A

Alternate Product Code

An identifier used to connect your aSa products to third-party systems, such as accounting, ERP, or legacy aSa ex. 

Alternate Product Group

The method by which the system matches product IDs on multiple non-connected systems. Alternate product groups are used during import and export processes. 

Assembly

Also called a kit. A product that is made up of other products. 

B

Bar Diameter

A measurement for the diameter of a reinforcing bar. Imperial bar sizes are measured in 1/8 inches. For example, a #4 bar is 4 x 1/8" or approximately 1/2" diameter. Metric bar sizes are measured in millimeters. For example, a 20M bar is approximately 20 millimeters in diameter. Other standards use different designations for each size. 

Bar Mark

An alphanumeric name that uniquely identifies a bar. Standard practice in most areas is to assign bar marks to bent bars, while marks for straight bars are optional. 

Bar Size

A common name for Bar Diameter in North America.

Bend Curvature Deduction (BCD)

The amount of "cheat" or "creep" subtracted from the theoretical bar length due to the out-to-out or double measuring of certain bends. Abbreviated as BCD.

BTO Kit - Build to Order Kit

Assembled products that are fabricated based on specific customer or project requirements. Every time you build a BTO kit, it can have different components. It is essentially a product that you create on the fly. 

Building Code

An industry set of standards used for engineering-related data such as bar size, lap conditions, and shapes. ACI (American Concrete Institute) and British Standard and examples of building codes.

Business Partner

A company that you do business with. In aSa, business partners are: customers; vendors; and "other" businesses, such as engineers or architects. 

C

Characteristic

An attribute of a product. For example, Grade, Diameter, and Coating are characteristics for rebar products. The product category determines which characteristics are applicable to similar types of products. The actual value for each characteristic is set at the product class and/or product levels. 

Clearance

Distance from the edge of the concrete to the edge of the reinforcing steel in a concrete member.

Coating

A material that is applied to reinforcing bar, typically to prevent corrosion. Epoxy is a common bar coating. MMFX and galvanized are other examples. Bars without coatings are often called "black." 

Component

A product that is part of a kit. 

Control Code

Short alpha-numeric identifier for an order. Order numbers and control codes are both used to identify orders; control codes are typically shorter and easier to recognize in large print, for example, on bundle tags. 

Custom Field

A field that you define for own purposes. You can define and use any number of custom fields throughout the aSa system. 

Cut Length

The actual length of the bar as it is supplied. For bent bars, cut length is adjusted for bend curvature deduction and is therefore shorter than the corresponding theoretical length. Typically, cut length displays on shop-oriented documents, such as Processing reports.

D

Direct Ship

Products shipped directly from your supplier to your customer; not from your warehouse. 

E

Element

Use elements to group material within your order. In the Line Entry screen, each element is a collapsible heading that contains takeoff items. Elements can be set up for any purpose that suits your needs. For example, you could use elements to identify structure types (such as foundations, walls and columns) concrete pours, or trailer loading sequence.

End Prep

Special conditions applied to the end of a bar, typically to accommodate connection devices.

H

Hook

A "turn" at the free end of a reinforcing bar to provide anchorage in concrete. Hooks of 90, 180, and 135 degree are common. 

I

Imperial

Measurement standard most often used in the United States. Imperial diameters (bar sizes) for rebar are expressed in eighth inches. (i.e., size 4 = 4/8 or 1/2" bar). Common Imperial bar sizes are 2-11, 14, 18; lengths are expressed in feet-inches; and weight is expressed in pounds.

J

Job

A project for which you provide material and/or services. A "project" becomes a "job" when the bid is accepted and it is awarded to your company. In aSa, certain information is defined hierarchically by customer > project/job> and order.  

K

Kit

Also called an assembly. A final product that is made up of other products. 

Kit Template

A list of fabricated material that is a component of a kit product. 

L

Lap

A condition in which the end of one bar overlaps with the beginning of the next. aSa software provides several ways to enter and calculate laps, including bar diameters and user-defined lap tables. 

Lap Table

User-defined table of lap lengths to be used with a project. When a lap table is specified, the program automatically looks up in the table and inserts a lap length based on the given bar size and lapping condition. 


M

Master Order

A longer list of takeoff items created that will later be split into "regular" orders for shipment. For example, you can create a master order for a whole project (or a section of the project), then create truckload-size orders by selecting specific items from the master order. 

O

Order

A list of material (often called a bar list) or services that you supply to a customer. The Order Entry module is used to enter material lists and generate related reports. In the system, orders are identified by Order Numbers and Control Codes.

Order Number

A unique identifier for an order. Order numbers and control codes are both used to identify orders. 

P

Parent Product

The source "base" product for all fabricated material with the same characteristics. Parent products have no dimensional value. 

