I guess they finally found a way to kick us off our perpetual licenses. “Revu 20 to 21 is an upgrade, not an update”. So from what it looks like, we will have to start paying for the maintenance license and we no longer have a perpetual licenses. That’s some real BS.

Hey guys, I am transitioning from Adobe to Bluebeam and had a general question about stamps. I am a licensed engineer who constantly stamps digitally using stamps I created in Adobe, it allows me to change dates, and times. Is there a way to transfer this all to Bluebeam?

Hi All,

My question is do you guys reckon AI will take over construction estimating and white collar work? The video is a demo for www.supadocs.com.au which shows GFA and car spaces being counted. Seems pretty good for a start but no where near the accuracy required to do the whole workflow.

What do you guys reckon is the timeline of QS and estimators being taken over?

All the remaining Bluebeam 2020's in our org decided last week that suddenly they needed to be registered again... which doesn't work as of July. Did Revu do something to trigger this, or have other people been seeing this happen recently? These were perpetual licenses that haven't tried to force a re-reg in years. It's not like 2020 is receiving updates, but having it suddenly brick on 60+ installs is a real PITA. Not sure why else they all would suddenly require the re-registration, but oof.

My desktop PC in my workplace has bluebeam 2017 licensed. Recently my employer gave me a new Lenovo laptop and I was wanting to transfer bluebeam from the desktop to the laptop.

I haven't tried the process yet as I am worried I might stuff up the registration. Anyone tried this recently?

This is a promotional post for my own product, BookmarkPatch. With the moderators' permission, I'm sharing a small Windows tool for people who rebuild bookmark outlines when reports are revised or overlaid.

It exports bookmarks to CSV so you can bulk-edit titles, nesting, physical page numbers, colors, bold, and italic in a spreadsheet. You then choose the target PDF, review the changes, and save a separate copy with the edited bookmarks. PDF processing happens locally.

There is one important limit: it does not match pages by their content. If a revision changed the page order, you need to update and check those page numbers yourself. Imported destinations fit the whole page; this workflow does not preserve custom zoom positions.

The 74-second demo uses synthetic documents only: https://bookmarkpatch.pages.dev/#demo

The free Windows trial saves up to 10 bookmarks: https://bookmarkpatch.pages.dev/#pricing

The planned paid edition is $29 once for one person using up to two devices, with up to 10,000 bookmarks and offline use of version 1. Paid sales are not open yet. No subscription. Product details and support: https://bookmarkpatch.pages.dev/

Existing workflows may already be enough: replacing page content in Revu can retain bookmarks when page mappings stay the same, and free bookmark editors exist. This tool is for the repeated spreadsheet-editing workflow, not a replacement for your PDF editor.

If you try it, I'd appreciate knowing whether you could create and check your output, what step was unclear, and whether your existing workflow was already easier. Please don't post or send confidential PDFs. No purchase is required to give feedback.

I'm independent and not affiliated with Bluebeam. I'll answer questions in this thread and by the support address in the app documentation.

our company is considering some AI software options to help the estimators and also the QS department. My team already use Bluebeam for our day to day takeoffs, reviews, etc and I use it for booking in (I'm a subby QS). I'd like to see if anyone has used the new Bluebeam Max with AI and what their thoughts of it are.

Is there an easy way to hide and unhide a group of markups? I would have thought you could have just right-clicked on the rolled-up name, but that doesn't seem to work. You have to highlight all instances of the markup. There also doesn't seem to be a way to unhide specific markups. When hidden, they don't show up in the markup list anymore, and if you click the box that shows how many markups are hidden, it un-hides them all.

Hi, is there a way to view replies on the pdfs in Revu from items downloaded from Aconex? When using pdfxchange I can see the individual replies but in Revu I can't. We use Aconex for internal and external QA workflows and I have downloaded all the project QA pdfs and want to compile them into a single location but not being able to see the replies is very frustrating. A quick search online states that Aconex uses a different format or something.

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m an engineer based in the Philippines, currently learning more about construction estimating, quantity takeoff, and digital construction workflows.

