Organise your project
in just a few steps

Manuals and hints for project administrators and participants.

Administrators & Owners

A1Registration / login

Your Planfred user account is created during registration. If your e-mail address already possesses a Planfred login by way of a project invitation, then registration is no longer necessary. 

Register at: app.planfred.com/registration

Click Create password now in the confirmation e-mail and enter your desired password in the next step.

You may now log in with your e-mail address and your password at any time at: app.planfred.com

Use your Planfred access data to access all projects your own projects, as well as the ones that you have been invited to. In Projects (in top-centre), you may switch between the respective projects.

Hint

The password may be reset again at any time when logging in. Change the password in the user account (top right).

A2Create project / plan selection

Each Planfred user (no matter whether you register yourself or receive an invite) is entitled to add their own projects, which starts the test phase.

Project list (above in projects)
  • Click Create your first project

  • Enter project title

  • Select your own role in the project, or, if it's not available, enter it in the “New role” field and click +

  • Click Create project

After 30 days, the user account of a project owner will become fee-based. Billing via e-mail does not take place automatically, however, but rather only after online ordering in the user account (package selection and billing address entry).

RECOMMENDATION: For the fee-based user account of the project owner, we recommend using an impersonal e-mail address. All projects should be created using this login. This provides one central account access to all company projects, and it is also the owner of all the data. The project managers are added in the respective project as administrators and therefore receive all permissions for project organisation.

Hint

The Project transfer function (in “Settings & backup”) enables you to transfer your project to the ownership of a participant (provided they have selected a package). If you no longer possess a project of your own, then you are no longer in the test phase.

A3Roles, Plan folders, and tags – individual project settings

When project participants upload plans or documents, they are automatically filed under their roles. Top categories (optional), plan folders and tags are selected when plans or documents are created and can be changed at any time afterwards. A participant can only update or edit data of his own role - on plans or documents of other roles he has read-only rights. The project owner and the project administrators have editing rights for all roles.

NOTE: Filters for roles and tags are only displayed if plans or documents with these attributes exist.

Settings & Backup (top right)
Customize Plan and Document folders
  • rename and save folder

  • Delete folder by clicking x (right)

  • Add folder: Write name in “New plan folder” or “New document folder” field and click on +

  • Change order: Click on list symbol (right) and move to the desired position

Hint

If several documents are to be assigned to a different document folder: Click on Edit in the "Documents" tab, select documents, click on the Edit button at the very bottom, activate the document property Document Folder, select the document folder and click on Update x Documents.

Customize Plan and Document tags
  • rename and save tags

  • Delete tags by clicking x (on the right)

  • Add tags: Write name in “New tag” field and click + (new tags will be sorted alphabetically)

Rename or add roles of the participants
  • rename and save roles

  • Delete roles by clicking x (right)

  • Add roles: Write name in “New role” field and click + (new roles will be sorted alphabetically)

  • Roles can also be added directly when creating project participants

Add plan and document top categories optionally

If, for example, additional folders are required for projects with several components, which are located as top categories above the roles, the “Plan top categories” function can be activated. This function is not active by default and can be activated and individually configured both when creating a project and for projects that are already running.

  • by clicking on Show plans top categories or Show documents top categories the top categories are activated, the desired settings can then be made in the edit field:

  • rename and save top categories

  • Add top categories (e.g. component 1, etc.): Write the name in the field “New plan top category” or “New document top category” and click on +

  • Delete top categories by clicking on x (only top categories to which no plan is assigned can be deleted)

NOTE: All plans and documents that have already been created are automatically assigned to the “Standard” top category by Planfred and can be assigned to a different top category directly in the list view: Right-click on the relevant plan, select Change top category in the pop-up window, adjust settings and save.

Hint

All project settings can be transferred to other projects: Simply Create new project and Apply project settings from another project.

Roles and Plan folders - folder structure for downloading

When downloading all plans, roles form the top folders and plan folders form the subfolders. If the top categories are activated, they are displayed as the top folder category of the project. Thus, when creating plan folders, it is important to consider which plans are to be stored in a folder when downloading. The same applies to document folders.

