When I first heard the word "digitizer," I didn't have the foggiest idea of what it could be. For all I knew, it could have been something straight out of a Star Trek episode. I didn't realize it was a handy, little tool that was saving a lot of time, energy and money for construction estimators.

For those of you who may not be familiar with digitizers, they are devices that automate the take off process for estimating. However, that definition is a bit vague and doesn't give the valuable gizmos enough credit. Luckily for you, ConstructionSoftwareReview.com has an in-depth, five-part series that covers everything you need to know about digitizers.

The breakdown looks like this:

• The first article shows how a digitizer helped a seasoned estimating veteran save time once he made the switch from his traditional pencil, paper and ruler.

• Next, the handboard and roll-up digitizers are covered in detail. .

• The third installment discusses the benefits and uses of an ultrasound digitizer.

• The fourth article provides a general cost overview of each type of device.

• Finally, the series concludes with the costs and benefits associated with adopting these instruments.

So, if you're looking for new ways to streamline your take off process, or just interested in practical gadgets that will save your firm time and money in the long run, the articles above provide a good start. If that's not enough, pop on over to our construction estimating, construction job costing and construction project management software buyers guides for some more ideas