Bluebeam PDF Revu

Bluebeam PDF Revu is an alternative to using Adobe Acrobat Pro. Over the years, Bluebeam has become one of my most beloved workplace applications. The main thing to understand about Bluebeam is this: it makes working with pdf’s so much easier than Acrobat. The work environment is getting to be more and more paperless. While “paperless” means different things in different companies, what it usually means is that documents are used in pdf form rather than paper. So, in most workplaces it’s important to be able to work with pdf’s in a productive way. That is where Bluebeam shines vs. Acrobat or any other alternative. Once you start using Bluebeam, you will quickly realize how cumbersome Acrobat is to use in comparison.

My Favorite Bluebeam Features

Now, Bluebeam is loaded with features. There are way too many for me to even attempt to list or summarize. If you are really interested, please look through their many video tutorials on the website. I won’t be able to do it justice here with only pictures and words. What I will do instead is highlight my favorite features, especially the ones that really prevent me from ever going back to Acrobat.

Workspace Layout
The user interface of Bluebeam is the best in the business. This is the first difference you will notice about Bluebeam compared to all the other pdf software. Many of the common features are there: toolbars, thumbnails, bookmarks. In addition there are additional components to the interfaces, such as toolboxes that store custom markup tools, or pre-packaged tools, stamps, recently accessed documents, a list of used markups. In my previous job, I had a widescreen 24″ monitor, and that made using Bluebeam a joy with all the room I could use for toolboxes, thumbnails, main document view, and markups. See the screenshot below:

In my current job, I have two smaller monitors. Luckily in Bluebeam’s latest version (v8), there is a profile for “multiple monitors” and I can set up one monitor for all my toolboxes and other modules, and use the other monitor for my document viewer and navigation. I just want to emphasize that if you are doing a lot of markups, these interface improvements are a really big deal. There’s a lot available right in the workspace with a click of a button. In Acrobat and other programs, the same features will be multiple clicks away. So if you are like me and are constantly marking up pdf’s, this is a lifesaver.

Properties Dialog for Markups
One of the most annoying things about Acrobat is that it’s difficult to get to the properties of markups. So changing the way markups look is a pain in the ass. For example, the font type, font size, font color, background color, etc.–these are all accessed through right-click dialogs and additional windows in Acrobat. In Bluebeam, the properties are docked in the main interface, so changing things is very easy.

Recently Used Markups
Even better, when you do enter a markup, there is a history kept of the recently used markups with whatever properties were applied. These recently used tools can be accessed again by just clicking on the thumbnail in the toolbox. I love that.

Custom Toolbox
Furthermore, you can create a custom toolbox of markups that you use a lot. I have a toolbox that stores my own text boxes, stamps, and signatures.

Printing
Another feature I like a lot is the printing dialog. Again, it’s very similar to Acrobat, but there are slight improvements which make it better and more productive. See the screenshots below for comparison.

Concluding Remarks

Please consider exploring Bluebeam if you are thinking about purchasing Acrobat Pro or any other pdf editing package. If you are only looking for a pdf viewer, then Bluebeam is overkill; but so would Acrobat Pro or any other similar program (Nitro PDF, Nuance, etc.). Bluebeam is not an alternative for Acrobat Reader, Foxit Reader, Sumatra PDF, or any other “reader” program. Those programs are simply used to quickly view and read the pdf’s. Something like Bluebeam is for people who are going to create, edit, and modify pdf’s. I make a point of this because I’ve seen a lot of people use Acrobat Pro only to read pdf documents.

Bluebeam is a remarkably capable pdf editing suite. I don’t think any other alternative comes close. I know what you’re thinking: “If it’s so good, how come I’ve never heard of it?” Well, Bluebeam lets their product do the talking; they rely on word of mouth. Also, I’ve heard that in the beginning, they were specifically targeting the CAD industry (Architects, design engineers, etc.) because the workflow of Bluebeam is similar to how one might use AutoCAD. This is the industry I’m in. They have just told me that they are involved in several marketing strategies, so keep your eyes open for them. I think the program applies beautifully to any industry where a lot marking up is required on pdf documents. If your job deals with getting a lot of papers with a lot of mixed content (text, pictures, diagrams) and you are required to comment on them, this program is suited for that. With a simple click, you can easily and freely mark all over your pdf documents.

Bluebeam is definitely one of my “can’t-live-without” programs for work.