Bluebeam Tip: Standardizing Revision Clouds in Bluebeam Revu

Make design changes unmistakable: use Revision Clouds effectively in Bluebeam Revu to call attention to what changed, where, and why—without adding noise.

• Choose the right tool: Markup > Shapes > Cloud for simple bubbles, or Cloud+ when you need a leader and a note.
• Standardize appearance: set color (e.g., red), line width, and opacity in the Properties Toolbar for high contrast on all sheet backgrounds.
• Label consistently: in Properties, set Subject to “Revision” and add a Label (e.g., “Rev B – Door swing”). This makes filtering and reporting effortless.
• Use custom columns: Markups List > Columns > Manage Columns to add Rev ID, Reason, and Date. These fields roll into summaries and exports.
• Save to the Tool Chest: right‑click your configured Cloud/Cloud+ > Add to Tool Chest. Share the Tool Set via Studio or by exporting to keep teams consistent.
• Organize with Layers: create a “Revisions” layer and assign clouds to it, so you can toggle visibility per audience or deliverable.
• Accelerate with Compare: Document > Compare Documents can auto‑generate clouds around detected differences; review, refine, and standardize their properties.
• Number changes: pair clouds with a Sequence symbol or stamp to auto‑number revisions across the set.
• Summarize changes: Markups List > Summary to produce a PDF/CSV of revision locations, reasons, and statuses for meeting notes or submittals.
• Secure before issue: Flatten with “Allow Markup Recovery” enabled to lock deliverables while preserving the ability to edit later if needed.

Pro tips:

• Use the Status column (Proposed, Reviewed, Issued) to track progression through QA/QC.
• Create a Profile that loads your Revisions Tool Set, custom columns, and Layers for one‑click onboarding across teams.
• Add a Legend filtered to Subject = Revision to auto‑list all revision symbols on each sheet.

Standardizing Revision Clouds reduces rework, clarifies intent, and shortens review cycles. Looking to equip your team with Bluebeam Revu or training? Explore options at NOVEDGE. For licensing advice or volume pricing, connect with NOVEDGE—a trusted AEC software partner.