Overview
What is Bluebeam?
Bluebeam Revu is a PDF management, control, and editing tool. It enables collaboration and markup within shared documents across projects’ life cycles and has takeoff and bid creation capabilities.
Senior Proposal Manager
Save Bluebeam!
TrustRadius Insights
Simple and easy to use Project Management Software
A Fantastic PDF Markup & Sharing Tool
Better bang for your buck!
Markup Majesty - Bluebeam Rules
Bluebeam Revu for project QA&QC is great!
Bluebeam in a nutshell
All the bang for the buck
Great for scaled markups
Great for architects and designers
A must-have PDF software!
reduce risk by automating your QA\QC process
Revu can handle all PDF related tasks with ease.
We use Revu in several different ways. First, it's a great tool both in the office and when on job sites to document existing conditions …
Awards
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Popular Features
- Plan markups & sharing (52)9.494%
- Plan distribution & viewing (50)9.494%
- Document sharing (46)9.494%
- As-built drawings (44)9.494%
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Pricing
Revu Standard
$349
Revu CAD
$449
Revu eXtreme
$599
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Starting price (does not include set up fee)
- $240 per year per user
Product Demos
Veebinar "Bluebeam Revu 20 versiooni uued võimalused " 29. märts 2021
Bluebeam Revu
Bluebeam Revu Make it easy - Takeoff
COMMERCIAL PAINTING Takeoffs demo - fast version
ALL CAD Northwest - Bluebeam Revu 12 Feature Demo
Bluebeam Revu AEC Demo
Features
Reporting & Analytics
Users can report on and analyze usage, performance, ROI, and/or other metrics of success.
- 9Standard reports(1) Ratings
The software offers pre-built reports with metrics standard to the category.
- 8Custom reports(1) Ratings
Users can create custom reports.
- 9Data exportability(1) Ratings
Data can be exported via a CSV or Excel file for further reporting and analysis outside of the tool.
Construction Project & Field Management
Features related to collaboration between construction management and project execution (e.g. the office and the job site, general contractors and subcontractors)
- 9.4Plan distribution & viewing(50) Ratings
Users can compare different versions of plans, and view live updates/revisions to plans (usually from a mobile device in the field).
- 9.4Plan markups & sharing(52) Ratings
Users can annotate plans from the field and easily share plans/markups with other project stakeholders.
- 8.2Issue tracking & punchlists(32) Ratings
Users can track issues from the field, and create punchlists upon substantial completion.
- 8.6Photo documentation(35) Ratings
Users can document construction progress and/or issues by uploading photos from the field.
- 9Jobsite reports(30) Ratings
Users can create and share reports on jobsite safety, daily progress, etc.
- 9.4Document sharing(46) Ratings
Users can share/attach other documents related to construction projects, such as specifications, contracts, drawings, etc.
- 9RFI tools(34) Ratings
Users can create, send, receive, and archive Requests for Information (RFIs), to record exchanges with subcontractors, vendors, and other suppliers.
- 9Collaboration & approvals(41) Ratings
Users can comment, send messages, and/or approve documents.
- 9.4As-built drawings(44) Ratings
Users can generate as-built drawings upon project completion, to reflect the exact dimensions and materials of the final work, including any changes made to the initial plans during the construction process.
- 7.9Mobile app(27) Ratings
Users can easily access the system from the field on mobile devices such as phones and tablets.
- 9.4Submittal design and management(20) Ratings
Tools that allow users to draft and build submittals, track their status, submit them online, annotate submittal PDFs, and send submittal approval online.
- 9.4Checklists(3) Ratings
Construction checklists allow you to link important elements in your construction project. Construction checklists detail specific information of activities and phases in your project.
- 8.8Change orders(3) Ratings
A change order (or variation order) is a component of the change management process in which changes in the scope of work (or project brief) agreed to by the client, contractor and architect are implemented.
Estimating
A set of tools and applications that allow contractors to forecast, track, monitor, and adjust the cost of building a structure. Cost estimates are used by project owners to determine the scope and feasibility of a project, and also for budget allocation. Contractors also use cost estimates when deciding whether or not to bid on a project and for bid creation.
- 9Takeoff tools(26) Ratings
Allow users to list the materials and quantities they will need for the project either manually from hardcopy blueprints or electronically from digital blueprints.
