Section 1
Overview — What This Manual Covers
The RAB Irrigation Portal uses an Excel-based Bill of Quantities (BoQ) to track both financial progress (Amount, Financial Weight %, Planned vs Actual %) and physical progress (Milestone Weight %, Physical Planned vs Actual %, Variance %) for each irrigation construction site. This manual walks you through every step from downloading the template to confirming the import.
1
Get Template
2
Understand Structure
3
Fill Yellow Cells
4
Add New Rows (if needed)
5
Save as .xlsx
6
Upload in Portal
7
Review Validation
8
Save Site
Key principle: The Excel template has locked formula cells (grey/pink) and editable input cells (yellow). You only type in the yellow cells. Formulas calculate everything else automatically — Amount, Financial Weight %, Physical Actual %, Status, etc.
Prerequisites
- Access to the RAB Irrigation Portal (edit rights)
- A site created under Physical Construction phase
- Microsoft Excel 2013+ or LibreOffice Calc
- Sheet protection password:
RAB2024
Template Facts
- Sheet name:
Construction BoQ - 20 columns A–T, 7 default sections
- 29 pre-filled sample items
- Formula cells locked with
RAB2024 - Columns E, F, M, R, S are user-editable
Roles
Who Does What
Engineer / Quantity Surveyor
Downloads the template → fills in Description (C), Unit (D), Quantity (E), Rate (F), Milestone Wt % (M) for each work item → uploads before construction starts.
Required columns: C, D, E, F, M
Required columns: C, D, E, F, M
Site Supervisor
Opens site in Edit mode → updates Qty Done (column R) regularly to reflect work completed on site → saves to refresh progress dashboards.
Required column: R (and optionally S for remarks)
Required column: R (and optionally S for remarks)
Programme Manager
Reviews the portal's progress dashboards or exports the BOQ to Excel (⬇ Export Excel) to analyse Financial Variance % and Physical Variance % across all sites.
View only: No upload required
View only: No upload required
Step 1
Download the Official Template
Always use the official template. Do not create your own spreadsheet or modify an old CSV. The portal validates the sheet name
Construction BoQ and looks for a header row containing "Description of Work" — a file that doesn't match this will be rejected.
A
Method 1 — From the Template Page (Recommended)
Navigate to boq-template.html
in your browser (or click Get Template in the top navigation of this page).
Optionally fill in the Project Name, Location, Client, and Prepared By fields — these will be pre-filled in the downloaded file's metadata rows.
Click the green "Generate & Download" button. The browser downloads:
Optionally fill in the Project Name, Location, Client, and Prepared By fields — these will be pre-filled in the downloaded file's metadata rows.
Click the green "Generate & Download" button. The browser downloads:
RAB_Irrigation_BoQ_[ProjectName]_[Date].xlsx
B
Method 2 — Directly Inside the Portal (Edit Mode)
- Log in to the RAB Irrigation Portal
- Click the Execution tab → Physical Construction
- Open the target site card → click the ✏ Edit icon
- Scroll down to the "Bill of Quantities (BOQ)" section
- Click the blue "↓ Excel Template" link next to the Import button
The downloaded template will include the site name and area pre-filled in the metadata rows.
C
Verify the Download
Open the file in Excel. Confirm you see:
- ✅ Sheet tab named Construction BoQ
- ✅ Row 1: Merged title "CONSTRUCTION BILL OF QUANTITIES (BoQ)"
- ✅ Rows 3–7: Metadata (Project Name, Location, Client, etc.)
- ✅ Row 9: Column headers (S.No, WBS Code, Description of Work…)
- ✅ Row 10 onwards: Section heading rows (bold dark) + item rows with yellow cells
- ✅ A second sheet tab named Instructions
Step 2
Understanding the Template Structure
Before filling in any data, it is important to understand the layout of the template so you know exactly which cells you can edit and what each column does.
Visual layout of the Construction BoQ sheet:
| # | A | B | C | D | E ★ | F ★ | G | H | I | J | K | L | M ★ | N | O | P | Q | R ★ | S | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CONSTRUCTION BILL OF QUANTITIES (BoQ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Project tracking template — Rwanda Agriculture Board | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Project Name: | Karangazi Rwangingo Irrigation | Client: | RAB | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Location: | Eastern Province | Date: | 2026-04-11 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5–8 | Prepared by · Ref No. · [more metadata] | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | S.No | WBS Code | Description of Work | Unit | Qty ★ | Rate ★ | Amount | Fin.Wt% | Fin.Cum% | Fin.Plan% | Fin.Act% | Fin.Var% | Mlstn% ★ | Phy.Cum% | Phy.Plan% | Phy.Act% | Phy.Var% | Qty Done ★ | Remarks | Status |
| 10 | 1. PRELIMINARY & GENERAL | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 1 | 1.1 | Site Clearing & Prep | LS | 1 | 150,000 | =E11*F11 | 0.66% | 0.66% | 0.66% | 0.00% | -0.66% | 2.5 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0.00% | -2.5% | 0 | Not Started | |
| 12 | 2 | 1.2 | Mobilisation | LS | 1 | 200,000 | =E12*F12 | 0.88% | … | … | … | … | 3.0 | … | … | … | … | 0 | Not Started | |
| … | … more item rows … | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sub-Total Section 1: Frw 425,000 | Financial Wt 1.86% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. SUBSTRUCTURE | ||||||||||||||||||||
| … | … Sections 2–7 follow the same pattern … | |||||||||||||||||||
| 47 | GRAND TOTAL | 22,802,600 | 100% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
| 48–58 | Progress Summary · Financial Check · Milestone Wt Check: ✅ Valid (100%) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 59–62 | Input guidance: Milestone Wt % must total 100% · Status legend | |||||||||||||||||||
Column colour guide — what each colour means:
A–BAuto
C–DEditable
E🟡 Qty
F🟡 Rate
G🔒 Amount
H🔒 Fin.Wt%
I🔒 Fin.Cum
J🔒 Fin.Plan
K🔒 Fin.Act
L🔒 Fin.Var
M🟡 Mlstn%
N🔒 Phy.Cum
O🔒 Phy.Plan
P🔒 Phy.Act
Q🔒 Phy.Var
R🟡 Qty Done
SRemarks
T🔒 Status
Yellow = User input required
Pink/Red = Locked formula — do not edit
Blue = Editable (Description, Unit, Remarks)
Purple = Auto-generated (S.No, WBS Code)
The 7 Default BOQ Sections:
1 Preliminary & General
2 Substructure
3 Superstructure
4 Finishing
5 Doors, Windows & Ventilators
6 Electrical Works
7 Plumbing & Sanitary
Do not rename or reorder section heading rows. The portal matches items to sections by reading the heading text. If a heading does not match one of the 7 built-in sections, items under it will be skipped during import.
Step 3
Fill In the Yellow Input Cells
The template is sheet-protected with password RAB2024. Only the yellow cells and the Description/Unit/Remarks columns accept input. Clicking a locked cell will show Excel's protection warning — just close it and click a yellow cell instead.
1
Column C — Description of Work ✏ Editable
The pre-filled descriptions (e.g. "Site Clearing & Preparation") can be renamed to
match your project's exact work item names.
• Keep descriptions concise and clear
• Do not leave the Description blank for any row you want imported — the importer skips rows with an empty column C
• Section heading rows (bold, dark background) must keep their numbered prefix intact (e.g.
• Keep descriptions concise and clear
• Do not leave the Description blank for any row you want imported — the importer skips rows with an empty column C
• Section heading rows (bold, dark background) must keep their numbered prefix intact (e.g.
1. PRELIMINARY & GENERAL)
2
Column D — Unit ✏ Editable
Enter the unit of measure for the work item.
Common units:
Common units:
LS (Lump Sum), Cum (cubic metres), Sqm (square metres),
Nos (number), Rmt (running metres), Kg, Points, Set
3
Column E — Quantity 🟡 Required Input
Enter the contracted quantity for each work item.
• Numbers only — no commas, units or symbols (enter
• Use
• Leave as
• Must be zero or positive — negative values will cause a validation error
• Numbers only — no commas, units or symbols (enter
850 not 850 m³)• Use
1 for lump-sum items (LS)• Leave as
0 if quantity is not yet confirmed (can be updated later)• Must be zero or positive — negative values will cause a validation error
✅ Example: Row 15 — Excavation in soft rock →
850 Cum
4
Column F — Rate 🟡 Required Input
Enter the unit rate in Rwandan Francs (Frw).