Tags - additional filters

By adding tags, you can group plans or documents according to individual criteria and thus filter them: For example, the plan “Ground plan 2-fl” is provided with the tags “Ground plan” and “2-fl”. If, for example, you need the ground plans of the architect's execution plans, first activate the filter of the role “Architect”, then the filter “Execution plans” and finally the tag “Ground plan” (or enter in the search field: “architect + execution + ground”). It is advisable to define tags in advance so that the participants can select them when creating the plan.

Hint

Tags with the same meaning can be combined into one tag by renaming them: e.g. rename tag “GP” to “Ground Plan”, so that all plans are only tagged with the tag "Ground Plan".

A4Invite participants to project / permissions

Participants do not need to register and may use Planfred free of charge! Planfred sends invitation e-mails when participants are added. Participants also receives a link to the instructions: www.planfred.com/en/manual

Participants tab
  • Click Create new participant

  • Enter e-mail address

  • Select permission: Project participantProject administrator or Participant without login

  • Optional plan approval permission

  • Upload notifier recommendation daily (each participant can switch off their upload notifiers themselves)

  • Select the role or enter into the “New role” field and click +

  • Enter last name, company, and telephone number (optional)

  • Optional personal message

  • Invite + add another one

Hint

Participants that are already added can be imported to additional projects (Add new participants and Import participant from another project).

Hint

By right clicking on a participant in the list, the following functions are available: Delete participantGrant or revoke plan approval permission, Upload notifier (hourly, daily, OFF), Export contact.

Hint

In the participants detail view (click on participants) in Edit permission (top-right), a project participant may be made the project administrator retroactively or removed from project access, etc.

Project participant

Project participants can only use there Planfred access data to log into projects that they have been invited to. The project login enables participants to download all project data and upload their plans and documents, and these are stored automatically under the assigned role. Each participant may only update or edit their own role. Plans and documents of other roles are only available to a participant with reading permission. In case of a team of multiple structural engineers, it is important that they are assigned the same role during project invitation. 

Project administrator

Project administrators generally have the same permissions in the project as the project owners (nevertheless, they cannot delete the project or revoke project access from the owner). An administrator is entitled to invite other participants, to delete them, and to change participants. Furthermore, an administrator has access to “Settings & backup” and to all documents in the document vault. An administrator is allowed to edit or update all plans and documents of other roles and may also update data for other roles representatively by changing the author (this enables the plans and documents to be stored under the role of the author instead of their own role). 

Participant without login

Participants without a login do not have access to the project and are only available as a recipient for manual delivery of plans and document via the download link via e-mail. In the participants detailed view, receipt can be checked (click on participants – see under activities, e.g. “Download“). Project invitation e-mails and upload alerts cannot be sent to participants without a login. Participant without a login can, however, be managed as authors, e.g. a surveyor’s plan under the “Surveyor” role. 

RECOMMENDATION: We recommend sending bid request packages to participants without a login (Zip files) in a separate project (award package)! (Advantages: Recipients and technical planners cannot see bidders and sensitive data like offer evaluations, agreements, etc. can be managed without access permission). Plotting orders are processed by manually sending plans to participants without a login, in which case the order data are entered via text message.

Plan approval permission

As soon as at least one participant with plan approval permission is available in the project, the approval system for plans is activated. Next, when uploading a plan, select whether approval is required for this plan. If this plan should be approved, those who can approve it may be selected from a list of all participants with plan approval permission.

A participant will be informed automatically by e-mail, if a plan is waiting for their approval. The participants may now be approve or correct. Correction via text and/or attachment. The plan author is informed automatically via e-mail about corrections/approvals.

The approval system is always active for documents, and an approval may always be requested by any participant.

Delete participants or revoke access to the project

If a participant is deleted or project access is revoked from a participant (in the participants detailed view Edit permission to Participant without login), then all download links in the e-mails are deactivated. Deleted participants and participants without login no longer have access to the project. Deleted participants are moved into the recycle bin (activities are still accessible in the recycle bin. They can be restored at any time).

