Most site plans arrive as PDF vector files or CAD drawings with contour lines. Insite uses these to create two primary surfaces. Existing surface: The current state of the land (the “As-Is”). And proposed surface: The finished grade required by the engineers (the “To-Be”). By “draping” the proposed surface over the existing one, the software calculates the volume of the space between them. In the old days, estimators used “planimeters” or grid-paper calculations, which had a high margin of error. A 10% mistake on a 50,000-cubic-yard job could mean a $50,000 loss in fuel and labor alone. The data generated in Insite doesn’t just stay in the office. It can be exported as a machine control file. This file is loaded into the GPS systems on bulldozers and excavators, allowing the operators to see their exact position relative to the “design grade” in real-time. This eliminates the need for manual grade stakes and constant surveying.