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SmartGov and Bluebeam best practices

Permit types that have been configured to enable electronic plan review have the ability to integrate with Bluebeam. This allows users to check out submittals and add markup comments through Bluebeam which can create deficiency comments in SmartGov.

Configuring Bluebeam integration

SmartGov setup

Prior to using electronic plan review in SmartGov, please reach out to our Client Services team to make sure your account is configured correctly. Once specific settings are enabled by our Client Services team, you will need to update the Security functions for the applicable roles. *Note: These will most likely be Permit Technicians and/or Permit Administrators.

 

       Bright Idea:

There are two types of secure functions that need to be assigned to your users working with Bluebeam. There is Bluebeam.Administrator and Submittal.DigitalPlan.

Your Permit Technicians or any other users who are in charge of checking-in and checking-out submittals, undoing the checkout, and adding files to an existing session through SmartGov, will need to have the Submittal.DigitalPlan secure function. This can be applied to their account either through an assigned Security Group or a specific secure function assigned directly to the user.

You will want to limit the number of SmartGov users who have the secure function Bluebeam.Administrator to only those individuals who are experienced Bluebeam administrators. Individuals with this SmartGov secure function will be given FULL administrative access to the project in Bluebeam. These users will be identified as an Administrator on the project created in Bluebeam and will have access to configuration settings and the projects within the Bluebeam application. This secure function can be applied to their account either through an assigned Security Group or a specific secure function assigned directly to the user.

 

 

  • Click Administration in the navigation menu, then click Department/User Setup. You can edit the Security Group or individual user to apply the appropriate secure function.

Edit the security group

  1. Select Security Groups.
  2. Choose the appropriate role from the list of security groups.
  3. Depending on the Security Group selected, you may need one of the two secure functions: Bluebeam.Administrator or Submittal.DigitalPlan.
    1. Click Add.
    2. Begin typing or click the magnifying glass icon () and select Bluebeam.Administrator or Submittal.DigitalPlan.
    3. Check the permission boxes that should apply to this function. (*Note: You can find a description of each permission on the Security Group page.
    4. Click Save.

Edit an individual user

  1. Select Users.
  2. Choose the appropriate user from the list.
  3. Click on the Security Groups tab.
  4. Click on Secure Functions at the bottom of the page.
    1. Click Add in the window that appears.
    2. Begin typing or click the magnifying glass icon () and select Bluebeam.Administrator or Submittal.DigitalPlan.
    3. Click Save.
  5. Click Save to save the changes for this user.

Bluebeam setup

For users new to Bluebeam Revu, the instructions below assume the user is viewing the Revu profile. An experienced user does not need to use this profile as long as they are able to navigate to the Tool Chest and update the subjects.

  1. Click Profiles, and select Revu.
  2. To get to the Revu profile, click Revu in the top left corner of the screen.

  1. Set up your Tool Chest so each 'Subject' corresponds with a Workflow Step. For example, if your permit type has a workflow step called 'Building' for plan reviewers in the Building department, your Bluebeam subject should also be called 'Building'.
    1. Click the brief case icon to open the Tool Chest.
    2. Click the Tool Chest drop-down and select Manage Tool Sets.
    3. Select the appropriate tool set and click Modify.
    4. In the window that displays, you will see a Subjects column. The names of these subjects must match the workflow steps listed on the permit in SmartGov. This will allow the SmartGov deficiency report to reflect the appropriate workflow step in the comment.

Permit type configuration

In order to check out a permit submittal for electronic plan review, you must confirm that the permit type is set up correctly.

  1. Click Administration from the navigation menu, then click Permitting Setup.
  2. Select Permit Types.
  3. Click the permit type from the list.

Main tab

  1. Ensure you are on the Main tab of the permit type and check the box beside Electronic Plan Review.
  2. Click Save.

Submittals tab

  1. Once a submittal has been added to a permit type, associate the submittal with a workflow step.
  2. Check the box in the E-Plans column to allow the submittal to be digitally reviewed using an electronic plan review application.
  3. Click Save.


Workflow tab

  1. Ensure that the workflow step names that involve submittals needing digital markup correspond to the 'Subjects' in Bluebeam. This ensures that deficiency comments for the workflow step are correctly reflected in the deficiency report that will be generated.
  2. Assign each workflow step to a group, where applicable. The Permit Technician can later assign the steps to a specific individual as part of the Permit Intake workflow step.

