Overview

PMM Bridge is a web-based CSV import tool that sits between your SketchUp model and Buildertrend. It takes data exported from SketchUp, reformats it to match Buildertrend's import templates, and — after a Purchase Order is confirmed — reconciles the approved PO data back into your SketchUp model to keep everything in sync.

The Three Modes

The PMM ID — Your Sync Key

Every component in SketchUp gets a unique pmm_id stamped into its attributes by the PMM Bridge Exporter plugin the first time it's exported. This ID survives every round trip between SketchUp and Buildertrend and is the key that lets PMM Bridge know which BT line item corresponds to which model element.

Getting Started

What You Need

• PMM Bridge open at trilogydesignintelligence.github.io/PMM-Bridge in Chrome
• The PMM Bridge Exporter SketchUp plugin installed (for initial export)
• A Google account with access to your project's Drive folder
• A CSV exported from SketchUp via the PMM Bridge Exporter plugin

Loading a File

Every mode starts with loading a source CSV. You have two options:

1. Google Drive — click the Google Drive button, sign in with your Google account, and select your CSV from Drive. Shared drives and workspace files are both accessible.

2. Local file — click Browse Local File (or drag and drop) to load a CSV from your computer.

The Four-Step Pipeline

All three modes follow the same pipeline shown at the top of the page:

Selections Import 🎨

Use this mode when you want to populate Buildertrend's Selections sheet with items from your SketchUp model — typically finish selections, material allowances, and client-choice items.

Output Fields

Options

• Group by field — group rows into sections by any source column (e.g. by room/area)
• Default deadline — applied to any row where a deadline isn't mapped
• Include Allowance column — toggle whether to include the dollar allowance in the output

How to Import into Buildertrend

1. Download your formatted CSV from PMM Bridge

2. In Buildertrend, go to Selections → Import

3. Upload the CSV and use BT's column mapping wizard to match fields

4. Review and confirm

Estimate Import 📋

Use this mode to format your SketchUp component data for Buildertrend's Estimate import wizard. This is typically your first step when setting up a new project in BT from a SketchUp model.

Output Fields

Allowance Flagging

The Allowance Flagging section in the Options panel lets you automatically mark certain rows as Allowance in the output. When BT imports these, it routes them to the Selections sheet instead of the standard estimate line items.

1. Enable Allowance Flagging in the Options panel

2. Choose which source column to check (e.g. type or category)

3. Enter the value to match (e.g. selection or allowance) — leave blank to flag all rows

4. Matching rows will show ● Allowance in the output preview and the Mark As column in the downloaded CSV

Amount Calculation

• Calculate (Qty × Unit Price) — PMM Bridge computes the total automatically
• Use source column — map an existing amount column from your CSV
• Omit — leave the Amount column blank

BT PO → SketchUp Model · PMM Sync 🔄

After a Buildertrend estimate is approved by the client and converted into a confirmed Purchase Order, use PMM Sync to reconcile the PO data back into your SketchUp model. This keeps your model attributes in sync with what was actually ordered — quantities, pricing, vendor assignments, and cost codes.

What You Need

• Your original SketchUp export CSV — the file you exported before sending to BT, which contains the pmm_id column
• Your Buildertrend PO export CSV — exported from BT after the estimate was approved and converted to a PO

Step by Step

1. Click the BT PO → SketchUp Model · PMM Sync tab — a Back button appears to return to the main modes

2. Load your SketchUp Export CSV using Google Drive or Browse Local (top left zone)

3. Load your Buildertrend PO Export CSV using Google Drive or Browse Local (top right zone)

4. Map the BT column mapping fields — especially the PMM ID (match key) which is required. PMM Bridge will auto-detect common column names.

