I searched through earlier threads but did not find the discussion I need now.
Has anyone submitted their entire project manual to the repro house electronically? We have one project where we’ve been getting the consultant specs as pdfs, and then converting our specs to pdfs, and then sending the entire package electronically to the print shop. We’ve been doing this with drawings for years, but have typically still turned in hard copy specs. I have to admit that doing the entire manual electronically is making me nervous, but I also admit that compiling 5000 page documents is no fun either, and is pretty darn heavy.
So… any pitfalls that you know of, or can see with electronic submission of the entire project manual? What has your experience been?
I’ve sent one out. UW’s new research center. It worked fine except that since I published each section individually and then sent them to the printer and to the project FTP site, they can be read separately. It is nice to note that the Contractor, MA Mortenson would like the spec as a single pdf with bookmarks. I like that idea too.
I have a major construction project underway in Irvine California ($400 million in hard costs), and we are using all digital delivery via Planwell. I really like it, because updates are easily and inexpensively distributed. It takes the spec writer slightly more time to “print” each document to PDF, because the files need to be individually named, but it saves time everywhere else.
The key has been keeping file sizes manageable. I have received a 96mb file that was one scanned spec manual as a single static PDF. That was awful, and very hard to navigate and use.
Since then, we have insisted on using individually “printed” files by section, from Word directly into PDF, and that makes the files into a much more efficient vector format, and far easier to navigate.
If you are sophisticated in your production the manuals, they can be written with a “live” TOC and navigatable bookmarks for every section, but that is not as straightforward to produce. It will become the industry standard before long however.
LOL, Marc responded seconds before I did, but I fully agree. Best case is one PDF with navigatable bookmarked sections. That is what I was trying say with twice as many words in my last paragraph
Previously, we would submit electronically in MS Word, but there were often glitches caused by differences in software defaults at the printer and at our offices. With our usual printer, we could trust that the formats would work ok, but it was always iffy with a new printer. PDFs seem to have solved that formatting problem. So far, we too have done individual pdf’s for each section, but the bookmarked single pdf does hold promise as “best case”, I agree.
I typically send my spec sections to my clients in PDF format to send off to the printer. I set up my file names so that the files are in the folder in the in the order they should appear in the Project manual. The only glitch I have run into was when something had to be inserted manually or when it was the first time the printer had received specs that way.
I’ve just gotten the Adobe Acrobat Pro and have not used this application yet, but the product information has an application where I can print my Word files to PDF into a single file for the printer to use to print out the job. Will let you know if it works after I use it.
As a consultant (Structural) one of the results of electronic distribution is that more and more often the printing cost has been shifted to us. It is not just the paper and supplies but the time and disruption involved in printing hard copies. There is still a lot to be said for hard copies distributed by the lead design professional.
The secret is to find the right balance in the way we use technology.
I have worked on a number of projects where all consultants sent (or uploaded to FTP site) PDF’s for printing at a common reprographics firm. One problem I have noticed is not all the consultants use the same file naming convention. Ditto for drawing file naming. Using filenames that a computer arranges in the propoer order is key. One architect I work with had to spend a day & a half at the printers getting things in the right sequence so they could run the job.
For specs I suggest the following file naming convention - 00000_ABC-00.doc where 00000 is the masterformat section number (this forces everyone to use the same MF version), _ABC can identify the consultant firm’s initials to identify author if needed, -00 can identify various issues or Bid Packages. If job numbers are desired, they can occur before or after the section number (I prefer after). A date can be used (later in the file name) but I suggest 2005-09-27 so even these order themselves in proper sequence. I follow UDS recommendations for drawing filenames.
I just had a meeting with a client this afternoon to negotiate a project. One of our sticking points is: he wants the job delivered electronicly in Word so last minute corrections can be made, not PDF as I normally do. When I explained my reasons for hesitating to agree to this, (copyright, reuse issues) he said he understood and suggested I include in our agreement a specific “no-reuse” clause. Has anyone else had experience with this?
I do put a “tag” in the binding margin. Is there a way to protect that without affecting the rest of the document?
This is a client I want to keep, so walking away isn’t an option.
Margaret, is your client telling you he is going to modify your spec without involving you?