Basic functions

B1Create password / login

Your free Planfred user account was created with the first project invitation. You don’t need to register again! Click Create password now in the invitation e-mail and enter your desired password in the next step.

You may now log in with your e-mail address and your password at any time at: app.planfred.com

Use your Planfred access data to access all projects that you have been invited to. In Projects (in top-centre), you may switch between projects.

Hint

The password may be reset again at any time when logging in. Change the password in the user account (top right).

PLANFRED Screenshot – Login 2
Basic functions

Plans & Documents

B2Upload notifier

In case new plans and documents are uploaded, Planfred automatically sends messages, provided upload notifier is activated for the project.

A project participant can turn their upload alerts on or off themselves in the respective project (orange field in top-right). If daily is selected, Planfred will send a group e-mail at midnight including all new uploads over the last 24 hours.

B3Sort plans or documents according to most recent upload

Sorting the list view according to the most recent upload provides the best overview of new uploads in the project.

Plans or documents tabs
  • Activate filter Display all (top-left)

  • Click Last upload (on right in the list header)

  • Filter according to “Role/author” and “Plan or document folder”

  • Preview by right clicking on a plan or document and select Open PDF

  • Download multiple plans by clicking Download plans or Download documents (blue button to the right above the list)

Hint

The list may be sorted according to all criteria in the black list header bar.

B4Create a new plan

ATTENTION: Each plan is created only once and must then be updated. Plans must not be created more than once so that the last status remains unique! Obsolete indices can be called up in the plan detail view (click on the plan, then under "Index history").

Plans tab
  • Click Create new plan

  • Select a print file (pdf, etc.) from the file system or clipboard

  • Select a CAD file (dwg, etc.) from the file system or clipboard

  • The file name is added automatically to the plan number field

  • Edit plan number/code: Remove the index and date and enter this into the “Index” field (the number remains unchanged in case of updates)

  • Enter the description into the “Plan content” field (searching utilises terms)

  • Select a plan folder

  • Select optional tags or create tag (enter into “New tag” field and click +)

  • Write optional comment

  • Request optional approval

  • Click Save + add another one

NOTE: All file formats may be uploaded, including Zip packages (e.g. As-built plans). Planfred does not specify plan encoding. Each participant can add plans with their own encoding system.

Hint

Plan numbers, plan authors, plan folders, etc. can be changed subsequently: Right-click on plan in list view, select the desired option in the pop-up window, make the change and save.

Hint

If, for example, the plan folder is to be changed for several plans: Click on Edit (blue button on the right above the list), select plans by means of a checkbox, click on the Edit button at the very bottom, activate the plan property to be changed, select the desired plan folder and click on Update x Plans.

B5Update plan

ATTENTION: A previously uploaded plan needs to be updated! Reworked indexes can be accessed in the plans detailed view (click the respective plan).

Plans tab
  • Click Update plan

  • Select the plan to be updated

  • Select a print file (pdf, etc.) from the file system or clipboard

  • Select a CAD file (dwg, …) from the file system or clipboard

  • Enter index

  • Write optional comment

  • Request optional approval

  • Click Save index and return to list

  • Select the next document to be updated …

Hint

Right click with the mouse to open and update a plan in a new window (tab). You can open any number of windows (tabs) parallel to each other.

B6Create a new document

ATTENTION: Each document is only added once and is then updated. Documents may not be added multiple times, which means the most recent version remains clear! Reworked versions can be accessed in the documents detailed view (click on the document, then under "Version history").

Documents tab
  • Click Create new document

  • Select a file from the file system or clipboard

  • The file name is added automatically to the document number field

  • Edit document number: Remove the version and enter this into the “Version” field (the number remains unchanged in case of updates)

  • Enter the description into the “Document content” field (searching utilises terms)

  • Limit optional access ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY

  • Select document folder

  • Select optional tags or create tag (enter into “New tag” field and click +)

  • Write optional comment

  • Request optional approval

  • Click Save + add another one

NOTE: All file formats may be uploaded, including Zip packages (e.g. photos). Planfred does not specify document encoding. Each participant can add documents with their own encoding system.

