A Typical Page is plan page that repeats (exactly) in a bid (Base Bid, Alternate, or Change Order) multiple times. Repeating Pages (also called Virtual Pages) are copies of that Typical Page. Virtual Pages are not accessible on the Takeoff Tab in Takeoff mode (using On-Screen Takeoff) - only the Typical Pages exist. It's when a Project is 'flipped' into DPC Mode, that the Virtual Pages are 'exploded' so the foreman can see takeoff on each virtual page and do percenting on them.
Example
We are taking off a 10-story building, floors 2 - 6 are identical (in fact, you may only have one plan and it's named "Floors 2-6"). Taking off these identical floors five times separately is unnecessary and inefficient. Even though you could copy and paste the takeoff five times, what if you must make an update to that takeoff? You'd have to do it five times... that's definitely not very efficient.
In this example, the page titled "Floors 2 - 6" would be the Typical Page and is set to have five Repeating Pages (Floors 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6). All Takeoff is performed on the "Typical Page" and you'd use the "Virtual Areas Assignment" dialog box to allocate this takeoff to the appropriate Bid Areas (covered in the next article).
The takeoff on the Typical Page (in our example, the page titled "Floors 2 - 6") is not counted in the project Takeoff Totals (on the Takeoff or Worksheet Tabs) - only the Repeating pages are counted, as explained below.
Repeating Pages can be used with Typical Groups but not with Typical Areas.
The best way to use Repeating Pages is to complete the takeoff on the Typical (or master) page first. Once the takeoff is complete, assign it to the appropriate Area for the first instance of the Typical Page. Once you are done with the takeoff, return to the Cover Sheet and setup Typical Pages - that way, you will be able to setup Virtual Area assignments (you will end up mapping the first 'virtual' page to the same Areas as the Typical Page).
 How Bid Areas and Typical Groups Work Together | Setting up Repeating Pages |
Related Articles
How to Use Bid Areas to Separate Takeoff Quantities by Rooms, Floors, Buildings, etc