- 8.4Job costing(5) Ratings
Tracking and monitoring of the costs of all materials, labor, subcontractors, & equipment required for a given construction project. Allows users to compare actual costs to estimated costs, see how the job is progressing, identify which parts of the job are using the largest parts of the budget.
- 10Cost databases(1) Ratings
Pulls information from online databases and aggregates it to allow contractors to compare prices of materials from different suppliers.
- 10Cost calculator(2) Ratings
Application that calculates cost of estimated quantities and materials, typically within spreadsheets.
- 9Bid creation(8) Ratings
Allows users to use bid packages or templates to quickly and efficiently create bids based off of cost estimates.
Product Details
- About
- Competitors
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Bluebeam?
Bluebeam develops technology solutions that according to the vendor support project efficiency and collaboration for over two million design and construction professionals worldwide. Bluebeam Revu and Bluebeam Cloud aim to give teams the flexibility to work together anywhere through design, build and handover. And with Bluebeam's desktop and cloud collaboration solutions built on open standards, documents and data can be accessed on any web or iOS device, onsite or off.
Bluebeam Revu®
Revu offers customizable document management, markup and automation tools with a built-in collaboration space, Studio.
• Log in to any desktop with Revu installed and access projects and tool sets
• Mark up and measure together with teammates in real time using Studio
• Share the latest drawings and documents with teams in the field using Bluebeam Cloud
• Increase security and simplify user login with single sign-on (SSO)
Bluebeam Cloud (Web & Mobile)
Connect office and field and complete workflows on the go with Bluebeam Cloud, a suite of web and mobile solutions that connects with documents and tool sets in Revu.
• Work from anywhere via web or iOS device — no set-up or installation required
• Access tool sets and Studio Project files from Revu
• Invite team members to markup and collaborate in real time with the Markup Editor
• Manage punch, RFIs and submittals on the go with Field Tools
Services
Get more out of Revu and Bluebeam Cloud with Bluebeam services designed to help finish the job faster.
• Unlimited centralized cloud storage
• Access to technology partner integrations to support custom workflows
• Access to Bluebeam University training courses at no additional cost
• Technical support via email and phone
• Geolocational insights to help visualize, connect and organize data
Bluebeam Features
Construction Project & Field Management Features
- Supported: Plan distribution & viewing
- Supported: Plan markups & sharing
- Supported: Document sharing
- Supported: Issue tracking & punchlists
- Supported: Photo documentation
- Supported: Jobsite reports
- Supported: RFI tools
- Supported: Collaboration & approvals
- Supported: As-built drawings
- Supported: Mobile app
- Supported: Submittal design and management
- Supported: Checklists
- Supported: Change orders
Estimating Features
- Supported: Takeoff tools
- Supported: Bid creation
Reporting & Analytics Features
- Supported: Dashboards
- Supported: Standard reports
- Supported: Custom reports
- Supported: Data exportability
Additional Features
- Supported: Digital stamps and signatures
Bluebeam Screenshots
Bluebeam Videos
Bluebeam Competitors
Bluebeam Technical Details
Deployment Types | On-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
---|---|
Operating Systems | Windows |
Mobile Application | Apple iOS, Mobile Web |
Supported Countries | USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Australia |
Supported Languages | English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Japanese, Korean |
Frequently Asked Questions
Comparisons
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Reviews and Ratings
(364)Community Insights
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
- Cons
- Recommendations
Bluebeam Revu is a widely accessible tool for the construction industry, enabling users to transform paper-based workflows to electronic formats. It has been widely adopted by project managers, estimators, safety managers, and accounting staff for various purposes such as takeoffs, markups, form building, electronic signatures, and stamp approvals. Users have found Bluebeam Revu to be a user-friendly tool for tasks like takeoff quantities, PDF manipulation, detail markups, phasing plans, invoice billing, change orders, and creating illustrations for presentations. The software's markup tools are highly valued for expediting the design process and building punch lists from site visits. Additionally, Bluebeam's Studio feature facilitates real-time collaboration and markups on the same document by multiple users, preventing duplication of work. Overall, Bluebeam Revu addresses the business problem of communicating issues using visual aids and provides a centralized location for updating and maintaining construction documents.