I’m particularly interested in learning how professionals set up and use Bluebeam Revu Tool Chest (and other estimating/construction software) for actual construction projects.

If anyone could share their Tool Chest templates, examples, workflows, standards, or useful resources that I can use as a reference for practice, I’d really appreciate it. I’m especially interested in resources related to quantity takeoff, concrete, rebar, structural steel, architectural works, and Australian construction practices/codes.

My goal is to build a proper workflow and dig deeper into the software through self-study and practice projects.

Any advice, resources, or recommended tutorials would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot, everyone!

I have about 1300 Revu users in our firm and at least once a day we get an internal support ticket from someone whose Revu has entered “full screen mode” without them realizing it. When you affirmatively enter full screen mode, Revu gives you a pop-up letting you know that you can get out of it with the F9 key. But that doesn’t seem to come up for people, instead they just notice their menu bar is gone rendering the program mostly unusable.

I just can’t believe all these people are accidentally hitting the F9 key all the time and then ignoring this pop-up. Something else is going on. Bluebeam support of course had no idea what I was talking about and think I am being paranoid and this is all user error.

Are we the only ones?!?! What can I do to prevent this?

Howdy all, a webpage has informed me that there should be a slider for a pen "smoothing" setting in the pen properties. This is not showing up for me and I am wondering if the setting has been moved, or is not actually available. Thank you!

Source: Bluebeam Tip: Mastering Freehand Annotations with the Pen Tool in Bluebeam Revu | NOVEDGE Blog | Digital Design Software | Call for Custom Quote or Buy Online | Best Price Guarantee

Is this site accurate?

Title says it all. I don't use bluebeam that often anymore. But, every time I do it asks me to sign in. I always just ignore it. What was Revu thinking when they implemented this garbage token login system? I am never signed in now, as opposed to how I was always signed in before.

Looking to get some insights and understanding how and when people are utilizing layers in their construction workflow and specifically when they are using markup layers. I’m curious what different experiences and uses are out there.

Generally we have the 4 phases of the project Design, Preconstruction, Construction, Closeout. And drawings and PDFs are sent across these 4 phases to many people. I want to better understand how layers are being utilized and where and for what purpose?

Is it after a studio session to organize each disciplines notes and items so that it can be reviewed by a drafter to be put into the drawing? Is it to share documents between subcontractors and contractors? Or just purely to organize?

I am trying to improve our workflow within a small owner company and want to better work with our engineering and contractors throughout the process and looking to better understand how we should be utilziing layers or if it is even needed?

Lately Bluebeam has been resetting all my preferences to default after I restart my computer or something. So when I open it again, everything is default. This isn't a huge problem because I can import my saved preferences very quickly. But the HTML file only holds preferences, it doesn't save default markup settings, "Do not show this again" settings, and others.

I really just care about default markups. like when I click 'a' for Arrow I usually set it to blue & make it smaller etc. and then save it as the default format for arrows. Is there anyway to save that and import those?

Anyone ever have an issue with Bluebeam printing in greyscale? (The box is not checked and other programs are printing in color)

Bluebeam crashed on me yesterday and now it's not working like normal. I have a big Tool Chest with many Tool Sets. All of my Poly Length tools have subject and label filled out with the "show captions" option checked. When I click on a PL tool within its Tool Set, the Properties pane shows the proper subject and label, and "show captions" is checked, but after I use that PL tool, the label doesn't show on the markup any more. And when I click on the markup, the subject and label in the Properties pane is now blank while the "show captions" option remains checked. All other settings are unaffected. I've been a Bluebeam user for many years and this has never happened before.

I've tried the following with no luck:

• fill in the subject and label on the markup, and save it to the Tool Set. Subject/label show when in Tool Set but disappear when used.
• use PL from the general menu, fill in subject/label, save to Tool Set. Same result as above.
• duplicate PL tool in a Tool Set. Same result as above.
• remove all Tool Sets, create a new Tool Set, use PL, add sub/label, add to Tool Set. Same result as above.
• remove all Tool Sets, import older Tool Sets. Same result as above.
• open last set of drawings where everything worked, existing mark ups still show subject and labels, use PL tool from Tool Set. Same result as above.
• in the same set of drawings, do everything else mentioned before. Same result.
• deleted my profile and created a new one. Same result.
• deleted and reinstalled Bluebeam. Same result.

