floor structure built within a building to create additional usable floor area.

Mullion

A vertical framing member used around wall openings or within a wall-framing arrangement.

O

On-slab Connection

A frame-to-foundation method in which the relevant bracket or base connection is fixed onto the completed concrete slab.

In-slab Connection

A frame-to-foundation method in which the relevant footing or connection components are set into the concrete.

Opening

A configured gap in a wall for access, a door, a window or another approved building feature.

P

PA Door

A personal access door intended for pedestrian entry.

Partition Position

A defined line through a building along which an internal Partition Wall can be added.

Partition Wall

An internal wall added along a Partition Position and running through the relevant length of the building.

Portal Frame

The primary structural frame used in many steel buildings. It is typically formed by two columns and two rafters connected at the knees and apex.

Portal Wall

A wall added across a portal frame of the building.

Purlin

A horizontal roof member spanning between portal frames. Purlins support the roof cladding and transfer roof loads into the rafters.

R

Rafter

An inclined primary structural member that forms the roof of a portal frame and transfers roof loads into the columns.

Rainwater Goods

The group of components used to collect and discharge roof water, including gutters, downpipes and related fittings.

Ridge

The line at the top of a gable roof where the two roof slopes meet.

Roller Door

A door made from a curtain that rolls around a barrel above the opening. Available sizes, motors and accessories depend on the selected product and supplier.

Roof Pitch

The angle or slope of the roof. Available pitches depend on the Building Category and design options.

Roof Sheeting

Profiled steel cladding fixed over the roof structure to provide weather protection and direct water runoff.

S

Shed

A steel building category used for larger enclosed or partly enclosed structures. Available dimensions and design options depend on the configured category and engineering parameters.

Sheeting

Profiled steel used as roof or wall cladding. Sheets are commonly manufactured to project-specific lengths.

SHS

Square Hollow Section, a hollow steel section used for selected columns or other structural applications.

Skillion Roof

A roof with a single continuous slope.

Slab

The concrete base that forms the building floor and supports the relevant structural connections.

Step-Down

A designed change in slab or wall level, commonly used at openings or transitions to manage finished levels and weathering.

W

Wall Sheeting

Profiled steel cladding fixed to wall girts to form the building's external wall surface.

Wind Classification

The engineering classification used to determine the wind actions a building must resist at its site.

Wind Region

A geographic wind-design region used as part of the engineering assessment for a building.

Z

Z Section

A cold-formed steel member with a Z-shaped cross-section, commonly used for purlins and girts.




Need help?

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Phone: (02) 5302 8357

Email: support@quotec.com.au

Help Centre: https://help.quotec.com.au/qud

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