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Drawing Management

Filtering, selecting, deleting and organizing drawings. Organize, Filter, and Highlight Drawings

Written by Josan Garcia

Dashboard > Select a Project > Drawings

Permissions

Always remember to ensure the correct people have the appropriate permissions to access your company and project data. This can be done per individual or by applying Permission Templates.

In order to manage Drawings, users will need either Edit or Manage permissions for Drawings

This guide will walk you through the various features and options available to effectively manage your drawings within the application.

To begin managing your drawings, from the Dashboard, select the desired project then click on the "Drawings" module on the sidebar menu.

Views

There are two ways of viewing your Drawings. You can view your drawings in a List or as a Grid. You can choose the options at the top right of your Drawings page.

Grid View

With the Grid View, you can see your Drawings in larger thumbnail images. You may find using the Grid View allows you to see the Drawings a little clearer.

If you have the Mark Up option in your plan, you'll see a row of icons in grey under each of your Drawings. These represent the modules you can pin to your Drawing. When pinned, the icon will be black with a number denoting how many items are pinned.

*Example above shows a Drawing with one RFI and one Punch Item pinned

Clicking on the icon will open a small window in the top right hand corner of your Drawing screen. In it, you will see all the pins connected to that module. Click on the pin you want and the item will open allowing you to view it and make any updates if needed.
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List View

Your List View will display your drawings in a list format. You'll still see thumbnail images, just slightly smaller than in the Grid View.

This view allows you to see additional details such as :

  • Numerical and Alphabetical Sorting:

    • SiteMax supports both numerical and alphabetical sorting of drawing numbers.

    • Please note; Numerical ordering of Drawings will show up as 1, 10, 11....2, 21, etc. If you wish to have your Drawings ordered by 1, 2, 3, etc. we recommend renaming any Drawings labeled 1-9 as "01", "02", "03", etc.
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  • Header Sorting Functions:

    • SiteMax provides header sorting functions that allow you to sort your drawings based on different criteria, including:

      • Starred: Sort drawings that you have marked as "starred" for quick access and prioritization.

      • Tags: Sort drawings by assigned tags for easy categorization.

      • RFIs: Sort drawings based on the number of associated RFIs.

      • Punch Items: Sort drawings based on the number of associated Punch Items.

      • Tasks: Sort drawings based on the number of associated Tasks.

      • COs: Sort drawings based on the number of associated Change Orders.

      • Drawings: Sort drawings based on the number of associated Drawings.

      • URLs: Sort drawings based on the number of associated URL links.

      • Photos: Sort drawings based on the number of associated Photos.

      • Documents: Sort drawings based on the number of associated Attachments

*example of Drawings order based on Punch Items associated

You can click on the icon to open a new window in the top right of your Drawings screen. This window will display all the pins connected to the drawing for that module. Click on the pin you want to see, and your item will open allowing you to make any updates if needed.

Highlighting Drawings

Use the "Starred" column in your List View to highlight specific Drawings. You'll see a white star for each Drawing. Clicking on the star will turn it yellow and make it a highlighted Drawing. By marking certain drawings as "Starred," you can distinguish them from others and quickly locate them when needed.

Mark Up Tools

The Drawings Mark-up Toolbar in SiteMax provides a range of tools and options for annotating and marking up drawings, allowing users to add important information, attachments, shapes, text, and measurements. This guide will walk you through the various features and functionalities of the Drawings Mark-up Toolbar.

Pins/Markers

The Markers (or Pins) section allows you to attach existing items or create new markers within the drawing. Here, you'll see icons for the following options:

  • Attach RFI: Attach an existing Request for Information (RFI) to the drawing, providing additional context or documentation related to the drawing area.

  • Attach Punch Item: Attach a Punch Item to the drawing, enabling you to indicate specific areas that require attention or correction.

  • Attach Task: Associate a Task with the drawing, allowing you to mark specific areas that need work or follow-up.

  • Attach Change Order: Associate a Change Order with the drawing, allowing you to mark specific areas that need a change.

Learn more in our article here!

Attachments

The Attachments section enables you to pin other drawing references, photos, or files to the drawing. Use the following options:

  • Link Section Detail: Link a detailed section view to the drawing, providing more in-depth information about specific areas.