There is no good reason that I can think of where you cannot be available at the last minute and simply email him the changes via PDF. Do you not also have a need to maintain the most current version of the specification on YOUR files?
He stated he would agree to alert me should a modification be needed and send me a corrected copy.
I agree with you Nathan, this makes me a bit nervous, although I feel fairly secure that they would not reuse/abuse the specs. They may be concerned about my being a one person shop. Altho’ I’m usually reachable, how critical can something be prior to printing.
If you’re e-mailing the documents, last minute changes should not be an issue. You can make changes on your end and e-mail a new pdf in about the same time as making the same changes on the other end. I’d say send pdfs, and be on hand to make any last minute changes and e-mail new pdfs as needed.
Margaret’s thoughts are high on the list of concerns of many independent consultants. Our resources are mainly intellectual ones that can be mis-used by ill-intentioned people no matter how we try to protect them.
Whereas it is true that pdf files are more difficult to use for other projects, the information can be extracted.
Client-consultant relationships thrive on trust from both sides. It’s hard to maintain trust when the air reeks with suspicion.
Thanks for your thoughts. I’ve got a call in to the client now to get him to accept PDF’s. Have any of you dealt with a similar situation, and have some recommended arguments I could use?
BTW earlier I said I would report on that compiling function in the Adobe Acrobat. I used it last night to send off a project to another client. Worked great! Made a huge file, but it could still be emailed after compressing it with WinZip. Just make sure none of the files are protected.
Is that the Acrobat function that combines separate files (even of different types, I believe) into one big pdf? If so, does it let you insert the bookmarks referred to earlier, or is that a separate proceess? Thanks.
I have a question though about printing .pdf files from a zip file … whenever we have had to do it because a consultant has not given us hard copy … If I try to do a “batch” print (by selecting a quantity of sections and then sending them to print at one time), it does not print the sections in order. How can you batch print .pdfs from a zip file and have them print in order?
yes it is the function to combine files into one PDF. Don’t know about the book marks yet. Still learning the program.
Regarding printing from the Zip file. I don’t. I use the WinZip just to compress it so it can be E-mailed. The document I’m sending is already is in order for printing and I think should be extracted from the zipfile for use.
I batch-print my PDF files from Windows Explorer. I found that they will print in the order they appear in the list, starting from the file under the cursor when you right click.
The process I use is this: After I select the range of files I want to print, I right click to get the Shorthand Menu that contains the Print command. Wherever I place my cursor over the selected area is where the files will start printing. By placing it over the top most file (the beginning), all the files will print in order.
I’m not sure if it works for everyone, but that is the way it works for me.
The most likely reason there are last minute changes is that they are trying to insert something they forgot to tell you about in the first place. I wouldnt let them touch your sections.
It will take him more time and effort to do this than it would be to call you directly and have you make the modification. At least that way you know that the modification was made correctly, in the right location, and doesnt conflict with another part of the project manual.
It is my experience that such a clause is worthless, or rather, only as good and honest as the client. For nearly three decades I have used such a clause and it will not deter the bad apple for violating this mutually agreed upon contractual condition. I have been burned several times over the years. After three projects, they have a reasonably good number of sections to use as a basis for most projects. They know that it will be a cold day in H*** before I pursue the issue. In fact, I almost always use a copyright symbol on every page I prepare [the exceptions are most Federal or state projects that will not permit any individual copyrights] just as a reminder. The copyright symbol nor the “no-reuse” clause are not going to stop someone determined to use your work.
I regularly use CSIs greatest resource - the industry member. When you work with a rep to correct and update a spec section and you see him/her months later and they say: Hey, I thought we upgraded our section? And I say What project? and it turns out to be this client who is now using your spex, you know exactly what has happened.
If a client has any respect for you, they will understand and honor your protectiveness of your work. The ones that push otherwise are just trying to use you. They will take whatever they can get and run their own direction. I have many good and respectful clients. They are the clients that make this business enjoyable and dont give you headaches.
The only real “compensation” is that you sadly feel “honored” that they like your work well enough to use it on their own.
I beg to differ. Personal integrity and the value you place on your work are more important, in the long run, than any single client.
