Bluebeam Revu explored in detail: One team, one goal, one source of truth

In this blog I offer a closer look at the extent of the functionality wrapped up in Bluebeam. You’ll find an overall introduction to Bluebeam in my recent blog, ‘Why review PDF documents the hard way, when you can Bluebeam Revu them?’.

A word of warning: once you adopt Bluebeam, you’ll never look back, perhaps apart from wondering how you ever managed without it.

Teamwork revisited

Manual approaches to sharing documents have long sufficed. Indeed, to many, they seem, or have seemed, to capture the spirit of teamwork – people get to talk to each other, share views, offer opinions, and spot problems when scrutinising a document they can handle, and relate to.

The problem is that ‘sufficing’ is not enough. ‘Collaboration’ today has become almost a digital word. In this sense, it means working smarter, faster, more confidently, from a single source of truth that everybody shares on any connected device, anywhere.

There’s a right way and a less right way to collaborate. There’s teamwork as it used to be, and the transformed, connected, software-driven version. Let’s see where the divergences are.

Making information accessible to everyone, everywhere

When Manufacturing & AEC professionals need to access documents or drawings, they need to do so instantly. It’s the next stage in whatever they are doing at that moment in time. Searching or waiting for the information can be frustrating. Contacting other people, to get the information required just chews up time. One single, always up-to-date, central repository of the latest version of any pertinent document or drawing is essential for clarification and the avoidance of all doubt.

Bluebeam offers more than real-time visibility; it offers ‘in the moment’ collaboration — getting things done when they need to be done; due to projects being centralised in the cloud, allowing when-needed access.

Three Bluebeam Revu package options

Bluebeam Revu is available in three plans, ranging from using it as a basic document management platform, through to exploiting the value of automated processes. 

This flexibility gives you the chance to make a transition to the software at the pace that works for you. After all, there’s no point in paying for functionality your teams are not yet ready to take full advantage of, or that does not have an immediately identifiable role in your workflows.

Delight your team: Achieve your goals faster, smarter, and with greater confidence!

All three Bluebeam Revu plans offer web and mobile accessibility:

Plan 1: Basics
At the ‘entry’ level you can use the software for simple markups, measurement (length and area), and document management (such as pdf creating and editing).

‘Basics’ is ideal if you just want to explore the value of Bluebeam from the perspective of your own workflows. You can convert any Windows file to PDF or TIF, JPG, BMP, PSD, PNG, PCL, GIF, EMF and WMF files using Bluebeam’s integral PDF print engine.

Plan 2: Core
‘Core’ adds to the functionality of Basics by offering the ability to make speciality markups on 2D and 3D pdfs, and batch comparisons of multiple drawing revisions. Files can be batch-converted from AutoCAD, Revit and SolidWorks to PDF, TIF, JPG, BMP, PSD, PNG, PCL, GIF, EMF and WMF files.

Plan 3: Complete
As its name suggests, ‘Complete’ is the most comprehensive plan with an extensive range of functionality added to the above two plans, such as:

• More advanced measurement tools
  Including the ability to link real-time data from measurement markups to Excel worksheets, and Dynamic Fill for sectioning off and filling drawing regions to generate markups, measurements, and spaces
• Automation
  With Complete, a number of automated features add to those available in the other two plans, including automatic creation of navigational hyperlinks, insertion of new page revisions, digital signature and professional seal creation, and implementing script commands.                      Exporting project data
  Complete also enables you to create markup summary reports with customized filter and sort options.
  
  

Making workflows smarter

Example workflow benefits that can shift you up a gear in efficiency with Bluebeam include:

• Improved clarity: RFIs & Submittals
  Because all the information is held centrally, and is constantly up to date, RFIs can be handled as they come in (the same goes for submittals). It’s not just about quick response either; it’s about that elimination of searching and waiting. You can react immediately whether from the field or in the office, via any device.
  
  
• Faster progress: Design Review & QA/QC
  Bluebeam enables you to collaborate in real-time. This means that the review process can be undertaken faster and quality can be more readily assured.
  
  
• Tighter project control: Punch items on the go
  Bluebeam also enables you to place, assign, track, and close punch items far more easily because everyone involved is exposed to the same information at the same time, responding to and acting upon to their part in the process as soon as it’s presented to them.
  
  
• Win business: Takeoffs & Estimation
  You’ll be able to improve takeoff speed and accuracy; giving you the power to build more winning bids.
  
  
• Deliver improved client experiences: Project Handover
  As BIM data handover coordination becomes more important, Bluebeam offers the ability to store and deliver smart, searchable digital handover packages. The result is about adding value, and the result of that is increased client satisfaction.

Bluebeam Studio Collaboration | The real-time advantage

Studio Projects is an online collaboration platform (with cloud storage) that comes with all Bluebeam solutions. This is where project participants can come together in real-time for reviewing and marking up.

Studio Projects gives you a single centralised location — where you can store not just documents, but entire building projects — in the cloud. And Studio Sessions lets project teams review, mark up and update the same files at the same time.

Symetri can advise you on the best Bluebeam Revu plan for your business, advise on optimum licensing, and onboard your users. We also provide ongoing support, if required.

Book a demo

Please get in touch if you want to explore what Bluebeam Revu can do for your team, your workflow efficiencies, and your next step in digitising the processes that really need it. We can arrange a demo.  

Webinar

Join us for our upcoming webinar the 20th Sept at 11am that explores the power of OCR, document comparison, collaboration, and advanced Bluebeam features - a complete and comprehensive webinar experience you don't want to miss!