Recognizing a need for high quality and precise construction estimating and scheduling software, in 1989 Sonoran Software, llc began writing Excel® v1.0.5 macros directing the calculations on Excel® spread sheets. This approach produced working templates much more quickly than writing a new application which would run on across the most popular platforms. As Microsoft® developed Excel®, and Office® to it's current versions, the applications have proven to be  excellent bases for this process.

"Developers have been able to build custom solutions based on the applications in Microsoft® Office for a long time. Each new version of Office brings new tools and technologies that make it easier to develop and deliver custom Office-based solutions. As companies have standardized on the Office suite of applications, users have become more and more famaliar with these applicaitons, and developers have learned to take advantage of the Office tools and technologies to create customized and integrated solutions on top of the Office suite of applications. These are solutions designed to improve users' ability to gather, analyze, customize, publish, and share information."

"Office solution development is typically the process of customizing an Office application to perform some function or service. Developing an Office solution can range from writing a simple Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) procedure to creating a sophisticated financial analysis and reporting application . . .An 'Office solution' is an application that uses an Office application or component as part of its overall architecture."

Large corporations have VBA programmers on their staff. "More than 40 million people regularly use Office to get their work done. Building solutions based on the Office platform enables developers to target this large base of users." - pp 17 & 18. "Microsoft Office 2000/Visual Basic Programmer's Guide"

SONORAN SOFTWARE, LLC, provides powerful and precise "Microsoft Office® Solutions" for Excel®, version 2.2 - 5.0, Office® 2000, For Macintosh® and Windows95® & Windows98®; conceptual estimators and residential home energy analysis for Architects and Home Owners. For General Contractors, commercial and residential estimators, bidding, job costing, scheduling and subcontract negotiating templates. For Framing and Masonry Contractors, precise carpentry and masonry material and labor estimators, decision making "Smart.Solutionsô" providing many of the abilities of a human estimator.

Visual Basic®, Microsoft Office®, Microsoft Excel®, Windows95® and Windows98® are owned by the Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh® is owned by Apple Computer, Inc. The "CSI Scope Lists" have been adopted from the Construction Specifications Institute. "MASTERFORMAT, Master List of Titles and Numbers for the Construction Industry" is owned by the Construction Specifications Institute. Sonoran Softwareô, llc, Products, Trademarks, Tradenames and logos are protected by Copyright, © 1989-2002, R. Robert Barfoot, all rights reserved. Sonoran Software©, llc, and template names are commercial trade marks in use as of April 1990 and owned by Sonoran Software©, llc. <www.sonoran-software.com> is the registered domain name for Sonoran Software©, llc. See Sonoran-Software.com; "Whois" at <register.com> for administrative information. The registration of Sonoran Software©, llc and Sonoran Software©, llc, product trademarks are pending with the U.S. Patent Office. Sonoran Software© is a Limited Liability Company, registered with the State of Arizona Corporation Commission. The owners may be contacted by mail, or  e-mail  listed above. Key words: Construction Estimating, Scheduling, Bidding, Framing, Carpentry, Masonry, Energy Efficient Home, Sonoran Software.