Two Documents, Two Purposes
In signage projects, two key documents are produced: the sign schedule and the BOQ. They are closely related but serve different audiences.
| Aspect | Sign Schedule | BOQ |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Document every sign and its location | Summarize totals for procurement |
| Detail level | Per-sign, per-location | Per-type, aggregated |
| Audience | Consultant, architect, client | Fabricator, procurement |
| Used for | Placement verification | Pricing, production |
Sign Schedule: The Detail Record
The sign schedule contains one row for every sign in the project, with its unique location and specifications.
BOQ: The Procurement Summary
The BOQ groups signs by type and sums quantities. The fabricator uses it to calculate material requirements and pricing.
How They Work Together
The workflow is sequential:
- Define sign categories and codes
- Place signs on floor plans
- Generate the sign schedule (detailed per-sign document)
- Derive the BOQ (aggregated totals for fabrication)
Changes flow in one direction: a new placement adds a row to the schedule, which updates the BOQ total.
Common Confusion
- "The BOQ IS the schedule" — No. The BOQ is a summary derived from the schedule.
- "We only need the BOQ" — The fabricator needs the BOQ for pricing, but the installer needs the schedule to know where each sign goes.
- "Just count at the end" — Manual counting from annotated floor plans is the primary source of BOQ errors.