• Numbers only — no currency symbols, no commas (enter
• Must be zero or positive
• Column G (Amount) automatically calculates as
• Numbers only — no currency symbols, no commas (enter
8500 not Frw 8,500)• Must be zero or positive
• Column G (Amount) automatically calculates as
E × F — you don't need to enter it
✅ Example: Rate
450 Frw/Cum × Qty 850 = Amount 382,500 Frw (calculated automatically)
5
Column M — Milestone Weight % 🟡 Critical Input
Enter the physical progress weight for each work item as a percentage of the total project.
• Numbers only — do NOT type the
• Enter
• Valid range: 0 to 100 per item
• ALL Milestone Wt % values across ALL items MUST total exactly 100
• Numbers only — do NOT type the
% symbol• Enter
5.25 to mean 5.25%• Valid range: 0 to 100 per item
• ALL Milestone Wt % values across ALL items MUST total exactly 100
Before uploading, check the Progress Summary block at the bottom of the sheet (around row 48–58). It shows a cell labelled "Milestone Weight Check:" — it must display
✅ Valid (100%). If it shows ❌ Invalid, adjust your M values before uploading.
6
Column R — Qty Done Optional at initial upload
Enter the actual quantity of work completed to date.
• Typically filled by the site supervisor during construction, not at initial setup
• Leave blank or enter
• Cannot exceed the contracted Quantity in column E
• Drives columns K (Fin.Actual%), L (Fin.Variance%), P (Phy.Actual%), Q (Phy.Variance%), and T (Status)
• Typically filled by the site supervisor during construction, not at initial setup
• Leave blank or enter
0 if no work has started — all progress will read 0%• Cannot exceed the contracted Quantity in column E
• Drives columns K (Fin.Actual%), L (Fin.Variance%), P (Phy.Actual%), Q (Phy.Variance%), and T (Status)
7
Column S — Remarks Optional
Free-text notes per item: supplier reference, drawing number, site observation, delay reason, etc.
No format restriction. Maximum 200 characters recommended.
No format restriction. Maximum 200 characters recommended.
Columns C and D (Description and Unit) are editable but not mandatory to change — the pre-filled values work for standard construction projects. Columns A (S.No) and B (WBS Code) are auto-generated and cannot be edited.
Step 4 (if needed)
Adding New Work Items (New Rows)
The sheet is protected by default. You must unprotect it first before inserting rows. Password:
RAB2024. Remember to re-protect after adding rows.
1
Unprotect the Sheet
In Microsoft Excel: Click the Review tab → click Unprotect Sheet → type
In LibreOffice Calc: Click Tools menu → Protect Sheet → type
In Google Sheets: Sheet protection is not enforced — be especially careful not to overwrite formula cells.
RAB2024 → click OK.In LibreOffice Calc: Click Tools menu → Protect Sheet → type
RAB2024 → click OK.In Google Sheets: Sheet protection is not enforced — be especially careful not to overwrite formula cells.
2
Click an Existing Item Row Inside the Target Section
Find the section where you want to add the new item (e.g. "2. SUBSTRUCTURE").
Click the row number of an existing item row within that section (not the section heading row, not the sub-total row).
Right-click → Insert. A new blank row appears above your selected row.
Click the row number of an existing item row within that section (not the section heading row, not the sub-total row).
Right-click → Insert. A new blank row appears above your selected row.
Critical: Never insert a row between two sections, below the Grand Total row, or in the Progress Summary block. The SUM formulas reference fixed row ranges. Always insert rows inside a section block.
3
Copy Formulas from the Adjacent Row
1. Click the row above the newly inserted blank row (an existing item row).
2. Press Ctrl+C to copy.
3. Click the blank row number to select the entire new row.
4. In Excel: Right-click → Paste Special → Formulas (keyboard: Ctrl+Alt+V, then select Formulas, click OK).
This copies all formula columns (B, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P, Q, T) into the new row. Column B (WBS Code) uses
2. Press Ctrl+C to copy.
3. Click the blank row number to select the entire new row.
4. In Excel: Right-click → Paste Special → Formulas (keyboard: Ctrl+Alt+V, then select Formulas, click OK).
This copies all formula columns (B, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P, Q, T) into the new row. Column B (WBS Code) uses
ROW() so it auto-updates its number.
4
Fill In the New Row's Data
Now enter data in the editable columns for the new row:
After adding rows, check the Progress Summary block to verify the Milestone Wt % total is still 100%.
C — Description of Work
D — Unit
E 🟡 — Quantity
F 🟡 — Rate (Frw)
M 🟡 — Milestone Wt %
R 🟡 — Qty Done (optional)
After adding rows, check the Progress Summary block to verify the Milestone Wt % total is still 100%.
