Having sizes assigned to all columns that sit on foundations is a requirement that must be met before a foundation can be designed. Lateral steel columns can either have sizes assigned in the RAM Modeler or initial estimated sizes can be acquired from RAM Steel. Both gravity and lateral Concrete and Other columns must be sized in the RAM Modeler.

Gravity steel columns must be sized by the RAM Steel Column Design program. If changes are made to the model that require the framing tables to be rebuilt, it is necessary to run Column Design to resize gravity steel columns before returning to RAM Foundation. If this step is skipped, any foundations that have gravity columns on them cannot be designed.