Efficiency in Batch Processes: Several users have praised Bluebeam Revu for its efficiency in batch processes, saving significant time compared to manual alternatives. This has been highlighted by reviewers who found the software to be a powerful tool for streamlining tasks and improving productivity.
Seamless Collaboration with Bluebeam Studio: Many reviewers have commended Bluebeam Revu's cloud-based collaboration feature, Bluebeam Studio, for its ease of use and effectiveness in facilitating collaboration among team members. Users appreciate the seamless collaboration capabilities provided by Bluebeam Revu, which enhance teamwork even when working from different locations or offices.
User-Friendly Markup Tools: The intuitive markup tools in Bluebeam Revu have received positive feedback from multiple users. They find it easy to annotate and mark up PDF documents using the software's user-friendly interface. This feature allows for efficient document editing and enhances the overall user experience.
Difficulties with Typewriter and Textbox Tools: Some users have found the typewriter and textbox tools in Bluebeam to be functional but not user-friendly, stating that they could be easier to use and more precise. Aligning text with specific areas on a form using the typewriter tool can be frustrating for some users.
Laborious Flattening Process: Users have expressed frustration with the process of flattening documents before sharing them in Bluebeam. They believe it could benefit from a default setting that automates this process, as manually flattening documents is time-consuming.
Complexity of Stamp Creation: The creation of stamps in Bluebeam involves several steps and can be confusing for some users. They feel that the process could be streamlined or macro automated to save time, creating a bottleneck for stamp creation.
Users recommend reaching out to other users and utilizing the support team for tricks and tips. They also suggest customizing the interface and exploring tutorials to fully utilize Bluebeam Revu's capabilities. Users highly recommend taking training to learn how to use the software effectively. Additionally, users recommend trying the free trial before purchasing to determine if Bluebeam Revu meets their needs.
Overall, these recommendations highlight the importance of seeking assistance from other users and the support team, as well as investing time in learning how to customize and optimize Bluebeam Revu through tutorials and training. The free trial option is also suggested as a way to evaluate the software before making a purchase decision.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-25 of 64)Bluebeam won’t disappoint
- Copy, Paste, and Color - The ability to duplicate a second of my Layout and recolor it for home modifications
- Square footage Tools - The fill in tool that “bleeds” into the shapes of the rooms is super helpful.
- Customized Toolbox - After about three weeks of regular work with the program, I had a saved digital toolbox filled with so many helpful items for future access
- User adaption will probably always been the hardest thing. Keep finding ways to make the tools function simple for new comers.
- Mac Vs PC - I had some issues with a few controls going from my PC work computer to my Mac at home. Nothing major.
- If I had to pick another possibly issue… maybe simplify the Layers and Print screens? The biggest learning curve for me was trying to print PDFs without getting Layouts mixed up or losing quality.
Senior Proposal Manager
It’s a very user-friendly software.
- Creating PDF files
- Editing PDFs
- Editing engineering drawings
- Collaboration software
- Best for AEC industries
- It lags and crashes especially when handing very large files
- High CPU and memory usage
- The interface can be overwhelming for new users due to its wide array of features
- Speed of opening and saving large files is sometimes less
- Expensive pricing model
Save Bluebeam!
- It used to convert my drawings to PDF easily
- Mark-ups and collaboration were efficient
- Sharing drawings was easier than with Adobe.
- Customer service
- Technical support
- Updating and upgrading software
Simple and easy to use Project Management Software
- Project Review In depth
- Document and Data sharing
- Available on Web, iOS onsite and off site.
- Subscription base creates issues for remote users
- Not available on Mac
- Takes too long to print or open files
A Fantastic PDF Markup & Sharing Tool
- PDF markup
- Multiple users of the same file
- Cloud document management
- More advanced drawing tools - the pencil is rather rudimentary
- Easier to pick up for first time users
Better bang for your buck!
- When I have different tabs open, it reverts back to the main or first tab which is helpful when I am moving documents around.
- There are for sure a ton of more options even on the basic version.
- Exporting to folders is super easy and separates the documents in order.
- If you have several tabs open and you try to drag one out for a side by side view then you do not have all the modification options and you have to combine them back together.
- There is a lag time when hitting the print option.
- There is also a lag time when opening files, sometimes I think the window is frozen.