5
Re-protect the Sheet
In Excel: Review tab → Protect Sheet → type
In LibreOffice: Tools → Protect Sheet → enter
This restores protection so formula cells remain locked.
RAB2024 → ensure "Select unlocked cells" is checked → OK.In LibreOffice: Tools → Protect Sheet → enter
RAB2024 → OK.This restores protection so formula cells remain locked.
Step 5
Save the File in Excel Format (.xlsx)
1
Save as .xlsx (Excel Workbook)
Press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac).
If Excel asks whether to keep the current format, click "Keep Current Format" or "Yes".
In LibreOffice Calc:
File → Save As → change File type to "Microsoft Excel 2007-365 (.xlsx)" → Save.
In Google Sheets:
File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
If Excel asks whether to keep the current format, click "Keep Current Format" or "Yes".
In LibreOffice Calc:
File → Save As → change File type to "Microsoft Excel 2007-365 (.xlsx)" → Save.
In Google Sheets:
File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
2
File Naming Convention (Recommended)
Use a clear, consistent name so you can find and track versions:
RAB_BoQ_KarangaziRwangingo_2026-04-11.xlsx
Do NOT save as .csv, .ods, .xls (old Excel 97-2003), or any other format. The portal's importer only accepts
.xlsx and .xls files with the Construction BoQ sheet intact. Saving as CSV will strip all formulas and the sheet name, making the file unreadable by the portal.
Step 6
Upload the File in the Portal
1
Open the Correct Site in Edit Mode
Navigate in the portal:
- Click the Execution tab in the top navigation
- Click the Physical Construction sub-tab
- Find your site card (e.g. "Karangazi Rwangingo")
- Click the ✏ Edit (pencil) icon on the top-right of the site card
The BOQ Import button only appears in Edit Mode. In View Mode you will see the Export button instead.
2
Scroll to the BOQ Section
Inside the Edit panel, scroll down until you see the "Bill of Quantities (BOQ)" section header.
You will see the following interface:
You will see the following interface:
1. PRELIMINARY & GENERAL
Item 1.1 Site Clearing & Prep Qty: 1 LS · Rate: 150,000 Frw
Item 1.2 Mobilisation Qty: 1 LS · Rate: 200,000 Frw
Save Site Cancel
3
Click "⬆ Import Excel" and Select Your File
Click the orange "⬆ Import Excel" button.
Your operating system's file browser dialog opens.
Navigate to where you saved the filled-in
Your operating system's file browser dialog opens.
Navigate to where you saved the filled-in
.xlsx file → select it → click Open.
Privacy note: The file is read entirely in your browser. No data is uploaded to an external server. The parsing happens locally using the SheetJS library.
4
Wait for the Validation Report (1–2 seconds)
The portal reads and validates the Excel file instantly. A Validation Report modal appears within 1–2 seconds. See Step 7 for how to read it.
Step 7
Read the Validation Report
After selecting the file, a modal dialog appears showing the result of the portal's validation checks. There are three possible outcomes:
All Clear — Green Header
No errors found. Shows the number of rows ready to import.
Click "✓ Import N Rows" to proceed.
Click "✓ Import N Rows" to proceed.
Warnings — Orange Header
Minor issues found (e.g. Milestone % total ≠ 100%, unusual date). Import can still proceed.
Review the warning list. Click "✓ Import Anyway" to continue.
Review the warning list. Click "✓ Import Anyway" to continue.
Errors — Red Header
Critical problems that block import (wrong file, negative values, no data).
Fix the errors in Excel, save, and re-import.
Fix the errors in Excel, save, and re-import.
Example Validation Modal — Green (Success):
BOQ Validation Report — 27 rows ready
✅ No errors found. File matches the RAB template format.
- Sheet:
Construction BoQ— ✅ Found - Header row: Row 9 — ✅ Found
- Data rows: 27 valid items across 7 sections
- Grand Total: Frw 22,802,600
✓ Import 27 Rows
Cancel
Example Validation Modal — Red (Error):
BOQ Validation Failed — 2 errors
❌ Please fix the errors below in your Excel file and re-import.
- Row 15, Col E: Quantity cannot be negative (value: -50)
- Row 22, Col M: Milestone Wt % out of range 0–100 (value: 150)
Close
Safe to retry: Clicking Cancel or closing the modal makes no changes to the site data. You can re-import as many times as needed before clicking Save Site. Each re-import replaces the previous import in the edit session.
