Workflow and/or software to field-markup plans created in Revit

[HVAC-Novice]

I work on existing buildings and look for a more electronic way to mark up my plans in the field. I removed all paper out of my work, except the 11x7 sheets I print to walk through the building and mark up. since it is 2021, I want to do that electronically on a table, like marking up a PDF. 

My current design process is:

1. create the BI model based on existing plans (mostly PDF, I often know the buildings a bit)
2. design as far as I want for the first on-site review. Prepare the sheets etc. My typical design is Arch D . i put review notes in red on the views so that on-site I know what to look for. 
3. print the sheet set on 11x7 (easier to handle then Arch D) and walk around the building to verify the building is like on the original plans, and verify whatever i needed to verify. I mark that up on paper.  
4. then back at the office, I correct my BI model based on the marked-up paper.
5. as the design progresses, I do more site-reviews before bidding. Same process above with 11x17 paper.
6. once bid out, we have a walk-through with potential bidders. Same 11x17 paper that i mark up with their questions and then edit my BI model to issue addenda if needed.
7. I also have zoom review meetings with stake-holders, but that is not relevant here. 

So step 3, 5, and 6 still use paper. With many sheets, it becomes cumbersome to browse forth and back and not being able to zoom in. I see some contractors use a software called "Plangrid" to mark up. We have the AEC collection, But I don't think we have that software. We do have Bluebeam, which may work as well. My plan is to skip the printing and mark up the PDF. I'm just not sure which software is best. My tablet doesn't have Bluebeam, so we would have to buy a license. 

I have to large monitors. so having the marked-up PDF next to Revit isn't a problem. 

Is there some more direct way to mark up directly out of Revit or is creating a PDF the best way? Technically I could remote into my desktop (Revit) from my tablet, but that is very cumbersome and hard to work in. Especially since my site-visits are with other people, the marking up has to be really fast and easy. 

Some more caveats:

- our IT most likely only allows us to use Dell Windows -based solutions. So any iPad or Android solution won't work

- Most our buildings have decent Wifi coverage. But they may have bad spots and ideally the tablet could download the document (if it is cloud-based) and allow offline editing

I never used Plangrid, but use Bluebeam (sessions, projects). I just never used it on a tablet and offline. I wonder if there are other PDF software that would be better? Bluebeam is not installed on the tablet to just try out (we would have to buy a license)

I have a Dell tablet with touch-screen, but it doesn't have one of the pens, and isn't great. However, it would be best to start with existing hardware before buying new. It doesn't have cellular data. 

Is there some other solution I'm missing? 

[RDAOU]

@HVAC-Novice 

You could use BIM Collaborate or BIM Collaborate Pro (Plangrid is more or less a lite economic version of BIM Collaborate)

However,  since you already have the AEC collection you can use BIM 360 Docs  it comes with the package

[HVAC-Novice]

Thanks. I tried the BIM 360 docs. I first was able to edit the PDF on my desktop. But then I tried on my tablet and it just showed me the "torn" document symbol and didn't let me edit. It also seemed to very slow to upload and process a document (5 minutes for a < 1MB pdf). I'm sure it can do a lot of other things, but easy to use while walking through a building wouldn't be my description. I'm also not sure how it works offline (since it didn't work on my tablet at all).

It seemed clunky. Like when I add text, I have to confirm that it saves the text. When I was able to actually edit, it started with V1 when there actually was a V2. it looks like a solution that doesn't "just works", but one you have to learn to use. 

I tried to upload the PDF in a different way (as plan), but there it wanted me to crop, ...). I really just want to use the PDF sheetset and edit. 

I installed a trial of Bluebeam on my tablet. The god thing is, it just works and also can be made to work offline. but the user interface isn't made for use "on the run". their "tablet" interface is just a slimmed-down version of the desktop interface, which you would use when you do extensive edits in the office. Not optimized to just mark-up while walking around. 

I probably should give either solution more time.... but what I look for is a solution that works really easily on a tablet. Ideally with the option to sync offline files for when I'm in areas of a building without good WiFi. I don't need elaborate tracking of who edited what. This is just for me to edit my onw plans. and the only markups I need is text, arrows, maybe a measurement. 

I saw contractors using Plangrid and they made it look easy and it has a UI for tablets (on their iPad). They basically had the essential tools just floating over the PDF and it was an easy process to mark up. No desktop type UI. 

[RDAOU]

@HVAC-Novice 

Any app you use require a little bit of reading and a little bit of practice...

BIM 360 has both Android and IOS apps you can find their download link in the below AKN Articles... you weren't using the browser were you?!!!

BIM 360 ANDROID APP 

BIM 360 iOS APP

and this is how the UI looks like

[HVAC-Novice]

Unfortunately we only can use Windows (x86) based tablets. It seems the browser was the only option for my W10 tablet.

My private phone is Android (S10) and I tried that. Indeed, that actually works like one would expect from a mobile touchscreen device 🙂

My smartphone screen is a bit small, though. Looks like one can manually download the file and that also speeds up use. Only problem so far is the edited document doesn't show up on the regular browser (desktop). it still shows the revision (V2) I had done on the desktop. it also isn't really able to to upload plans. so far i only could put the PDF in the "Projects". 

Anyway, despite the small screen, this already is better than the paper method or the Dell tablet. Another advantage of the phone is, I always have it with me unlike a tablet. It also has cellular data. 

[ToanDN]

If you have to do it a lot, get an iPad Pro or a Samsung S-series tablet with pen/stylus.  They have a sim card slot if you need cell data.

[HVAC-Novice]

Unfortunately our IT department doesn't let us buy what they don't approve. 

Only solution is if I bought it privately with my own money. 

[RDAOU]

@HVAC-Novice 

I am not sure what is the point from the original post if your you are not flexible with the device/hadware/software. 

You mentioned PlanGrid and Bluebeam and asked on alternatives

Windows APPs: PlanGrid and Bluebeam are two (if not the most) widely used apps - I prefer PG; maybe because I am used to it

iOS and Android: BIM 360 DOCS, BIM COLLABORATE and BIM COLLABORATE PRO

Advantage of DOCS is that it comes already with you AEC package...if IT is not willing to provide the Android or iOS device that can run these, they should provide you with a subscription of PlanGRID its 90$ per month 

[HVAC-Novice]

I want to use a tablet or similar device and it has to be easy to use. The windows (x86) solutions don't seem to be suitable since they use a desktop UI. That is fine when you sit at a desk and can take your time, but not on a job site when you are walking through a building with other people and have to take notes and mark up....  you really need a UI suitable for easy use. So the typical iOS or android apps would work fine. 

And it isn't me being inflexible with hardware and software. I don't know how your employer works, but here we don't get a choice and have to use what IT supports. And I'm already happy when that works 90% of the time. If we want to use something different it literally takes years and upper management involvement (I'm only a powerless engineer). If it wasn't for COVID, we couldn't even remote into our PCs.  We still have fax devices. When I buy a new design software for my desktop it takes review by IT and lawyers and a LOT of documentation from the manufacturer to get approval. Here it isn't a simple process (unfortunately) to use something we don't already have. 

FWIW, for the time being I'm fine using my private phone even when the screen size isn't the best. On the upside I have it with me all the time. So I'm trying to get the BIM 360 docs to work. If that all works on my (private) phone and the screensize bothers me too much, I will go the loooooooong route of asking for approval for a better device. But I need to figure out the workflow first. Maybe I will have to confiscate my kid's iPad or something 🙂  

[Anonymous]

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