In Bluebeam Revu, profiles act as unique interface configurations. They let you customize the workspace for different workflows. Revu allows you to perform a variety of different tasks – and profiles help ease the transition from one workflow to another. For example, when performing quantity takeoff, you might want to use a profile that features the Measurement toolbar. On the other hand, when performing punch walkthroughs, you might want to use a profile with customized punch tools.

Revu is preloaded with 4 default profiles: Revu, Revu Advanced, Quantity Takeoff, and Field Issues. Beyond these default options, you can also create your own profiles. Custom profiles allow you to customize the workspace to match your specific needs.

There are a variety of customization options that you can save to a profile. Each profile features different toolbars, panels, toolsets, and Markup List columns. By creating profiles specific to your work, you can quickly access the tools you need, when you need them – no matter what kind of work you’re doing.

This article will cover 9 ways to customize Bluebeam Revu using profiles. The following examples are from Bluebeam Revu 20 eXtreme edition. However, these capabilities are available within all versions of Revu.

1. Show or Hide Toolbars

By default, toolbars run along the top, left, and right side of the Revu interface. Toolbars are collections of tools, giving quick access to functions otherwise found in the Menu bar. 

You can customize the toolbars that display for any given profile. It’s a good practice to hide any toolbars you don’t need to use to maximize viewing space.

To adjust which toolbars display, right click on a visible toolbar. A dropdown menu will appear with all available toolbars, allowing you to show and hide them. Select an unchecked toolbar to add it to the workspace. In the same way, select a checked toolbar to remove it from display. 

After making changes to the toolbars, you can save the configuration to your profile. Now, you’ll always have convenient access to the tools you need.

2. Rearrange Toolbars

Along with showing and hiding toolbars, you can move them around within the workspace. To move a toolbar, click and hold the toolbar’s divider and drag it to the desired location. You can place toolbars on the top, left, or right side of the workspace.

After making this adjustment, you can save your toolbar arrangement to your profile. Not only do you have quick access to your tools, they’re now available specifically where you need them.

3. Customize Tools in the Toolbars

Another way you can customize the toolbars is by customizing the tools within them. By default, Revu will group similar tools into toolbars for easy access. For example, the File toolbar gives you access to tools available from the File menu. The Measure toolbar, on the other hand, features all measurement markup tools. The name of the toolbar will generally indicate the types of tools hosted within it.

You can add or remove specific tools from any toolbar to match your needs. You can even create new, custom toolbars. To customize the toolbars, right click on one of them and select Customize. 

The Customize Toolbars window features three different sections:

• Under Toolbar, you’ll see a list of all available toolbars. You can create a new toolbar by pressing the + button and entering in a unique name. To edit an existing toolbar, simply select it from the list.

   

• The Items section will display the tools available within the selected toolbar. You can delete any of these tools using the X button, or check/uncheck them from the list to show/hide them.

• Lastly, the Commands section will display all available tools, organized into categories. You can use the Category dropdown to find a specific set of tools, or select All to display all available tools. You can add these tools to the selected toolbar by highlighting them in the list and pressing the Add Command arrow.

Just like the other tools we’ve covered, you can save your customized toolbars to the profile.

4. Show or Hide Panel Access Tools

Bluebeam Revu’s interface also features a variety of panel access tools. Panels are available on the left, right, and bottom of the application. To open a panel, simply click and drag the panel divider or select a panel access icon. Depending on the icon selected, the panel will feature a different variety of tools. There are 18 panel tools available – but you can customize which display in your profile.

To show or hide a panel access tool, right click on a visible panel access icon. Selecting Show will provide you a dropdown list of all available panel options. The highlighted options will show which tools are currently displaying. To display a hidden panel tool, simply select it from the list.

In the same manner, you can hide panel access tools by right clicking on them and selecting Hide.

5. Rearrange Panel Access Tools and Configure Panel Viewing Space

Just like toolbars, you can rearrange the panel access tools within the Revu interface. You can place panel tools on the left, right, or bottom of the screen. You can even detach the panels to display as a free floating window.

To move a panel access tool, click and drag it to the desired location. You can also move these tools by right clicking on them, selecting Attach, and choosing a new location from the dropdown menu.