Step 8
Confirm Import and Save the Site
1
Click "✓ Import N Rows" in the Validation Modal
After confirming the validation report shows no blocking errors,
click the green "✓ Import N Rows" button.
The modal closes and the BOQ tables in the edit panel are populated with your data. A green toast notification confirms:
The modal closes and the BOQ tables in the edit panel are populated with your data. A green toast notification confirms:
✅ 27 BOQ rows imported from RAB Excel template.
2
Review the Imported Data in the Edit Panel
Scroll through the BOQ table to verify the imported rows are correct:
You can still manually edit any individual cell in the BOQ table at this point before saving.
- Section headings match the 7 sections (Preliminary, Substructure, etc.)
- Descriptions match your Excel entries
- Quantities and rates match what you entered
- Progress columns show expected calculated values
You can still manually edit any individual cell in the BOQ table at this point before saving.
3
Click "✓ Save Site"
Scroll to the bottom of the edit panel and click the green "✓ Save Site" button.
The site card switches back to View Mode and the imported BOQ is now visible under the View tab.
Critical reminder: Importing rows does not automatically save them. You must click Save Site to persist the BOQ data to the database. If you close the edit panel or navigate away without saving, all imported data is lost.
After saving, a green toast appears:
✅ Site saved successfully.
The site card switches back to View Mode and the imported BOQ is now visible under the View tab.
Reference
Full Column Reference (A – T)
Complete description of all 20 columns in the Construction BoQ sheet:
| Col | Name | Type | Formula / Rule | Imported? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | S.No | 🔢 Auto | Sequential item number, auto-incremented | Ignored |
| B | WBS Code (Auto) | 🔒 Formula | "N."&(ROW()−secRow) — auto WBS numbering by section |
Read only |
| C | Description of Work | ✏ Editable | Item description — section heading rows must keep N. SECTION NAME format |
✅ Imported |
| D | Unit | ✏ Editable | LS, Cum, Sqm, Nos, Rmt, Kg, Points, Set… | ✅ Imported |
| E | Quantity | 🟡 Input | Contracted quantity — must be ≥ 0, numbers only | ✅ Imported |
| F | Rate (Frw) | 🟡 Input | Unit rate in Rwandan Francs — must be ≥ 0, numbers only | ✅ Imported |
| G | Amount (Frw) | 🔒 Formula | =E×F |
Recalculated |
| H | Fin. Wt (%) | 🔒 Formula | =IF(GrandTotal=0, 0, G÷GrandTotal) |
Recalculated |
| I | Fin. Cum (%) | 🔒 Formula | Running cumulative sum of H — shows planned S-curve position | Recalculated |
| J | Fin. Planned (%) | 🔒 Formula | =I — baseline plan equal to cumulative financial weight |
Recalculated |
| K | Fin. Actual (%) | 🔒 Formula | =IF(OR(R="",E=0), 0, (R÷E)×H) |
Recalculated |
| L | Fin. Variance (%) | 🔒 Formula | =K−J — positive means ahead of plan |
Recalculated |
| M | Milestone Wt (%) | 🟡 Input | Physical weight — all items must sum to exactly 100 | ✅ Imported |
| N | Phy. Cum (%) | 🔒 Formula | =IF(M="", 0, M) |
Recalculated |
| O | Phy. Planned (%) | 🔒 Formula | =N — baseline physical plan |
Recalculated |
| P | Phy. Actual (%) | 🔒 Formula | =IF(OR(R="",E=0,M=""), 0, (R÷E)×M) |
Recalculated |
| Q | Phy. Variance (%) | 🔒 Formula | =IF(M="", "", P−O) |
Recalculated |
| R | Qty Done | 🟡 Input | Actual quantity completed on site — drives all progress columns | ✅ Imported |
| S | Remarks | ✏ Editable | Free text notes — optional | ✅ Imported |
| T | Status | 🔒 Formula | Not Started / In Progress / Complete / Behind / Delayed=IF(R="","Not Started", IF(P=100,"Complete", IF(P=0,"Not Started", IF(L<-5,"Delayed","In Progress")))) |
Recalculated |
"Recalculated" columns (G, H–L, N–Q, T) are read by the portal from the Excel file but their values are re-derived in the portal from the imported Qty (E), Rate (F), Milestone Wt (M) and Qty Done (R) — so any formula errors in Excel don't carry over.