 

       Bright Idea:

We recommend utilizing the different Display Worklists on the Workflow tab to streamline digital plan review and permit processing.

Configure the Administrative worklist to include four workflow steps: Permit Intake, Assign Reviewers, Create Bluebeam Session, and Permit Ready to Issue.

  • Click the link icon () for Assign Reviewers and add Permit Intake as a Base Step and Create Bluebeam Session as a Dependent Step.
  • Click Save.
  • Click the link icon () for Permit Ready to Issue and add any necessary steps from the Review Worklist that must be complete prior to issuing the permit as a Base Step.
  • Click Save.

 

 

Processing a permit and creating a session

These steps are carried out by a Permit Technician configured with the Security functions listed above. *Note: Any files uploaded to Bluebeam must not include special characters.

Process submittals

  1. Open the permit you are processing by searching in SmartGov or clicking on the permit from your User To-Do List.
  2. Click the Submittals tab. Ensure all necessary submittals have been received and accepted, which will move the permit into the Technically Complete process state. *Note: A deferred submittal will need to be addressed prior to closing the permit.
  3. Click the Workflow tab.
  4. Change the Workflow Step Status of the Permit Intake workflow step to Complete.
  5. Click Save.

Assign workflow steps

  1. Click the Workflow tab.
  2. Assign each workflow step in the Administrative worklist and Review worklist to a specific user, if applicable.
  3. Select the Administrative worklist.
  4. Change the Workflow Step Status of the Assign Reviewers workflow step to Complete.
  5. Click Save.

Create a Session

Checking out files to a Bluebeam session runs as a job in the background. You are able to continue working in SmartGov while the job runs.

  1. Click the Submittals tab.
  2. Click Checkout to E-Plan Review at the bottom of the page. *Note: This may direct you to a Bluebeam login page where you will need to enter your credentials to access Bluebeam.
  3. In the window that displays, enter a Session Name and click the calendar icon () to enter a Session Expires On date.
  4. The Add Bluebeam Administrators to Project? box will be checked by default. Uncheck this box if you do not want to include all Bluebeam Administrators on this project.
  5. Click Schedule Checkout. You can invite users to a session from an email.

  1. Click the Workflow tab.
  2. Change the Workflow Step Status of the Create Bluebeam Session workflow step to Complete.
  3. Click Save. If the Step Dependencies are configured as suggested above, the permit will now display in the Plan Reviewer's To-Do List.
  4. If your checkout job has errors, you will see an error icon ( ) next to the submittal name.
    1. Click Checkout Messages at the bottom of the Submittals tab to view the error message received from Bluebeam.
    2. You can also click the error icon ( ) next to the submittal name to open the submittal details window.
      • Click View Messages in the Check in / Checkout messages column.

Additional features

Adding submittals to an existing session

If a submittal is added to a permit after a session has been created, you have the ability to add the document to the session.

  1. Click the Submittals tab.
  2. Click the information icon () beside the submittal.
  3. Click Add Items to E-Plan Review.
  4. In the window that displays, click the check box next to Flatten project file(s) in Bluebeam if a file has duplicate markups. This will prevent check-in errors.
  5. Click Add to Session.

Updating session information

If a Bluebeam Administrator moves a file into a different session, you have the ability to update the session information accordingly. *Note: Bluebeam administrators who move files into different sessions will need to communicate with the SmartGov administrator so they can update the session info.

  1. Click the Submittals tab.
  2. Click the information icon () beside the submittal.
  3. Click Update Session Info in the window that displays.

Inviting reviewers to a session

You can invite users to a session through an email from the submittals detail window or the submittals list.

 

Invite reviewers from the submittals list

  1. Click the Submittals tab.
  2. Hover over the E-Plan Options button at the bottom of the page and click Invite to Session from the menu.
  3. Enter in the Email of any contacts outside of SmartGov that should have access to review this session.
  4. Click Send Invite.

Invite reviewers from the submittals detail window

  1. Click the Submittals tab.
  2. Click the information icon () beside the submittal.
  3. Click the email icon ( ) next to the Session Id number.
  4. Enter in the Email of any contacts outside of SmartGov that should have access to review this session.
  5. Click Send Invite.

Undo a checkout

You have the ability to undo the checkout, if needed.

