The Optional check box for items allows you make any item within a Project optional. Optional Items are only displayed on Proposal reports and their pricing is not calculated into any totals on the report. Options allow you to add additional "add-on" items to a Project.
The Optional setting is not stored in the Catalog, it is Project specific. Once added to a Project, a Product will have the "Optional" option on the General tab of the Edit Products form:
This setting is also available for Packages that have been added to a Project:
You can also use Mass Update to mark multiple items as optional:
Optional Items display as green by default in the Project Grid. You can change this color via your Application Settings.
If at any time you want to remove Optional Items from a Project, you can remove just the selected or all Optional Items via the Tools tab:
Note: Discarding Alternates does not count towards Change Order report run against Revisions.
The only reports that "recognize" Optional Items are the Proposal reports in SI 2018. Optional Items display at the end of each grouping on the report with the title "Additional Options". The Price displays but is not calculated anywhere on this report.
You can change the wording and color for Optional Items via Report Settings:
Another report setting will change the "Project Summary" section of Proposal reports to display the Optional totals:
You can also choose not to include Optional Items on a Proposal via a Parameter within the Report Definition: