How to Add Markups in Procore Drawings

Understanding Procore Drawing Markups

Procore's markup functionality transforms how construction teams communicate about drawings. When working with complex projects, visual annotations become essential for highlighting changes, issues, or special instructions that text alone cannot convey.

Markups in Procore exist in two distinct layers - personal and published. Your personal layer acts as your private workspace where you can experiment with annotations before sharing them with the team. Only when you deliberately choose to publish do these markups become visible to others with appropriate permissions.

The beauty of Procore's system lies in its continuity features. If you've carefully annotated a drawing and later receive a revised version, most of your markups will automatically transfer to the new version. This preservation of work saves countless hours that would otherwise be spent recreating the same annotations after each revision.

Accessibility across platforms enhances the tool's versatility. Whether you're in the office using the web platform or on-site with an iOS device, you can create, view, and manage markups with similar functionality. This cross-platform capability ensures that communication flows smoothly regardless of where team members are working.

Required Permissions for Markup Access

Before diving into markup creation, understanding permission levels prevents frustration and workflow disruptions. Procore's permission structure ensures that only authorized personnel can make certain changes to project drawings.

For basic personal markup creation, you'll need at least "Read Only" permissions on the Drawings tool. This entry-level access allows you to annotate drawings for your own reference without affecting what others see. These personal markups remain private until you decide to share them.

Publishing markups requires elevated privileges - either "Standard" or "Admin" permissions. This restriction prevents unauthorized changes from appearing in team-visible drawings. Once markups are published, editing capabilities become more restricted to maintain drawing integrity.

Admin users enjoy the most flexibility, with the ability to edit or delete any published markup regardless of who created it. Standard users, by contrast, can typically only modify their own published markups unless special permissions have been granted. This tiered approach balances collaboration with control, ensuring drawings remain reliable reference points throughout the project lifecycle.

Step-by-Step Desktop Markup Process

Creating effective markups starts with proper navigation. Log into your Procore account and select the project containing your target drawing. Once inside the project dashboard, locate and click on the Drawings tool to access your drawing library.

From the drawing list, click "Open" beside your chosen drawing and wait for it to load completely. Look for the "Markup" icon in the upper right corner of the interface and click it to activate the markup toolbar. First-time users should verify that their personal layer is visible by checking the "Filter" option.

The markup toolbar presents a variety of specialized tools for different annotation needs:

• Selection Tools - Use Select, Multi, or Lasso options to manipulate existing markups, resize them, or select multiple items at once
• Drawing Tools - Pen and Highlight functions allow freehand drawing with customizable thickness and color
• Shape Tools - Cloud, Box, and Ellipse options help emphasize specific areas of interest
• Directional Tools - Arrows in single or double formats clearly indicate specific points or movement directions
• Text Tool - Add detailed explanations directly on the drawing with adjustable font properties

After selecting your tool, customize its appearance through color, fill transparency, and line width options. These adjustments help create visual hierarchies that make your markups more intuitive and easier to interpret. Hold the Shift key while drawing lines to create perfectly straight segments.

When your markups are complete and ready for team viewing, select each markup and click "Publish." Remember that publishing makes your annotations visible to anyone with appropriate permissions, so ensure accuracy before sharing. Once published, some markup types have limited editability, so plan your workflow accordingly.

Editing and Managing Existing Markups

Even carefully created markups sometimes need adjustments. Procore provides several options for modifying existing annotations to keep drawings current and accurate.

To begin editing, open the drawing containing the markup and click the Markup icon to access the toolbar. Select the specific markup using either the Multi Selector or Lasso tool. Once selected, you can perform various actions depending on your needs and permission level.

Moving markups is as simple as clicking and dragging to a new position. For size adjustments, select the markup and drag the corner handles to resize proportionally. The duplicate function creates exact copies that can be repositioned, saving time when creating similar annotations across a drawing.

Copy and paste functionality extends beyond a single drawing. You can copy markups from one drawing and paste them into another with similar dimensions. When using CONTROL/COMMAND key while pasting, markups will maintain their original coordinates, ensuring precise placement across drawings.

Deleting unwanted markups requires selecting them and clicking the trash icon. For published markups, deletion permissions vary based on your role and whether you created the markup. After completing any edits to published markups, remember to republish them so your team sees the updated versions.

Mobile Markup Creation on iOS

Field teams benefit tremendously from Procore's iOS markup capabilities. The mobile workflow differs slightly from desktop but offers comparable functionality for on-the-go annotations.

Start by launching the Procore app on your iOS device and navigating to your project's Drawings tool. Select the drawing you need to annotate, and it will open in a viewer. The drawing enters full-screen mode when you tap or adjust zoom levels, giving you maximum viewing area for detailed work.

