Bluebeam, Inc., of Pasadena, California, has announced the first major all-new product for the AEC industry: Bluebeam Cloud. The new solution marks a milestone for the company whose namesake Bluebeam Revu software is used by over 2 million users in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry worldwide.
“Bluebeam Cloud delivers on our customer promise to unlock the power of Bluebeam Revu so teams in the field can access critical data and work from anywhere, including their mobile devices,” said Bluebeam Chief Executive Officer Jon Elliott. “Our clients depend on accurate, secure, and timely data so they can stay connected and keep projects on track, even when they’re on the move. Bluebeam Cloud provides that missing link, delivering targeted features, workflows and reporting with connectivity, collaboration and data-accessibility at its core.”
Bluebeam Cloud
The new Bluebeam Cloud offering offers powerful yet easy-to-use and flexible markup tools, including a Markup Editor that carries with it the many customizations users create using Bluebeam Revu on the desktop. It means personal styles and company standards for markup extend to the cloud solution as well as the desktop and back again.
The new Bluebeam Cloud and Revu 21 and new Field Apps work seamlessly together connected instantaneously through the cloud.
Bluebeam Cloud isn’t simply a streamlined version of Bluebeam Revu (for Windows desktops) for the web browser. The cloud solution you can run on any browser across multiple computer platforms also supports specific industry workflows with dedicated process functions for RFIs, Submittals, and Punch Lists. Additionally, those same industry workflows get enhanced for newly created Field tools that run on Apple iOS iPhones and iPads.
When we began developing Bluebeam Cloud, we had the opportunity to work with our customers and reimagine the way our software, apps, and services were being accessed to greatly improve value and increase ease-of-use.
The new Field tools on iOS devices are purpose-built for various personas on the construction site performing their typical tasks, whether that be architects or engineers performing site observations, site supervisors generating punch lists, or project managers in contractor trailers generating RFIs. These new task-based workflows on mobile devices work in hand with existing Bluebeam markups, tool sets, and documents, allowing all project stakeholders to be connected to all key data on the project.
True Customer Needs
Bluebeam may be one of the biggest software companies serving the global construction industry, but the company has been relatively late to offer a true web browser-based solution like Bluebeam Cloud. But company executives we spoke to recently (see: Xpresso #41) emphasized the importance of making sure they heard what their customers really wanted and creating a seamless dovetail between cloud solutions that worked well with Bluebeam Revu on the desktop.
“Bluebeam has always focused, first and foremost, on understanding their customers’ true needs,” said Yves Padrines, Chief Executive Officer of the Nemetschek Group, Bluebeam’s parent company, since 2014. “Bluebeam understood their customer’s work was changing at an incredible pace and that a total business transformation was required for Bluebeam to deliver the value and services necessary to meet the challenge. Bluebeam Cloud represents much more than a software release; it’s the launch of an entirely new way of doing business based on partnerships that go beyond just the sale to deliver better outcomes on every project. And that’s building better together.”
Hybrid Work Worlds
Designed specifically to address the evolving needs of modern hybrid workplaces, Bluebeam Cloud and Bluebeam’s flagship desktop-based solution Revu are being bundled and offered together as subscription plans for the first time. All subscribers will also receive unlimited data storage, an entire library of Bluebeam University on-demand training resources, and live global technical support. New Bluebeam subscribers can also expect to see additional services added to the subscription offerings in the future.
“When we began developing Bluebeam Cloud, we had the opportunity to work with our customers and reimagine the way our software, apps, and services were being accessed to greatly improve value and increase ease-of-use,” said Bluebeam Chief Product Officer Roger Angarita. “With our move to subscription, we focused on the areas that would have the greatest impact for streamlining everyone’s access to files and critical data from the office to the field with no disruption. And we wanted to make onboarding and training easy with on-demand training and support resources that help our customers get even more value from our solutions. We’re proud to introduce changes with this release that directly address the real issues impacting professionals worldwide and ultimately deliver an extraordinary experience.”
To learn more, visit Bluebeam online here.
Architosh Analysis and Commentary
Readers curious about how Bluebeam Cloud addresses the Mac support question should understand the following. Bluebeam Cloud is not a version of Revu for the cloud, though it fully supports all the core markup tools, including the Tool Chest. Bluebeam Revu and Bluebeam Cloud are sold together, and that includes the Field tools (see Bluebeam Cloud on Apple App Store). All packaged plans include Revu, Bluebeam Cloud, and the mobile iOS apps. The new cloud solution doesn’t provide all the power of Revu, but the company has told Architosh that over time more functions will move to the cloud solution. Revu on the Windows desktop will sit side-by-side with Bluebeam Cloud for years to come. Mac users can always run Revu under Parallels on their Mac computers, which these days are performance leaders in many computer categories, making virtualization far less problematic.
MORE: XCON 22: Bluebeam Unveils Bluebeam Cloud—Enters New Cloud-Connected Era
For those wanting more answers today than what is provided above, you can get a head start on answers by reading our XPresso #41 issue, where our special feature focuses on the new Bluebeam Cloud offerings.