Hint

Number/content, access authorisation, author etc. can be changed later: Right-click on the document in the list view, select the desired option in the pop-up window, make the change and save.

Hint

If, for example, the tags of several documents are to be changed: Click on Edit (blue button on the right above the list), select documents using the checkbox, click on the Edit button at the very bottom, activate the document property Tags, select the tags and click on Update x documents.

B7Update document

ATTENTION: A previously uploaded document needs to be updated! Reworked versions can be accessed in the documents detailed view (click the respective document).

Documents tab
  • Click Update document

  • Select the document to be updated

  • Select a file from the file system or clipboard

  • Enter the version (or date e.g. “200930”)

  • Write optional comment

  • Request optional approval

  • Click Save version and return to list

  • select the next document to be updated …

Hint

Right click with the mouse to open and update a document in a new window (tab). You can open any number of windows (tabs) parallel to each other.

B8Clipboard – Create multiple plans or documents

Planfred offers two features that greatly facilitate the creation (initial upload) of multiple plans. The use of the clipboard ensures that no plans are overlooked and the ability to copy settings from the last plan saves time. Also, when updating plans and uploading documents, it makes sense to load all files to the clipboard first, as this ensures that no documents are forgotten.

First, the clipboard is filled with files:
  • click on My clipboard (top right)

  • load all CAD and/or print files of the new plans into the clipboard: either click on Select files or simply drag them from your own system into the clipboard

  • Close the clipboard (click on the cross in the upper right corner), the files will be uploaded in the background

After that, the first plan is created and fed with the corresponding files from the clipboard:
  • click on Create new plan

  • insert print file from the clipboard: click on from Clipboard in the right area of the PRINT FILE field and select the desired file in the pop-up window

  • insert CAD file from the clipboard: click on from Clipboard in the right area of the CAD FILE field and select the desired file in the pop-up window

  • enter index and plan content; edit plan number; select plan folder, tags, etc.; write comment and/or request approval if necessary

  • click on save + add another one

When creating further plans, the settings of the respective last plan can be taken over:
  • click on Use settings from latest plan, the selection of settings to be applied can be edited (click on the checkmarks)

  • create and save the plan as described above

This process is repeated until there are no more plans to choose from in the clipboard pop-up window – so the list is cleared. Clicking on My clipboard (to the right of “Settings & Backup”) shows that all files in the clipboard have the status “assigned”.

PLEASE NOTE: Each plan is created only once and must then be updated. Plans must not be created more than once so that the last status remains unique!

Hint

The files in the clipboard can be sorted e.g. by file name (click on File name in the list header).

B9Download multiple plans or documents

Plans or documents tab
  • Click Download (blue button on right above list)

  • Filter by role/author, plan or document folder, tags (or entry into the search field)

  • Select the plans or documents using the check box (select all using the top check box)

  • Click Download (at the bottom)

  • Select folder structure (recommendation: Folder/Original)

  • Click Download files

Hint

Plans and documents may be sorted according to all criteria in the black list header bar. Preview by right-clicking on a plan or document and selecting Open PDF.

B10Send multiple plans or documents

Plans or documents tabs
  • Click Send (blue button to the right above the list)

  • Filter by role/author, plan or document folder, tags (or entry into the search field)

  • Select the plans or documents using the check box (select all using the top check box)

  • Click on button Send (at the bottom)

  • Select the recipients

  • Add optional additional recipients: Click on + Add recipient, enter your details and click on add

  • Write message

  • Create optional signature template

  • Optional for plans “SEND PRINT FILES ONLY”

  • Click send

Hint

Save optional recipient selection as a personal group: Click on + Create recipient group, enter the name and click on save.

Hint

Save message as personal template: Select parts or all of the text, click on Save selected text as a block, enter the text block name and save.

Basic functions

Tasks

B11Tasks in general

Project owners and administrators have access to all tasks and can also comment and edit them. Participants see only the tasks assigned to them or to another participant of the same role, as well as those created by the participant or by participants of the same role.

In the webapp in the browser (app.planfred.com), Tasks appears as a tab between "Documents" and „Participants". All tasks appear in a list, just as in the case of plans and documents. The display can be specified via the filter functions.

