Specification sets

A specification set is a specifications document (.pdf file) that's uploaded in ProjectSight. When you open a specification set:

Specification sets automatically move through the following workflow statuses:

  • Processing: The specification set is being processed for spec sections.
  • Review: The specification set has been processed and is ready for review.

To ensure that you can process specification documents in specification sets, turn on the specifications setting in the record settings.

Specifications setting at the project level

Specifications settings in the record settings

  • In the project menu, click Records > Specification sets.
  1. In the Specification Sets module, click the specification set.

    2. —Or—

    On the specification set tile, click more_horiz (More) > Open Full Form.

    Specification sets can only be opened after they have been processed.

  2. To change the page transition or page layout, click View controls (View Controls), and then select an option.
  3. To use the pan mode, click Pan mode (Pan).

    4. —Or—

    To use the select mode, click Pan mode (Select).

  4. To open the previous or next specification set based on the list when the current specification set was opened, click Previous item icon (Previous) or Next item icon (Next) on the navigation toolbar.

    5. Previous item icon (Previous) and Next item icon (Next) are not available when you open the specification set in a new tab.

  1. Click Specification search (Search) on the toolbar, and then enter the search terms in the field.
  2. To apply a filter, select the checkbox:
    • Case sensitive: Find matches with the same capitalization.
    • Whole word: Find exact matches of the search term.
  1. Open the specification set.
  2. In the Specification Sections panel, do any of the following:
    • In the search box, enter the keywords.
    • Click Filter button Filter and then select one or more options.

    The panel displays the spec sections with section codes and names that match the keywords and filters.

  3. To see the full list of spec sections again, clear the keywords and the filters.
  1. Open the specification set.
  2. In the Specification Sections panel, click the spec section.
  3. To view the spec section in the full screen, click View controls (View Controls) > Enter Full Screen.

You can upload one or more specification documents into a specification set. For the best results for the files that you're going to upload, ensure that:

  • The files contain unique spec sections without overlapping pages.
  • The spec sections use this format in the bookmarks or header: SECTION [Spec section code] [Spec section description].

    • Example: SECTION 213400 Pressure-Maintenance Pumps

    • The word SECTION must be all capital letters.
    • If a bookmark starts with SECTION [Spec section code with a non-standard format], the code is used for the Section Code and Specification Section Name fields of the detected spec section.
    • The spec section code can be detected in the header and the footer if the code uses the standard format of 6 digits or 6 digits plus 2 (example: 11 14 13.16) . The description can be detected if it's on the same line as the code or up to two lines after the code.
    • Any spaces and special characters in the code are retained in the spec section that is created in the specification set.
    • Separators are ignored so that spec sections with the same alphanumeric characters (example: 11 14 13.16 and 11 14 13-16) are treated as duplicates.

After you upload .pdf files into a new specification set:

  • The files are combined into one document and sorted by page number.
  • The spec sections are detected automatically from the bookmarks, or if no spec sections are found, they are identified from the text in the files.

    • You can edit the spec sections and add section breaks for new spec sections before you publish them.

  • The division for each spec section is taken from the first two numbers of the code. If the division doesn't exist in the settings, this required field is empty.
  • Annotations in the .pdf files are flattened so that you can no longer edit or interact with them.

The group, spec section code, and revision number combination must be unique across all specification sets in the project.

  1. In the Specification Sets view, on the navigation toolbar, click add_circle (Create).
  2. Drag one or more .pdf files to the dialog.

    3. —Or—

    Click Browse, and then select one or more .pdf files.

    —Or—

    Click File Library, and then select one or more .pdf files.

    • To remove a file, click clear (Remove).
    • To upload more .pdf files, drag them to the bottom area of the dialog, or click Browse or File Library.

    If you select a file from the File Library, it retains its annotations when it's added to the specification set. Then separate copies of the file are maintained in the File Library and in the specification set. New annotations that are added to the file in one place aren't added to the copy in the other place.

  3. Enter a unique name for the specification set.
  4. From the Group list, select the group, which is part of the unique key of the spec section.

    5. —Or—

    Click Create new and then enter a new group.

    New groups are added to the lookup list settings at the portfolio and project levels. If this setting is unlocked at the project level, the new group is only added at the project level.

  5. If autonumbering is off, enter a number in the Number field.
  6. In the Issue Date field, enter or select a date.
  7. In the Received Date field, enter or select a date.
  8. After the files are uploaded, click Done.
  9. After the files are processed, open the specification set.

    10. The Specification Sections panel flags any spec sections that are duplicates or that are missing required information.

  10. Edit each spec section as needed.
    1. In the Specification Sections panel, click a spec section.
    2. In the Current Section area of the Information panel, edit the information for the spec section.

      3. The group, spec section code, and revision number combination must be unique across all specification sets in the project.

