Preferred Sections
Organisation-preferred sections for steel and timber design
Save your go-to sections and manufacturers so they appear first, every time. Preferred Sections keeps your team selecting from the right list - and Autosize picks the optimal section from that list in one click.
The problem
Section selection differs between engineers and between projects
Without a shared preference list, engineers independently choose from hundreds of sections - or from memory. Sections that aren't locally stocked require substitutions at construction. The inconsistency is discovered late, when changes are expensive. Teams using Calcs.com report saving up to 2 hours per project once preferred sections are configured.
How it works
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Set preferred sections at the organisation level
Administrators define the firm's preferred sections for steel and timber. Preferences apply across the whole organisation, not per engineer.
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Preferred sections appear first in every calculation
When an engineer opens the section database in any calculation, preferred sections appear at the top of the list and are marked visually. The full database remains accessible.
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Autosize selects the optimal section in one click
With preferred sections configured, Autosize runs the required checks and picks the most optimal passing section from your list. No manual comparison, no scrolling through options.
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Preferences carry through to reports
The calculation report notes when a section is a preferred section. This is visible in design reviews and helps construction teams confirm that the specified section matches what is stocked.
Frequently asked questions
Who can set preferred sections?▾
Can we have different preferred sections for different project types?▾
What happens if a preferred section is later removed from the database?▾
Works with these calculators
Related features
References
Standards references inside calculations
See the exact codes and formulas behind your calculations - no codebook required. Every formula is linked to the standard and clause that governs it, visible inside the calculation.
Learn more →Material Database
Built-in material and section database
Steel, timber, and concrete material properties are built into Calcs.com and linked to the applicable standards. No manual lookup required.
Learn more →Make decisions you can defend at review time
Share a calculation with the basis of design attached - inputs, formulas, and code references alongside the result.