In the project settings ("Settings & Backup" in the top right corner of the respective project) you can make all settings under "Tasks", such as renaming, removing or adding new categories, adding a fourth option to the location, renaming, removing or adding new location defaults.

PLANFRED Tasks für iOS und Android
PLANFRED tasks on your smartphone

Create tasks directly on your cell phone and save time. The new app for iOS and Android makes recording tasks even easier - and free of charge in all Planfred packages, whether Mini, Midi or Maxi.

After starting the app, you enter your user data in the browser as in the webapp. After logging in, you go directly to the project list and select the desired project. Clicking on "Tasks" takes you to the task list.

B12Create a task

New tasks can be created by clicking the "+ New Task" button at the bottom center. These will be stored under "My drafts" until they are published and can only be viewed by the user.

Please now enter or speak a title and description (optional) and take a photo or upload a file (optional). Assign the category, responsibility and if necessary a deadline and add the location information.

Hint

Only one parameter is obligatory, as well as the responsibility in case of publication.

PLANFRED Screenshot – Neuen Task anlegen

B13Publish a task

After clicking the "Save draft" button, the draft task will appear in the "My drafts" list.

Now you can either continue creating the task (by clicking the "+ New Task" button again) or publish the task design. To do this, click on the desired task and then on "Publish now".

Now the task is listed under "Tasks" for the task creator, his role, the project owner, all administrators and the responsible persons in the task list.

PLANFRED Screenshot – Task-Entwurf veröffentlichen

B14Tasks in the webapp

The webapp in the browser shows the new task as shown. If it does not appear at the top, you can sort the order by clicking on the number symbol.

The creation of a task in the webapp is started by clicking on the button "Create new task". All further steps are the same as creating a task in the smartphone app (see above).

PLANFRED Screenshot – Tasks in the webapp

B15Tasks – filter

In addition to the filter functions familiar from the webapp, there are three quick filters in the smartphone app, namely "Tasks for me", "Tasks from me" and "Clarification".

Hint

To deactivate all filters, click the Show all button.

PLANFRED Screenshot – Tasks Status, Filter & Shortcuts

B16Tasks – status

The four statuses "Open", "In progress", "In clarification" and "Done" describe the status of the respective task and can be recognized via the colored bar on the left side (pale blue, blue, yellow and green).

To change the status, click on the status bar in the respective task and select the desired new status.

It is also possible to add a text, which will then appear in the "Task activities" (below).

Hint

Changing the status is also possible in the course of entering a new message. The input field for a new message is located directly below the "Task activities" area.

PLANFRED Screenshot – Task … in Bearbeitung … in Abklärung … erledigt

B17Task notifications

The task report informs about all new and changed tasks via e-mail once a day at midnight. Participants only receive information about the tasks they can view (tasks assigned to them and tasks created by the participant).

By activating the push notifications on the smartphone, one is additionally informed directly about all changes.

PLANFRED-Webapp – Task-Report

Special functions

S1The permission system briefly explained

Project owner

Every user (no matter whether they are registered or acting as a participant) is authorized to create his own projects and is therefore the owner of all this data. As the project owner, he is the only one who is allowed to delete these projects. The access to his projects can never be withdrawn from him as owner.

After 30 days, the user account of a project owner becomes subject to fees. Invoices are not submitted automatically, however, but rather only after ordering a package for the user account.

Hint

We recommend using an e-mail address for the user account of the project owner (fee-based) that is not personalised. After logging in to this user account, all projects may be created, which makes this e-mail address the owner of all of the data. (The respective project manager is invited as a participant with administrator rights and now manages the respective project).

PLANFRED web app – user permission
Project administrators

Project administrators have almost the same rights in the project as the project owner (however, they cannot delete the project or revoke the owner's project access). An administrator is allowed to invite, delete, and change permissions of other participants. Furthermore, an administrator has access to "Settings & Backup" and to all documents with restricted access. An administrator is authorized to edit or update all plans and documents of other roles and can also upload data on behalf of other roles by changing the author (thus the plans and documents are not stored under his own role but under the author's role).

Project participants

Project participants can only log in to projects to which they have been invited with their Planfred credentials. With their project login, participants are authorized to download all project data and upload their plans and documents, which are automatically filed under the respective assigned role. Each participant can only update or edit data of their own role. A participant has only read rights on plans and documents of other roles. In the case of a team of, for example, several structural engineers, it is therefore important that they are assigned the same role when they are invited to the project.

Participants without login

Participants without login have no access to the project and are only available as recipients for the manual sending of plans and documents via download link by e-mail. In the participant detail view, the receipt can be checked (click on participant - see activities below e.g. "Receiving"). No project invitation e-mails and upload messages are sent to participants without login. However, participants without login can be listed as authors, so that e.g. a surveyor plan can be found under the role "Surveyor".

Hint

We recommend sending tender packages (zip files) in a separate award project to participants without login! (Advantages: Recipients and specialist planners do not see bidders and sensitive data such as bid checks, contracts, etc. can be managed without access permissions). Plot orders are also handled by manually sending plans to participants without login, entering order data via text message. In the "Sending" activity category, a recipient is highlighted in green as soon as he or she has clicked on Download in the e-mail (expand activity with triangle).

Plan approval permission

As soon as at least one participant with plan approval permission exists in the project, the approval system for plans is activated. Now, when uploading a plan, you have to select whether an approval is required for this plan. If this plan is to be approved, you can select who is to approve it from a list of all participants with plan approval permission.

A participant is automatically notified by e-mail when a plan is awaiting approval. The participant can now approve or comment on the plan – Comment via text and/or attachment. The plan author automatically receives the status update by e-mail.

For documents, the approval system is always active and an approve can always be requested by all participants.

Delete participant or revoke access to the project

If a participant is deleted (right-click on participant and "Delete participant"), all download links in e-mails already received are deactivated. Furthermore, a participant's project access can be revoked by changing its permission to "Participant without login". Deleted project participants and participants without login will no longer have project access. Deleted participants are moved to the recycle bin (activities are still accessible in the recycle bin. Restoring is possible at any time).

S2Project transfer – change of project owner

Project owners can easily transfer individual projects to participants. All rights (e.g. ownership of data, granting of access rights) and obligations (e.g. payment obligation) are passed on to the new owner. The prerequisite for each project transfer is that the future owner address is a participant in the project and the account is provided with a plan selection.

Project owner is in the test phase, although his office has already commissioned a Planfred subscription plan:

The message test phase appears when a user has created their own project but their account is not provided with a plan selection. With Planfred, all projects of an office should be owned by the paying user account. With the "Project transfer" function, projects can be transferred to the assigned office user account at any time and seamlessly continued.

PLANFRED web app – project transfer
Procedure:
  • login of the project owner to the project to be transferred

  • create future project owner (assigned office user account) as project participant

  • under Settings & Backup (top right) click on Project transfer

  • now Transfer project to, select new project owner and Start project transfer

  • The future project owner will automatically be informed by email about the project transfer approval. By clicking Apply and Accept Project in the email, Planfred opens in the browser where the project can be accepted and thus the project transfer can be completed.

  • After the transfer, the original project owner is no longer in the test phase, has administrator rights in the project and can also be deleted if necessary.

Hint

We recommend using an unpersonalised email address for the project owner's paid user account. All projects are to be created via this user account – thus all data is owned by this email address.

Change the email address of a commissioned user account:

The "Project transfer" function can be used to change the user account of the project owner that is subject to payment. This account is only used to create new projects and to manage the order data.

Procedure:
  • create the future owner address as a participant in all projects (recommendation: name only "-" and role e.g. "account")

  • login with the future owner address, click on User account (top right), Plan selection (MINI, MIDI or MAXI), select payment interval and enter billing address

  • login as project owner in each own project and carry out project transfer as described above

  • after completing the project transfer, change the Plan selection to "FREE" in the user account of the original project owner

Hint

If a project is to be transferred to the builder, for example, who is not yet a participant, we recommend creating and inviting the builder as a new participant. This way, the registration is already done and the builder only has to provide his account with a plan selection.

S3Text blocks for messages

Whether for messages, approval requests or comments - text blocks support Planfred users in composing texts. These blocks can be created and edited individually for the following applications:

  • Message when sending plans and documents

  • Approval request

  • Personal message to new project participant

  • Comment when creating or updating plans or documents

How it works:

  • Type message into the text field

  • Select parts or the entire text

  • Click on Save selected text as a block

  • Enter the text block name in the pop-up window

  • Edit text if necessary

  • Click on save

PLANFRED Screenshot – text blocks for messages

NOTE: Text blocks that were created, for example, for the document upload are NOT available for selection when approval requests are written. They only appear where they were created and saved.

Hint

Any number of stored text blocks can be combined to form a message.

S4Apply project settings

Plan folders, roles, and tags can be added easily from existing projects.

This makes adding new projects very convenient, and the settings (plan folders, roles, and tags) don’t need to be added again every time.

  • When adding a new project, just click the link “apply project settings from another project”

  • Select the desired project from the list… finished

  • The project settings can be changed again as usual later on

Hint

Save projects as a template. Create a new project, adjust settings, and save as “_TEMPLATE-XY”, etc.

Special functions

Plans & Documents

S5Access permission for documents

A document can be assigned an access permission to restrict visibility to selected participants. Administrators always have access to all documents.

Procedure:
  • Create new document as usual

  • Click on ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY:

  • Select participants

  • save

Hint

Save selection of participants as personal preselection: Click above on + Create participant selection, enter name and save.

Hint

By right-clicking on a document and selecting Edit permission, access can be subsequently restricted or edited.

NOTE: In the Project backup, all documents with restricted access are always available. Therefore, we recommend managing sensitive documents such as cost tracking, contracts, audits, etc. in a separate project with a small group of participants.

PLANFRED web app – document vault

S6Approval of plans and documents

The approval status of plans and documents is clear by means of a simple filterable traffic light system in the colors yellow (approval requested), red (comments) and green (approved).

CAUTION: For green marked approved plans, all comments/annotations added to the plan by the reviewers should already be incorporated. It should also be apparent from the index that the plan has been approved (not a preliminary pull).

1.) Give participants the permission to approve plans.

The approval of plans can only be requested by participants with a plan approval permission. In the participant list view, these are marked with a check mark (right).

  • Click with the right mouse button on a participant and select Grant plan approval permission (only administrators are authorized to do this).

  • Grant plan approval permission to another participant or withdraw it if necessary (right-click function Revoke plan approval permission)

Hint

In contrast to plans, the approval of documents can always be requested by all participants without approval permission.

PLANFRED screenshot – approval permissionPLANFRED screenshot – approvers listPLANFRED screenshot – waiting for approval
2.) Request approval
  • Any participant can request a review when creating or updating plans by selecting below This index requires approval by ….

  • Selecting the people who should approve the plan

  • Adding text message for the approval request

  • Click on Save index and return to list

  • Each reviewer will automatically receive the approval request by email

CAUTION: During the first review run of a plan that has not yet been approved, the index should be marked "Preliminary", as the comments expected from the reviewers still need to be incorporated into the plan.

Hint

With the filter … to be approved by me (next to the Plans and Documents tab), each participant has an overview of all approval requests by him.

Request approval subsequently
  • Click on the respective plan or use the right mouse button Open in new window.

  • Click on Copy & edit plan (top right next to "Current index")

  • Selection below This index requires approval by …, selection of whom, add text message and Save

Hint

Also the persons from whom an approval was requested can be changed afterwards. Click on the respective plan and Edit approval (top right next to "Current Index").

3.) Reviewers comment on plan or approve plan
  • In the Plans tab, click on the personal filter … to be approved by me.

  • Select and download the plan (if necessary, download the other reviewers' comments as well) and correct it

  • Select one of the options COMMENT or APPROVAL

  • At COMMENT add file and/or text message and Save comment

  • At APPROVAL write text message and Send index approval

  • The plan author will automatically receive a status update via email

Hint

An approval with comments is handled with the COMMENT option, since various small details such as the index still need to be incorporated into the original plan and it should therefore not be marked as approved.

4.) Plan author incorporates comments and updates the plan
  • The plan author revises the plan

  • Click on Update plan and upload plan with new index

  • The plan author can now request a new approval or mark the plan itself as released by selecting the option "This revision is approved by me" (he has already received the approval in the form of a comment)

  • Click on Save index

Hint

Plan approval is available starting with the Midi package.

S7Edit directly in the lists

Planfred extends the right-click menu with powerful edit functions and thus increases the ease of use. Many properties such as changing the plan folder or adding tags can now be edited directly in the list view without opening the plan detail.

With direct list editing of plans and documents you keep an even better overview and the time expenditure is noticeably reduced.

How it works:
  • Filter the desired plans or documents in the list view

  • Sort by eg. Plan number by clicking on Plan number in the table header

  • Right click on a plan

  • Select the desired activity:

    • Download PDF or DWG

    • Update plan, in new window …

    • Edit number/content

    • Edit plan folder

    • Edit tags

    • Edit plan author

  • save

S8Importing plans and documents from another project

In Planfred, all project participants always have access to the entire set of plans. However, individual documents can be given access permission. A superordinate access permission takes place via different projects. Administrators can import all relevant plans and documents from another project with a few clicks.

Example 1: Continuing execution project

After the building permit procedure has been completed, an execution project is created. All relevant plans and documents are imported into the execution project, resulting in a cleaned-up project for the respective companies.

Before the first import of e.g. plans, make sure that the plan numbers do not contain an index or date. Planfred compares the plan numbers of both projects (also those in the recycle bin) during the transfer process and already existing plans in the target project are updated if necessary (e.g. with a new index).

PLANFRED screenshot – select project for importPLANFRED screenshot – select plans to import
Procedure:
  • Create new project e.g. execution project and Apply project settings from another project e.g. from permit project

  • In the execution project, click on Import plans from other project (button next to "Create new plan" - only visible to admins) and select the project from which the plans are to be imported.

  • Filter the plans and select them using the checkbox

  • Click on Next at the bottom

  • Select import settings (only when importing released plans and documents)

  • Click on Import x plans

  • Import documents in the same way from another project

Hint

Only the current index of a plan or the current version of a document is imported. The history can only be accessed in the source project.

Hint

Participants can also be imported from another project. You can set them to be imported as "Participants without login". Invitation afterwards: right-click on the participant, select Edit permission , select Project participant or administrator , optionally write a message and invite & back to list.

Example 2: Separate project for plan approvals

If, for example, various plan changes are not to be visible to the executing companies, it is advisable to work on these in a separate project with a small group of participants. Once the plan changes are completed, the approved plans are imported back into the main project. (existing plans are updated) and thus published.

Procedure:
  • Create a separate project and import the plans to be approved from the main project

  • Edit the plans as usual (request approvals, update plans, etc.)

  • Now import the plans to be published from the approval project into the main project (target project).

  • Check the list of existing plans in the target project and the indexes selected for import and choose between the options Update plan (below Update all ) or Create as new plan .

  • Click on Next step

  • Edit Import Settings and click on Import x plans

Hint

If the most recent plan index already exists in the target project, it cannot be imported again (plan selection is not possible). Plans that are in the approval process (coloured yellow and red) cannot be imported either.

S9Change the properties of several plans at once

The “Multi-Edit” function allows you to quickly edit the properties of several plans at once. With a few clicks, plan folders, authors, tags or top categories (optional) of different plans can be changed simultaneously.

An example of Multi-Edit

Several execution plans are to be moved to the installation drawings folder:

  • Click on Edit next to “Update plan” or “Create new plan”

  • Display the execution plans with the help of the filter system

  • Select the plans to be changed by clicking on the checkbox (to the left of the plan number) or click on select all, if all filtered plans are to be edited

  • Click on Edit in the lower center of the screen

  • Select the desired plan property rubric Plan folder by clicking on it

  • Click on Installation drawing to change the plan folders of the selected plans

  • Finally click on Update x plans

PLANFRED Screenshot – batch processing for multiple plans or documents