When working on large projects, there may be times that you are dealing with multiple PDFs with many pages. This can make it difficult and time consuming to run processes or make adjustments to your documents. Thankfully, Bluebeam Revu 2019 features a variety of batch tools that allow you to apply functions to multiple PDFs at once, allowing for easy control, navigation, and standardization of project files.

Batch tools are available within every version of Revu, letting you perform simple batch processes like Batch Print and Batch Rotate Pages. However, Bluebeam Revu eXtreme features several more advanced batch tools unavailable in other versions of Revu.

This article will give an overview of the batch processes available within Bluebeam Revu, with specific focus on the powerful batch tools featured solely in Bluebeam Revu eXtreme edition: Batch Slip Sheet, Batch Link, and Batch Compare.

The following examples were taken using the 64x Bluebeam Revu 2019 eXtreme edition.

In all versions of Revu, batch tools are available under the Batch menu. In Bluebeam Revu eXtreme, you will have access to six additional, advanced batch tools: Batch Link, Compare Documents, Overlay Pages, Slip Sheet, OCR, and Script. Let’s take a look at how to use several of these tools to increase the efficiency of your project workflows.

Batch Slip Sheet

This exclusive eXtreme feature allows you to quickly slip sheet multiple files at once – even entire folders of files, if needed. You could do this individually with the Replace tool, but if you need to slip sheet many files, using Batch Slip Sheet will save you a lot of time. The tool will automatically match pages together using common naming conventions, conveniently finding originals and revisions and pairing them together to slip sheet them, without any extra work from you. The process will complete by providing a hyperlinked summary report, allowing you to quickly jump through original documents and revisions with ease.

To run Batch Slip Sheet, select the tool from the Batch menu. You will be prompted to upload your original files/folders and any revised files/folders, and Revu will automatically match pages together. Once the slip sheet process is done, you’ll have the option to create a detailed summary report.

The Batch Summary report will provide a hyperlinked outline of which sheets were replaced with which, allowing you to quickly look through both the original documents and the slip sheet revisions. Additionally, if any documents were found unmatched, those files would also be listed and accessible from the summary report, as well.

Batch Link

This Bluebeam Revu eXtreme feature allows you to quickly hyperlink an entire drawing set automatically – eliminating the need to manually place each link individually. Batch Link will automatically create hyperlinks based on the information found in the file’s name, page labels, or page region. Using Batch Link, you can have a fully hyperlinked drawing set within seconds.

To use Batch Link, select the tool from the Batch menu and select New. Upload the drawings that you would like to create links for; as I already had the document open, I selected Add Open Files. Revu will then prompt you Generate Search Terms for the items you want to link, and you can choose to generate search terms from the file’s name, page label, or page region. I selected the page region, and created a snapshot of the sheet number of my first page; since the rest of the pages in the set have their sheet numbers in the same location, Revu was able to automatically find each page’s sheet number and make them into a Search Term once I selected Generate. Before running Batch Link, I can look through the generated search terms to ensure that all are accurate and link to the appropriate page

Once content with the search results, select Run to automatically link the search terms to the matching pages, as listed. Once completed, I can now easily navigate through the pages of my drawing set, as each instance of the sheet number will link directly to the matching sheet.

Batch Compare Documents

This Bluebeam Revu eXtreme tool allows you to use the Compare Documents tool as a batch process, letting you quickly compare multiple sets of drawings at once. Compare Documents will help you to look at original drawings and compare them with revised versions by highlighting the differences between the two with cloud markups, and the Batch process for this tool lets you match many files or even folders of files at once.

To run Batch Compare Documents, select the tool from the Batch menu. Select the original documents and the revised documents that you want to compare, and Revu will automatically match those pages together. In the Batch Compare Summary, Revu will tell you documents that were able to be matched together and compared, along with any unmatched pages. You will also have the option to create a detailed, hyperlinked summary report here, as well.

The Batch Summary report allows you to access the original, revised, and comparison document for each set of drawings. The comparison documents will display the differences between the two document versions with cloud markups, making it extremely easy to instantly identify the changes.

Batch Slip Sheet, Batch Link and Batch Compare are just three of the many Batch tools available in Bluebeam Revu 2019 eXtreme. If you’re interested in learning more about how to work these tools, consider signing up for the Bluebeam Revu Advanced training course, which features lessons on how to use the various Batch tools available within the program. 

Find the next Bluebeam Revu Advanced training course here.

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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!