Methodology · Version history

Formula changes should never be silent.

This log records material changes to calculations, rounding boundaries, exclusions, and formula-facing labels so saved work can be interpreted against the version that produced it.

Reviewed TradeQuote Lab editorial standard

Current baseline

Published formula specifications
VersionEffectiveChange and reasonScenario impact
1.0.0July 31, 2026Initial versioned specifications for markup/margin, labor burden, overhead recovery, change-order pricing, and bid-to-actual variance. Establishes decimal-safe arithmetic, trace output, and explicit cost boundaries.First baseline; no earlier saved-scenario result is replaced.

What a future entry contains

Every material formula update records:

  • the semantic version and effective date;
  • what changed and the evidence or correction that required it;
  • which calculator routes and outputs are affected;
  • whether a historical saved scenario can produce a different result when recalculated; and
  • which human-reviewed fixtures or boundary tests were added or changed.

How versions affect saved work

A saved local scenario retains its formula version. Importing a scenario validates that metadata before replacing any local data. If a current tool uses a newer formula, the interface should identify the difference before recalculation rather than quietly rewriting the historical result.

Presentation-only copy changes do not necessarily change a formula version. A change to arithmetic, units, cost inclusion, validation boundaries, or rounding policy does.

Review the source rules

See the calculation methodology for the current formulas and the rounding policy for monetary boundaries. If a result appears inconsistent with either document, report a correction.