Package Generator

The Package Generator is a custom C# Excel VSTO add-in built to facilitate CRB's drawing package generation workflow. It automates the drawing sheets and specification pdf bundling process. It also facilitates coordination in order to reduce errors and omissions. 

 

CRB uses an Excel Workbook to track every drawing and spec that needs to be bundled into various deliverable packages. Bundling was previously done manually. Identifying when a newly-printed drawing sheet or updated spec required a package to be re-bundled was fraught with issues. In the past, creating a bundled package correctly could easily take a team 80 hours.

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This add-in makes the master drawing list and spec spreadsheet "smart" by linking every drawing or spec row to a specific printed pdf file. The add-in then helps the package administrator by identifying if any individual printed pdfs have been updated since the last package was published. It then automates the bundling process by stitching together all of the selected sheets into one pdf. All of this occurs within the standard Excel workbook interface that the teams are comfortable in.