      Changes are saved automatically if you navigate to another spec section from the panel.

    You can also add assignments and courtesy copies or set access to the specification set.

In the specification set, you can add a section break to create a spec section, or you can remove a spec section to merge its content with another spec section.

When you add a spec section:

  • If the spec section code and group match a published spec section, the spec section is a new revision. Annotations that were added to the original spec section prior to adding the page break are removed. The annotations from the current version are carried over to the corresponding pages and are marked for review.
  • If the spec section code and group don't match a published spec section, the spec section is a new section. Annotations that were added prior to adding the section break are removed from the pages that are included in the new section.

When you remove a spec section:

  • If you select the first spec section in the Specifications panel, its content is merged with the next spec section.
  • If you select a spec section that's not the first one, its content is merged with the previous spec section.
  • If you select all the spec sections, their content is merged into one spec section.

Spec sections that follow a spec section in the Publishing, Published, or Obsolete state can't be removed.

  1. In the viewer, navigate to the page that will be the first page in the new spec section.

    2. Section breaks can't be added to the first page of an existing spec section or to spec sections in the Publishing, Published, or Obsolete state.

  2. On the toolbar, click Add break.

    3. —Or—

    If your screen is smaller, click .

    The new spec section starts from the current page to the last page before the next spec section.

  3. In the Information panel, in the New Section Break section, enter the details for the new spec section.

    4. The group, spec section code, and revision number combination must be unique across all specification sets in the project.

  4. To save the new spec section, save the specification set.

    5. —Or—

    Navigate to a different spec section.

  1. In the Specification Sections panel, filter the spec sections.
  2. At the top of the panel, click edit (Batch Edit).
  3. Select the checkbox for the spec section.
  4. Click delete (Remove).
  5. In the confirmation dialog, click Remove.

After you upload revisions into a specification set, the Specification Sections panel indicates if each spec section is one of the following:

  • New Section: The spec section code doesn't exist in a published spec section yet.
  • Revision: The spec section code does exist in a published spec section, and the revision number is incremented automatically. The following options are available in the Information panel:
    • Replace existing section: Replace the current version with the new revision. Annotations from the current version are copied to the spec section and marked for review.
    • Append to existing section: Add the new revision to end of the current version. Annotations from the current version are not copied to the spec section.
New and revision in panel
  • When a spec section is checked to see if it's a revision, special characters and spaces are ignored in the spec section code.
  • A specification set can contain only one revision for each spec section.
  1. Create a specification set, and upload the .pdf files with the revisions.
  2. After the files are processed, open the specification set.
  3. In the Specification Sections panel, click a revision.
  4. In the Information panel, select what will happen to the revision when it's published:
    5. Revision options
  5. If the new revision replaces an existing section and contains annotations for review, keep, edit, or remove the annotations.

    6. Changes are saved automatically if you navigate to another spec section from the panel.

If a new revision replaces an existing spec section, any annotations, including linked items and comments, from the published current version are carried over to the new revision. The annotations are copied to the same page of the revision at the same location and are marked for review.

Annotation for review

The number of annotations for review may change as another user adds, edits, or removes them in the current version. The annotations are refreshed when you open the specification set, navigate to an unpublished spec section, or change the spec section code.

  • If an annotation is on a page that doesn't exist in the new revision, the annotation isn't copied.
  • The annotations for review include your private annotations and any public annotations.
  • If two users edit the same annotation that's marked for review, the latest saved changes overwrite any previous changes.
  • Annotation changes that are made in the current version overwrite changes made to the same annotation in the new revision.
  1. In the Specification Sections panel, click the spec section with annotations for review.
  2. On each page of the spec section, keep, edit, or remove each annotation that's marked for review.
  3. To save the changes to the current spec section and remove the review indicators, do one of the following:
    • Save the specification set.
    • Navigate to a different spec section.
    • Publish the spec section.

After you review the unpublished spec sections, you can publish all or a selection of them so that they're available in the specification viewer.

Spec sections aren't published until the following errors are fixed:

  • Duplicate spec sections: The spec section code or revision number is changed so that the combination is unique across specification sets in the project.
  • Missing required fields: The missing information is added to the required fields.
  • Publishing notifications are sent to either all project contacts or only the author, assignees, and courtesy copy recipients of the specification set. Each user can turn off notifications for published spec sections.
  • Annotations can't be added, edited, or removed in published spec sections in specification sets. However, you can add, edit, and remove the annotations in the specification viewer.
  1. In the Specification Sections panel, filter the spec sections.
  2. At the top of the panel, click edit (Batch Edit).
  3. Select the checkbox for the spec sections.

    4. —Or—

    To select all the visible spec sections in the panel, click Select All at the top.

  4. At the bottom of the panel, click Publish Selected.
  5. In the confirmation dialog, select who will be notified and then click Publish.