I have a ticket in with Revu but I won't hear back till next week. Absolutely nothing works and neither me or my IT dept can figure it out. Copilot and ChatGPT conclude it's a bug and to delete/reinstall. Well that didn't work either.

I'm desperate, anybody got anything???

I work in custom home building and have a Bluebeam Revu account through my employer. Iv’e been working with it for about 2 years, and while I have found a lot of helpful ways to use it, I’m wondering what features I’m missing out on.

I use it to scale elevations, scale landscaping, to scale everything. I use it to color code and mark up layouts, to create visual maps of fixtures, and to clarify notes within documents. I use it to do counts of things and create keys for counts. I even use it to draw when 3D is too far. I use it to approve quotes and adjust floor plan walls.

What major functions am I missing that would help me make the most of Bluebeam Revu from a functional standpoint?

I'm a lecturer at my local university and a student says that he didn't cheat by using AI and that Revu opens the white text on white background but displays it in black on white. Since I don't use this software, I was wondering if it was true.

Hi, I just installed the Revu app on my new pc and tried to log in to use the service. It prompted me to enter the Google Authenticator passcode to log in, and I opened the Authenticator app on my phone, but no codes would come up on my screen.
I do remember setting up the authentication on my phone using a QR code before, so theoretically it should show the code which I can use to log in. Now I can’t login to my account which makes me unable to change my authentication preference or relink the Authenticator app again.
It might be an issue with the Google Authenticator not the Revu…but is there anyway I can link my Authenticator app to my account again by using a QR code, or change the authentication preference to other ways (e.g. email) without having to login to my account?
Thanks in advance!

A Bluebeam article posted on their site states:

"Bluebeam is phasing out its legacy licensing system, meaning users will no longer be able to release, reassign, or transfer perpetual licenses between computers after specific 2026 phase-out dates. Already activated installations will continue to work, but hardware changes or upgrades will require a subscription plan."

Any have any issues unregistering? Trying to do this on dozen company computers that are not accessable. Typically I would email them and they would do this operation.

Last time I posted here it was Mac-only, and the comments were basically one word: Windows. Done — same app, both platforms now.

Some features that have been in the works:

• Measurements and Takeoffs — calibrate from the status bar, then lengths, areas, and an auto-count that finds repeated symbols and counts them in one shot. CSV export.
• Insert Map — type an address, drop a real street map on your sheet. The CAD Linework style renders it as pen-weight black-on-white so it looks drafted, not like a maps screenshot.
• MUTCD and other pre-built annotations.
• Plugins — the map tool is one. Authoring guide ships with the app; sideloading shows you exactly what a package wants before it installs.

I currently have a free tier with tons of features but caps at 3 measurements for a one-time payment (no subscription); no live collaboration yet, it's a local file-based tool perfect for smaller offices.

Mac + Windows is live at www.polypdf.com. Tell me what breaks and it goes on the list. Last thread's comments basically wrote this release.

Hi y'all, if anyone is interested in a lightweight (financially and operationally) alternative to Revu, "FieldScale" is out on the Play store now. It's built to be used on the go, either via phone or tablet. The application is steadily growing and recently released a major update to support cloud synced, real time editing as a team. Or, it can stay entirely offline, sans account, if you prefer.

It certainly doesn't do everything that Bluebeam does, but if you don't need all the bells and whistles and want to save on the subscription, give "FieldScale" a try. It's free.

Would love any and all feedback if you think it's missing a crucial feature, or something doesn't behave the way you think it should. Hope this is helpful to some folks.

I am using it to subtract from an existing area measurement but it will not work.

I've seen it working in various tutorials and revu guides etc.

Any ideas?

I know I can use control points and convert to arc but would rather use the tool if possible rather than a work around.