Item Code Group Cloning

The Group Cloning feature lets head contractor administrators quickly create new item code groups by duplicating existing groups. This is useful when setting up multiple groups for the same supplier where contract rules are consistent.

Group cloning helps streamline setup for projects that use standardized supplier contracts.

Permissions

To access the Dockets Setup page (Menu > Dockets Setup) where item code groups are managed, you must have one of the following permissions enabled:

• Dockets Super User
• Admin Manager

How Group Cloning Works

Group cloning duplicates the structure of an item code group, including Shift rules and Add rules. Group cloning does not create or duplicate individual item codes.

Important:

• All required item codes must already exist in Virtual Superintendent before you clone a group.
• Item codes can be created manually or uploaded using the Excel template.
• Additional attachments and allowances are not cloned.

Text Matching Requirements

Group cloning uses text matching to locate item code descriptions and insert them into the cloned groups. To ensure accurate results, item code descriptions must follow consistent naming conventions.

For example, CW1 Double Time is found and replaced with CW7 Double Time if the descriptions match the Find parameter CW1 and the Replace parameter CW7.

Group Cloning Workflow

Use the following workflow to create new item code groups by cloning existing item code groups:

1. Create all required item codes for the new group. For example, CW7 Normal Time, CW7 Labor Time and a Half, CW7 Double Time, CW7 Night Shift, and so on. Repeat this process for each additional group you plan to create (for example, CW8 and CW9).
2. Clone the existing item code group.
3. Add any additional clones as needed.
4. Review and confirm the details of each cloned group.

This workflow ensures all required item codes exist before cloning and helps prevent errors during setup.

Example Scenario

In this example, a head contractor wants to create CW7, CW8, and CW9 labor groups by cloning an existing CW1 labor group.

The CW1 labor group contains the following item codes:

• CW1 Normal Time
• CW1 Labor Time and a Half
• CW1 Double Time
• CW1 Night Shift
• CW1 Public Holiday
• CW1 Weekend

Before cloning the group, you must create the equivalent item codes for each new group.

Create the following item codes:

CW7

• CW7 Normal Time
• CW7 Labor Time and a Half
• CW7 Double Time
• CW7 Night Shift
• CW7 Public Holiday
• CW7 Weekend

CW8

• CW8 Normal Time
• CW8 Labor Time and a Half
• CW8 Double Time
• CW8 Night Shift
• CW8 Public Holiday
• CW8 Weekend

CW9

• CW9 Normal Time
• CW9 Labor Time and a Half
• CW9 Double Time
• CW9 Night Shift
• CW9 Public Holiday
• CW9 Weekend

You can create item codes manually or upload them using the Excel template. The Excel upload is recommended in this scenario due to the number of item codes required.

Clone a Group

After you create all required item codes, you can clone an existing item code group:

1. Open the Dockets Setup page (Menu > Dockets Setup).
2. Click the Item Codes tab.
3. Filter the list to find the item code group you want to clone.
4. Select the group to open its details.

5. Click Clone Group.

   

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6. Select the Target Supplier for the cloned group. You can select any supplier, provided the contract rules and rates are the same.

7. Click Next.

   

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8. Use the Find and Replace fields to find text in the source item code descriptions, and the text to replace this with in the clone group. In Find, enter identifying text from the original item code descriptions (for example, CW1). In Replace, enter identifying text for the new item codes (for example, CW7).

   

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9. Click Add Clone if you want to add more clone items and repeat the Find and Replace steps (for example, Find CW1 and Replace with CW8). Repeat this step for each additional group you want to create.

   

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10. Click Next to review the summary, showing the cloned group descriptions and the Item code replacements.
11. Click Next again to review the full details.

12. Click Confirm if the details you have entered look correct, then Finish to complete the cloning process.

    

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13. Return to the Item Codes tab on the Dockets Setup page to view the newly created item code groups.

Group Cloning Errors

The following issues prevent group cloning from completing:

• Replacement item codes do not exist - All replacement item codes must be created before cloning can occur.
• Item code descriptions do not match closely enough - Text matching requires similar descriptions. For example, CW1 Night Shift matches CW2 Night Shift, but does not match CW2 NS.
• Multiple possible replacement items are found - If more than one item code matches the replacement criteria, cloning cannot continue.

You must resolve all errors before group cloning can proceed.

The following video demonstrates the Group Cloning feature: