Sales estimate tool with alternate estimating

Abstract

A method for providing an estimate for a defined building control system comprises displaying on a user interface a plurality of areas for the defined building control system. The method further comprises associating a plurality of subsystems of the defined building control system with the plurality of areas, each of the plurality of subsystems associated with a defined plurality of building automation components in a database, the plurality of subsystems including a first subsystem and a second subsystem both associated with one area of the plurality of areas. Both the first subsystem and the second subsystem are displayed on the user interface in association with the one area. A cost estimate for the defined building control system is generated based at least in part on the first subsystem and not based on the second subsystem.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing an estimate for a defined building control system, the method comprising:
 displaying on a user interface a plurality of areas for the defined building control system;   associating a plurality of subsystems of the defined building control system with the plurality of areas, each of the plurality of subsystems associated with a plurality of building automation components in a database, the plurality of subsystems including a first subsystem and a second subsystem both associated with one area of the plurality of areas;   displaying the first subsystem and the second subsystem on the user interface in association with the one area; and   generating a cost estimate for the defined building control system, the cost estimate based at least in part on the first subsystem and not based on the second subsystem.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user interface includes a screen and the plurality of areas are displayed as a list of areas on a first portion of the screen. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein each of the plurality of areas and each of the plurality of subsystems are associated with a selection option on the first portion of the screen, the method further comprising selecting the one area with the associated selection option, selecting the first subsystem with the associated selection option, and deselecting the second subsystem with the associated selection option, the second subsystem still displayed on the user interface in association with the one area after the second subsystem is deselected. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the selection option is a toggle option associated with each of the plurality of subsystems and each of the plurality of areas, the toggle option configured to be alternately selected or deselected. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing an indication on the user interface that the first subsystem is included in the cost estimate and the second subsystem is not included in the cost estimate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cost estimate is a first cost estimate, the method further comprising unselecting the first subsystem, selecting the second subsystem, and generating a second cost estimate based at least in part on the second subsystem and not based on the first subsystem. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of areas includes a first area and a second area, wherein the cost estimate for the defined building control system is based at least in part on the subsystems associated with the first area and not based on the subsystems associated with the second area. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first subsystem and the second subsystem remain displayed on the user interface in association with the one area following generation of the cost estimate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first subsystem and the second subsystem are displayed in a defined arrangement, the method further comprising selecting the first subsystem with an associated first selection option and deselecting the second subsystem with an associated second selection option, the second subsystem still displayed on the user interface in association with the one area after it is deselected without changing a defined arrangement of the first subsystem and the second subsystem. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the first subsystem with an associated first selection option and deselecting the second subsystem with an associated second selection option, the second subsystem still displayed on the user interface in association with the one area after it is deselected and after the cost estimate for the defined building control system is generated. 
     
     
         11 . A computer readable medium including instructions for controlling a computer system to provide an estimate for a defined building automation system, by:
 displaying on a user interface a plurality of areas for the defined building automation system;   associating a plurality of subsystems of the defined building automation system with the plurality of areas, each of the plurality of subsystems associated with a plurality of building automation components in a database, the plurality of subsystems including a first subsystem and a second subsystem both associated with one area of the plurality of areas;   displaying the first subsystem and the second subsystem on the user interface in association with the one area; and   generating a cost estimate for the defined building automation system, the cost estimate based at least in part on the first subsystem and not based on the second subsystem.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the user interface includes a screen and the plurality of areas are displayed as a list of areas on a first portion of the screen, and wherein the plurality of subsystems are displayed on the first portion of the screen with the associated plurality of areas. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein each of the plurality of areas and each of the plurality of subsystems are associated with a selection option on the first portion of the screen, the computer readable medium further including instructions for controlling a computer system by allowing a user to select the one area with the associated selection option, allowing the user to select the first subsystem with the associated selection option, allowing the user to deselect the second subsystem with the associated selection option, and continuing to display the second subsystem on the user interface in association with the one area after the second subsystem is deselected. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the selection option associated with each of the plurality of subsystems and each of the plurality of areas is a toggle option configured to be alternately selected or deselected. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  including instructions for controlling a computer system by providing an indication on the user interface that the first subsystem is included in the cost estimate and the second subsystem is not included in the cost estimate. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the cost estimate is a first cost estimate, the computer readable medium further including instructions for controlling a computer system by allowing a user to unselect the first subsystem and select the second subsystem, and generating a second cost estimate based at least in part on the second subsystem and not based on the first subsystem. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein one of the plurality of areas includes a first area and a second area, wherein the cost estimate for the defined building automation system is based at least in part on the subsystems associated with the first area and not based on the subsystems associated with the second area. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the first subsystem and the second subsystem remain displayed on the user interface in association with the one area following generation of the cost estimate. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18  wherein the plurality of areas and the plurality of subsystems are displayed on the user interface in a defined arrangement, the computer readable medium further including instructions for controlling a computer system by allowing a user to select the first subsystem with an associated first selection option and deselect the second subsystem with an associated second selection option, the second subsystem still displayed on the user interface in association with the one area after it is deselected without changing the defined arrangement of the first subsystem and the second subsystem. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  further including instructions for controlling a computer system by allowing a user to select the first subsystem with an associated first selection option and deselect the second subsystem with an associated second selection option, the second subsystem still displayed on the user interface in association with the one area after it is deselected and after the cost estimate for the defined building automation system is generated.