Another way to customize panels is to configure the viewing space within them. You can split panels in a top-bottom or side-by-side configuration. This allows you to have a variety of panel tools displayed within a single open panel.

To split the view within a panel, drag the desired panel tool into an open panel. Four arrows will appear, allowing you to choose a location for the tool. The panel will divide, showing multiple tools within the single panel. You can save the panel view configurations to the current profile so you always have access to them.

6. Create and Save Tool Sets

The Tool Chest is a panel within Bluebeam Revu that allows you to store customized markups for reuse. The Tool Chest organizes markups into tool sets, which store similar markups together. All default profiles feature a variety of premade tool sets.

It is often useful to create custom tool sets for the tools that you will need to use over and over again. Tool sets will save to the profile, so you always have quick access to them.

To create a custom tool set, first open up the Tool Chest panel. Select the Tool Chest menu and choose Manage Tool Sets. From the Manage Tool Sets window, press Add and give your new tool set a name. Once created, you can add tools to the tool set from other tool sets, or from the PDF itself. To add a tool from another tool set, simply click and drag the tool icon into your new tool set. To add a markup from the PDF to the toolset, right click on it and select Add to Tool Chest. Adding a markup to a toolset will not only save its visual properties, but its metadata as well – such as its Subject.

7. Markup List Configuration

The Markups List is a specialized panel that tracks all markups placed on the PDF. You can leverage this markup data to perform a variety of different workflows. For example, you could use the Markups List to perform estimation, or to track issues to resolution. The Markups List features a variety of available columns, letting you adjust what information displays. Like most things in Revu, the arrangement of Markup List is customizable.

To adjust which columns display, select Markups List > Columns. The dropdown menu will provide a full list of available columns. Simply click on a column in the list to add it to the display. In the same way, you can select any displaying columns from the list to hide them.

Additionally, you can rearrange the displaying columns by clicking and dragging them. You can save any adjustments made to the Markups List to the current profile.

8. Custom Statuses

Within the Markups List, you have access to a useful built-in Status column. Statuses allow you to streamline communication by providing progress updates on specific markups. Revu provides you with several built-in statuses – but you can also create your own custom ones.

To create a custom status, select the Status Options button within the Status column header, and select Manage Status. In the Manage Status window, you can now create both Models and States. The Model is the category for the custom status, while the States are the specific status options. First, select the Add button next to the Model box and enter in a name. With that Model selected, select the Add button within the States column to add the status options. After creating your custom status model, you can save it to the current profile by selecting Save to Profile.

For more information on creating custom statuses, please refer to this article.

9. Custom Columns

Lastly, in regards to the Markups List, you can create custom columns. Custom columns allow you to track additional information and perform specific workflows. Just like custom statuses, you can save custom columns to the current profile for reuse.

To create a custom column, select Markups List > Columns > Manage Columns. Select the Custom Columns tab and press Add to create a new column. There are six custom column types available, each with their own specific properties. For a more detailed guide on using and creating custom columns, please refer to this article.

Once created, you can save your custom column to the profile using the Save to Profile button.

Saving Your Layout

After customizing the program, you can save your changes to a profile to access them at any time. When saving a profile, you can either save to the current profile or create a new profile. It is generally recommended to create a new profile, rather than saving over the default ones.

To create a new profile, select Revu > Profiles > Manage Profiles. Select Add and give your new profile a name. Now, your interface customization will always be available to you from the Profiles list.

Summary

In Bluebeam Revu, profiles allow you to customize the interface for different workflows. This can make it easier to switch from one type of work to another – such as editing to measuring. Although the program provides several default profiles, you can also create your own. By adjusting the toolbars, panels, tool sets, statuses, and columns, you can configure your own custom profile. Once saved, your profile will always be available to you – letting you access the tools you need, when you need them.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please use the comment section on the bottom of this page. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to get more Bluebeam tips & tricks directly in your inbox!

Lauren Hecker is a Bluebeam Certified Instructor and teaches onsite and virtual Bluebeam Revu training courses. To schedule an onsite or custom course, please contact us!