Troubleshooting
Common Validation Errors & How to Fix Them
| Error / Warning Message | Likely Cause | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
Only .xlsx / .xls files are accepted |
File was saved as CSV (.csv), ODS, or plain text | Re-save in Excel as "Excel Workbook (.xlsx)" |
No matching sheet found ("Construction BoQ") |
The sheet tab was renamed or you uploaded the wrong file | Download a fresh template — do not rename the Construction BoQ tab |
Header row with "Description" not found |
Row 9 column headers were deleted or heavily modified | Download a fresh template and do not delete the header row |
Quantity cannot be negative (row X) |
A negative number was entered in column E | Open the file → go to row X, column E → change to a positive number or 0 |
Rate cannot be negative (row X) |
A negative number was entered in column F | Open the file → go to row X, column F → change to a positive number or 0 |
Milestone Wt X out of range 0–100 (row X) |
A value greater than 100 or less than 0 was entered in column M | Correct the milestone weight value to be between 0 and 100 |
⚠ Milestone Wt total = X% (expected 100%) |
Column M values don't add up to 100 — this is a warning, not a blocking error | Adjust M values so they total exactly 100; check the Progress Summary block at the sheet bottom |
No valid data rows found |
All item rows have empty Description (column C) or only section heading rows exist | Ensure at least one work item row has a description in column C |
Excel library (SheetJS) not loaded |
The portal page loaded without internet access — SheetJS CDN not available | Refresh the portal page with a working internet connection and try again |
Failed to read Excel file: [error detail] |
File is corrupted, password-protected (beyond sheet protection), or an unsupported .xls variant | Re-save from Excel as "Excel Workbook (.xlsx)" — not "Excel 97-2003 (.xls)" |
| Items are skipped / appear in wrong section | Section heading row text was modified and no longer matches the expected pattern | Restore section headings to match N. SECTION NAME format exactly (e.g. 1. PRELIMINARY & GENERAL) |
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import the same file more than once?
Yes. Each import replaces the current BOQ rows shown in the edit panel.
No data is permanently changed until you click Save Site.
You can re-import as many times as needed to correct mistakes before saving.
What happens to data I already saved in the portal BOQ?
Importing from Excel overwrites the current BOQ rows in the edit view.
This only affects the current unsaved edit session — if you click Cancel instead of Save Site,
the original saved data is preserved. If you want to keep existing portal data,
export a backup first using the ⬇ Export Excel button in View Mode before re-importing.
Why can't I type in certain cells in Excel?
Grey/pink cells contain formulas that are locked by sheet protection (password:
RAB2024).
This is intentional — editing formulas would corrupt the financial and physical progress calculations.
Only the yellow cells (E, F, M, R) and blue cells (C, D, S) accept input.
If you need to add new rows, unprotect first (Review → Unprotect Sheet → RAB2024),
insert rows, copy formulas, then re-protect.
The Milestone Weight Check shows "❌ Invalid" — what should I do?
All values in Column M across all item rows must add up to exactly 100.
To diagnose:
1. Scroll to the Progress Summary block at the bottom of the sheet (rows 48–58).
2. Look for the cell next to "Milestone Weight Check:" — it shows the current total.
3. Adjust individual M values until the indicator changes to "✅ Valid (100%)".
Tip: Add a helper cell (e.g. in column V) with
1. Scroll to the Progress Summary block at the bottom of the sheet (rows 48–58).
2. Look for the cell next to "Milestone Weight Check:" — it shows the current total.
3. Adjust individual M values until the indicator changes to "✅ Valid (100%)".
Tip: Add a helper cell (e.g. in column V) with
=SUM(M11:M46) to track your running total as you work.
Which sections does the portal recognise from the Excel file?
The importer reads section heading rows in the template and matches them to the portal's built-in sections.
The 7 recognised sections and their required heading text are:
Items under a heading that doesn't match any of the above will be skipped during import.
| Excel Heading Row (must match exactly) | Portal Section |
|---|---|
1. PRELIMINARY & GENERAL | Preliminary & General |
2. SUBSTRUCTURE | Substructure |
3. SUPERSTRUCTURE | Superstructure |
4. FINISHING | Finishing |
5. DOORS, WINDOWS & VENTILATORS | Doors, Windows & Ventilators |
6. ELECTRICAL WORKS | Electrical Works |
7. PLUMBING & SANITARY | Plumbing & Sanitary |
Items under a heading that doesn't match any of the above will be skipped during import.