  • Attach Photo: Attach a photo to the drawing, allowing you to include visual references or documentation.

  • Attach Custom URL: Allowing you to associate a website address or URL with a particular object, such as a document, image, or reference, providing quick access to external resources

Attach Document: Pin a document or file to the drawing, such as specifications or additional instructions.

Draw Lines

The Draw Lines feature allows you to mark up drawings with arrows, lines, and line shapes. Choose from the following options:

  • Draw Custom Lines: Draw freehand lines or create customized line shapes according to your specific requirements.

  • Draw an Arrow: Add arrows to indicate directions, flow, or specific points of interest on the drawing.

  • Draw a Polyline: Create connected lines with multiple vertices, useful for outlining complex shapes or areas.

Draw Shapes

Markup drawings with basic shapes using the Draw Shapes options. These include:

  • Draw a Square

  • Draw Circles

  • Draw a Polygon

  • Draw a Cloudy Rectangle

Add Text

The Add Text option allows you to click and drag to create text boxes and add text within the drawing, providing additional annotations or descriptions.

Measurements

The Measurements section enables you to set up accurate measurements and measure areas and shapes on the drawing. Utilize the following options:

  • Calibrate: Set up the measurement scale based on a known reference within the drawing, ensuring accurate measurements.

  • Measure Length: Measure the length of a specific line or distance on the drawing.

  • Measure an Area: Calculate the area of a specific region or shape on the drawing.

  • Measure a Polygon: Measure the perimeter and area of irregular polygons or complex shapes.

Edit & Delete

The Edit & Delete section allows you to update or delete multiple items simultaneously, making it easy to manage your mark-ups. The options available include:

Edit: Move items around easily, making adjustments to their positioning within the drawing.

Delete: Quickly remove unwanted or unnecessary mark-ups, helping you clean up mistakes or erase unneeded items.

Filters

Once your drawings have been uploaded, you can utilize the filtering options to streamline your search. Filter your search by Tags and/or Location to find just the drawings you need.
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Actions

Use your Actions menu to manage your different drawings. Click on the Actions button at the top right of your screen to bring up the dropdown menu.

Note; Drawings must be selected by checking the box beside them in order to apply the Actions
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Edit Drawing

Make edits to a singular drawing. Add or change the title. adjust the dates, add any relevant Tags and/or Locations

  1. Select the Drawing you wish to edit

  2. Under the Actions dropdown, select "Edit Drawing"

  3. A new window will open, allowing you to make your edits, including adding Tags. Note; Multiple Tags can be applied to Drawings

  4. Click "Save" to save your changes

Bulk Edit Drawings

Make edits to multiple Drawings at once. Remember that any changes you make will be applies to all drawings selected.

  1. Click on the Drawings you wish to edit

  2. Under the Actions dropdown, select "Bulk Edit Drawings"

  3. A. new window will open where you can make the changes you wish. Note: Because they apply to multiple drawings, fewer edits are available in bulk.

    1. Add any necessary or relevant Tags and/or Locations to your Drawings.

    2. Adjust your Issuanve and Received Dates

    3. Add any recipients to your Drawings

  4. Click "Save" to save your changes

Delete Drawings

Delete the drawings you no longer need.

  1. Select the Drawings you want to delete

  2. Under the Actions dropdown, select "Delete Drawings"

  3. Click "OK" to confirm

Move to Folder

Move your selected drawings to another folder within your project's Drawings module.

  1. Select the Drawings you wish to move

  2. Under the Actions menu, select "Move to Folder"

  3. A new window will open. Select the folder to which you want to move your drawings

  4. Click "Save" to complete the move

The drawings will now appear in your selected folder

Export PDF Logs

Export PDF logs of your Drawings folders.

  1. Select the Drawings Folders you want to export (in this instance, you will click on the square beside the folder name)

  2. Under the Actions menu, click on "Export PDF Logs"

  3. Your PDF file will immediately be downloaded to your computer

Export Drawings

Export just the drawings you want in PDF format

  1. Select the Drawings you wish to export

  2. Under the Actions dropdown, select "Export Drawings"

  3. A new window will open where you can choose what you want included in your PDF file. Check off all items you wish to include in your download.

