You have your estimate in Presto. You built it item by item, with every unit breakdown and quantity takeoff. And now you need to move it to another program: TrowelApp, the developer's software, the public administration's platform, without losing a single piece of data.
The solution is to export the Presto file in BC3 (FIEBDC) format. In this guide you'll find the complete process, step by step, along with the configuration options you need to know so the file reaches its destination correctly.
What's the difference between a Presto .PHZ file and a BC3 file?
Presto saves its projects in a proprietary format with the .PHZ extension. This file holds all the project's information in a format that only Presto can read and edit directly.
The BC3 (FIEBDC) file, on the other hand, is the open standard for exchanging construction estimates in Spain, published and maintained by the Higher Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain at fiebdc.es. Any industry program that supports BC3 can import it without needing Presto installed.
In other words: the .PHZ is for internal use in Presto; the BC3 is for sharing with the outside world.
Not sure what the BC3 format is? Check out: BC3 file: what it is, what it's for and how it's used in construction management →
Why you need to convert Presto to BC3
There are three common situations in which you need to export your Presto estimate to BC3:
To import it into your construction management software. If you use TrowelApp or another all-in-one management platform, you need the estimate in BC3 to import it and turn it into the starting point for cost control. Presto's .PHZ file cannot be imported directly into other programs.
To send it to the contractor or developer. When the architect or quantity surveyor builds the estimate in Presto and needs to send it to a construction company that uses different software, BC3 is the universal format.
To take part in a public tender. The Spanish public administration requires estimates in BC3 format. Exporting from Presto is the standard process for preparing the documentation for a tender.
How to export a Presto file to BC3: step by step
The export process from Presto is straightforward:
Step 1. Open your project in Presto
Launch Presto on your computer and open the .PHZ file of the project you want to convert to BC3. Make sure all the data is complete and up to date before exporting.
Step 2. Go to File → Export
In Presto's main menu bar, click File and then Export. A submenu will open with the available export options.
Step 3. Select FIEBDC
In the export menu, choose the FIEBDC option (or "Export to BC3" in some versions). This option generates the file in standard BC3 format.
Step 4. Configure the export parameters
Presto will show you a configuration dialog with several options. The most important ones are:
- FIEBDC version: select FIEBDC-3 (the most compatible with current programs)
- Include unit breakdowns: enable this option if the recipient needs the material and labor detail
- Character encoding: use UTF-8 to avoid problems with accents and special characters
- Include quantity takeoffs: enable this if you want the BC3 to include the itemized takeoffs
Step 5. Choose the location and save
Select the folder where you want to save the file, give it a descriptive name (for example: estimate-project-name-2026.bc3) and click OK. Presto will generate the .bc3 file in the location you specified.
Step 6. Check the generated file
Open your file explorer, locate the generated .bc3 file and confirm it has a reasonable size (it isn't empty). If the file is 0 KB or very small, repeat the export and review the parameters.
Configuration options when exporting
These are the options that most affect the quality of the exported BC3:
Format version (FIEBDC-2 vs FIEBDC-3). Always use FIEBDC-3. It's the version most compatible with the programs on the market today. FIEBDC-2 is older and some modern programs may have trouble importing it.
Unit breakdowns. If the recipient needs to see the material, labor and machinery detail of each line item, enable the export of unit breakdowns. If they only need the final unit price of each item, you can disable them to generate a lighter file.
Quantity takeoffs. Enable the export of quantity takeoffs if the BC3 is going to be used for progress certifications or to verify the quantities of each item. In tenders, administrations usually include the takeoffs in the BC3.
Encoding. Select UTF-8 to ensure that Spanish special characters (accents, ñ, ü) are exported correctly. With ISO-8859-1, incorrect characters may appear when importing into some programs.
How to import a Presto BC3 into TrowelApp
Once you have the .bc3 file generated from Presto, importing it into TrowelApp takes less than a minute:
- Log in to TrowelApp and open the relevant project
- Go to the Estimates section
- Click Import
- Select the .bc3 file you just exported from Presto
- TrowelApp automatically processes the structure: chapters, line items, quantity takeoffs and prices
- Check that the data matches the original and save
From that moment on, your Presto estimate is live in TrowelApp and you can start controlling costs, managing purchases and generating progress certifications directly from it.