- I wish the basic version also had basic file editing, as in editing a document as Adobe does.
Markup Majesty - Bluebeam Rules
- Clear and easy viewing of project plans.
- In depth and extremely detailed mark up tools and sketching tools.
- Excellent help and support services.
- The sketch to scale tools are minimal and could be expanded.
- The group editing and selection is not the easiest to use.
- I think drawing tools could be improved in placing and editing line dimensions.
Bluebeam Revu for project QA&QC is great!
- Ease of use
- Wide range of tools
- Clean and clear results
- Lacks PDF editing tools seen in other vector based softwares.
- Newer version changed a lot from the previous version.
- Can at times be slow.
Bluebeam in a nutshell
- Recent and recall of PDFs that you had open so you can easily flip back in forth between files all within the same window.
- Instant access to a list of tools and setting of the defaults.
- At times it is difficult to find out where a certain function is.
- Some secure files won't open in Bluebeam and must be used in Adobe.
- The comparisons feature has difficulties with scanned documents.
All the bang for the buck
- Ease of use.
- Speed. It allows the user to access and edit documents much faster.
- At first it might be intimidating if you have never used it.
- Sometimes too many options.
1. For everything we do in our takeoff engineering department.
2. Ease of access to view and edit plans and documents.
3. Ease of sharing between our office and field staff.
4. Inviting to sessions - meaning that we can all teleconference and view the same exact document in real time with each other.
I cannot think of a scenario where it would not be useful in my situation.
Great for scaled markups
- Great fast PDF viewer with better editing tools than Adobe Acrobat.
- Useful feature set for architects, such as setting drawing scale, distance and area measurement tools.
- I wish the drawing tools had 'snapping' options.
- There should be more control over dimming backgrounds and flattening/unflattening markups so you can be sure your recipient is seeing the same thing.
Great for architects and designers
- Marking up drawings to communicate quick revisions.
- Moving around, adding or deleting sheets.
- Could have even more editing things, more shapes, symbols, etc.
A must-have PDF software!
- Bluebeam Studio is number one for PDF sharing.
- Cropping pages and inserting PDF files is really easy.
- Making PDF sharing more faster than it is right now.
- Opening multiple PDF files and viewing them is a little difficult.
reduce risk by automating your QA\QC process
- It makes estimating take-offs a breeze by allowing for the simple creation of groups and automating counting and take off.
- Revu is the best tool in the AEC space for marking up plan sets. It is the tool that simulates pen and paper the best.
- Bluebeam needs to integrate with more systems. The few they have are great, but they need to expand.
- Revu is lacking in PDF forms. They often do not support newer forms of technology for multiple release cycles.
Revu can handle all PDF related tasks with ease.
We use Revu in several different ways. First, it's a great tool both in the office and when on job sites to document existing conditions with both markups and photos, which are embedded in the PDF. We use it in the office for redlining progress drawings, as well as reviewing and marking up contractor drawings, submittals, RFIs, and other project-related documents. Using the studio feature, we can collaborate with other members of the design team directly inside Revu. Revu is also used to document ongoing progress site visits. We use the iPad app for the fieldwork, and the desktop application while in the office. Using Revu allows for concise and legible markups, as well as the ability to generate summary reports of markups.
- General PDF viewing: it seems to have the best PDF engine for speed and accuracy.
- Redlining PDFs: it's simple to use and can create custom stamps easily.
- REVU for ipad is not as easy to use as the desktop application.
- The recent change of the user interface when going to the 2018 version was somewhat confusing. We have users on both older and newer versions.
General PDF creation and editing, as well as markup and combining of various PDFs, are great daily use features. We also use stamps quite often when marking up contractor submittals and related documents.
It's a much faster and easier application to use and master than the Adobe products, which seem to be very bloated and slow. I don't have any scenarios where Revu is less appropriate. It's our go-to application for anything using a PDF file format.
Making Markups Easy
- Marking up PDFs with preloaded stamps.
- Easy to use line/rectangle tools.
- Can't select pixels by color.
- Hard to find bookmark tool.
Great for the price
- Customizing tools and interface.
- Measuring and markups.
- High price tag.
- Updates should be easier.
Bluebeam Gets It Done
- Easy surface-level use but can become a deep and powerful tool if you invest in learning all its features.
