Bluebeam Integration: Submittals and RFIs

Do you have a complicated submittal or RFI that the team needs to review together? A Bluebeam session makes it easy.

In this article, we'll walk through how to create a Bluebeam session directly from Part3, so the team can complete their reviews in Bluebeam while keeping the overall workflow in Part3. 🚀

We'll cover:

• Connecting your Bluebeam account
• RFIs
• Submittals: non step-based
• Submittals: step-based

Check out our help doc for Procore projects, if that's more applicable to you!

Connect your Bluebeam Account

Step 1: Click your initials in the top right corner and select 'Account Settings'.

Step 2: Scroll down to 'Integrations' and click 'Connect Bluebeam'

Step 3: Add your Bluebeam login credentials when prompted. From here, you're connected!

RFIs

If you have the Prime Consultant role, you can follow these steps to create the Bluebeam session!

Step 1: Create the RFI document. Follow this help doc if you need a refresher. Before starting the Bluebeam session, upload the attachment(s) and select the assignee(s).

Step 2: Click the blue 'Start Bluebeam session' button.

Step 3: Confirm and adjust the following:

• Session Name: defaults to the document title, but you can change it
• Files: choose which files to include in the session (files must be uploaded to the document first before they can be selected)
• Invitees: auto-populated based on who's assigned to the document; you can add or remove contacts by selecting or deselecting their name. Note: a person outside of Part3 can be invited by typing their full email address in the field.
• Session auto-expires: if you'd like, you can add an end date, where invitees will be removed from the session.
• Permissions: set by Bluebeam, not Part3

Step 4: Select 'Start Bluebeam Session' and wait for the file(s) to upload to Bluebeam.

Step 5: Once the session starts, you'll see the 'Open in Bluebeam' button in the top right. Click this to review/markup in Bluebeam.

In the top left, you'll also see that the session is active and who started it. This is visible to everyone on the team, so consultants can jump in and start their review in Bluebeam!

Step 6: Once the team has finished their review of the attachment(s) in Bluebeam, the session can now be finalized by the prime consultant, by clicking '...' (top right) and 'finalize session'.  Note: this can also be done in Bluebeam.

Step 7: Wait for the session to finalize. You'll know it's done once you see a message in the top left reading "Markups returned from Bluebeam" along with the date and who returned them.

Step 8: Add any notes that will appear on the cover page.

Step 9: Ready to return the RFI? Click the 'Return' button in the top right. Choose which files to promote to the latest (if any), followed by continue. Double check the return modal, and when you're ready select 'Return'.

Step 10: Now you're done! You've completed the review using the Bluebeam Integration tool!

Submittals: Non Step-Based

If you have the Prime Consultant role, you can follow these steps to create the Bluebeam session!

Step 1: Create the submittal document. Follow this help doc if you need a refresher. Before starting the Bluebeam session, upload the attachment(s) and select the assignee(s).

Step 2: Click the blue 'Start Bluebeam session' button.

Step 3: Confirm and adjust the following:

• Session Name: defaults to the document title, but you can change it
• Files: choose which files to include in the session (files must be uploaded to the document first before they can be selected)
• Invitees: auto-populated based on who's assigned to the document; you can add or remove contacts by selecting or deselecting their name. Note: a person outside of Part3 can be invited by typing their full email address in the field.
• Session auto-expires: if you'd like, you can add an end date, where invitees will be removed from the session.
• Permissions: set by Bluebeam, not Part3

Step 4: Select 'Start Bluebeam Session' and wait for the file(s) to upload to Bluebeam.

Step 5: Once the session starts, you'll see the 'Open in Bluebeam' button in the top right. Click this to review/markup in Bluebeam.

In the top left, you'll also see that the session is active and who started it. This is visible to everyone on the team, so consultants can jump in and start their review in Bluebeam!

Step 6: Once the team has finished their review of the attachment(s) in Bluebeam, the session can now be finalized by the prime consultant, by clicking '...' (top right) and 'finalize session'.  Note: this can also be done in Bluebeam.

Step 7: Wait for the session to finalize. You'll know it's done once you see a message in the top left reading "Markups returned from Bluebeam" along with the date and who returned them.

Step 8: Set the review status' and add any notes that will appear on the cover page.

Step 9: Ready to return the submittal? Click the 'Return' button in the top right to open the return modal. From there, select the files to return, review the cover page, add an optional distribution message, and click 'Return Submittal'.

Step 10: Now you're done! You've completed the review using the Bluebeam Integration tool!

Submittals: Step-Based

Step 1: Create the step-based submittal. Follow this help doc if you need a refresher. Before starting the Bluebeam session, upload the attachment(s) and select the assignee(s).

Step 2: Add the attachment to the first step by selecting +add files, add the document, followed by add.

Step 3:  Click 'Start Bluebeam session' beside Step 1.

Step 4: Confirm and adjust the following:

• Session Name: defaults to the document title, but you can change it
• Files: choose which files to include in the session (files must be uploaded to the document first before they can be selected)
• Invitees: auto-populated based on who's assigned to the document; you can add or remove contacts by selecting or deselecting their name. Note: a person outside of Part3 can be invited by typing their full email address in the field.
• Session auto-expires: if you'd like, you can add an end date, where invitees will be removed from the session.
• Permissions: set by Bluebeam, not Part3

Step 5: Select 'Start Bluebeam Session' and wait for the file(s) to upload to Bluebeam.

Step 6: Once the session starts, you'll see the 'Open in Bluebeam' button in the top of the step. Click this to review/markup in Bluebeam.

In the top left, you'll also see that the session is active and who started it. This is visible to everyone on the team, so consultants can jump in and start their review in Bluebeam!

Step 7: Once the team has finished their review of the attachment(s) in Bluebeam, the session can now be finalized by the prime consultant, by clicking '...' (top right) and 'finalize session'.  Note: this can also be done in Bluebeam.

Step 8: Wait for the session to finalize. You'll know it's done once you see a message in the top left reading "Markups returned from Bluebeam" along with the date and who returned them.

Step 9: Set the review status' and add any notes that will appear on the cover page. Click submit to return the review. Ensure all steps have done this!

Step 10: Ready to return the submittal? Click the 'Return' button in the top right to open the return modal. From there, select the files to return, review the cover page, add an optional distribution message, and click 'Return Submittal'.

Step 11: Now you're done! You've completed the review using the Bluebeam Integration tool!

Good to Know ❗

• Part3 sessions always run on Bluebeam's US server. If your account is set up on the Canadian side, sign in on the US login instead (same credentials). Stuck in a loop asking you to change country then denying access? Try a fresh incognito window.
• Once you've finished your markups in Bluebeam, head back into Part3 to select your review status (e.g. Reviewed, Revise and Resubmit).
• Keep using the comments area in Part3 to share context on the submittal or RFI. Keeping that history in one place makes a big difference down the line!
• Comments and notifications made in Bluebeam don't sync back into Part3, so it's best to keep the conversation going in Part3's Consultant Comments.
• You'll need a licensed Bluebeam account to start a session, but joining one and adding markups doesn't require a license. No Bluebeam? You can still join and collaborate for free using the Bluebeam web version.
• Session names have a character limit, and special characters can sometimes cause issues. If a session won't create, try simplifying the name.
• Your Bluebeam connection isn't permanent, so you'll be asked to re-authenticate roughly every 7 days. If it's about to expire, you'll see a heads up within 48 hours, along with a quick button to refresh it.
• Any member of the prime consultant team can finalize a review, it doesn't have to be whoever started the session.
• Documents added directly in Bluebeam won't flow back into Part3. For the smoothest experience, add your documents in Part3 first.