Can I use Google Sheets instead of Microsoft Excel?
Partially. You can open the template in Google Sheets and fill in the yellow cells.
However:
• The sheet protection is not enforced in Google Sheets — be careful not to edit formula cells
• When exporting: File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
• Do NOT export as CSV or ODS
• Some number formats may round slightly — verify totals look correct after importing
• The sheet protection is not enforced in Google Sheets — be careful not to edit formula cells
• When exporting: File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
• Do NOT export as CSV or ODS
• Some number formats may round slightly — verify totals look correct after importing
Can I add entirely new sections beyond the default 7?
The portal maps imported items to its 7 built-in BOQ sections.
If an Excel section heading does not match any of the 7 portal sections,
those items will be skipped during import.
To add a custom section, contact your system administrator to have it added
to the portal configuration.
How do I export the current BOQ from the portal back to Excel?
In View Mode of any site card, scroll to the BOQ section and click
"⬇ Export Excel". This downloads a fully formatted Excel file
with all current BOQ data including formula columns — useful as an audit trail or backup before re-importing.
How do I update progress data after the initial import?
Option 1 — Re-import the Excel file:
1. Export the current BOQ as Excel (⬇ Export Excel in View Mode)
2. Open the file → update Qty Done (column R) for completed items
3. Save as .xlsx → go to Edit Mode → click ⬆ Import Excel → select the updated file → confirm → Save Site
Option 2 — Update directly in the portal:
In Edit Mode, scroll to the BOQ section → click the individual row's edit icon → update the Qty Done field → Save Site.
1. Export the current BOQ as Excel (⬇ Export Excel in View Mode)
2. Open the file → update Qty Done (column R) for completed items
3. Save as .xlsx → go to Edit Mode → click ⬆ Import Excel → select the updated file → confirm → Save Site
Option 2 — Update directly in the portal:
In Edit Mode, scroll to the BOQ section → click the individual row's edit icon → update the Qty Done field → Save Site.
Quick Reference
At-a-Glance Summary Cards
Always Do This
- Download a fresh template for each project
- Enter numbers only in E, F, M, R (no symbols)
- Ensure Column M totals exactly 100%
- Save as
.xlsxbefore uploading - Click Save Site after confirming import
- Verify the toast confirmation appears
Never Do This
- Edit formula cells (G, H–L, N–Q, T)
- Rename the "Construction BoQ" sheet tab
- Delete the header row (row 9)
- Save as .csv, .ods, or old .xls format
- Insert rows outside section blocks
- Navigate away without clicking Save Site
Passwords & Commands
- Sheet protection password:
RAB2024 - Unprotect: Review → Unprotect Sheet
- Re-protect after adding rows
- Save file: Ctrl+S (Win) / Cmd+S (Mac)
Useful Links
Which columns do I fill in? — Summary:
| Column | Name | Who Fills It | When | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Description of Work | Engineer / QS | Initial setup | Recommended |
| D | Unit | Engineer / QS | Initial setup | Optional |
| E | Quantity | Engineer / QS | Initial setup | 🟡 Required |
| F | Rate (Frw) | Engineer / QS | Initial setup | 🟡 Required |
| M | Milestone Wt % | Engineer / QS | Initial setup — must total 100 | 🟡 Critical |
| R | Qty Done | Site Supervisor | During execution (periodic updates) | Optional at start |
| S | Remarks | Anyone | Any time | Optional |
Role Responsibilities Summary:
📐 Engineer / QS: Downloads template → fills C, D, E, F, M → verifies Column M totals 100% → uploads before construction starts.
🦺 Site Supervisor: Opens site in Edit Mode → re-imports Excel with updated Qty Done (column R) → saves site to update progress dashboards.
👁 Programme Manager: Exports the BOQ (⬇ Export Excel) or reviews portal dashboard to track Financial Variance % and Physical Variance % per site.
📐 Engineer / QS: Downloads template → fills C, D, E, F, M → verifies Column M totals 100% → uploads before construction starts.
🦺 Site Supervisor: Opens site in Edit Mode → re-imports Excel with updated Qty Done (column R) → saves site to update progress dashboards.
👁 Programme Manager: Exports the BOQ (⬇ Export Excel) or reviews portal dashboard to track Financial Variance % and Physical Variance % per site.