Material Groups are configured in Pipeline LBM (PLBM) and used by the Takeoff workspace. This article explains how Material Groups sync between the Takeoff workspace and PLBM, when changes take effect, and what users should expect when Material Group configuration changes.
PLBM is the source of truth for Material Groups. All Material Group creation, updates, and deletions occur in PLBM. The Takeoff workspace does not create or permanently store Material Groups; it reads them from PLBM.
How the Takeoff workspace receives Material Groups
When a job is opened or refreshed in the Takeoff workspace, the application loads the current Material Group configuration from PLBM.
As a result:
- New Material Groups added in PLBM become available in the Takeoff workspace after refresh.
- Updated Material Group settings are reflected in the Takeoff workspace after refresh.
- The Takeoff workspace uses the latest available configuration when syncing quantities.
Material Group changes take effect in the Takeoff workspace:
- After refreshing the Takeoff workspace.
- Before the next quantity sync to PLBM.
- Without requiring changes to existing takeoff measurements, unless configuration breaks compatibility.
What happens during a quantity sync
When quantities are synced from the Takeoff workspace to PLBM, each measurement is referenced to its associated Material Group. PLBM validates that the Material Group exists and is active before accepting the quantity.
During sync:
- Valid Material Groups allow quantities to sync normally.
- Missing or inactive Material Groups may cause sync errors.
- Updated Material Group configuration may affect how quantities are categorized in PLBM.
What happens when a Material Group is updated
If a Material Group is updated in PLBM:
- The Takeoff workspace reflects the update after refresh.
- Existing takeoff data continues to reference the same Material Group.
- Synced quantities may appear differently in PLBM based on the updated configuration.
What happens when a Material Group is deleted
If a Material Group is deleted in PLBM while still referenced by takeoff data:
- The Takeoff workspace may continue to display the Material Group locally for existing measurements.
- Syncing quantities that reference the deleted group may fail.
- Quantities already synced remain unchanged until a new sync or BOM regeneration occurs.
Common sync scenarios
Adding a new Material Group in PLBM: Refresh the Takeoff workspace to make the group available for new takeoff measurements.
Renaming or reconfiguring a Material Group: Existing measurements remain valid; synced output may change based on new settings.
Deleting a Material Group: Update takeoff data to use an active Material Group before syncing.