Bluebeam vs. Trimble SysQue

As stated before, the mobile application is a great companion to the desktop version. Either one works great in viewing, editing and saving documents. While the measurement tool is handy to have, we have found the precision to be lacking when measuring scaled drawings (construction design drawings). While it is a good rough place to start for measurements, we wouldn't recommend relying on the precision of the measurements taken on something with a very large scale.

Incentivized

Trimble SysQue is a perfect fit for our organization, being a Design/Build contractor. We use it to design, coordinate, and create Pre-Fabricated assemblies. We perform a lot of IPD Projects and, coupled with BIM 360 Design, it makes us efficient.

Incentivized

• Overlaying pdf drawings to identify changes made by architects.
• Scaling dimensions when the architect has not provided required dimensions to proceed with work in the field.
• Hyperlinking construction documents with required information makes it much easier to look through multiple sheets in less time.

Incentivized

• Creates fabricatable parts inside of Revit
• Allows us to export hanger points for shooting with a robot on site
• Saves us time getting to coordination by allowing us to use engineers' model as a base.

Incentivized

• If you have several tabs open and you try to drag one out for a side by side view then you do not have all the modification options and you have to combine them back together.
• There is a lag time when hitting the print option.
• There is also a lag time when opening files, sometimes I think the window is frozen.
• I wish the basic version also had basic file editing, as in editing a document as Adobe does.

Incentivized

• The parameters for content is inconsistent from one fitting to another. As cloud spooling and automated cutters become more and more prevalent this becomes a problem to feed the right information to a fabrication shop or cutter and causes delays in production.
• Trimble SysQue draws with generic fittings/pipe and then converts it to the selected system. The processing time for those fittings can be quite long sometimes.
• Thread-o-lets do not work correctly a good portion of the time. When detailing a mechanical room this is a huge problem.

Incentivized

Bluebeam is a powerful PDF viewer and mark-up tool. We are more familiar with it than Adobe Acrobat Pro or other viewers, and it has more features geared towards construction document managers than Acrobat Pro does.

Incentivized

I'm constantly finding that Bluebeam Revu does more than I knew it could. And when I find something that it can't do, I've found that Bluebeam truly listens to its user base and will work to incorporate any good suggestion when feasible.

Incentivized

Its hard for me to give a rating on this one as we rarely have to use the support feature for Bluebeam. However, when we have used it, they have been ultra supportive in helping us get exactly what we needed. I know another engineer was trying to figure out a feature and the rep gave a detailed tutorial on how to complete the task

Incentivized

Bluebeam is a diverse program with many functions and tools, whereas competitive programs only specialize in one or few tasks. Although there are many tools within the program, users can still quickly learn how to use the program to best fit their needs. There is always a help tab for any assistance needed.

Incentivized

We actually use both. Trimble Sysque helps supplement content when you do not have it readily available. The water closet carrier families are very good and highly adjustable to be able to create very accurate restroom skids.

Incentivized

• A major positive aspect is being able to take your computer home without taking the entire set of paper drawings. They have made it so easy to navigate a set of drawings that I can work at home using only the digital drawings.
• Collaboration with owners and architects has been a great feature. Setting up a Bluebeam studio and having everyone get in and mark things up, then having the architect be able to go in and see what markups have been added, has made the constructability review process much much better.
• Even when not working on drawings, Bluebeam is a very good tool for working with standard PDF documents. The markup tools are very easy to use.
• The negative aspect is the takeoff function because some people would like estimators to use the Bluebeam takeoff because it would make their job easier down the road; however, the actual act of doing a full scale takeoff in Bluebeam would require much more time.

Incentivized

• Being able to fabricate has a HUGELY positive impact on ROI.
• Point files is a massive time saver for laying out hangers and ditches for underground.

Incentivized