In Bluebeam Revu, profiles act as unique interface configurations. Multiple profiles can be created to customize the workspace for different workflows. Revu is preloaded with a variety of default profiles for the convenience of different user groups, but you can also create new profiles to customize the workspace to match your specific needs.

There are a variety of customization options that can be saved to a profile. Utilizing profiles will give you access to the program exactly the way you want, increasing project efficiency in the future. 

This article will go over 9 useful ways to customize Bluebeam Revu that can then be saved to a profile. The following examples are taken using Bluebeam Revu 20 eXtreme edition, but the capabilities are available within all versions of Bluebeam Revu.

1. Show or Hide Toolbars

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

The toolbars that display can be customized and saved to any given profile. A good practice would be to hide any toolbars you won’t be needing 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 which display. These toolbar changes can then be saved to a Profile so you always have access to the tools you need.

2. Rearrange Toolbars

In addition to being able to show and hide toolbars, you can also move them to different areas of the workspace to best fit your needs. The placement of toolbars can then be saved to the profile so you will always have your tools right where you need them.

To move a toolbar, click and hold the toolbar’s divider and drag it to the desired location. Toolbars can be placed on the top, left, or right side of the interface. This can help ensure that you always have access to the tools you need in the most convenient location possible.

3. Customize Tools in the Toolbars

Another way you can customize the toolbars is by choosing which tools are grouped within them. By default, Revu will group together similar tools into toolbars for easy access. For example, the File toolbar features tools that can be found under the File menu and the Measure toolbar features measurement markup tools.

You can add or remove specific tools from any toolbar to match your specific needs. You can even create new, custom toolbars if needed.

To customize a toolbar, right click on any toolbar and select Customize. 

The Customize Toolbars window is split into three different sections:

• The Toolbar section will display all available toolbars. You can create a new toolbar by pressing the + button in this section, or you can select a built-in toolbar from the list to edit it. 
• The Items section will display the current tools 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. 
• The Commands section will display all available tools, organized into categories. Use the Category dropdown to find a specific set of tools, or select All from the dropdown to display all available tools. These individual tools can be added to the selected toolbar by selecting them from the list and using the Add Command arrow.

Any adjustments made to the toolbars are able to be saved to the Profile for reuse.

4. Show or Hide Panel Access Tools

Bluebeam Revu’s interface also features a variety of different panel access tools. These tools are organized into specialized pullouts found on the left, right, and bottom of the application. There are 18 panel tools available, but you can customize which tools display for the given 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. Highlighted tools will currently be displayed and non-highlighted tools will currently be hidden. To display a hidden panel tool, simply select it from the list.

Panel access tools can be hidden by right clicking on the desired tool and selecting Hide.

5. Rearrange Panel Access Tools and Configure Panel Viewing Space

Similarly to the toolbars, panel access tools can also be rearranged within the Revu interface. Panel access tools can be placed on the left, right, or bottom of the screen. If needed, they can even be detached to their own free floating window.

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

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

To split the view within a panel, simply drag the desired panel tool into an open panel. Four arrows will appear, allowing you to choose how to split the panel. The panel view configuration can be saved to the current profile so that you have access to multiple panel tools   every time you open the panel.

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 or related markups together. All default profiles feature a variety of premade tool sets for different user groups.

It is often useful to create custom tool sets for the tools that you will be needing to use over and over again. These tool sets will be saved to the profile so you have access to them from the Tool Chest whenever you need them.

To create a custom tool set, 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 by clicking and dragging tools from other tool sets or by right clicking on a markup on the PDF, selecting Add To Tool Chest, and choosing the desired tool set. The tool set, and any tools within it, will be saved to the current profile.

7. Markup List Configuration

The Markups List is a specialized panel that tracks all markups placed on the PDF. This markup information can be leveraged to perform a variety of different workflows such as performing estimation or tracking issues. The markup information that displays in the Markups List is determined by the displaying Markups List columns. These columns are customizable, allowing you to choose which columns display along with their arrangement in list. 

To adjust which columns display, select Markups List > Columns. The dropdown menu will provide a full list of built-in columns that can be checked to display or unchecked to be hidden.

Additionally, visible columns can be rearranged within the Markups List by clicking and dragging them. The column arrangement will be saved to the current profile so the same columns will display in the same order every time.

8. CUSTOM STATUSES

On the subject of the Markups List, one useful built-in column available is the Status column. Statuses allow you to streamline communication by providing progress updates on specific markups. Although Revu features several built-in statuses, custom statuses can also be created and saved to the current profile for reuse.

To create a custom status, select the Status Options button on the Status column header and select Manage Status. From the Manage Status window, first create a Model, or a category, for your custom statuses by selecting Add and giving the Model a name. Next, add specific statuses under the States column. Once a custom status model has been created, you can save it to the current profile using the Save to Profile button. 

For a more in-depth guide on creating custom statuses, please refer to this article: How to Set Statuses and Create Custom Statuses in Bluebeam Revu 2019.

9. Custom Columns

Lastly, in regards to the Markups List, custom columns can be created to track additional information or perform specific workflows such as estimation. Just like custom statuses, custom columns can be saved to the current profile which can be useful if you perform the same sorts of workflows on multiple projects.

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 that can be created, each with their own properties and uses. For a more thorough summary of custom column types and their uses, please refer to this article: How to Create Custom Columns for Quantity Takeoffs in Bluebeam Revu 20.

Once created, the custom column can be saved to the profile using the Save to Profile button.

Once the interface, tool sets, and markups list have been customized, it is important to save all changes to your profile so that you always have access to them. When saving a profile, you can either save to the current profile or create a new profile. If you are currently using a default profile, it may be a good idea to create a new profile instead, as you may want access to those default Revu profiles at another time. 

To create a new profile, select Revu > Profiles > Manage Profiles. Select Add and give your new profile a name. Now, the interface you have customized will always be available for you to use when you need it.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please use the comment section on the bottom of this page, and 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 Bluebeam Certified Courses, virtual Bluebeam Basics and Advanced courses, and custom onsite or virtual courses. To see her next open enrollment course, please visit our calendar. To schedule an onsite or custom course, please contact us!