How Most Estimating Systems Fall Short

How Most Estimating Systems Fall Short

by Aileen Casey

In manufacturing, quoting isn’t just about plugging in numbers it’s about winning work, protecting margins, and maintaining trust. But for many job shops and OEMs, the systems they use to generate cost estimates simply aren’t up to the task and this is how most estimating systems fall short.

At Costimator®, we’ve spent decades working with manufacturers of all sizes, and we’ve seen firsthand how traditional estimating methods like manual spreadsheets, outdated software, or tribal knowledge can hold teams back. Most systems fall short not because companies aren’t trying, but because the tools they’re using weren’t built to handle the complexity and pace of modern manufacturing.

Based on Guesswork or The experience

Too often, estimating is based on guesswork or the experience of just one or two key people. Those individuals might have incredible instincts, but when all the knowledge lives in their heads, it becomes a liability. If they retire, take time off, or move on, the entire quoting process can suffer. What’s needed is a system that captures that expertise and turns it into a repeatable, scalable process the whole team can trust.

Speed is another issue. Many shops are still quoting with homegrown tools or Excel spreadsheets that require hours of back-and-forth, copying and pasting, and manual calculations. In the meantime, a competitor submits their quote first and wins the job. Fast quotes win work, but fast only works if it’s also accurate. The right solution does both.

Real-world Workflows of a Manufacturing Shop.

Generic ERP systems or quoting templates often fail to reflect the real-world workflows of a manufacturing shop. Every shop has different machines, capabilities, labor rates, and customer demands. Estimating software should be flexible enough to match that reality not force shops into one-size-fits-all boxes. At Costimator®, we believe software should adapt to you, not the other way around.

Another big shortfall? Failing to fully capture true cost. Many systems miss key elements like overhead, setup time, tooling, indirect labor, and non-recurring expenses. That leads to underquoting, which erodes profitability - or overquoting, which loses the work entirely. Accurate quoting requires accurate modeling, and that only comes from software designed with real cost data and real manufacturing insight.

Even when quotes go out the door, most systems stop there. They don’t track what’s working, who’s quoting most effectively, or which jobs are profitable after the fact. Costimator® helps close that gap with built-in reporting and analytics that turn estimating from a one-time task into a long-term business strategy.

At the end of the day, estimating is about more than numbers it’s about trust, timing, and strategy. Shops don’t just need software. They need a system, a process, and a partner who understands what it takes to quote competitively and sustainably.

That’s exactly what Costimator® was built for.

Whether you’re quoting with spreadsheets, tribal knowledge, or tools that just can’t keep up, it might be time to consider something stronger something proven. Ready to see what better estimating can do for your business? Consider a live demo with Costimator® today.