Pay Length

A user-specified length to use for report display and weight calculations. The option to use a pay length is available to companies that want to manually specify a length for each bar, rather than using the theoretical or cut length. 

Placing Code

A code used to identify an item for placing purposes. Common examples include FND - Foundation, BMS - Beams, and COL - Columns. Certain reports group and summarize data by Placing Code. 

Processing

The aSa module used to generate bundle tags and fabrication instructions for your orders. Processing is the equivalent of the Production module in aSa ex.  

Product

A specific item that you sell or supply. Use the Product module to define your products.

Product Category

A grouping of products that share the same characteristic fields. 

Product Category Type

Broad categorization of product categories. Product categories include: Rebar, Mesh, Other, Comment, Rebar Connector. These types are pre-defined by aSa, and you select them when you set up a new product category. They determine how products that belong to the category are treated in the system. For example, the system understands that rebar items must be associated to a building code whereas Comment items do not. 

Product Class

A grouping of products with similar characteristics. Use product classes a) to help save time when setting up products. Fields set up at the product class level automatically become the default when you set up new products for the class. b) to group similar types of items on aSa reports. For example, rather than listing every bar size on a report, you can summarize all of your RB - Rebar Black items.

Product Type

Basic categorization of products. Examples include: Inventory, Non-Inventory, WIP, Estimating, Service, Comment-Business, and Comment-Detailing. Product types are pre-defined by aSa, and valid product types are determined by the product category. You select a product type when you set up a new product class or product. 

R

RDX - Rebar Data Exchange

A special XML-based file format developed by aSa containing order and related information. You can export orders to or import orders from RDX format. 

Reason Code

A special code that indicates why an item (or group of items) is being created. Common examples includes Detailing Error, Shop Error, and Extra to Contract. 

Rolling Margin

Allows you to adjust the weight of your rebar and plain items throughout the system based on the fact that dies and rollers used to produce stock steel wear down over time. This is a common practice in Australia. 

Run Out Leg

Run out legs are used in certain building codes, including BSI. When used, you enter a theoretical length and one or more leg lengths. You then skip the run out leg, and the program automatically calculates that dimension for you. 

S

Scheme

A named collection of settings, typically for report options or screen customizations, that can be saved and re-used.

Seismic Hooks

Special 135 degree hooks used where seismic conditions warrant. Seismic hooks are longer than "standard" 135 degree hooks. Many aSa tools allow you to select standard or seismic hook lengths.

Sequence Macro

aSa utility that allows you set up the format of program-assigned numbers, such as job numbers and bar marks.

Shape Catalog

A collection of bend data. A shape catalog allows you to share and update shapes across multiple orders. In older aSa systems, this was called a "job bend library." 

Shape Designer

Tool that allows you to draw and define custom bend shapes. If you need to take off a shape that is not standard for your building code, use Shape Designer to create the shape.

Smooth Round Bar

Reinforcing bar that is does not contain deformations. Also called "plain round."

Soft Metric

Measurement standard for bar sizes and grades. Used in the United States for some projects, soft metric bar sizes express standard imperial sizes as millimeters: 6mm, 10mm, 13mm, 16mm, 19mm, 22mm, 25mm, 29mm, 32mm, 36mm, 43mm, 57mm.

Split Order

Utility that allows you to easily move line items among up to four orders or copy line items from one order to another.

Stirrup

Reinforcing bars used in beams for shear reinforcement; typical stirrups bent into a U-shape and placed perpendicular to the longitudinal reinforcing. 

Stock Kit

Kit products that are assembled and “put on a shelf” to be supplied as needed. The components of stock kits do not change.

Stock Length

The typical maximum bar length provided for a project representing scrapless (or no) cutting. Normally, stock length is the length in which steel is purchased from the mill. 

T

Theoretical Length

Total length of the bar as calculated by accumulating the lengths of each leg. For bent bars, theoretical length is not adjusted for bend curvature deduction and is therefore longer than the corresponding cut (actual) length. Typically, theoretical length displays on customer-oriented documents, such as the Order report.

Tie

A closed rectangular or circular reinforcing bar that encircles longitudinal bars in columns or beams.

V

Varying Bar

A series of bars that vary incrementally in length from long to short (or vice versa), such as the vertical reinforcement in a sloped retaining wall.

W

WIP - Work in Process

The way the system tracks material that is removed from inventory for fabrication but has not yet shipped. 

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

WBS is simply a way to break down a project into its components, such as segments, bid items, or any other grouping that works for your business. When used, WBS is associated to a job. 

Work Order 

A material list used to fabricate components for an assembly. Work orders can be edited, scheduled, and processed, just like regular orders. However, the material is eventually added to assembly rather than shipped on a load.