See the full guide: How to import an estimate with BC3 files into TrowelApp: step-by-step guide →
Common mistakes when converting Presto to BC3
Exporting in FIEBDC-2 instead of FIEBDC-3. Some modern programs have trouble importing the FIEBDC-2 version. Always export in FIEBDC-3 unless the recipient specifically requests another version.
Not including the unit breakdowns and then needing them. If the BC3 arrives without unit breakdowns and the recipient needs them, you'll have to repeat the export. It's better to always include them by default.
Trouble with special characters. If the characters appear as strange symbols when importing the BC3 into another program, the problem is the encoding. Repeat the export with UTF-8 encoding.
The generated file is empty or incomplete. This can happen if Presto doesn't have an active license for BC3 export or if there's an error in the project. Check that the license includes the FIEBDC export function and that the project has no structural errors.
Confusing the .PHZ extension with .BC3. The .PHZ file is the Presto project, it isn't a BC3. The BC3 is generated after the export process and has the .bc3 extension. Never try to import a .PHZ directly into TrowelApp.
Is there an alternative to Presto that already works in BC3 natively?
Presto is excellent for advanced technical estimating. However, it has one important limitation: it's desktop software (on premise) and it doesn't manage the project during execution. Once the project is awarded, the Presto estimate has to be exported to BC3 and imported into another platform for cost control, purchasing and invoicing.
TrowelApp is Presto's natural complementary platform in Spain. The usual workflow for many Spanish construction companies is: estimate in Presto → export to BC3 → import into TrowelApp → manage the project from TrowelApp.
But if you're looking for a solution that unifies estimating and project management in a single cloud system, TrowelApp also lets you create estimates directly within the platform, without needing Presto as an intermediate step, so you stop depending on manual export for every project.
How Trowel helps you
| Problem | How Trowel solves it |
|---|---|
| Manually exporting from Presto on every project | Estimates you can create directly in TrowelApp, without relying on Presto as an intermediate step |
| Presto lacks execution-phase project management features | Full project management (purchasing, quality, planning, time tracking) on the same platform where the estimate lives |
You can see the technical detail of each module at Trowel Academy, or request a free demo to see how TrowelApp simplifies the management of your BC3 estimates.
Frequently asked questions
What extension does the BC3 file generated from Presto have?
The extension is .bc3. Make sure the file has this extension before trying to import it into another program. If it has the .phz extension, it isn't a BC3, it's Presto's native file.
Is the BC3 exported from Presto compatible with TrowelApp?
Yes, completely. TrowelApp imports BC3 files in FIEBDC-3 format, which is the one Presto generates by default. The import process is automatic and requires no additional configuration.
Can I export only part of the Presto project to BC3?
Yes. Presto lets you select which chapters or parts of the estimate to include in the export. Useful when you only need to send a specific chapter to a subcontractor.
Is any data lost when exporting from Presto to BC3?
It depends on the configuration. If you include unit breakdowns, quantity takeoffs and notes in the export, the information will be complete. If you export only the summary without unit breakdowns, you'll lose the material and labor detail.
Can I import the Presto BC3 directly into TrowelApp from the tender?
Yes. If the administration delivers the project in BC3, you can import it directly into TrowelApp without going through Presto. The tender file is already in the correct format.
Conclusion
Converting a Presto file to BC3 is a 5-step process you can complete in under 5 minutes. The key is to set the export parameters correctly: FIEBDC-3 version, UTF-8 encoding and unit breakdowns included.
Once you have the .bc3 file, you can import it into TrowelApp and instantly turn it into the engine for cost control, purchasing and progress certifications on the project. And if at some point you decide to stop depending on the intermediate Presto step for every job, TrowelApp lets you estimate directly on the platform from the very first project. Request a free Trowel demo to see it with your own estimates.
You may also like
- BC3 file: what it is, what it's for and how it's used in construction management →
- How to import an estimate with BC3 files into TrowelApp: step-by-step guide →
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