- Perfect for editing PDFs, stamping, markups and creating templates.
- Well equipped for simple or complex take-off methods.
- Lots of customization for layout and tool ribbons.
- I would like to see better Excel integration and exporting.
- Id like to see a web app and cloud version to use on Chrome and also a Chrome preview extension
- It would be nice to see integration into Microsoft Office
Bluebeam - One stop for PDF collaboration
- It is relatively easy to use - without formal instruction.
- It easily allows you to grab PDF documents and edit them.
- It allows you create canned tools, like stamps, so data editing can be standard.
- Although it is relatively easy to use, the editing tools do not exist in drop down menus. I wish the interface were more similar to other Windows programs.
Bluebeam, how construction uses PDFs
- Scaling drawings to get accurate measurements from drawings.
- Cloud sharing via Bluebeam Studio.
- The markup tools.
- Bookmarking pages to make pages easier to find.
- Creating hyperlinks within a document.
- Comparing document changers with their compare tool.
- I would like to see Bluebeam Studio be able to see document change dates for files that are not PDFs.
- Every now and then the program gets a little glitchy.
Powerful tool for A-E-C industry
- Markups
- Takeoffs
- Drawing comparisons
- Rendering speed is a bit slow at times
- View and scrolling preferences (e.g. full page vs. scrolling view vs. zoom w/ scroll wheel) could be executed better
- Multi-document or side by side viewing
- Cost
Bluebeam leaves Adobe in the dust!
- Adding text
- Marking up a document
- Doing take-offs for estimating purposes
- It launches slowly (which is why I personally don't have it as my default launcher for PDFs that I view only).
Bluebeam rocks
- Dimensioning scaled PDF documents is one of the things I use the most. I can get an accurate measurement where one has not been provided
- Editing PDF documents- there are documents that are automatically created through systems software that may need to be edited to me to the specific needs of a particular project. With Bluebeam, you could do this with ease.
- Document control is a major strength of Bluebeam. I have used Bluebeam on a project that had over 18,000 drawings. We also used the link feature to hyperlink each page that had a fallout.
- The iPad is where Bluebeam has the most room to improve upon. I have used Bluebeam to record punch list as it is easy to create punch items but is not as simple to update the punch list status.
- Creating reports is also not a strength of Bluebeam. You cannot create a report to tell you what items are linked to each other.
- Storage, editing, and navigation are strengths of Bluebeam. But tracking document status is not a strength of Bluebeam.
- Draw on PDFs. No other software I've ever used is better at this, and I've used Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe Acrobat. Revu molds together the best features in CAD (powerful drawing capabilities, point snap abilities, extreme accuracy) with a great PDF viewer. Very much worth it.
- Mark up / annotate PDFs. Typing on Revu is very easy via the text box tool or the typewriter tool. You can choose from a variety of fonts, opaque or transparent backgrounds, any color--the possibilities are endless.
- Combining and rearranging PDFs. You can easily move pages around, combine separate files, and flatten files.
- A feature I would add -- a command line. The shortcuts are good, and in the latest version of Revu you can create your own which makes things easier. But I have used CAD and I find the command line much faster than dropdown menus.
- Something that could be better -- PDF compression. Revu files, when marked-up, can be massive, and there's not a clear enough way to shrink the file down by reducing clarity, etc. I understand this is a vector program--not rasterized--and vectors can be far more complex, especially with patterns and such. But compression would be nice.
- Features I'd like--enhanced vector abilities. Feathering lines, precise arc drawing, etc. Similar to Illustrator.
Bluebeam: Best PDF Document Management tool.
- Drawing markup. There are multiple ways to markup files from revision clouds, hyperlink tools, various shapes, and lines. All of these markups can also be counted and sorted for estimating takeoff style markups.
- Compiling and organizing. Bluebeam Revu also is a PDF authoring tool. You can create and export PDFs from anywhere there is a 'print' feature, or even convert filetypes directly to PDF. Multiple different PDFs can easily be combined, split apart, or rearranged.
- File distribution. The Studio Project and Studio Session feature allow for teams to have a cloud storage resource to share files with various permission and viewing abilities.
- It really is a great product and there really isn't a con that I can think of. Sometimes very large files struggle to refresh on a screen, but that is to be expected.