# Guides

> Guides walk you through one job from start to finish across Cooper's modules, in the order the screens depend on each other. Start with how to create an estimate.

Source: https://docs.cooperbuild.ai/guides
Last updated: 2026-10-07
Keywords: guides, walkthrough, how to, workflow, step by step, end to end, getting things done

A **guide** walks you through one job from start to finish, such as creating an estimate. Reference pages explain a single screen. A guide explains the order to do things in, why that order matters, and what you should see at each step.

Guides are written for estimators, project managers and office admins who know what the job is called but not which Cooper screens, in which order, get it done.

## Estimating

  - [Create an estimate](https://docs.cooperbuild.ai/guides/create-an-estimate.md) — Set up deliverable classes and deliverables, build deliverable templates, create the estimate, collect subcontractor bids with trade scopes, and convert the estimate into a proposal for the client.

## How a guide is organized

| Section | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Before you start | The permissions, settings and records you need first |
| Numbered steps | One step per stage, with where to click, what to enter and why the step matters for later ones |
| What's next | Where the job continues |
| Troubleshooting | Fixes for the things people most often get stuck on |
| For AI agents | The Cooper MCP tools, in the order an agent would call them |
| Related | Pages that explain the screens used |

## For AI agents

Each guide's **For AI agents** section lists the tools in the order an agent calls them. See [Use the docs with AI](https://docs.cooperbuild.ai/ai-agents.md) to connect an AI app to the Cooper MCP server.