    6. These spec sections will be compared to the current versions, and the revisions with the most recent Issue Date will be Current. Other revisions will be Not Current.

  1. At the bottom of the Specification Sections panel, click Publish All Sections.

    2. All the spec sections, even any that are filtered out, will be published. Alternatively, you can also publish selected spec sections.

  2. In the confirmation dialog, select who will be notified and then click Publish.

    3. These spec sections will be compared to the current versions, and the revisions with the most recent Issue Date will be Current. Other revisions will be Not Current.

After a spec section is published, you can change its status.

If you change the status of the current version to Obsolete or Not Current, the published revision with the most recent Issue Date changes automatically to Current.

  1. In the Specification Sections panel, click the spec section.
  2. In the Information panel, select Current from the status list.
  3. Save the specification set.

    4. The status for the previous current version is changed automatically to Not Current.

  1. In the Specification Sections panel, click the spec section.
  2. In the Information panel, select Obsolete from the status list.
  3. In the confirmation dialog, click OK.
  4. Save the specification set.

    5. The spec section is no longer visible in the Specifications view or for linking.

You can download specification sets and their annotations with an optional cover sheet so that you can share them with your team members. If you select the As Builts option, you can include items that are linked to the visible annotations. When you click an annotation in the downloaded specification set, the linked item is opened.

If the item is linked to a note annotation, click outside of the annotation to open the item.

Annotation link example

Opening a record that's linked to an annotation in the downloaded specification set

The following linked items can be included in the ZIP folder for as-built specification sets:

  • Linked Records: The default report is generated for each record or specification set and included in the Records folder.
  • Hyperlinked Designs & URLs: Linked drawings are included in the Drawings folder, and linked spec sections are included in the Specifications folder. In the downloaded specification set, you can click the annotation to open the linked drawing, model, spec section, or URL.

    • You must select the linked specification set as part of the download. Otherwise, the linked annotation isn't displayed in the downloaded specification set, and the linked specification set isn't included in the ZIP folder.

  • Files (Linked Files & Photos): The linked files are included in the Files folder.

If you want to download a large number of as-built specification sets, you can use the project export feature. When the export is completed, you receive an email link to download it.

  1. Open the specification set.
  2. To filter the annotations that appear in the downloaded specification set, set the filters in the Layers panel.
  3. On the navigation toolbar, cloud_download (Download).
  4. In the Download dialog, set the download options.
    • Content: Select the cover page.
    • Public Annotations: Include or exclude all public annotations.
    • Private Annotations: Include or exclude your private annotations.
    • As Builts: Include linked drawings, spec sections, models, URLs, and files, as well as reports for linked records and specification sets.

      • If you only download one specification set, its linked specification sets aren't included.

    • File Name: Edit the file name.
  5. Click Download.
  6. To ensure that the linked annotations work in the downloaded specification set, extract the files from the ZIP folder.
    7. Extract files

    Extracting files in File Explorer

  7. Open a specification set in a PDF reader, and then click an annotation to open the linked item.

    8. If a security warning is displayed in Adobe Acrobat Reader, click Allow.

    Security warning for link

    Security warning

    If you open the downloaded specification set in a browser, the annotation links don't work.

  1. In the Specification Sets module, select the checkboxes for the specification sets.
  2. On the navigation toolbar, cloud_download (Download).
  3. In the Download dialog, set the download options.
    • Content: Select the cover page.
    • Public Annotations: Include or exclude all public annotations.
    • Private Annotations: Include or exclude your private annotations.
    • As Builts: Include linked drawings, spec sections, models,URLs, and files, as well as reports for linked records and specification sets.
    • Download As: Download one .pdf file with all the specification sets, or download a .pdf file for each specification set. If the As Builts toggle is on, the files are downloaded in a ZIP folder.
    • File Name: Edit the file name.
  4. Click Download.
  5. To ensure that the linked annotations work in the downloaded specification set, extract the files from the ZIP folder.
    6. Extract files

    Extracting files in File Explorer

  6. Open a specification set in a PDF reader, and then click an annotation to open the linked item.

    7. If a security warning is displayed in Adobe Acrobat Reader, click Allow.

    Security warning for link

    Security warning

    If you open the downloaded specification set in a browser, the annotation links don't work.

You can delete specification sets even if their spec sections are being published or are already published.

  1. To switch to the Select mode, select the checkbox for a specification set.
  2. To select more specification sets, click each one.

    3. —Or—

    To select all the specification sets, click done_all (Select All) on the navigation toolbar.

  3. Click more_horiz (More) > Delete Selected Records.

To delete one specification set, you can also:

  • Click more_horiz (More) > Remove on the specification set.
  • Open the specification set, and then click more_horiz (More) > Delete on the navigation toolbar.