Overlay
Overlay stacks two sheets on top of each other and aligns them, so you can see exactly what moved between drawings or disciplines.
Use case: overlay the architectural and mechanical plans to spot where a duct runs through a wall.
Setting up an overlay
- Open Overlay from the tools rail.
- Pick your base sheet, then add one or more overlay sheets: from the same document or a different one in the project (another discipline, another revision).
- Align the sheets by picking matching landmark points on each (a column grid intersection works well). The alignment solver does the rest and warns you if the fit looks off.
- Adjust each layer's color and opacity so the two sheets read clearly against each other.
What to use it for
- Cross-discipline coordination: architectural vs. mechanical, structural vs. plumbing: clashes show up as overlapping geometry you can see instantly.
- Revision drift: overlay rev 1 on rev 2 to see precisely what moved and by how much (for a written change list, use Compare Versions).
- Issue context: flagged issue locations can be preserved on the overlay, so findings stay visible while you coordinate.
Overlays are interactive and live in your browser, with nothing to run or wait for, and your overlay sessions are saved to the project so you can come back to a coordination view later.
Available on request
Overlay is enabled per organization. If you don't see it in your workspace, talk to us.