  4. Click "Export"

  5. Another window will open showing the Drawings selected. Each drawing will provide its own URL you can share. You can choose the following:

    1. Download All - Once selected, your PDF with the selected drawings will be downloaded to your computer

    2. Share by URL - Click on the Create button beside the main URL field to create a link to share with external people

      1. The newly created URL will appear in the URL field. Click the "Copy" button to copy the link. You can now paste this link in a message to contacts outside of your SiteMax system

Export Drawings CSV

Export a CSV file of your Drawings.

  1. Select the Drawings you wish to export

  2. Under the Actions dropdown, select "Export Drawings CSV"

Your CSV file will immediately be downloaded to your computer

Export Folders CSV

Export complete Drawings Folders to a CSV file

  1. Click on the Folders you wish to export

  2. Under the Actions menu, select "Export Folders CSV"

Your CSV file will immediately be downloaded to your computer

Publish Log

Your Publish Log provides a comprehensive overview of the drawing upload process and allows you to manage and finalize any pending uploads.

If you see a number in red displayed on your Publish Log button, it means that you have an incomplete upload.

  1. Click on the Publish Log button

  2. A new window will open, showing the publish history of your Project's Drawings with the Status of each (ie; "Published" or "Complete Publishing"

  3. Click on any logs that are listed as "Complete Publishing"

  4. You'll see the Drawings and any errors will be noted in red.

  5. Note the Actions button in blue on the far right of your Publish window.

  6. Here, you can choose to either scan your drawings using the OCR system or manually number/title your drawings, add characters, or delete your drawings.

  7. If you decide to scan your drawings, you will be taken to a new screen where you can view your first drawing. Use the option to either scan the numbers or the titles of the drawings.

    1. If your Drawings do not have numbers or titles, there will be nothing to scan, and you will want to manually number/title your drawings.

      *Example of Drawing with no Title/Number - hence the error message in the Publish Log

    2. If the Drawings do have numbers and/or titles, choose which you want to scan and draw your square around the desired option

    3. Click "Process" at the top right of your screen, depending on whether you chose to scan all or just the drawings selected, the rest of your drawings will be scanned automatically.

  8. Click "Publish" to complete the process, and "OK" to confirm
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Drawing Versions

In SiteMax, managing drawing versions is a straightforward process that allows you to track changes and avoid conflicts. This guide will walk you through the steps of handling drawing versions effectively.

  1. Default Version Number
    When you upload drawings, the system automatically assigns a version number based on the upload date. This ensures that each drawing has a unique identifier and helps organize the revisions chronologically.

  2. Version Conflict

    In cases where a newly uploaded drawing shares the same number and date combination as an existing drawing, a Version Conflict occurs. This indicates that there is a discrepancy between the uploaded drawing and the previously existing one.

  3. Resolving Version Conflicts

    To resolve Version Conflicts, you have two options: (1) during Step 3 of the Publish Log or (2) when uploading drawings. When prompted with a Version Conflict, you need to review and determine the appropriate action.

  4. Uploading a New Version

    If you choose to resolve the Version Conflict during the drawing upload process, SiteMax will display an error message indicating the conflict. By confirming the error message, a newly dated version of the same drawing will be uploaded, replacing the previous version.

  5. Reviewing Past Versions

    To review past versions of a drawing, you can access the drawing's top toolbar. Clicking on the appropriate option will display a list of previous versions, allowing you to compare changes and track the evolution of the drawing over time.

Version Control

Our version control settings feature will help you manage your drawing references and keep everyone up-to-date.

By enabling the version control settings, you're ensuring that all drawing references on your team will automatically update whenever changes are made to the drawings. This ensures that everyone is always working with the most up-to-date drawings, eliminating confusion and errors caused by outdated versions.

To enable this feature, simply navigate to

Company Settings > Modules > Drawings

Here you will find the Drawing Settings and the checkbox for an automatic versioning option for your drawings. Simply check the box and click Save to enable!

Whenever a team member makes changes to a drawing, the updated version will automatically be reflected in all drawing pin links.

Want to learn more?

Drawing Pins

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