A typical properly formatted drawing file is between 300k and 500k so 50 Megs is enough storage space for 100 – 166 pages of drawings. Specification manuals typically range between 500k and 1Meg.

You can upload any file format. All file formats can be downloaded.

The document viewer is designed to support the most commonly exchanged construction document image file types. It will open .pdf, .tiff, .jpg, bmp., .gif, .cals and other common raster image files.

Simply click on the file and it will open in the software you normally use to view documents of that type. For example: a .dwg or .dwf will open in your default CAD software. Office files like .doc, .xls or .ppt will open in your default viewer for those files.

The only file format that can be searched using the search functions in the viewer are properly prepared .pdf files. Most .pdf’s that are created digitally are already properly prepared with the required index. Scanned documents may need to be processed using OCR (optical character recognition) software to make them searchable.

The account will remain available to you as long as you are actively using it. If the account is inactive for 3 months or longer your account may be closed and will no longer be accessible to you. You will receive an email notice advising you of this in advance if it is to occur.

Viewing and working with files over the internet is most efficient when file sizes are optimized for the web. Optimizing a document typically reduces the file size while maintaining the integrity and quality of the image. For example: Adobe Acrobat has a function in the File menu to “optimize for the web”. A key issue to watch for is .pdf files with multiple layers as they are often large and very slow to work with over the internet.

Zip files can be uploaded for sharing but they have to be downloaded to be opened.

The Site Administrator (typically the person who signs up for the service) can easily select Users and give them upload privileges. These Users can upload and manage only the files they submit. For example: they cannot delete files uploaded by another User.

Set up a new project folder and name it something like Project X – Inbox. Provide access to the people you want to send you/post documents. In the Add/Manage Users section simply click on the Upload Files checkbox in the row beside their name and they will have the ability to upload files.

Once a new document is uploaded simply click the Send Message button. A list of all the Users on your project displays. Select the ones you want to send the message to, enter the message and click Send. An email from you is sent to all the selected Users.

Your Reprographer will have an ftp site that they use to receive documents from their clients for printing. Enter the site address and login for each reprographer you want to be able to send orders to in the Setup Reprographers section. When you want to place an order, open the viewer, use the checkboxes to select the documents you want printed then click on the shopping cart icon. You will be able to create a message to define any other details you need including the number of sets, full size, half size, 11”x 17”, color, shipping instructions and any other relevant options. When you click Order the files and a Work Order with all the details the reprographer needs are automatically assembled into a .zip file and it is sent to the reprographer. At the same time an email message is sent to them to make them aware that the order is ready for printing.

All available documents can be printed on your local printer. Simply select the document to be printed, click the print icon in the viewer and follow the normal print dialogue. If you own a Hewlett Packard printer you can use the integrated HP Instant PrintTM features to batch print all the documents selected to your HP printer.

For documents that open in the PlanSource FT viewer (.pdf, .tiff and others) there is a full set of counting measuring and annotation tools included in the viewer providing the ability to do onscreen takeoff and other functions. The results are easily exported to a spreadsheet.