# Run an AI takeoff

> Have the agent do the first pass on a drawing, then review and accept what it measured.

Source: https://automatedconstruction.io/tidy/docs/guides/run-an-ai-takeoff
Section: How to use Tidy

## Before you start

- You need **Can edit** access to the workspace.
- The **Agentic Takeoff** plugin must be on.
- Vector PDFs (exported from CAD) give the best results.

## Steps

1. Open the workspace and click **Agent** in the top bar.
2. Optional: open the **Sheets** grid, select the sheets to measure and click **Ask AI**. Mark a finish schedule or legend **Use as reference** so the agent reads it without measuring it.
3. Say exactly what you want. Good requests name the finish, the sheets and anything to leave out:
   - "Take off every 2x2 ACT area on the RCPs, A-201 to A-204. Use the ceiling legend on A-001. Skip the corridors."
   - "Count the 2x4 troffers and exit signs on E-101."
   - "Measure flooring by room from the finish schedule on A-601."
4. Approve the start card.
5. If the agent proposes a scale, check the evidence and approve it, or set it yourself.
6. Watch the dashed shapes appear on the sheet.

## Review

1. Open the **AI Takeoff** tab in the drawer.
2. Go page by page. Click a row to see the shape.
3. **Accept** good ones ([[Enter]]), **Delete** bad ones ([[Delete]]), or accept a whole page with [[Shift]] + [[Enter]].
4. Fix any accepted shape by hand like any other measurement.

Only accepted shapes count in totals, the budget and exports.

## Get better results next time

- Ask the agent what it was unsure about. It reports rooms and symbols it chose not to commit, and why.
- When a run goes well, accept the offer to save what worked as a skill. Next time, say "use our ceiling takeoff skill".
- Split a big job into several requests by sheet or by finish.

## From your phone or your own agent

Start a run from Tidy Mobile under **AI Takeoff > Start AI takeoff**, or from Claude or ChatGPT when your admin allows headless takeoff. Results wait in the same review queue.

## Related

- [AI takeoff](https://automatedconstruction.io/tidy/docs/features/ai-takeoff)
- [Run a takeoff](https://automatedconstruction.io/tidy/docs/guides/run-a-takeoff)