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Craftsman Book Integration Guide

Learn to import Craftsman Book cost data your estimate. See how to add categories, cost items, and cost details, and replace existing costs with localized Craftsman Book values.


This guide walks through exactly how the Craftsman Book integration works and how to use it step by step inside an estimate. The integration allows you to bring third party estimating data directly into your estimates, including item descriptions, unit costs, quantities, and location adjusted pricing.

Benefits

  • Reduce manual entry by importing ready-made cost items and details.

  • Standardize estimates using published Craftsman Book data.

  • Localize prices using postal-code area modifiers.

  • Speed up estimate setup by importing full category structures.

Table of Contents

  5. Replacing Cost from Craftsman Book on a cost item -OR- cost detail row 

Where You See Craftsman Book in Ressio

In the estimate interface, the add button has been updated to a dropdown menu. The standard add behavior still exists, but you now have additional options that allow you to pull in data from Craftsman Book. The add function still works the same way as before when creating categories manually.

The main difference is the ability to add data from Craftsman Book Company.

How to Add From Craftsman Book

  1. Open your project Estimate

  2. Select the dropdown menu next to the 'Add' button

  3. Choose the option to "Add from Craftsman Book"

  4. Choose the preferred catalog

    ⚠️ We recommend using  the "2026 Renovation & Insurance Repair" for best results.

  5. Hit 'Next'


  6. Choose Category (with search)

  7. You have the choice to you localized pricing by postal code before selecting your cost codes.

    1. The system pre-populates the postal code to fetch localized prices.

    2. Remove or change the postal code to see different area-modified costs.

      Screenshot 2026-01-30 at 5.41.30 PM

  8. Select as many cost items as you would like and decide what information you would like to include by checking and un-checking boxes. Hit 'Complete'.


  9. Select the matched category to preview available items in your estimate.



🗒️ Import brings in a three-level structure (category → cost item → cost detail) that mirrors the Craftsman Book layout.

🎓 You can still add a category manually by hitting the "Add" button or using the drop down and selecting "Add category" in the drop down. To learn more about Estimating in Ressio, read "The Ressio estimate - an overview".

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Add Children or Cost Items to Existing Category

You have the option of adding cost items to an existing category in you Estimate without creating a new category. Follow these steps:

  1. Right click on the category

  2. Choose "Add children from Craftsman Book" 

  3. Follow the same selection process

  • When adding to a cost item, select only cost details (the UI restricts selection accordingly).

Add Cost Details to a Cost Item from Craftsman Book

  1. Right-click or open actions menu on a cost item row

  2. Select "Add cost details from Craftsman Book"

  3. Follow the same selection process

  4. Cost details inserted as children of the selected cost item

💡When you are on a cost item, it will only allow you to insert cost details.


Replacing Cost from Craftsman Book on a cost item -OR- cost detail row

  1. Right-click or open actions menu on a cost item or cost detail row

  2. Select "Fetch cost from Craftsman Book"

     3.   Search for your selection

     4.   Regional pricing (based on project ZIP) applied to the selected item

     5.   Hit 'Complete' and the new subtotal cost will show up on your estimate under "Unit                 cost"



⚠️ Replacing a cost overwrites the current value (example: $123 replaced by the sum from selected Craftsman entries in the gif above).

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If you have any questions or need further assistance, contact our support team at support@ressiosoftware.com. We're here to help!