  1. Click the Submittals tab.
  2. Hover over the E-Plan Options button at the bottom of the page and click Undo Checkout from the menu.
    • When you undo a checkout and there are no previous versions, the project will be deleted.

    • When you undo a checkout for a document with previous versions, the project and previous versions will remain intact. Only the new version will be deleted.

Canceling a permit

You have the option to delete the project from Bluebeam when canceling a permit in SmartGov.

  1. On the Main tab, click Cancel Permit at the bottom of the page.
  2. In the window that appears, click Delete External Files to remove the project from Bluebeam or Keep External Files to keep the project in Bluebeam.

Launching the session to review documents

This step is typically carried out by a Plan Reviewer. You can launch the session in Bluebeam from the user to-do list or from the submittals tab on the permit. *Note: You must open Bluebeam on your desktop and log in prior to carrying out the following steps.

 

       Bright Idea: 

To ensure the Bluebeam session refreshes, open the newly added document by clicking on the link in SmartGov, rather than navigating directly to Bluebeam to search for the document.

Launch the session from the user to-do list

  1. Click the appropriate workflow step listed on your user to-do List. The Permit Workflow Step Detail page will display.
  2. In the Submittal Items section, click the Review icon () beside a submittal in the list.

  1. Bluebeam will open the session.
    • Click the document in Bluebeam and add any necessary markups. *Note: Only annotations made using the Text Box, Typewriter, Note, and Callout tools in Bluebeam will be brought in as deficiency comments when a deficiency report is generated. To see markup statuses display in the deficiency comments, set the status of an individual Bluebeam markup in the markups list.

  2. Return to the permit in SmartGov. *Note: This may still be open in your web browser. If not, return to your User To-Do List and click the workflow step.
    1. Update the Workflow Step Status to Approved or Returned.
    2. Update the Submittal Item Status to Accepted or Deficient.
    3. Click Save.

Launch the session from the submittals tab on the permit

  1. Open the permit you are processing by searching in SmartGov or clicking on the permit from your user to-do list.
  2. Click the Submittals tab.
  3. Hover over the E-Plan Options button at the bottom of the page and click Open Session in Revu from the menu.

  1. Bluebeam will open the session.
    • Click the document in Bluebeam and add any necessary markups. *Note: Only annotations made using the Text Box, Typewriter, Note, and Callout tools in Bluebeam will be brought in as deficiency comments when a deficiency report is generated. To see markup statuses display in the deficiency comments, set the status of an individual Bluebeam markup in the markups list.

  2. Return to the permit in SmartGov. *Note: This may still be open in your web browser. If not, return to your User To-Do List and click the workflow step.
    1. Update the Workflow Step Status to Approved or Returned.
    2. Update the Submittal Item Status to Accepted or Deficient.
    3. Click Save.

Checking in documents from Bluebeam

This step is typically carried out by a Permit Technician.

  1. Open the permit you are processing by searching in SmartGov or clicking on the permit from your User To-Do List. *Note: If workflow steps have been configured as suggested above, the Permit Technician should see the notification in their To-Do List once all plan reviewers have completed their workflow steps.
  2. Click the Submittals tab.
  3. Hover over the EPlan Options button at the bottom of the submittals tab and select Check In From E-Plan Review
  4. A window will display that lists the files that will be checked in. Click Continue with Check In. *Note: This process may take a while. You can continue working within SmartGov while the files are being checked in.
    • A confirmation window will display that E-Plans have been checked in. Click Got It to exit out of the window.
  5. If your check in job has errors, you will see an error icon ( ) next to the submittal name.
    1. Hover over the EPlan Options button at the bottom of the submittals tab and select Check In Messages to view the error message received from Bluebeam.
    2. You can also click the error icon ( ) to open the submittal details window.
      • Click View Messages in the Check in / Checkout messages column.

External documents

SmartGov offers the ability to quickly upload documents added to a Bluebeam project during the check in process, from within Bluebeam. This allows a jurisdiction to utilize SmartGov as the "system of record" for all documentation pertaining to the permit. These documents are added as attachments to a note identified with a source of Bluebeam.

Create a deficiency report and begin a new cycle

If a permit type is configured for cycling and any workflow step on the permit has been set to deficient, another cycle will be required. Steps to end a cycle, reviewing new responses, and completing a review can be found on the Permit Cycles Tab page. Monitor the Cycle List page to manage and generate deficiency reports for the cycles.