5. Click Reconcile & Diff

Field Coverage Report

Before reconciling, PMM Bridge validates every field and shows you a coverage report:

The Change Report

After reconciling, you'll see a summary with four stat boxes and a diff table showing exactly what changed:

• Total Components — all rows in your SU export
• Unchanged — matched in BT, no differences found
• Fields Updated — matched in BT, BT values applied
• Unmatched in BT — pmm_id not found in the BT export (component may have been removed or renamed in BT)

Use the tabs to filter the view: All / Changed / Unmatched / Unchanged. Changed rows show the old SU value struck through and the new BT value in gold.

Downloads

• Download Reconciled CSV — the updated file with all BT values applied. Import this into SketchUp using the PMM Bridge Importer plugin.
• Change Log — a separate CSV listing every field that changed, with old and new values. Keep this for your project audit trail.

Importing Back into SketchUp

1. Open your SketchUp model

2. Go to Plugins → PMM Bridge — Import from BT

3. Select the Reconciled CSV downloaded from PMM Bridge

4. The importer matches each row by pmm_id and writes the updated values back into the component's dynamic_attributes dictionary

5. A summary dialog shows how many components were updated and saves a timestamped change log CSV alongside the source file

Full Project Workflow

Here's how PMM Bridge fits into the complete PMM Tools project lifecycle:

Phase 1 — Model Setup

1. Build your SketchUp model. Use your template plugin to add type, cost_code, category, and other PMM attributes to each component.

2. Run Plugins → PMM Bridge — Export to CSV. This stamps a pmm_id on each component and exports one CSV per component type (selections, estimate, PO).

3. Save the export CSVs to your PMM in the Sky Google Sheet folder.

Phase 2 — Buildertrend Setup

1. Open PMM Bridge → Selections Import. Load your selections CSV from Drive, map columns, download the BT-formatted CSV.

2. Import the Selections CSV into Buildertrend's Selections sheet.

3. Open PMM Bridge → Estimate Import. Load your estimate CSV from Drive, map columns, download the BT-formatted CSV.

4. Import the Estimate CSV into Buildertrend's Estimate module.

Phase 3 — PO Confirmation & Sync

1. In Buildertrend, work through your estimate. When the client approves, BT converts the estimate to a Purchase Order.

2. Export the confirmed PO from Buildertrend as a CSV.

3. Open PMM Bridge → BT PO → SketchUp Model · PMM Sync.

4. Load your original SU export + the BT PO export. Map fields, reconcile, review the change report.

5. Download the Reconciled CSV and Change Log.

6. In SketchUp: Plugins → PMM Bridge — Import from BT → select the Reconciled CSV. Model attributes update automatically.

Tips & Troubleshooting

Google Drive Picker

• Use Chrome — Safari has cookie restrictions that prevent the Drive picker from opening
• If the picker shows a 403 error, check that your Google account is listed as a test user in the Google Cloud Console
• Run PMM Bridge from trilogydesignintelligence.github.io — the Drive picker won't work from a local file:// URL
• If you get a token expired error mid-session, click the Drive button again — PMM Bridge will re-authenticate automatically

Column Mapping

• PMM Bridge auto-detects common column names — if your SketchUp export uses the standard PMM attribute keys (title, cost_code, quantity, etc.) most fields will pre-fill automatically
• If a required field shows red, check that the corresponding column exists in your source CSV
• The source preview (first 5 rows) helps you verify the right column is mapped to each field

PMM Sync — No Matches Found

• Make sure your SketchUp export CSV has a pmm_id column — if not, export fresh using the PMM Bridge Exporter plugin
• Make sure the PMM ID (match key) field in the BT column mapping is set to the column in your BT export that contains the pmm_id values
• If many rows show Unmatched, check whether BT renamed or reorganised line items — those won't match automatically

CSV Formatting

• PMM Bridge handles standard comma-separated CSVs with or without quoted fields
• Enable Trim whitespace (on by default) to clean up any extra spaces in your source data
• Enable Skip rows where Quantity = 0 to exclude placeholder components not yet priced

Filename Tips

• Set a descriptive output filename in the Options panel before downloading — e.g. HighMeadow_Selections_R1
• Include a revision number or date so you can track which BT import corresponds to which model version