Bluebeam Tip: Bluebeam Revu: Side-by-Side PDF Comparison with MultiView and MultiView Extended

Quickly spot design changes and coordinate disciplines by viewing multiple PDFs side-by-side with MultiView and MultiView Extended in Bluebeam Revu.

• Split your workspace: Open the drawings you want to compare, then split the interface into two or four panes. Drag a tab toward the edge of the window until a split target appears, or use your View menu’s split options. Double-click the divider to reset.
• Sync your navigation: Link panes so panning and zooming move together. Keep both views on the same sheet and zoom level to scan for deltas without losing place.
• Normalize before you compare:
  • Calibrate both PDFs and verify identical scale/units.
  • Rotate pages to the same orientation.
  • Apply consistent page labels (Sheet numbers) so sheets stay aligned.
• Leverage layers and viewports: Toggle discipline layers per pane to isolate structure vs. MEP, or use viewports to confirm you’re comparing at the same scaled region.
• Use Paste in Place for precision: Add a markup in one pane, then copy and Paste in Place into the corresponding sheet in the other pane to keep coordinates aligned (works best with same-sized pages).
• Combine with Compare/Overlay: Run Compare Documents or Overlay Pages to generate differences, then keep the original on one side and the result on the other for easy validation of flagged changes.
• Go multi-monitor with MultiView Extended: Float panes to a second screen to maximize drawing real estate and reduce zoom fatigue. Keep one monitor for plans and the other for details/specs.
• Streamline a repeatable setup:
  • Create a “Compare” profile with the panels and tool sets you need front and center.
  • Save common filters in the Markups List (e.g., only “Revision” items) to focus review.
• Performance tips: Close unneeded tabs, turn off heavy layers when not in use, and use thumbnails to jump directly to matching sheets.

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