If the markup toolbar isn't immediately visible, simply tap anywhere on the screen to reveal it. The mobile toolbar includes familiar options like Select, Lasso, Pen, Highlight, and various shape tools. Choose your preferred tool and begin creating markups directly on your device's touchscreen.

Customization options remain robust in the mobile version. Adjust stroke width, opacity, and color through the toolbar settings. Text annotations work through a resizable text box that you can position precisely where needed. When working with text, the on-screen keyboard appears automatically for quick entry.

Publishing works similarly to the desktop version. Select your completed markup by tapping it, then tap "Publish" to share it with the team. The Lasso tool allows you to select and publish multiple markups simultaneously, streamlining the process when you have several annotations to share at once.

Effective Markup Formatting Standards

Establishing consistent markup standards dramatically improves team communication. When everyone follows the same visual language, drawings become more intuitive and misinterpretations decrease.

Color coding represents one of the most powerful standardization tools at your disposal. Assign specific colors to different types of annotations based on their purpose or urgency. Red might indicate critical issues requiring immediate attention, while blue could signify informational notes with lower priority. Green could represent approved changes or completed items.

Tool selection consistency reinforces your color coding system. Consider these strategic pairings for maximum clarity:

1. Use cloud shapes for highlighting areas requiring general attention or review.
2. Implement arrows when pointing to specific details that might be overlooked.
3. Reserve text boxes for detailed explanations that can't be conveyed through shapes alone.
4. Apply measurement tools only after proper calibration to ensure accuracy.

Documentation practices should extend beyond the drawings themselves. Maintain a project-wide log of significant markup changes, particularly for redlines or as-built documentation. This historical record proves invaluable when reviewing project evolution or providing evidence to stakeholders about when and why certain decisions were made.

Linking Items to Enhance Markups

The ability to connect markups directly to other project information transforms simple annotations into powerful communication hubs. This linking capability significantly reduces time spent searching for supporting documentation.

To create these connections, first add your markup using any appropriate tool from the toolbar. Once your markup is in place, look for the paperclip icon and click it to open the linking function. A search interface appears, allowing you to locate related items from various Procore tools like Request for Information (RFIs), observations, documents, submittals, or correspondence.

The available linking options depend on which tools are active in your project and whether items exist within those tools. For example, if your project has no active RFIs, that option won't appear in the linking menu. After selecting your desired item, the markup updates to include a visual indicator of the link.

For maximum effectiveness with linked markups, maintain consistency in how you represent different types of linked content. Using the same visual indicators for similar linked items helps team members quickly understand what additional information is available. Regularly verify that all linked items remain accessible, as broken links can cause confusion and delays.

When working with critical linked information, consider adding a brief text note explaining what can be found in the linked item. This additional context helps team members decide whether they need to access the linked content immediately or can continue with their current task.

Managing Redlines and As-Built Documentation

Construction projects rely heavily on accurate redline documentation and as-built records. Procore's markup tools excel at capturing these critical project elements with precision and clarity.

Redlines represent changes made during construction that differ from the original design documents. Using Procore's personal markup layer allows field personnel to document these changes as they occur. When these redlines need to be shared with the design team or other stakeholders, publishing makes them visible to everyone with appropriate permissions.

The toggle visibility feature proves particularly valuable when working with redlines. By switching your personal layer on and off, you can quickly compare the original drawing with your annotated version. This side-by-side comparison helps identify all modifications at a glance and ensures nothing is overlooked during document updates.

For projects requiring separation between different drawing sets, Procore's Drawing Areas feature offers an elegant solution. You might create dedicated areas like "Shop Drawings" for fabrication details and "Contract Drawings" for official design documents. This organizational approach keeps redlines and as-builts properly categorized, preventing confusion between working documents and official records.

Clear instructions to your team about which drawing area to use for specific purposes ensures everyone follows the same documentation protocols. This consistency becomes especially important when multiple subcontractors contribute to the same project, as it maintains drawing integrity throughout the construction process.

Handling Drawing Revisions Effectively

Drawing revisions represent a significant challenge in construction documentation. Procore addresses this challenge by automatically transferring most markups when you upload a revised drawing version.

When a new revision arrives, take time to review all inherited markups to confirm they still apply to the updated design. Some annotations may reference elements that have changed or been removed entirely. Identifying and updating these outdated markups prevents confusion and ensures your documentation remains accurate.

The automatic inheritance feature works for both personal and published markups, with one notable exception - sketches don't transfer between revisions. If you've created detailed sketch markups that need to persist across revisions, consider recreating them using other markup tools that do transfer automatically.

