Your First Day with Darwin

This chapter will guide you through the essential steps of using Darwin for the first time.
In less than an hour, you will learn how to:

Understand how work begins as a request.
Clarify the context that makes the request actionable.
Create or prepare the modules you are going to use.
Generate your first project from clear work-request information.
(Optionally) Import an IFC model or 2D drawing.
Map model elements or measurements to cost modules.
Generate your first estimation.
Review and adjust prices.
Understand how approval turns the estimate into a baseline.
See how cost tracking and variance complete the learning loop.

Think of this chapter as your onboarding path — a quick but complete tour of how Darwin works in practice.

Each section ahead will break down the process into simple, guided steps with explanations of why each action matters.

1. What You’ll Need Before Starting

To follow this onboarding, you should have:

Access to your Darwin tenant
A project idea (real or sample)
Optional: Your own new modules already created
Optional: an IFC model or 2D drawing (PDF, JPG) you want to test
Optional: any documentation you’d like to attach (drawings, PDFs, notes)

If you do not have an IFC or 2D drawing, don’t worry — Darwin works perfectly with manual input too.

2. The Onboarding Flow at a Glance

Here is the flow you will follow in the next pages:

Step 0 — Understand the Workflow

Darwin’s golden path is:

request → clarify → estimate → review → approve → track → learn

The onboarding pages teach the estimating part of that journey, but the right mental model starts with the request and follows the work through approval and cost control.

Next: Workflow Overview

Step 1 — Understand Work Requests

You will learn why work starts as a request and how comments, files, assignees, status, and activity make the request actionable.

Next: Work Requests

Step 2 — Create Your First Modules

You will create the modules for your first project.

Next: Create Your First Modules

Step 3 — Generate Your First Project

You will set up the container where request context, documents, IFC files, modules, price lists, estimations, approvals, and cost-control history will live.

In normal operations, once a work request is clear enough to become real work, Darwin can generate the project automatically from the request information. Direct project creation is still useful for demos, migration, or internal setup.

Next: Generate Your First Project

Step 4 — Import an IFC Model or 2D Drawing (Optional but Recommended)

If you have a BIM model or 2D drawings, you will upload them and let Darwin extract quantities and classify objects.
If you do not use BIM or 2D drawings, you can skip this step entirely.

Next: Import an IFC Model or 2D Drawing

Step 5 — Map Elements to Modules

This is where design connects to cost.
You will tell Darwin which module corresponds to which building element, allowing the platform to compute quantities automatically.

Next: Map Elements to Modules

Step 6 — Create Your First Estimation

You will build an estimation using modules, quantities, and project-specific settings.
Darwin will compute costs, labor, materials, and overheads automatically.

Next: Create Your First Estimation

Step 7 — Review Prices and Exchange Rates

You will review market assumptions, update price lists if needed, and ensure the estimate reflects current economic conditions.

Next: Review Prices and Exchange Rates

Step 8 — Understand Approval and Cost Control

After review, approval is the moment the estimate becomes the committed baseline for cost tracking.

Next: Approvals

3. What You Will Learn

By finishing this onboarding journey, you will understand:

How work requests preserve intent before work becomes project execution
How Darwin organizes project data
How modules act as reusable cost logic
How IFC models and 2D drawings accelerate quantity takeoff
How estimates are structured and reviewed
How to keep prices and exchange rates up to date
How approval creates a baseline for cost control
How everything stays traceable inside the project container

This knowledge forms the foundation of your work in Darwin.

4. Ready to Begin?

Start with the first step:

➡️ Work Requests