A computer-based tool having a at least one computer program having access to at least one database containing images, descriptions, specifications, and connectivity data for a plurality of audio-visual and audio-visual control products and further having a user interface for interactively accessing the at least one database. In response to queries from the computer-based tool, the user makes initiates actions and makes choices regarding the physical venue and the products needed. The tool responsively produces a bill of materials, a cable schedule, a rack layout, a user-editable audio-visual connectivity line schematic, and a ceiling speaker layout. The at least one database and the at least one computer program may be centralized or distributed, and may include PCs, mainframes, servers, cloud-based resources, and the like.