For complex projects with frequent revisions, consider implementing a regular markup review schedule. This systematic approach ensures that all annotations remain current and relevant as the design evolves. Designating specific team members as markup reviewers for each discipline area (architectural, structural, mechanical, etc.) distributes the workload while maintaining accountability.

Troubleshooting Common Markup Issues

Even experienced Procore users occasionally encounter challenges with the markup tools. Understanding common issues and their solutions keeps your workflow moving smoothly without frustrating delays.

PDF flattening occurs when you download, print, or extract a drawing with markups. The resulting document contains visual representations of your markups, but they're no longer editable in external programs like Bluebeam. This limitation exists because cross-platform dynamic markups aren't currently supported. Complete all markup editing within Procore before exporting if you need to preserve editability.

On iOS devices, a disappearing toolbar represents a common confusion point. If you can't see your markup tools, simply tap anywhere on the screen. This action toggles the toolbar visibility, bringing all your tools back into view. The auto-hide feature keeps your drawing area uncluttered but can be disorienting for new users.

When attempting to link items to markups, verify that the specific tools you want to connect with are active in your project and contain at least one item. Empty tools won't appear in the linking options, which can be puzzling if you're expecting to see them. Adding the required item to the appropriate tool resolves this limitation.

Permission-related issues frequently arise when users attempt to edit published markups. Remember that only Admin users have full editing rights for all published markups. Standard users can typically only edit their own published markups unless special permissions have been granted. When in doubt, check your project's permission settings or consult with your Procore administrator.

Maximizing Team Collaboration

Effective markup usage extends beyond technical skills to encompass team coordination and communication strategies. When properly implemented, these practices dramatically improve project outcomes.

Regular training sessions ensure all team members understand both the technical aspects of creating markups and the standardized practices specific to your organization. These sessions need not be lengthy - even 15-minute refreshers can significantly improve markup consistency and quality. Consider recording these sessions for new team members who join mid-project.

Feedback loops strengthen your markup processes over time. Encourage team members to share challenges they encounter and suggestions for improvement. This continuous refinement leads to increasingly effective communication as the project progresses. Many teams find that a quick markup review becomes a valuable addition to weekly coordination meetings.

Cross-discipline coordination benefits tremendously from consistent markup practices. When mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and architectural teams all follow the same markup conventions, interdisciplinary communication becomes much more efficient. This standardization reduces errors at discipline interfaces, where many construction problems typically occur.

Field-to-office communication flows more smoothly when both sides understand markup expectations. Field personnel can document site conditions or installation issues through mobile markups, while office teams can provide immediate feedback or design clarifications through desktop markups. This bidirectional flow keeps everyone aligned despite physical separation.

Enhancing Markup Efficiency with Templates

For projects with repetitive markup needs, templates dramatically increase consistency while reducing creation time. Developing a library of standardized markups pays dividends throughout the project lifecycle.

Start by identifying common markup patterns in your workflows. Quality control checklists, standard detail callouts, or recurring inspection notes often follow predictable formats. Create these as template markups that can be quickly copied and pasted where needed, adjusting only the specific details for each instance.

Pre-configured color schemes and formatting standards should be documented in a project-specific markup guide. This reference ensures that everyone follows the same visual language, even when creating markups from scratch rather than using templates. Include examples of properly formatted markups for different purposes to illustrate best practices.

Template sharing across the team multiplies efficiency gains. When one team member develops a particularly effective markup approach, encourage them to share it with colleagues. This knowledge transfer raises the quality of all project documentation while reducing the learning curve for less experienced team members.

For organizations managing multiple projects, consider developing company-wide markup standards that transfer between projects. This consistency helps team members who move between projects maintain productivity without having to learn new markup conventions for each assignment.

Streamline Your Procore Markup Workflow Today

Mastering Procore's markup tools transforms your project communication from basic annotation to comprehensive visual documentation. The techniques covered in this guide provide a foundation for more efficient, accurate, and collaborative drawing management throughout your construction projects.

Remember that effective markup strategies evolve through consistent application and refinement. Start by implementing the fundamental practices outlined here, then adapt them to your specific project needs. Pay particular attention to permission settings, standardized formatting, and clear communication protocols, as these elements form the backbone of successful markup workflows.

Consider conducting a markup audit on your current project to identify improvement opportunities. Look for inconsistencies in formatting, areas where team members might be duplicating efforts, or instances where important information isn't being effectively communicated through your current markup approach. This assessment provides a roadmap for targeted improvements that yield immediate benefits.

The true power of Procore's markup tools emerges when your entire team embraces them as a central communication platform rather than just a drawing annotation system. By connecting markups to other project documentation, maintaining consistency across revisions, and establishing clear standards, you create a visual information network that enhances every aspect of project delivery. Your drawings become not just design documents but living records of decisions, changes, and progress that drive project success.